FUJI, an initial sintering comparison test for pelletized-, sphere-pac- and vipac-fast breeder reactor mixed oxide fuel

Bart, G.*; Bakker, K.*; Hellwig, C.*; Kihara, Yoshiyuki; Ozawa, Takayuki   ; Wallin, H.*; Shigetome, Yoshiaki

Within the FUJI collaboration program among Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA, former JNC), Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Switzerland) and Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG, the Netherlands) the production paths of plutonium and neptunium mixed oxide- (sphere-pac- and vipac-) particle fuels (20wt% Pu and 5wt% Np) are tested as well as the initial sintering and power-to-melt behavior under simulated FBR conditions. The various fuel forms were produced at PSI under the support of JNC, the irradiations were accomplished at High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, the post irradiation examinations are being achieved mainly at NRG and the fuel modelling being performed at JNC and PSI. The present paper reviews mainly the project planning, fuel behaviour- pre-calculations and the fuel- and fuel segment- production. A short overview of the irradiation conditions and ceramographic post irradiation examination analyses is also given.