Coater requirements Reference number: AFCP

NNL are seeking to place a contract for the design of a fluidised bed chemical vapour deposition system. The equipment should have a coating chamber diameter of around 150mm and be capable of coating 1-2 kg of 0.5mm diameter kernels of uranium dioxide (UO2) in a single batch. Each coating will need to be deposited from different precursors sequentially while at its operating temperature, ranging from 1200-1600°C. The expected precursors for the different coating layers are acetylene, acetylene/propylene mixtures and methyltrichlorosilane diluted in hydrogen. An argon carrier gas is also required for fluidisation. Due consideration will need to be given to the scrubbing of exhaust gases and…