Failure of sheathed thermocouples due to thermal cycling

Conference · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5409828

Anderson, R L; Ludwig, R L

Open circuit failures (up to 100%) in small-diameter thermocouples used in electrically heated nuclear fuel rod simulator prototypes during thermal cycling tests were investigated to determine the cause(s) of the failures. The experiments conducted to determine the relative effects of differential thermal expansion, wire size, grain size, and manufacturing technology are described. It was concluded that the large grain size and embrittlement which result from certain common manufacturing annealing and drawing procedures were a major contributing factor in the breakage of the thermocouple wires.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5409828
• Report Number(s): CONF-820306-5; ON: DE82008798; TRN: 82-011697
• Resource Relation: Conference: 6. symposium on temperature, Washington, DC, USA, 14 Mar 1982; Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
THERMOCOUPLES
FAILURES
THERMAL CYCLING
ALUMEL
ANNEALING
CANNING
CHROMEL
DRAWING
EMBRITTLEMENT
FABRICATION
GRAIN SIZE
METALLURGY
THERMAL EXPANSION
WIRES
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
EXPANSION
HEAT TREATMENTS
IRON ADDITIONS
IRON ALLOYS
MANGANESE ALLOYS
MATERIALS WORKING
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SIZE
440300* - Miscellaneous Instruments- (-1989)
220300 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements