1、Designation: C 1348 01Standard Specification forBlended Uranium Oxides with a235U Content of Less Than5 % for Direct Hydrogen Reduction to Nuclear GradeUranium Dioxide1This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1348; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year ofor
2、iginal adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThis specification is intended to provide the nuclear indust
3、ry with a general standard for suchuranium oxide powders. It recognizes the diversity of conversion processes and the many specialrequirements for chemical and physical characterization that may be imposed by the end use of thepowder. It is anticipated, therefore, that this specification may be supp
4、lemented with additionalrequirements by agreement between the buyer and the seller.1. Scope1.1 This specification covers blended uranium trioxide(UO3), U3O8, or mixtures of the two, powders that are intendedfor conversion into a sinterable uranium dioxide (UO2) powderby means of a direct reduction p
5、rocess. The UO2powderproduct of the reduction process must meet the requirements ofSpecification C 753 and be suitable for subsequent UO2pelletfabrication by pressing and sintering methods. This specifica-tion applies to uranium oxides with a235U enrichment less than5%.1.2 This specification include
6、s chemical, physical, and testmethod requirements for uranium oxide powders as they relateto the suitability of the powder for storage, transportation, anddirect reduction to UO2powder. This specification is applicableto uranium oxide powders for such use from any source.1.3 The scope of this specif
7、ication does not comprehen-sively cover all provisions for preventing criticality accidents,for health and safety, or for shipping. Observance of thisspecification does not relieve the user of the obligation toconform to all international, national, state, and local regula-tions for processing, ship
8、ping, or any other way of usinguranium oxide powders (see 2.2 and 2.3).1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as thestandard. The values given in parentheses are for informationonly.1.5 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to thetest methods portion of the annexes in this
9、specification: Thisstandard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the userof this standard to establish appropriate safety and healthpractices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-tions prior to use.2. Refe
10、renced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:B 329 Test Method for Apparent Density of Metal Powdersand Related Compounds Using the Scott Volumeter2C 696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, andSpectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Di-oxide Powders and Pellets3C 753 Specification for Nuc
11、lear-Grade, Sinterable UraniumDioxide Powder3C 799 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric,Spectrochemical, Nuclear, and Radiochemical Analysis ofNuclear-Grade Uranyl Nitrate Solutions3C 859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials3C 996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched toLess
12、Than 5 %235U3C 1233 Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Con-tents of Nuclear Materials3C 1287 Test Method for Determination of Impurities inUranium Dioxide by Inductively Coupled Plasma MassSpectrometry3E 11 Specification for Wire-Cloth Sieves for Testing Pur-poses4E 105 Practice for Probabili
13、ty Sampling of Materials42.2 ANSI Standard:NQA-1 Quality Assurance Program, Requirements forNuclear Facilities51This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 onNuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.02 on Fueland Fertile Material Specifications.C
14、urrent edition approved Jan. 10, 2001. Published March 2001. Originallypublished as C 134896. Last previous edition C 134896.2Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.05.3Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 12.01.4Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.5Available from American National Standards Insti
15、tute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13thFloor, New York, NY 10036.1Copyright ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.2.3 U.S. Government Document:CFR Title 10 (Energy), Part 50, Domestic Licensing ofProduction and Utilization Facilities63. Terminology3.1 DefinitionsTerms shall
16、 be defined in accordance withTerminology C 859, except the following.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 Commercial-Grade Uranium Oxideuranium triox-ide (UO3), U3O8, or a mixture of the two, made fromunirradiated uranium. It is recognized that some contaminationwith reprocessed
17、 uranium may occur during routine process-ing; this is acceptable, provided that the specification forCommercial-Grade Uranium Oxide, as set forth in 4.1, is met.4. Isotopic Content4.1 For Commercial-Grade Uranium Oxide with an isotopiccontent of235U between that of natural uranium and 5 %, theisoto
