Testing of Zircaloy-2-clad uranium seven-rod fuel elements. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Jul 05 04:00:00 EDT 1960

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10151929· OSTI ID:10151929

Geering, G T

In 1955 the Fuels Development Operation began irradiation testing of fuel elements in high temperature water. It was assumed that if a new reactor were built at Hanford, it would be cooled by high-temperature, pressurized water. Corrosion tests showed that aluminum-clad production fuel elements could not be used in high-temperature water. Therefore, while work to improve the resistance of aluminum to high-temperature water proceeded, the Fuel Design Operation began irradiation of stainless steel- and Zircaloy-2-clad fuel elements. During 1956 and 1957, stainless steel-clad elements were tested in the Materials Testing Reactor (MTR), Hanford H Reactor Loop, and the KE Reactor Recirculating (KER) Loops. During 1957, a coextrusion method for cladding uranium rods with Zircaloy-2 was developed. The first irradiation of Zircaloy-2-clad fuel from an off-site supplier began in late 1958. The objective of the irradiation was to study the dimensional stability of the fuel rods and a seven-rod fuel assembly. Two coextruded, seven-rod elements were irradiated in KER Loop l.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Richland, WA (United States). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10151929
• Report Number(s): HW--66267; ON: DE94011991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300
220600
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360106
CLADDING
CORROSION
FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
HANFORD PRODUCTION REACTORS
MECHANICAL TESTS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATION EFFECTS
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
ZIRCALOY 2