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Method of producing fugitive binder-containing nuclear fuel material

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1981-12-17
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Granted: 1984-01-24
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Expires: 2001-12-17
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Abstract

Abstract A nuclear fuel material green body of density from about 30 to 70% of theoretical density having tensile strenght and plasticity adequate to maintain the integrity of the body during processing leading to ultimate sintered condition is produced by adding an amine carbonate or carbamate or mixture thereof to a particulate mass of the nuclear fuel material under conditions resulting in reaction with the amine compound to form a water-soluble compound effective as a binder for the particulate material.

Inventors

  • 👤 George L. Gaines, Jr.
  • 👤 Patricia A. Piacente
  • 👤 William J. Ward, III
  • 👤 Peter C. Smith
  • 👤 Timothy J. Gallivan
  • 👤 Harry M. Laska

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 07:04
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/42; G21C3/58; G21C3/62; G21C3/623; C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/51; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
In the method of producing a sintered body of nuclear fuel material including the steps of pressing a particulate nuclear fuel material to form a green body compact and thereafter sintering the compact, the improvement of adding at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates and amine carbamates to the particulate nuclear fuel material and reacting the resulting mixture in the presence of H 2 O prior to the pressing step.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 76 words
In the method of producing a sintered body of nuclear fuel material including the steps of pressing a particulate nuclear fuel material to form a green body compact and thereafter sintering the compact, the improvement of adding at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates and amine carbamates to the particulate nuclear fuel material and reacting the resulting mixture in the presence of H 2 O prior to the pressing step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
The process of claim 1 in which the at least one amine compound is a carbonate or a carbamate of amine selected from the group consisting of 1,3 diaminopropane, 1,6 diaminohexane, 1,7 diaminoheptane, monomethylamine and ethylene diamine and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 1 in which the at least one amine compound is ethylene diamine carbamate and in which the said carbamate is added as an aqueous solution to the particulate nuclear fuel material and substantially uniformly distributed throughout the said material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method of claim 3 in which the ethylene diamine carbamate is added in the form of a saturated aqueous solution and mixed with the particulate nuclear fuel material, and in which the resulting mixture is then dried at room temperature to promote reaction of the carbamate with the nuclear fuel material to form the corresponding water-soluble derivative compound.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
A composition of matter soluble in water produced by the reaction in the presence of water between an oxide of uranium and at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates, amine carbamates and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
A composition of matter soluble in water produced by the reaction in the presence of water between an oxide of uranium and at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates, amine carbamates and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 47 words
The composition of matter of claim 5 in combination with nuclear fuel particulate material, said composition of matter being on the surface of said particulate material and the amine compound used being present from about 0.5% to about 7% by weight of said nuclear fuel particulate material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
The composition of matter of claim 5 in which the at least one amine compound is ethylene diamine carbamate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 89 words
The method of producing a sintered body of nuclear fuel material comprising the steps of adding to particulate nuclear fuel material at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates, amine carbamates and mixtures thereof; reacting said at least one amine compound with uranium dioxide of the nuclear fuel material in the presence of H 2 O to form a water-soluble amine uranyl compound; pressing the resulting mixture to form a green body compact, and firing said green body compact to produce said sintered body.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 89 words
The method of producing a sintered body of nuclear fuel material comprising the steps of adding to particulate nuclear fuel material at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of amine carbonates, amine carbamates and mixtures thereof; reacting said at least one amine compound with uranium dioxide of the nuclear fuel material in the presence of H 2 O to form a water-soluble amine uranyl compound; pressing the resulting mixture to form a green body compact, and firing said green body compact to produce said sintered body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 8 in which amine compound is added in the amount between about 0.5% and about 7% by weight of the nuclear fuel particulate material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 9 in which the amine compound is ethylene diamine carbamate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of claim 8 in which the at least one amine compound is ethylene diamine carbamate and in which the mixture of nuclear fuel material and amine compound initially contains about 4% by weight water.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3966872A Cited
US3993728A Cited
US4061700A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-01-23 1987-07-25 1988-01-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-01-23 1991-07-25 1992-01-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-01-23 1995-07-25 1996-01-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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