Standard Specification for Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets

ABSTRACT
This specification covers sintered uranium dioxide pellets containing 235U for use in nuclear reactors. Chemical requirements include uranium content, impurity content, stoichiometry, and moisture content. Maximum concentration limits are specified for impurity elements such as: aluminum, carbon, calcium+magnesium, chlorine, chromium, cobalt, fluorine, hydrogen, iron, nickel, nitrogen, silicon, and thorium. Chemical analyses shall be performed. Nuclear requirements include isotopic content and equivalent boron content. The following are physical characteristics of the material: dimensions, pellet density, grain size and pore morphology, pellet integrity–surface cracks and chips, and cleanliness and workmanship. Fuel pellet irradiation stability shall be estimated. Pellet lot shall be retained throughout processing without mixing with other established lots.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification is for finished sintered uranium dioxide pellets. It applies to uranium dioxide pellets containing uranium of any  235U concentration for use in nuclear reactors.
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of reprocessed uranium in the fuel cycle and consequently defines isotopic limits for uranium dioxide pellets made from commercial grade UO2. Such commercial grade UO 2 is defined so that, regarding fuel design and manufacture, the product is essentially equivalent to that made from unirradiated uranium. UO 2 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  (a) provisions for preventing criticality accidents or  (b) 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 federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to possessing, shipping, processing, or using source or special nuclear material. Examples of U.S. Government documents are Code of Federal Regulations (Latest Edition), Title 10, Part 50, Title 10, Part 71, and Title 49, Part 173.
The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the technical requirements portion, Section , of this specification: 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 and health practices and determine the applicability or regulatory limitations prior to use.

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ASTM C776-06 - Standard Specification for Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: C776 – 06
Standard Specification for
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Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C776; 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 specification for
uranium dioxide pellets. It recognizes the diversity of manufacturing methods by which uranium
dioxide pellets are produced and the many special requirements for chemical and physical
characterization which may be imposed by the operating conditions to which the pellets will be
subjected in specific reactor systems. Therefore, it is anticipated that the purchaser may supplement
this specification with additional requirements for specific applications.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
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1.1 This specification is for finished sintered uranium diox- 2.1 ASTM Standards:
ide pellets. It applies to uranium dioxide pellets containing C696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and
235
uranium of any U concentration for use in nuclear reactors. Spectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Di-
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of repro- oxide Powders and Pellets
cessed uranium in the fuel cycle and consequently defines C753 Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium
isotopic limits for uranium dioxide pellets made from commer- Dioxide Powder
cial grade UO . Such commercial grade UO is defined so that, C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
2 2
regarding fuel design and manufacture, the product is essen- C996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to
235
tially equivalent to that made from unirradiated uranium. UO Less Than 5 % U
2
falling outside these limits cannot necessarily be regarded as C1233 Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Contents
equivalent and may thus need special provisions at the fuel of Nuclear Materials
fabrication plant or in the fuel design. E105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
3
1.3 This specification does not include (a) provisions for 2.2 ANSI Standard:
preventing criticality accidents or (b) requirements for health ANSI/ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Requirements for
andsafety.Observanceofthisspecificationdoesnotrelievethe Nuclear Facility Applications
useroftheobligationtobeawareofandconformtoallfederal, 2.3 U.S. Government Documents:
state, and local regulations pertaining to possessing, shipping, Code of Federal Regulations (Latest Edition), Title 10, Part
processing, or using source or special nuclear material. Ex- 50, Energy (10 CFR 50) Domestic Licensing of Produc-
4
amples of U.S. Government documents are Code of Federal tion and Utilization Facilities
Regulations(LatestEdition),Title10,Part50,Title10,Part71, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 71, Packaging
4
and Title 49, Part 173. and Transportation of Radioactive Material
1.4 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 173, General
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4, of this specification: Requirements for Shipments and Packaging
technical requirements portion, Section
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety Regulatory Guide NUREG 1.126 AnAcceptable Model and
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility Related Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Fuel
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
health practices and determine the applicability or regulatory
limitations prior to use.
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
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This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on the ASTM website.
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Nuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.02 on Fuel Available fromAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
and Fertile Material Specifications. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
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Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2006. Published September 2006. Originally AvailablefromU.S.GovernmentPrintingOfficeSuperintendentofDocuments,
approved in 1976. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as C776 – 00. DOI: 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401, http://
10.1520/C0776-06. www.access.gpo.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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C776 – 06
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Densification, Rev. 1 March 197
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