18、pic limits, including the requirements for reporting andmeasurements of Specification C 996 shall apply, unless oth-erwise agreed upon between the buyer and seller. The specificisotopic measurements required by Specification C 996 may bewaived, provided that the seller can demonstrate compliancewith
19、 Specification C 996, for instance, through the sellersquality assurance records.236U contents greater than that speci-fied in C 996 for Enriched Commercial Grade UF6 may beagreed upon between the buyer and seller since it is not a safetyconcern.4.2 For commercial uranium oxides not having an isotop
20、icconcentration in the range set forth in 4.1, the isotopicrequirements shall be as agreed upon between the buyer andthe seller.5. Physical and Chemical Requirements5.1 Uranium ContentThe uranium content shall be deter-mined using the procedures described in Test Methods C 696or C 799, or as agreed
21、upon between the buyer and the seller.The minimum total uranium content shall also be agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller.5.2 Oxygen-to-Uranium Ratio (O/U)The O/U ratio of theCommercial-Grade Uranium Oxide shall be nominally be-tween 2.67 and 3.0. The O/U ratio shall be determined by TestMet
22、hods C 696 or by another method as agreed upon by thebuyer and the seller.5.3 Impurity ContentThe impurity content of theCommercial-Grade Uranium Oxide shall not exceed the indi-vidual element limit specified in Table 1 on a uranium weightbasis. The summation of the contribution of each of theimpuri
23、ty elements listed in Table 1 shall not exceed 1000g/gU. The impurity content shall be determined using theprocedures described in Test Methods C 696 or C 1287, orboth, or as agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.5.4 Equivalent Boron ContentThe total equivalent boroncontent (EBC) of the Comme
24、rcial-Grade Uranium Oxide shallnot exceed 2.0 g/gU. The list of elements to be considered inthe EBC calculation shall be as agreed upon between the buyerand the seller. The method of performing the calculation shallbe as indicated in Practice C 1233.5.5 If the concentrations of any of the elements u
25、sed in thecalculations in 5.3 are reported as a less-than value, thisless-than value shall be used for any further calculationsinvolving the concentration of this element.5.6 Bulk DensityUnless otherwise agreed upon betweenthe buyer and the seller, the bulk density of the Commercial-Grade Uranium Ox
26、ide shall be a minimum of 575 kg/m3,asdetermined by Test Method B 329, or an alternative agreedupon between the buyer and the seller.5.7 Moisture ContentThe moisture content of theCommercial-Grade Uranium Oxide shall not exceed 1 % byweight unless otherwise agreed upon by the buyer and theseller.5.8
27、 Ability to FlowThe Commercial-Grade Uranium Ox-ide shall be sufficiently free-flowing to permit sampling andpowder handling.5.9 Particle SizeBased on visual observation, all of arepresentative sample of the Commercial-Grade Uranium Ox-ide shall pass through a 425-m (No. 40) standard sieveconforming
28、 to Specification E 11, or as otherwise agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller. Alternatively, as agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller, the fraction not passingthrough a 425-m (No. 40) standard sieve shall be reported tothe buyer. Particle size, size distribution, and method ofdeterminat
29、ion shall be as agreed upon between the buyer andthe seller. Packing or agglomeration, or both, during shippingmay be a concern.5.10 Reduction and SinterabilityThe Commercial-GradeUranium Oxide shall be reduced to UO2, and test pellets shallbe produced and measured in accordance with a sinteringperf
30、ormance test agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.6Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.TABLE 1 Impurity Elements and Maximum Concentration LimitsElementMaximum Concentration Limit of Uranium,g/gUAlu
31、minum 50Barium 5Beryllium 100Bismuth 3Calcium + magnesium 100Carbon 100Chlorine 100Chromium 100Cobalt 80Copper 100Fluorine 100Iron 150Lead 40Manganese 50Molybdenum 200Nickel 80Phosphorus 100Silicon 200Sodium 20Tantalum 200Thorium 10Tin 50Titanium 50Tungsten 100Vanadium 10Zinc 20C 13482Reduction and
32、sinterability performance tests described inAnnex A1 are presented as a guide.6. Lot Requirements6.1 A lot is defined as a quantity of Commercial-GradeUranium Oxide powder that is uniform in isotopic, chemical,and physical characteristics.6.2 The identity of a lot shall be retained throughout.6.3 A
33、powder lot shall form the basis for defining samplingplans used to establish conformance to this specification.6.4 Sampling plans shall be mutually agreed upon betweenthe buyer and the seller. A suggested sampling procedure isgiven in Annex A2.7. Test Methods7.1 The sample described in 6.4 shall be
