ASTM C776-17

Standard Specification for Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets for Light Water Reactors

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 –
SCOPE
1.1 This specification is for finished sintered UO2 pellets. It applies to UO2 pellets containing uranium (U) of any  235U concentration 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 UO2 pellets made from 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 unirradiated 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 (a) provisions for preventing criticality accidents, (b) requirements for health and safety, (c) avoidance of hazards, or (d) shipping precautions and controls. 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 70, Title 10, Part 71, and Title 49, Part 173.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the technical requirements portion, Section 4, 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability or regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 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

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2017
• ICS: 27.120.30 - Fissile materials and nuclear fuel technology
• Technical Committee: C26 - Nuclear Fuel Cycle
• Drafting Committee: C26.02 - Fuel and Fertile Material Specifications

Standards Content (Sample)

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 −17
Standard Specification for
1
Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets for Light Water Reactors
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.Anumber 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 uranium
dioxide(UO )pelletsforlightwaterreactoruse.Itrecognizesthediversityofmanufacturingmethods
2
by which UO pellets are produced and the many special requirements for chemical and physical
2
characterization which may be imposed by the operating conditions to which the pellets will be
subjected in different light water reactors. Therefore, it is anticipated that the purchaser may
supplement this specification with additional requirements for specific applications.
1. Scope 1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the
technical requirements portion, Section 4, of this specification:
1.1 This specification is for finished sintered UO pellets. It
2
235 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety
applies to UO pellets containing uranium (U) of any U
2
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
concentration for use in nuclear reactors.
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety,
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of repro-
health, and environmental practices and determine the appli-
cessed U in the fuel cycle and consequently defines isotopic
cability or regulatory limitations prior to use.
limitsforUO pelletsmadefromcommercialgradeUO .Such
2 2
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
commercialgradeUO isdefinedsothat,regardingfueldesign
2
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
and manufacture, the product is essentially equivalent to that
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
made from unirradiated U. UO falling outside these limits
2
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
cannot necessarily be regarded as equivalent and may thus
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
need special provisions at the fuel fabrication plant or in the
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
fuel design.
2. Referenced Documents
1.3 This specification does not include (a) provisions for
2
preventingcriticalityaccidents,(b)requirementsforhealthand
2.1 ASTM Standards:
safety, (c) avoidance of hazards, or (d) shipping precautions
C696Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and
and controls. Observance of this specification does not relieve
SpectrochemicalAnalysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Di-
the user of the obligation to be aware of and conform to all
oxide Powders and Pellets
federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to possessing,
C753Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium
shipping, processing, or using source or special nuclear mate-
Dioxide Powder
rial. Examples of U.S. Government documents are Code of
C859Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
FederalRegulations(LatestEdition),Title10,Part50,Title10,
C996Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to
235
Part 70, Title 10, Part 71, and Title 49, Part 173.
Less Than 5% U
C1233Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Contents
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this of Nuclear Materials
E105Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
standard.
E112Test Methods for Determining Average Grain Size
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on
NuclearFuelCycleandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeC26.02onFuel
2
and Fertile Material Specifications. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2017. Published November 2017. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
approved in 1976. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as C776–06 (2011).
the ASTM website.
DOI: 10.1520/C0776-17.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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C776−17
3
2.2 ASME Standard: If an element analysis is reported as “less than” a given
ASMENQA-1QualityAssuranceRequirementsforNuclear concentration, this “less than” value shall be used in the
Facility Applications determination of total impurities.
2.3 U.S. Government Documents:
4.1.3 Stoichiometry—The oxygen-to-uranium ratio of sin-
Cod
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: C776 − 06 (Reapproved 2011) C776 − 17
Standard Specification for
1
Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets for Light Water Reactors
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 specificationstandard
for uranium dioxide pellets.(UO ) pellets for light water reactor use. It recognizes the diversity of
2
manufacturing methods by which uraniumUO dioxide pellets are produced and the many special
2
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. different light water
reactors. Therefore, it is anticipated that the purchaser may supplement this specification with
additional requirements for specific applications.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification is for finished sintered uraniumUO dioxide pellets. It applies to uraniumUO dioxide pellets containing
2 2
235
uranium (U) of any U concentration for use in nuclear reactors.
1.2 This specification recognizes the presence of reprocessed uraniumU in the fuel cycle and consequently defines isotopic
limits for uraniumUO dioxide pellets made from commercial grade UO . Such commercial grade UO is defined so that, regarding
2 2 2
fuel design and manufacture, the product is essentially equivalent to that made from unirradiated uranium.U. UO falling outside
2
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)a) provisions for preventing criticality accidents or accidents, ( (b)b) requirements
for health and safety. safety, (c) avoidance of hazards, or (d) shipping precautions and controls. 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 70, Title 10, Part 71, and Title 49, Part 173.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the technical requirements portion, Section 4, 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 safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the applicability
or regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.6 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.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and Spectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Dioxide
Powders and Pellets
C753 Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium Dioxide Powder
1
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.
Current edition approved June 1, 2011Nov. 1, 2017. Published June 2011November 2017. Originally approved in 1976. Last previous edition approved in 20062011 as
C776 – 06.C776 – 06 (2011). DOI: 10.1520/C0776-06R11.10.1520/C0776-17.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
C776 − 17
C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
235
...