Evaluation of Cermet Fuels Test Data
- Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (United States)
- Harris Engineering Services, Ramona, California (United States)
Test results characterizing ceramic-metallic (cermet) fuels are available from fuel development programs conducted for the ANP project, the 710 reactor program and the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) nuclear rocket program. There is some overlap in the materials candidates tested in these programs. Test conditions were however significantly different due to wide variation in intended applications of these high temperature cermet fuels. This paper provides an overview of these development efforts, define (where possible) the damage mechanisms thought to be responsible for fuel operating limitations, and identify the fundamental physical mechanisms thought to be responsible. In more recent years, a new form of cermet fuels based on uranium-zirconium carbonitride (U,Zr)CN was developed and tested by the Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute, University of Florida, and the Scientific Research Associates 'LUTCH' of Russia. The most significant outcome of the joint INSPILUTCH program was the establishment of the high temperature characteristics of the uranium-zirconium carbonitride, (U,Zr)CN and its long term compatibility with the metallic matrix. The improved features of uranium-zirconium carbonitride include chemical compatibility with tungsten matrix and stability at temperatures as high as 3300 K, high uranium density, and high thermal conductivity. The paper also presents a brief summary of the (U,Zr)CN base cermet fuel test results. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21160810
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICAPP'04: 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 13-17 Jun 2004; Other Information: Country of input: France; 3 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'04, 2338 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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