POWER REACTOR PROGRAM. PROGRESS REPORT TO SAVANNAH RIVER OPERATIONS OFFICE, UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 1, 1961 THROUGH MARCH 31, 1961

Technical Report · Thu May 11 04:00:00 EDT 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4050697· OSTI ID:4050697

Isserow, S; Anderson, R W; Richmond, W J; Tuffin, W B; Larson, W L; Smoot, P R; Davies, D M; Green, H M; Gilman, A R

An evaluation of two thin-walled outer tubes showed that more extensive alpha working of the billet core stock results in more uniform cladding on the extruded tube. In an effort to eliminate breakthrough and to reduce eccentricity, shift, and bending of the mandrel, two experimental coppernickel billets with Zircaloy sleeves were extruded to check a modified billet design. lt was observed that the final grain size of the unalloyed uranium core of a thin- walled outer tube is insensitive to small variations in the cooling rate from the beta-treatment temperature. An axia' load of 3000 pounds applied to a thin- walled outer tube during autoclaving was ineffective in preventing bowing of the tube. Shipping experiments demonstrated that current packaging methods of thin- walled inner tubes do not prevent bowing during transit. The fabrication of specimens for the capsule irradiation program was concluded with the shipment of sixteen specimens and excess extruded tube stock to Savannah River Laboratory. The following core compositions were represented: U-1 wt.% Si, unalloyed dingot uranium, U-0.3 wt.% Al-0.5 wt.% Si, and U-0.3 wt.% Cr-0.3 wt.% Mo. All irradiation specimens were supplied in the beta-treated condition. The mechanical behavior of Zircaloy-4-clad dingot uranium tube sections was evaluated as a function of the cooling rate from the beta treatment temperature. The results indicate that the mechanical behavior is approximately independent of the cooling rate and that, in testing to failure, fracture initiates within the core. Also, in a eimilar test of a transient-melted ingot uranium tube, the uranium core appeared to be the most brittle component. Five tubular stainless steel- Zircaloy joints were extruded for use in an experiment to determine if such joints can withstand 30 and 40% cold reductions. (auth)

• Research Organization: Nuclear Metals, Inc., Concord, Mass.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-15-021112
• OSTI ID: 4050697
• Report Number(s): NMI-7238
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BRITTLENESS
COLD WORKING
COOLING
DEFORMATION
DISTRIBUTION
EXTRUSION
FAILURES
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HEAT TREATMENTS
HEATING
HOT WORKING
IRRADIATION
JOINTS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
PACKAGING
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PLANNING
SILICIDES
STAINLESS STEELS
TESTING
THICKNESS
TUBES
URANIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCALOY