Burn-leach; The Most important test in the manufacture of HTGR fuel

Nabielek, H.*; Verfondern, K.*; Tang, C.*; Ueta, Shohei   

Burn-leach is the most sensitive method for the determination of High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor fuel quality. German fuel manufacture was for the operation of the 46 MWth AVR. Improvements in the fuel quality were due to perfected tabling of kernels, particles and overcoated particles and the introduction of automated overcoating. Chinese HTGR first load fuel manufacture around 2000 was for the operation of the 10 MWth HTR-10. An improvement can be observed after the first few production runs. Japanese HTGR first fuel manufacture was for the operation of the 30 MWth HTTR. The particle volume density of 30 % is much higher than the below 10 % of the spherical fuel elements. Nevertheless, very good results in terms of low defect fractions were also achieved. These results establish the quality standard in modern UO Triso fuel.