THE EFFECT OF SOLID CONTENT ON SPRAY DRYING OF BORON CARBIDE

Reference Presenter Authors
(Institution)
Abstract
06-231 Fernando Augusto Andrade Andrade, F.A.(CTMSP); Nunes, P.C.(CTMSP); Silva, R.A.(CTMSP);

Boron Carbide (B4C) is a very useful material due to its characteristics like high hardness, high chemical stability and neutrons absorption capacity, without producing lasting radioisotopes. These properties allow it to be an ally on the nuclear industry, used as nuclear reactors shield and control element of the reaction inside the nuclear reactor. In the ceramic industry it is usually processed as a powder, but because its low flowability it is necessary additional processes such as slurry preparation and spray drying to prepare the powder for pressing, sintering and grinding, until it turns into pellets ready for use. The main objective of this work was the characterization of the boron carbide slurry, in order to obtain the minimum viscosity point and evaluate the atomized product yield (spray dryer product). Particle size distribution was also measured. It was found the minimum viscosity point for all solids contents and the slurries prepared for the spray dryer followed the tendency observed on the small samples. It was observed that the method with the small samples analysis is very useful to estimate the viscosity in the large scale process. The atomized product yield and the particle size distribution were better in the high content solids condition. According to the results done with the small samples was possible to increase the product yield in the spray dryer process.

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