1、Designation: C753 16C753 16aStandard Specification forNuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium Dioxide Powder1This standard is issued under the fixed designation C753; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revis
2、ion. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon () indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThis specification is intended to provide the nuclear industry with a general standard for sinterableuranium dioxide (UO2) powde
3、r. It recognizes the diversity of manufacturing methods by which UO2powders are produced and the many special requirements for chemical and physical characterizationthat may be applicable for a particular fuel pellet manufacturing process or imposed by the end userof the powder in a specific reactor
4、 system. It is, therefore, anticipated that the buyer may supplementthis specification with more stringent or additional requirements for specific applications.1. Scope1.1 This specification covers nuclear-grade, sinterable UO2 powder. It applies to UO2 powder containing uranium (U) ofany 235U conce
5、ntration 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 forcommercial grade UO2. Such commercial grade UO2 is defined so that, regarding fuel design and m
6、anufacture, the product isessentially equivalent to that made from unreprocessed U. UO2 falling outside these limits cannot necessarily be regarded asequivalent and may thus need special provisions at the fuel fabrication plant or in the fuel design.1.3 This specification does not include provisions
7、 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,
8、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 powderis sold with such additions or prepared as press feed, sampling procedures, allowable impurity contents, or powder physicalrequ
9、irements 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 the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated w
10、ith its use. It is the responsibilityof the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatoryrequirements prior to use.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2B243 Terminology of Powder MetallurgyB329 Test Method for Apparent
11、Density of Metal Powders and Compounds Using the Scott VolumeterC696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and Spectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium DioxidePowders and PelletsC859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear MaterialsC996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to Le
12、ss Than 5 % 235UC1233 Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Contents of Nuclear MaterialsE11 Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test Sieves1 This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C2
13、6.02 on Fuel and FertileMaterial Specifications.Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2016April 1, 2016. Published March 2016April 2016. Originally approved in 1973. Last previous edition approved in 20092016 asC753 04 (2009).C753 16. DOI: 10.1520/C0753-16.10.1520/C0753-16A.2 For referencedASTM standards
14、, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standardsvolume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page on the ASTM website.This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM s
15、tandard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Becauseit 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 versionof the standard as published by
16、ASTM is to be considered the official document.Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States1E105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials2.2 ASME Standard:3ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applic
17、ations2.3 Federal Regulation:4Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Chapter 1, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Applicable Parts3. Terminology3.1 DefinitionsDefinitions of terms are as given in Terminologies B243 and C859.4. Chemical Composition4.1 Uranium ContentThe U content shall be determined on
18、a basis to be 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. Thedetermination of the O/U ratio shall be in accordance with Test Methods C696 or a demonstrated equivalent.4.3 Impurity ContentThe imp
19、urity content shall not exceed the individual element limit specified in Table 1 on a U basis.Totalnon-volatile oxide impurity content (see Table 1 and other impurity elements not having associated limits in Table 2) shall notexceed 1500 g/gU. Some other elements such as those listed in Table 2 may
