A Versatile Facility at Windscale, United Kingdom, for the Fabrication of Experimental Mixed Uranium-Plutonium-Oxide Nuclear Fuel

The installation of a versatile, integrated facility for the manufacture of advanced experimental uranium/plutonium nuclear fuels has recently been completed at the Windscale Laboratory of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. The facility for enhanced throughput of fuel and pins, with a production capability of 1 tonne of pelleted fuel and 2500 fuel pin/yr in a variety of fuel geometries and cladding materials, is unique in Europe. Exceptional process flexibility is achieved by adopting the design philosophy of “hands-on” operation with the support of simple mechanical and gravitational aids to material movement to minimize operator dose uptake. Comprehensive shielding allows the handling of recycle plutonium derived from high-burnup fuel with “difficult” isotopic composition at the levels of plutonium content envisaged for advanced thermal reactor fuel designs.