34、tested to ensureconformance of the powder to the requirements of Sections4-6.7.2 Lot AcceptanceAcceptance testing may be performedby the buyer on either the sample provided by the seller or ona sample taken at the buyers plant by sampling one or moreindividual containers with a thief. Practice E 105
35、 is referencedas a guide. Acceptance shall be on a lot basis and shall becontingent upon the material properties meeting the require-ments of Sections 4-6.7.3 Referee MethodThe buyer and seller shall agree to athird party as a referee in the event of a dispute in the analyticalresults.8. Certificati
36、on8.1 The buyer shall be provided documents certifying thatthe material meets all of the requirements of Sections 4-6.8.2 Records of all data obtained from tests to certify that thematerial meets the requirements of Sections 4-6 shall beprovided to the buyer as requested.9. Packaging and Marking9.1
37、The Commercial-Grade Uranium Oxide shall be pack-aged in sealed containers to prevent (1) loss of material and (2)contamination of oxide from humidity or the container mate-rials. The exact size and method of packaging shall be asagreed upon between the buyer and the seller.9.2 As a minimum, each co
38、ntainer shall bear a label on thelid and side with the following information:9.2.1 Sellers name,9.2.2 Material in container,9.2.3 Lot number,9.2.4 Uranium enrichment,9.2.5 Gross, tare, and net oxide weights,9.2.6 Uranium weight,9.2.7 Purchase order number (or equivalent), and9.2.8 Container ( ) of (
39、 ).10. Quality Assurance10.1 Quality assurance requirements shall be as agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller when specified in the purchaseorder. CFR Title 10, Part 50, Appendix B, and NQA-1 arereferenced as guides.11. Keywords11.1 conversion; nuclear fuel; reduction; uranium dioxide;uranium
40、oxideANNEXES(Mandatory Information)A1. REDUCTION AND SINTERABILITY TESTSA1.1 PurposeA1.1.1 The purpose of the reduction and sinterability tests isto verify the fabricability of each lot of Commercial-GradeUranium Oxide powder. The tests are not intended to simulatethe buyers reduction and pellet fab
41、rication process. Suggestedreduction and sinterability tests follow.A1.2 Reduction to UO2A1.2.1 Reduce the Commercial-Grade Uranium Oxide toUO2using dissociated ammonia as the reducing agent and apredetermined temperature (typically 600 to 800C) or tem-perature profile. Report the type of reduction
42、equipment used,time at temperature, and reduction atmosphere. The actualreduction conditions shall be as agreed upon between the buyerand the seller. Measure and record the O/U ratio, particle sizedistribution, bulk density, and any other properties agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller.A1.2.2
43、 Prepare the powder for pellet pressing. The powderpreparation steps shall be as agreed upon between the buyerand the seller, but they may include steps such as sieving,milling, slugging, and granulating. Record the powder prepa-ration steps and conditions, including sieve size, slug density,and slu
44、gging pressure.A1.3 Fabrication of the Test PelletsA1.3.1 Preparation of Test PelletsCold press powder toproduce at least five pellets with the addition of an agreed uponquantity of lubricant or additive, or both, to green pellets withina predetermined density range. The density of each pellet shall
45、vary no more than 60.5 % theoretical density (TD) from theaverage of the required test pellets. Report the type of pelletpress, density, pressing conditions, die taper, identification ofany die lubricant (if used), pressing pressure, dwell time, andany other relevant pressing condition.C 13483A1.3.2
46、 The diameter of the unfired test pellets shall beapproximately that of the unfired production pellet. The length-to-diameter ratio shall be not less than the unfired productionpellet. Hold the variation in length of the unfired pellets to60.5 mm (60.02 in.).A1.3.3 Fire the pellets in one batch in h
47、ydrogen or dissoci-ated ammonia at a predetermined temperature set point (typi-cally 1625 to 1750C, with a temperature control of 625C).Report the type of furnace used, time at sintering temperature,sintering temperature, and atmosphere, including dew point.The actual firing schedule and parameters
48、shall be as agreedupon between the buyer and the seller.A1.3.4 Once established, all parameters of this test shallremain unchanged throughout all lots of the order.A1.4 Density DeterminationA1.4.1 Determine the geometrical density of the fired andunfired pellets as follows:A1.4.1.1 DiameterRecord th
49、e average of four readingstaken at equally spaced intervals along a 180 helix 1.5 mm(0.06 in.) from each end of the pellet, using a blade micrometerand reading to the nearest 0.005 mm (0.0002 in.).A1.4.1.2 LengthRecord the average of three readingstaken from end to end of the pellet at equally spaced intervalsalong a vertically bisecting plane using a micrometer andreading to the nearest 0.01 mm (0.0005 in.).A1.4.1.3 WeightWeigh to the nearest 0.001 g.A1.4.1.4 DensityCalculate the density of each pellet tothe nearest 0.01 g/cm3.A1.4.2 Alternatively, the den