20、also be of concern for the buyer and should bemeasured and reported if requested. If an element analysis is reported as “less than” a given concentration, this “less than” valueshall be used in the determination of total impurities. Impurity elements measured and their associated limits may differ f
21、rom whatis listed in this specification agreed upon between the buyer and seller.4.4 Moisture ContentThe moisture content shall not exceed 0.50 weight percent of the powder.4.5 Isotopic Content:4.5.1 For UO2 powder with an isotopic content of 235U below 5 %, the isotopic limits of Specification C996
22、 shall apply, unlessotherwise agreed upon between the buyer and the seller. If the 236U content is greater than Enriched Commercial Grade UF6requirements, the isotopic analysis requirements of Specification C996 shall apply. The specific isotopic measurements requiredby Specification C996 may be wai
23、ved, provided that the seller can demonstrate compliance with Specification C996, for instance,through the sellers quality assurance records.3 Available from American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ASME International Headquarters, Two Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990, http:/www.asme.org.4
24、 Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Washington, DC 20401-0001, http:/www.access.gpo.gov.TABLE 1 Impurity Elements and Maximum Concentration LimitsElementB Maximum ConcentrationLimit of Uranium, g/gUAluminum (Al) 300Carbon (C) 100Calci
25、um (Ca) + magnesium (Mg) 200Chlorine (Cl) 100Chromium (Cr) 200Cobalt (Co) 100Copper (Cu) 250Fluorine (F) 100Iron (Fe) 250Lead (Pb) 250Manganese (Mn) 250Molybdenum (Mo) 250Nickel (Ni) 200Nitrogen (N) 200Phosphorus (P) 250Silicon (Si) 300Tantalum (Ta) 250ThoriumA (Th) 10Tin (Sn) 250Titanium (Ti) 250Tu
26、ngsten (W) 250Vanadium (V) 250Zinc (Zn) 250A Thorium is primarily of concern because of the reactor production of 233U.BAny additional potential impurities, added by the fabrication process for example,beyond those listed here shall be evaluated (for example, in terms of equivalentboron) and associa
27、ted limits established and agreed upon between the buyer andseller.C753 16a24.5.2 For UO2 powder that does not have an assay in the range set forth in 4.5.1, the isotopic requirements shall be as agreedupon between the buyer and the seller.4.6 Equivalent Boron ContentFor thermal reactor use, the tot
28、al equivalent boron content (EBC) shall not exceed 4.0 g/g ona U basis. For purpose of EBC calculation B, Gd, Eu, Dy, Sm, and Cd shall be included in addition to elements listed in Table1. The method of performing the calculation shall be as indicated in Practice C1233. For fast reactor use, the abo
29、ve limitation onEBC does not apply.5. Physical Properties5.1 Cleanliness and WorkmanshipThe UO2 powder shall be free of visible fragments of foreign matter.5.2 Particle SizeUO2 powder particle size limits and method of determination shall be as agreed upon between the buyer andseller.As an example,
30、as agreed upon, the fraction of a representative sample not passing through a 425-m (No. 40) standard sieveconforming to Specification E11 shall be reported to the buyer.5.3 Bulk DensityThe bulk density of UO2 powder will depend on the processing method. Unless otherwise agreed uponbetween the buyer
31、 and seller, the bulk density shall be a minimum of 0.625 g/cm3 as determined byTest Method B329, or an agreedupon alternative.5.4 SinterabilityTest pellets shall be produced and measured in accordance with a sintering performance test agreed uponbetween the buyer and seller. A sinterability perform
32、ance test described in Appendix X1 is presented as a guide.6. Sampling6.1 Alot is defined as a quantity of UO2 powder that is uniform in isotopic, chemical, physical, and sinterability characteristics.6.2 The identity of a lot shall be retained throughout its processing history.6.3 A powder lot shal
33、l form the basis for defining sampling plans used to establish conformance to this specification.6.4 Sampling plans and procedures shall be mutually agreed upon by the buyer and the seller. Analytical confirmation ofsampling plans shall be documented as part of the manufacturers quality assurance an
34、d nuclear materials control andaccountability program.6.5 UO2 may be hygroscopic and retain sufficient water after exposure to a moist atmosphere to cause detectable errors. Sample,weigh, and handle the sample under conditions that will ensure that the sample is representative of the lot.7. Test Met
35、hods7.1 The seller shall test the sample to ensure conformance of the powder to the requirements of Sections 4 and 5.7.1.1 All chemical analyses shall be performed on portions of the representative sample. Analytical chemistry methods usedshall be in accordance with Test Methods C696 or demonstrated
36、 equivalent methods agreed upon between the buyer and seller.7.2 Lot AcceptanceAcceptance testing may be performed by the buyer on either the sample provided by the seller or a sampletaken at the buyers plant by sampling one or more individual containers with a sample thief. Practice E105 is referen
37、ced as aguide. Acceptance shall be on a lot basis, consistent with Section 6, and shall be contingent upon the material properties meetingthe requirements of Sections 4 and 5.7.3 Referee MethodThe buyer and seller shall agree to a third party as a referee in the event of a dispute in analytical resu
38、lts.8. Certification8.1 The seller shall provide to the buyer documents certifying:8.1.1 The isotopic content and identity of the starting material lot and8.1.2 That the powder meets all the requirements of Sections 4 through 6.8.2 Test data on the following characteristics shall be supplied upon re
39、quest:TABLE 2 Additional Impurity ElementsElementBeryllium (Be) Manganese (Mn)Beryllium (Be) Lithium (Li)Bismuth (Bi) Niobium (Nb)Boron (B) Potassium (K)Cadmium (Cd) Silver (Ag)Dysprosium (Dy) Samarium (Sm)Europium (Eu) Sodium (Na)Gadolinium (Gd) Sulfur (S)Indium (In) Zirconium (Zr)Lithium (Li)C753
40、16a38.2.1 Uranium isotopic content,8.2.2 Uranium content,8.2.3 Individual impurity levels,8.2.4 Moisture content,8.2.5 Sinterability test results,8.2.6 O/U ratio,8.2.7 Particle size, and8.2.8 Bulk density.9. Packaging and Package Marking9.1 UO2 powder shall be packaged in sealed containers to preven
41、t loss of material and undue contamination from air or thecontainer materials. The exact size and method of packaging shall be as agreed upon by the buyer and seller.9.2 Each container shall bear, as a minimum, a label on the lid and side with the following information:9.2.1 Sellers name,9.2.2 Mater
42、ial in container,9.2.3 Lot number,9.2.4 Uranium enrichment,9.2.5 Gross, tare, net oxide weights,9.2.6 Uranium weight,9.2.7 Purchase order number, and9.2.8 Container ( ) of ( ).10. Quality Assurance10.1 QualityAssurance requirements shall be as agreed upon between the buyer and seller when specified
43、in the purchase order.Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 50, Appendix B and ASME NQA-1 are referenced as guides.11. Keywords11.1 nuclear fuel; powder; uranium dioxideAPPENDIX(Nonmandatory Information)X1. SINTERABILITY TESTX1.1 PurposeX1.1.1 The purpose of the sinterability test is to verify
44、 the fabricability of each lot of UO2 powder. Although not required, it isdesirable to simulate the buyers pellet fabrication process to improve the predictability of the powder. A suggested sinterabilitytest follows.X1.2 Fabrication of Test PelletsX1.2.1 Preparation of Test PelletsCold press powder
45、 with the addition of agreed upon quantities of additive to produce at leastfifteen green pellets within a predetermined density range approximating the buyers target range. The density of each green pelletshall vary no more than 60.5 % theoretical density (TD) from the average density of the requir
46、ed test pellets. The type of pelletpress, pressing conditions, die geometry (that is, taper, dishing, etc.), use and quantity of any lubricant or additive (if used), powderpreconditioning, dwell time, and any other relevant pressing conditions shall be approved by the buyer. Report the green density
47、and pressing pressure for each pellet.X1.2.2 The diameter and length-to-diameter ratio of the unsinteredgreen test pellets shall be approximately that of the buyersunsinteredgreen production pellets. The length of each unsinteredgreen pellet shall vary no more than 60.5 mm (60.02 in.).X1.2.3 Sinter
48、the pellets as one batch in reducing atmosphere (for example, hydrogen, or dissociated ammonia) at a predeterminedC753 16a4temperature set point (typically 1625 to 1750C, with a temperature control of 625C) for 2 to 6 h, approximating the buyerssintering conditions. The type of furnace used, atmosph
49、ere including dew point, and actual sintering cycle shall be as agreed uponbetween the buyer and the seller.X1.2.4 Once established, all of the parameters of this test shall remain unchanged throughout all lots of the order.X1.3 Density DeterminationX1.3.1 Determine the geometrical density of the unsinteredgreen and sintered, but unground pellets as follows:X1.3.1.1 DiameterRecord the average of fourthree readings taken to the nearest 0.005 mm (0.0002 in.) at equally spacedintervals along the length of the pellet using a blade micrometer or equi
