In-Line Monitoring of Effluents from High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Fuel Particle Preparation Processes by Mass Spectrometry

The carbonization, conversion, and coating processes in the manufacture of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel particles have been studied with the use of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Noncondensable effluents from these fluidized-bed processes have been monitored continuously from the beginning to the end of the process. The processes monitored are these: uranium-loaded ion exchange resin carbonization, the carbothermic reduction of UO₂ to UC₂, buffer and low-temperature isotropic pyrocarbon coatings of fuel kernels, SiC coating of the kernels, and high-temperature particle annealing. Changes in concentrations of significant molecules with time and temperature have been useful in the interpretation of reaction mechanisms and optimization of process procedures.