Interim evaluation of nickel plate on aluminum-jacketed fuel elements
Nickel plating on the coolant contacting surfaces of aluminum-jacketed fuel elements is highly attractive for increasing resistance. Potential benefits include a highly corrosion-resistant coating for severe localized conditions, reduction of mechanical damage to fuel element jackets, improved fuel element alignment (by reducing friction between fuel element and process tube ribs) and probably lower overfall surface temperatures to reduction in corrosion product film with improved corrosion resistance, neutron economy might also be realized. For example, substitution of a 0.5 mil thick nickel plate for 15-mils thickness of aluminum jacket would result in no reactivity loss and permit a concomitant increase in uranium volume, or in coolant flow annulus. Attendant problems include providing an adherent continuous plate of uniform thickness and possibly contamination of reactor effluent by radio-nickel-cobalt, and phosphorous and it was found that gross sloughing of the nickel plate had occurred. Development and testing work was carried out to determine the cause and a solution to the Greece problem. Studies were limited to the behavior of chemically-deposited nickel because of the unique capability of the process to deposit a coating of uniform thickness in the 0.1 - 0.2 mils thick range, regardless of the geometry of the plated piece. Based on ex- reactor tests, a readily applicable method for significantly improving plate adherence has been developed, as summarized in this report.
- 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:
- 10174155
- Report Number(s):
- HW-63636; ON: DE94016831
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: DN: Declassified; PBD: 8 Feb 1960
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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