Design and fabrication of high density uranium dispersion fuels

Conference · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:634090

Trybus, C L; Meyer, M K; Clark, C R ^[1]; Wlencek, T C; McGann, D J ^[2]

---

1. Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Engineering Div.
2. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Energy Technology Div.

Twelve different uranium alloys and compounds with uranium densities greater than 13.8 g/cc were fabricated into fuel plates. Sixty-four experimental fuel plates, referred to as microplates, with overall dimensions of 76.2 mm x 22.2 mm x 1.3 mm and elliptical fuel zone of nominal dimensions of 51 mm x 9.5 mm, began irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor on August 23, 1997. The fuel test matrix consists of machined or comminuted (compositions are in weight %) U-10Mo, U-8Mo, U-6Mo, U-4Mo, U-9Nb-3Zr, U-6Nb-4Zr, U-5Nb-3Zr, U-6Mo-1Pt, U6Mo-0.6 Ru, U-10Mo-0.05Sn, U{sub 2}Mo and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} (as a control). The low enriched ({sup 235}U < 20%) fuel materials were cast, powdered, mixed with aluminum dispersant at a volume ratio of 1:3, compacted and hot rolled to form the microplates. Spherical atomized powders of two fuels, U-10Mo and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}, were utilized to make microplates and included in the irradiation test as well. The experimental design and fabrication steps employed in the selection and production of the fueled microplates is discussed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 634090
• Report Number(s): ANL/ED/CP-94337; CONF-9710102-; ON: DE98050565; TRN: 98:009747
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1997 international meeting on reduced enrichment for research and test reactors, Jackson Hole, WY (United States), 5-10 Oct 1997; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
DESIGN
FABRICATION
DISPERSION NUCLEAR FUELS
URANIUM BASE ALLOYS
FUEL PLATES
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
PLATINUM ALLOYS
RUTHENIUM ALLOYS
TIN ALLOYS
URANIUM SILICIDES
MODERATELY ENRICHED URANIUM
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM