Casting technology for manufacturing metal rods from simulated metallic spent fuels

A uranium metal rod 13.5 mm in diameter and 1,150 mm long was produced from simulated metallic spent fuels with advanced casting equipment using the d irectional-solidification method. A vacuum casting furnace equipped with a four-zone heater to prevent surface oxidation and the formation of surface shrinkage holes was designed. By controlling the axial temperature gradient of the casting furnace, deformation by the surface shrinkage phenomena was diminished, and a sound rod was manufactured. The cooling behavior of the molten uranium was analyzed using the computer software package MAGMAsoft.