PENGARUH PEMANASAN KERNEL UO2 DALAM MEDIUM GAS ARGON TERHADAP SIFAT FISIS KERNEL UO2 SINTER

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ABSTRAK

PENGARUH PEMANASAN KERNEL UO₂ DALAM MEDIUM GAS ARGON TERHADAP SIFAT FISIS KERNEL UO₂ SINTER. Pengaruh pemanasan kernel UO₂ dalam medium gas argon terhadap sifat fisis kernel UO₂ sinter telah dipelajari. Pemanasan dilakukan dalam reaktor sinter tipe bed. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh sifat fisis kernel UO₂ sinter sesuai dengan persyaratan penggunaan sebagai bahan bakar nuklir. Sampel yang digunakan adalah kernel UO₂ hasil reduksi pada 800 ^oC selama 3 jam yang mempunyai densitas sebesar 8,13 g/cm³; porositas sebesar 0,26; rasio O/U sebesar 2,05; diameter sebesar 1146 µm dan kebulatan sebesar 1,05. Sampel dimasukkan ke dalam reaktor sinter, lalu divakumkan untuk mengusir udara dan pengotor dalam reaktor. Setelah itu dialirkan air pendingin dan gas argon pada tekanan 5 mPa dengan kecepatan 1,5 liter/menit secara kontinyu. Temperatur reaktor dinaikkan dengan variasi pada 1200 – 1500 ^oC dan waktu divariasi selama 1 – 4 jam. Kernel UO₂ sinter yang dihasilkan, dianalisis sifat fisisnya meliputi densitas, porositas, diameter, kebulatan dan luas muka spesifik. Densitas dianalisis menggunakan piknometer dengan larutan CCl₄, porositas ditentukan menggunakan persamaan Haynes. Diameter dan kebulatan diamati menggunakan mikroskop Dino-lite. Luas muka spesifik ditentukan menggunakan surface area meter Nova-1000. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa pemanasan kernel UO₂ dalam medium gas argon perpengaruh terhadap sifat fisis kernel UO₂ sinter. Sifat fisis kernel UO₂relatif baik diperoleh pada temperatur pemanasan 1400 ^oC selama 2 jam dan dihasilkan kernel UO₂ sinter dengan densitas sebesar 10,14 g/mL, porositas sebesar 7 %, diameter sebesar 893 µm, kebulatan sebesar 1,07 µm, luas muka spesifik sebesar 4,68 m²/g dan penyusutan padatan sebesar 22,08 %. Besaran sifat fisis ini hampir sama dengan sifat fisis kernel UO₂ yang digunakan sebagai bahan bakar nuklir_.

Kata kunci: Kernel UO₂, pemanasan, sifat fisis, densitas, porositas, luas muka spesifik dan kebulatan.

ABSTRACT

THE HEATING OF UO₂ KERNELS IN ARGON GAS MEDIUM ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SINTERED UO₂ KERNELS. The heating of UO₂ kernels in argon gas medium on the physical properties of sinter UO₂ kernels was conducted. The heated of the UO₂ kernels was conducted in a sinter reactor of a bed type. The sample used was the UO₂ kernels resulted from the reduction results at 800 ^oC temperature for 3 hours that had the density of 8.13 g/cm³; porocity of 0.26; O/U ratio of 2.05; diameter of 1146 µm and sphericity of 1.05. The sample was put into a sinter reactor, then it was vacumed by flowing the argon gas at 180 mmHg pressure to drain the air from the reactor. After that, the cooling water and argon gas were continuously flowed with the pressure of 5 mPa with 1.5 liter/minutes velocity. The reactor temperature was increased and variated at 1200-1500 ^oC temperature and for 1-4 hours. The sinters UO₂ kernels resulted from the study were analyzed in term of their physical properties including the density, porosity, diameter, sphericity, and specific surface area. The density was analyzed using pycnometer with CCl₄ solution. The porosity was determined using Haynes equation. The diameters and sphericity were showed using the Dino-lite microscope. The specific surface area was determined using surface area meter Nova-1000. The obtained products showed tha the heating of UO₂ kernel in argon gas medium were influenced on the physical properties of sinters UO₂ kernel. The condition of best relatively at 1400 ^oC temperature and 2 hours time. The product resulted from the study was relatively at its best when heating was conducted at 1400 ^oC temperature and 2 hours time, produced sinters UO₂ kernel with density of 10.14 gr/ml; porosity of 7 %; diameters of 893 µm; sphericity of 1.07 and specific surface area of 4.68 m²/g with solidify shrinkage of 22 %.

Keywords: UO₂ kernel, heating, physical properties, density, porosity, specific surface area and sphericity.