2017 | AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 143 H2/H2O PO2 1600ºC 650ºC 100 1.39E-12 6.93E-27 50 5.54E-12 2.77E-26 30 1.54E-11 7.70E-26 20 3.46E-11 1.73E-25 16.644 5.00E-11 2.50E-25 10 1.39E-10 6.93E-25 5 5.54E-10 2.77E-24 1 1.39E-08 6.93E-23 For the fine tuning of low oxygen partial pressure, a wet Ar with 300 ppm water content in a lecture bottle has been located and purchased.Wet Ar was mixed with hydrogen to produce oxygen partial pressure desired for the sintering atmosphere.A table indicating oxygen partial pressure for specific water/hydrogen ration has been developed as shown inTable 1. The amount of oxygen partial pressure known to be required to achieve 1.92 oxygen subtoichiometry is known to be 5 E-11 at 1600°C.The current setting of gas mixture is expected to produce low stoichiometry range compositions, but actual outcome needs to be verified since the calculation does not count for the contribution of furnace components to the oxygen partial pressure. Acceptance test plan (ATP) is being conducted to verify the function of the new components, new software and the furnace.The furnace has been gradually heated up to 1800°C (yet plan to be done by early Sept.). During the heating steps oxygen sensing capability from oxygen monitor, oxygen partial pressure manipulation by changing mixed gas ratio between the amount of hydrogen and moisture content from the moisture sensor was monitored along with flow of each gas. Achieving a stable furnace temperature control by optimizing proportional band and integral reset have been performed during ATP. A practice pressing using depleted uranium oxide which will be a matrix phase of the MOX fuels to be fabricated has been performed to ensure the pressing capability in the glove box. Modification of pressing mold with tighter tolerance and verifying the powder characteristic are planed based on the result of the practice pressing. Table 1. Modified SCS (substoichiometric control system) gas panel.