GAS COOLED REACTOR PROJECT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31, 1960
* ics:, Reactor Design Studies:, and Heat transfer and Fluid Flow: are also in this report. Metallurgical Investigations:. The fabrication of special UO/sub 2/ specimens for irradiation was continued. Tests of stabilized CrO/sub 2/, which was proposed for use as a thermal insulator around UC/sub 2/ pellets, showed the material to be unsatisfactory. The ZrO/sub 2/-- UO/ sub 2/ couples tested showed reaction by diffusion and then by swelling and distortion. Work continued on the development of a low-cost production process for the fabrication of UO/sub 2/ fuel bodies. An apparatus was built for determining the thermal conductivity of UO/sub 2/The dimensional stability and mechanical behavior of 95%dense hollow UO/sub 2/ pellets in stainless steel tubes were studied in tests in which the pellets were heated internally to simulate the thermal gradients expected in operation in the EGCR. A series of meseurements was made of rates of release of Kr/sup 85/ or Xe/sup 133/ from small specimees of UO/sub 2/ at high temperatures after irradiation at low temperatures to a low burnup. Techniques for fabricating high-density lowporosity graphite bodies are being developed that will be adaptable to the production of fueled graphite specimens. The rate of reaction of UO/sub 2/ and graphite is being determined as a function of temperature, UO/sub 2/ particle size, and pressure. In preliminary tests it was found that the major carbide phase present after the samples were quenched from test temperatures of 1320 and 1425 tained C was UC/sub 2/, but small amounts of UC were found. The time-dependent mechanical properties of graphite at 750 and 1100 tained F were investigated. Low-density pure BeO and high-density BeOUO/sub 2/ and BeO-- UO/sub 2/-- ThO/sub 2/ bodies were studied as materials for advanced gas-cooled reactors. The creep of type 304 stainiess steel in various environments was studied at temperatures up to 1700 tained F. Experimental studies of the reactions of type 304 stainless steel with CO and CO/sub 2/ showed that with CO at a pressure of 1 atm. carburization is inhibited by the formation of an adherent graplute surface film. It was also found the carburization in flowing CO/sub 2/ could be prevented by carefully removing all CO, but amounts as small as 0.1% led to extensive carbon pickup. Tube-burst tests of seamless. 0.020-in.-wall. type 304 stainless steel capsules in various environments were continued, and annealed capsules were tested in air to determine the effect of mid-plane spacer brazing. Synthetic weld-heat-affected zones in type SA-212, grade-B. pressure vessel steel were prepared by cyciing specimens to 1400 and 2400 tained F with an energy input of 50 to 100 kj/in. Fifty EGCR fuel elements were manufactured and inspected to confirm the fabricability of the design and obtain estimates of the assembly time. Methods of joining the burst-slugdetection tubes and thermocouples to the reactor vessel nozzles were developed and are being tested by construction of mockups simulating the reactor design. A study of the reaction of Be with CO/sub 2/ at low pressures and at temperatures up to 1000 tained C showed the rate curve to be parabolic. Tbe compatibility of stainless steel and Be in a NaK environment was studied to assist in the design of capsules for studies of the effect of irradiation on Be tubing. An investigation of the variables in the extrusion process for prcducing Be tubing was initiated. The joining of Be tubing by fusion welding was successful only with tubing machined from hot-pressed material. Brazing and diffusion bonding are the more successful methods tried to date. Several alloys suitable for brazing are available. and leaktight brazed joints in capsules were prepared. Several diffusionbonded joints prepared in helium or vacuum showed complete grain coalescence and were leaktight. A number of thermal-cycling tests were run on Be specimens from various sources. Also in this report were: In-Pile Testing of Components and Materials:, Out-of-Pile Testing of Materials and Components:,
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-021134
- OSTI ID:
- 4181172
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-2929
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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