A review of carbide fuel corrosion for nuclear thermal propulsion applications

Conference · Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:10107418

Pelaccio, D G; El-Genk, M S ^[1]; Butt, D P ^[2]

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1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inst. for Space Nuclear Power Studies
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

At the operation conditions of interest in nuclear thermal propulsion reactors, carbide materials have been known to exhibit a number of life limiting phenomena. These include the formation of liquid, loss by vaporization, creep and corresponding gas flow restrictions, and local corrosion and fuel structure degradation due to excessive mechanical and/or thermal loading. In addition, the radiation environment in the reactor core can produce a substantial change in its local physical properties, which can produce high thermal stresses and corresponding stress fractures (cracking). Time-temperature history and cyclic operation of the nuclear reactor can also accelerate some of these processes. The University of New Mexico`s Institute for Space Nuclear Power Studies, under NASA sponsorship has recently initiated a study to model the complicated hydrogen corrosion process. In support of this effort, an extensive review of the open literature was performed, and a technical expert workshop was conducted. This paper summarizes the results of this review.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inst. for Space Nuclear Power Studies
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10107418
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-93-4136; CONF-940101-26; ON: DE94003938; CNN: Grant NGT-40019; Grant NAG3-1346; TRN: 94:001437
• Resource Relation: Conference: 11. symposium on space nuclear power systems,Albuquerque, NM (United States),9-13 Jan 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBIDES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT
REACTOR MATERIALS
CORROSION FATIGUE
SPACE VEHICLE COMPONENTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
PROPULSION REACTORS
THERMAL STRESSES
CRACK PROPAGATION
BRITTLENESS
CREEP
210600
360103
POWER REACTORS, MOBILE, PROPULSION, PACKAGE, AND TRANSPORTABLE