Multimedia: Fuel Cycle

Fuel Fabrication
Next, the enriched UF6 is converted to uranium dioxide (UO2), which is compressed, heated, and hardened into fuel pellets. The fuel pellets are packed into thin tubes of stainless steel or zirconium alloy, forming fuel rods. The fuel rods are then sealed and assembled into fuel elements for use in a nuclear reactor.

 

Fuel Cycle, page 5 of 9

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