Pause
Read
CEA vacancy search engine

INFLUENCE OF THE DRY GRANULATION ON THE MANUFACTURING OF SFR MOX FUELS


Thesis topic details

General information

Organisation

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.

Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.

The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
  

Reference

SL-DES-26-0133  

Thesis topic details

Category

Engineering science

Thesis topics

INFLUENCE OF THE DRY GRANULATION ON THE MANUFACTURING OF SFR MOX FUELS

Contract

Thèse

Job description

The subject is related to the manufacture of MOX U,Pu)O2 fuel for Fast Neutron Reactors. The current process integrates a co-grinding step of uranium and plutonium dioxides to generate a powder medium which is then shaped by uniaxial pressing to generate cylindrical fuel pellets which are then sintered at high temperature. The collected powder medium has poor flowability which limits the rates of shaping by pressing. The objective of the thesis is therefore to evaluate the impact of mechanical granulation of the powder medium on the flowability, the pressing step and the microstructure obtained after sintering. Dissolution tests in nitric acid will also be carried out on certain very specific microstructures. The thesis will be based on a formal experimental plan developed using specific software (JMP). The PhD will take place at the INB Atalante facility on the CEA Marcoule site. The candidate will work in a unique facility in Europe and will be able to develop expertise in working in a nuclear environment with a highly innovative approach that will lead to the publication of original scientific results.

University / doctoral school

Ingénierie - Matériaux - Environnement - Energétique - Procédés - Production (IMEP2)
Université Grenoble Alpes

Thesis topic location

Site

Marcoule

Requester

Position start date

01/10/2026

Person to be contacted by the applicant

LACAMBRA ANDREU Francesc-Xavier
CEA
DES/ISEC/DMRC/SPTC/LSEM
CEA Marcoule
Bâtiment 222 - RDC
30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze Cedex

Tutor / Responsible thesis director

BERNARD-GRANGER Guillaume guillaume.bernard-granger@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DMRC/SPTC/LSEM
CEA Marcoule
Bâtiment 222 - RDC
30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze Cedex

0466397466

En savoir plus