ASTM C753-16a(2021)
(Specification)Standard Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium Dioxide Powder
Standard Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium Dioxide Powder
ABSTRACT
This specification covers nuclear-grade, sinterable uranium dioxide (UO2) powder and applies to uranium dioxide powder containing uranium of any 235U concentration in the production of nuclear fuel pellets for use in nuclear reactors. This specification refers expressly to calcined UO2 powder before the addition of any die lubricant, binder, or pore former, and defines isotopic limits for commercial grade UO2 so that, regarding fuel design and manufacture, the product is essentially equivalent to that made from unreprocessed uranium and. Provisions for preventing criticality accidents or requirements for health and safety are not included in this specification. The powder shall conform to the specified chemical requirements including uranium content, oxygen-to-uranium ratio, impurity content (such as aluminum, carbon, calcium and magnesium, chlorine, fluorine, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, tantalum, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zinc), moisture content, isotopic content, equivalent boron content, and cleanliness and workmanship. The powder shall also meet the specified physical requirements including particle size, bulk density, and sinterability. Sampling requirements for the test specimen and the test methods for chemical analysis and acceptance testing are detailed.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers nuclear-grade, sinterable UO2 powder. It applies to UO2 powder containing uranium (U) of any 235U concentration in the production of nuclear fuel pellets for use in nuclear reactors.
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of reprocessed U in the fuel cycle and consequently defines isotopic limits for commercial grade UO2. Such commercial grade UO2 is defined so that, regarding fuel design and manufacture, the product is essentially equivalent to that made from unreprocessed U. UO2 falling outside these limits cannot necessarily be regarded as equivalent and may thus need special provisions at the fuel fabrication plant or in the fuel design.
1.3 This specification does not include provisions for preventing criticality accidents or requirements for health and safety. Observance of this specification does not relieve the user of the obligation to be aware of and conform to all international, national, or federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to possessing, shipping, processing, or using source or special nuclear material.
1.4 This specification refers expressly to UO2 powder before the addition of any die lubricant, binder, or pore former. If powder is sold with such additions or prepared as press feed, sampling procedures, allowable impurity contents, or powder physical requirements may need to be modified by agreement between the buyer and the seller.
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses after SI units are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:C753 −16a (Reapproved 2021)
Standard Specification for
Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium Dioxide Powder
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C753; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This specification is intended to provide the nuclear industry with a general standard for sinterable
uranium dioxide (UO ) powder. It recognizes the diversity of manufacturing methods by which UO
2 2
powders are produced and the many special requirements for chemical and physical characterization
that may be applicable for a particular fuel pellet manufacturing process or imposed by the end user
of the powder in a specific reactor system. It is, therefore, anticipated that the buyer may supplement
this specification with more stringent or additional requirements for specific applications.
1. Scope 1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. The values given in parentheses after SI units are
1.1 This specification covers nuclear-grade, sinterable UO
provided for information only and are not considered standard.
powder. It applies to UO powder containing uranium (U) of
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
any U concentration in the production of nuclear fuel pellets
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
for use in nuclear reactors.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of repro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
cessed U in the fuel cycle and consequently defines isotopic
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
limits for commercial grade UO . Such commercial grade UO
2 2 1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
is defined so that, regarding fuel design and manufacture, the
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
product is essentially equivalent to that made from unrepro-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
cessed U. UO falling outside these limits cannot necessarily
2 Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
beregardedasequivalentandmaythusneedspecialprovisions
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
at the fuel fabrication plant or in the fuel design.
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.3 This specification does not include provisions for pre-
2. Referenced Documents
venting criticality accidents or requirements for health and
2.1 ASTM Standards:
safety. Observance of this specification does not relieve the
B243 Terminology of Powder Metallurgy
user of the obligation to be aware of and conform to all
B329 Test Method for Apparent Density of Metal Powders
international, national, or federal, state, and local regulations
and Compounds Using the Scott Volumeter
pertaining to possessing, shipping, processing, or using source
C696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and
or special nuclear material.
Spectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Di-
1.4 This specification refers expressly to UO powder be-
oxide Powders and Pellets
fore the addition of any die lubricant, binder, or pore former. If
C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
powder is sold with such additions or prepared as press feed,
C996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to
sampling procedures, allowable impurity contents, or powder 235
Less Than 5 % U
physical requirements may need to be modified by agreement
C1233 Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Contents
between the buyer and the seller.
of Nuclear Materials
E11 Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test
Sieves
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.02 on Fuel
and Fertile Material Specifications. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2021. Published October 2021. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1973. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as C753 – 16a. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/C0753-16AR21. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
C753−16a (2021)
TABLE 2 Additional Impurity Elements
E105 Guide for Probability Sampling of Materials
2.2 ASME Standard: Element
Beryllium (Be) Lithium (Li)
ASME NQA-1 QualityAssurance Requirements for Nuclear
Bismuth (Bi) Niobium (Nb)
Facility Applications
Boron (B) Potassium (K)
Cadmium (Cd) Silver (Ag)
2.3 Federal Regulation:
Dysprosium (Dy) Samarium (Sm)
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Chapter 1, Nuclear
Europium (Eu) Sodium (Na)
Regulatory Commission, Applicable Parts
Gadolinium (Gd) Sulfur (S)
Indium (In) Zirconium (Zr)
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—Definitions of terms are as given in Termi-
nologies B243 and C859.
buyer and should be measured and reported if requested. If an
element analysis is reported as “less than” a given
4. Chemical Composition
concentration, this “less than” value shall be used in the
4.1 Uranium Content—The U content shall be determined
determination of total impurities. Impurity elements measured
on a basis to be agreed upon between the buyer and seller.
and their associated limits may differ from what is listed in this
specification agreed upon between the buyer and seller.
4.2 Oxygen-to-Uranium Ratio (O/U)—The O/U ratio may
be specified as agreed upon between the buyer and seller. The
4.4 Moisture Content—The moisture content shall not ex-
determination of the O/U ratio shall be in accordance withTest
ceed 0.50 weight percent of the powder.
Methods C696 or a demonstrated equivalent.
4.5 Isotopic Content:
4.3 Impurity Content—The impurity content shall not ex-
4.5.1 For UO powder with an isotopic content of U
ceed the individual element limit specified in Table 1onaU
below 5 %, the isotopic limits of Specification C996 shall
basis. Total non-volatile oxide impurity content (see Table 1
apply, unless otherwise agreed upon between the buyer and the
and other impurity elements not having associated limits in
seller. If the U content is greater than Enriched Commercial
Table 2) shall not exceed 1500 µg/gU. Some other elements
Grade UF requirements, the isotopic analysis requirements of
such as those listed in Table 2 may also be of concern for the
Specification C996 shall apply. The specific isotopic measure-
ments required by Specification C996 may be waived, pro-
vided that the seller can demonstrate compliance with Speci-
Available from American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ASME
fication C996, for instance, through the seller’s quality
International Headquarters, Two Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990, http://
assurance records.
www.asme.org.
Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of
4.5.2 For UO powder that does not have an assay in the
Documents, 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Washington, DC 20401-0001, http://
range set forth in 4.5.1, the isotopic requirements shall be as
www.access.gpo.gov.
agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.
4.6 Equivalent Boron Content—For thermal reactor use, the
TABLE 1 Impurity Elements and Maximum Concentration Limits
total equivalent boron content (EBC) shall not exceed 4.0 µg/g
Maximum Concentration
B
Element
Limit of Uranium, µg/gU on a U basis. For purpose of EBC calculation B, Gd, Eu, Dy,
Aluminum (Al) 300 Sm, and Cd shall be included in addition to elements listed in
Carbon (C) 100
Table 1. The method of performing the calculation shall be as
Calcium (Ca) + magnesium (Mg) 200
indicated in Practice C1233. For fast reactor use, the above
Chlorine (Cl) 100
Chromium (Cr) 200 limitation on EBC does not apply.
Cobalt (Co) 100
Copper (Cu) 250
5. Physical Properties
Fluorine (F) 100
Iron (Fe) 250
5.1 Cleanliness and Workmanship—The UO powder shall
Lead (Pb) 250
be free of visible fragments of foreign matter.
Manganese (Mn) 250
Molybdenum (Mo) 250
5.2 Particle Size—UO powder particle size limits and
Nickel (Ni) 200
method of determination shall be as agreed upon between the
Nitrogen (N) 200
Phosphorus (P) 250 buyerandseller.Asanexample,asagreedupon,thefractionof
Silicon (Si) 300
a representative sample not passing through a 425-µm (No. 40)
Tantalum (Ta) 250
A
standard sieve conforming to Specification E11 shall be re-
Thorium (Th) 10
Tin (Sn) 250
ported to the buyer.
Titanium (Ti) 250
5.3 Bulk Density—The bulk density of UO powder will
Tungsten (W) 250
Vanadium (V) 250
depend on the processing method. Unless otherwise agreed
Zinc (Zn) 250
upon between the buyer and seller, the bulk density shall be a
A 233
Thorium is primarily of concern because of the reactor production of U.
minimum of 0.625 g/cm as determined by Test Method B329,
B
Any additional potential impurities, added by the fabrication process for example,
or an agreed upon alternativ
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