Nuclear fuel fabrication

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-019167",
  "term": "Nuclear fuel fabrication",
  "field": "Environment",
  "term_source": "Nuclear Fuel Fabrication",
  "definition": "Once the uranium is enriched, it is ready to be converted into nuclear fuel. At a nuclear fuel fabrication facility, the UF6, in solid form, is heated to gaseous form, and then the UF6 gas is chemically processed to form uranium dioxide (UO2) powder. The powder is then compressed and formed into small ceramic fuel pellets. The pellets are stacked and sealed into long metal tubes that are about 1 centimeter in diameter to form fuel rods. The fuel rods are then bundled together to make up a fuel assembly. Depending on the reactor type, each fuel assembly has about 179 to 264 fuel rods. A typical reactor core holds 121 to 193 fuel assemblies.",
  "subject": "Built environments",
  "references": [
    "EPA EV-Built Environments-Energy Generation"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/nuclear-fuel-fabrication/"
}