Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Sign In

Skip Navigation LinksUranium handling

​​​​​​

Instrument Description


The Experimental Fuels Fabrication (EFF) facility and the Fuels and Applied Science Building (FASB) have been designed to allow uranium handling in a metal, ceramic, solid monolithic, or powder form of any uranium-235 enrichment. Uranium can be handled on the benchtop or local contamination areas for low-contamination items, radiological fume hoods for items with moderate risk of contamination spread, and a glovebox for applications where contamination spread is likely. The glovebox contains a recirculated purified argon atmosphere, which allows processing of air-sensitive materials, such as metallic uranium and uranium alloy powders. Several atmospheric control furnaces are available for melting/casting of custom alloys or heat treatment studies.

 

Applications


EFF and FASB have been designed to perform experimental fuel fabrication and characterization. Fabrication can range from simply encapsulation of a typical fuel form to fabricating a novel fuel alloy in a unique configuration. The argon glovebox can be used for powder handling activities, processing of air-sensitive materials, as well as general contamination control for other operations. Encapsulation can be done using automated gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) capabilities housed in purified inert atmosphere gloveboxes. A small welding glovebox has been set up to allow for a flexible gas composition by using procured mixed gases and also includes helium content monitoring as a verification of the gas composition. Novel metallic fuel alloys and forms can be produced on the gram scale through arc melting to several-kilogram scale through vacuum induction melting. Both of these systems can be used to cast a number of cast shapes. Furnaces are available for heat treatments in either inert or vacuum atmospheres with a water quench or furnace cool. Additional high-temperature vacuum furnaces are also available for sintering or other high-temperature processes. Once the fuel is produced, basic metallographic and thermal characterization equipment can be used for characterization of the fuel. 


  
  
  
Instrument
  
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/BrandonMiller.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Brandon%20MillerShielded sample preparation area; Shielded optical microscopy
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/JaymonBirch.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Jaymon%20BirchThermal vacuum testing chambers
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CraigDees.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Craig%20DeesVibration testing
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/KevinGeddes.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Kevin%20GeddesMass properties
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/KatelynWheeler.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Katelyn%20WheelerPrecision gross and isotopic gamma scanning; Instron remote load frame
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/DavidSell.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=David%20SellFission gas measurement and analysis
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CadChristensen.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Cad%20ChristensenFuel accident condition simulator furnace
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/RandallFielding.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Randall%20FieldingUranium extrusion; Metallic fuel line; Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative glovebox; Glovebox advance casting system furnace; Metallic fuel line; Metallic fuel line
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CurtisClark.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Curtis%20ClarkUranium handling; Inert-radiological gloveboxes; Uranium handling
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CoryBrower.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Cory%20BrowerNeptunium repackaging glovebox; Transuranic breakout glovebox
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/DeanPeterman.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Dean%20PetermanCobalt-60 gamma irradiator
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/larryevens.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Larry%20EvensTransuranic surveillance glovebox line; Cell area
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/danieljadernas.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Daniel%20JadernasFEI Quanta 3D FEG dual-beam SEM FIB
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/Jan-FongJue.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Jan-Fong%20JueJEOL JSM-7000f SEM; Gatan precision etching and coating system; Gatan precision ion polishing systems II; Gatan precision ion polishing systems
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/Cheng%20Sun.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Cheng%20SunJEOL JEM 2010 STEM
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/KarenWright.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Karen%20WrightShielded Cameca SX100R EPMA
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/Danielmurray.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Daniel%20MurrayShielded FEI QUANTA 3D FEG
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/lingfenghe.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Lingfeng%20HeFEI Titan ChemiSTEM FEG-STEM
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/mukeshbachhav.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Mukesh%20BachhavShielded FEI Helios dual-beam SEM-plasma FIB
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/KevinTolman.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Kevin%20TolmanX-ray diffraction; Micro X-ray diffractometer
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/fidelmadilemma.JPGhttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Fidelma Di LemmaJEOL JSM-7000f SEM
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CortneyPincock.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Cortney%20PincockInductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/MatthewJones.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Matthew%20JonesInductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer; Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/MagenColeman.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Magen%20ColemanMulti-collector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/ScottWilde.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Scott%20WildeGlovebox advance casting system furnace; Hot uniaxial press furnace
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/joeycharboneau.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Joey%20CharboneauGas mass spectrometer; ELTRA CS-800; ELTRA ONH-2000
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/CynthiaAdkins.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Cynthia%20AdkinsTube furnace; Differential scanning calorimeter; Simultaneous thermal analyzer; Pushrod dilatometer; Laser flash analyzer
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/JaredHorkley.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Jared%20HorkleyMass Separator Laboratories
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/LeahSquires.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Leah%20SquiresMicro X-ray diffractometer; X-ray diffraction; Hot uniaxial press furnace
  
https://bios.inl.gov/BioPhotos/VivianCarioni.jpghttps://mfctemp.inl.gov/SitePages/Biography.aspx?Title=Vivian%20Carioni
1 - 30Next