METHOD FOR FORMATION OF THE MICROSTRUCTURE OF A FUEL ELEMENT CORE

FIELD: nuclear engineering. ^ SUBSTANCE: the proposed method for formation of the microstructure of a fuel element core, fabricated from uranium dioxide, includes nuclear heating of the fuel element in a standard nuclear reactor. In this case the fuel core of a fuel element is fabricated with the thermally stabilized porosity of 10-20% and with the predominant dimension of pores in uranium dioxide, equal 20-60 mcm. The fuel core of the fuel element is positioned in a can with the radial gap, not exceeding the difference of the thermal expansions of the core and can. The heating of the fuel element can is carried out during the initial period of the standard nuclear reactor operation at the temperature of 1600-1850° C and at the heat flux density not less 25 W/cm2 during 50-300 h. ^ EFFECT: decreasing the creep resistance of uranium dioxide together with the low swelling rate. ^ 1 cl