Effect of system parameters on size distribution of 304 stainless steel particles produced by electrical discharge mechanism

An electrical discharge machine (EDM) can be used to produce Uranium Carbide (UC) microspheres. This material is useful for dispersed nuclear fuel fabrication. To obtain empirical data about the process parameters for UC modeling, 304 stainless steel (304 SS) was used to produce microspheres. Particle size effects were analyzed via three parameters; are intensity, dielectric medium, and pulse width. Results indicate that the size and yield of the particles are dependent on all three parameters. The yield of larger particles increased with increasing are current. Particle size distribution decreased with decreasing pulse width. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.