Molybdenum-base cermet fuel development
Development of a multimegawatt (MMW) space nuclear power system requires identification and resolution of several technical feasibility issues before selecting one or more promising system concepts. Demonstration of reactor fuel fabrication technology is required for cermet-fueled reactor concepts. MMW reactor fuel development activity at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is focused on producing a molybdenum-matrix uranium-nitride (UN) fueled cermet. This cermet is to have a high matrix density (greater than or equal to95%) for high strength and high thermal conductance coupled with a high particle (UN) porosity (approx.25%) for retention of released fission gas at high burnup. Fabrication process development involves the use of porous TiN microspheres as surrogate fuel material until porous UN microspheres become available. Process development has been conducted in the areas of microsphere synthesis, particle sealing/coating, and high-energy-rate forming (HERF) and vacuum hot press consolidation techniques. This paper summarizes the status of these activities.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5529669
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-15107; CONF-880122-7; ON: DE88005529; TRN: 88-009823
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 11 Jan 1988; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
MICROSPHERES
FABRICATION
SPACE POWER REACTORS
NUCLEAR FUELS
TITANIUM NITRIDES
URANIUM NITRIDES
CERMETS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FISSION PRODUCTS
HOT PRESSING
MOLYBDENUM
POROSITY
SPUTTERING
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MATERIALS WORKING
METALS
MOBILE REACTORS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
POWER REACTORS
PRESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
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Mobile Package
& Transportable
050700 - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties