Pyrolytic Carbon Coating on A Simulated Fuel by Fluidized Bed Type Chemical Vapour Deposition

Pyrolytic carbon layer was coated on A1203 balls by fluidized bed type chemical vapour deposition unit to develop the coating technology for the preparation of coated nuclear fuel. The deposition was carried out at the temperature ranges between 110$0^{\circ}C$ and 130$0^{\circ}C$ with various gas contents and flow rates. Source and carrier gas were propane and argon, respectively. X-ray analysis shows that the deposition layer was typical carbon spectra. The growth rate of carbon layer depended on the amount of source gas and the deposition temperature. For the alumina balls with 2mm in diameter, the deposition rate was 11${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$/hr in the flow gases containing 30% source gas at 130$0^{\circ}C$ with a total flow rate of 2.0$\ell$/min. Microstructural observation of the deposits with scanning electron microscope revealed that the deposits had relatively dense and isotropic structure. Chemical analysis by energy dispersive spectroscopy showed that the layer was pure carbon.