Proposed Pilot Plant for Production of Sintered Beryllium Oxide from Berylore

Abstract

Beryllium metal and beryllium oxide have attracted considerable attention as possible nuclear reactor materials on account of their low neutron absorption cross section and low atomic weight and the consequent moderating properties, i.e., ability to reduce the velocity of fast neutron to thermal level. The inert nature and high melting point of beryllium oxide make it suitable for high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactors. There is some doubt about its stability under extended Irradiation by fast neutrons. However, beryll- ium oxide holds promise as a future power reactor mate-rial. The cost of nuclear grade beryllium oxide sintered shapes tends to be high on account of the great degree of purity required and the initial high cost.of the ore.