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Title: BOTTOM-POUR RE-USABLE MELTING CRUCIBLES FOR PLUTONIUM CASTING

Abstract

24p. Bottom-pour Ta and CaF/sub 2/-coated steel melt crucibles for Pu and Pu-rich alloys were developed. The controlled pour is effected by melting a Pu plug in the bottom spout of the crucible after the desired temperature and vacuum conditions are obtained. A description is given of the development of the crucibles which have replaced ceramic crucibles for casting work on the kilogram scale. (auth)

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N. Mex.
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
4059433
Report Number(s):
LA-2480
NSA Number:
NSA-15-014678
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS; CALCIUM FLUORIDES; CASTING; COATING; CRUCIBLES; MELTING; PLUTONIUM; PLUTONIUM ALLOYS; STEELS; TANTALUM; VACUUM

Citation Formats

Miley, F., and Anderson, J.W.. BOTTOM-POUR RE-USABLE MELTING CRUCIBLES FOR PLUTONIUM CASTING. United States: N. p., 1960. Web. doi:10.2172/4059433.
Miley, F., & Anderson, J.W.. BOTTOM-POUR RE-USABLE MELTING CRUCIBLES FOR PLUTONIUM CASTING. United States. doi:10.2172/4059433.
Miley, F., and Anderson, J.W.. Sat . "BOTTOM-POUR RE-USABLE MELTING CRUCIBLES FOR PLUTONIUM CASTING". United States. doi:10.2172/4059433. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/4059433.
@article{osti_4059433,
title = {BOTTOM-POUR RE-USABLE MELTING CRUCIBLES FOR PLUTONIUM CASTING},
author = {Miley, F. and Anderson, J.W.},
abstractNote = {24p. Bottom-pour Ta and CaF/sub 2/-coated steel melt crucibles for Pu and Pu-rich alloys were developed. The controlled pour is effected by melting a Pu plug in the bottom spout of the crucible after the desired temperature and vacuum conditions are obtained. A description is given of the development of the crucibles which have replaced ceramic crucibles for casting work on the kilogram scale. (auth)},
doi = {10.2172/4059433},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1960},
month = {Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1960}
}

Technical Report:

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  • A new material, Tribocor 532N (an alloy of 50 wt % niobium-30 wt % titanium-20 wt % tungsten (50Nb-30Ti-20W) nitrided at >1800/degree/C), has been shown to be an excellent crucible/susceptor for melting and casting uranium and its alloys in a noncarbon environment. Testing has progressed from very small-scale initial tests to intermediate-scale foundry tests with performance better than graphite containment. Lifetime tests of Tribocor 532N indicate an improvement of more than an order of magnitude as compared to graphite. The Tribocor 532N is far superior to oxide-based ceramics and experiences no cracking from thermal cycling, is capable of directly susceptingmore » in an induction field for induction heating, and is stable with graphite---allowing any portion of a graphite stack to be replaced interchangeably with Tribocor 532N. Tribocor 532N can be coated with standard paint, and it performs equally well with the more economical zirconia coating instead of yttria, while also being compatible with erbia coatings that are suitable for enriched uranium. Since Tribocor 532N contains no carbon, a Tribocor crucible should introduce less carbon during melt cycles and enable more recycled metal to be used without increasing carbon levels. The long lifetime projections for Tribocor 532N make the material economical. A large-scale crucible of Tribocor 532N will be tested. 14 refs., 11 figs., 7 tabs.« less
  • Uranium was successfully cast at temperatures as high as 1900 to 2000 deg C in crucibles made from CeS, CeS/sub 1.38/, ThS, ThS/sub 1.75/, and ThU/sub 0.7/S/sub 2/ with the sulfur pickup in all cases less than 0.15 wt.%, in some cases at low temperatures being less than 0.005%. A summary of actual sulfur absorption for different experimental temperatures and crucible types is given. The effect of the molten mixture of U and UBr/sub 3/(Br/U =2) upon some sulfide refractories was investigated. The results indicate that only ThS/sub 2/ and divalent sulfides like ThUS/sub 2/, US, ThS, etc., would withstandmore » the U--UBr/sub 3/ mixture. Uranium may be separated from metal salt mixtures (CaCl/sub 2/, SrBr/ sub 2/, BaI/sub 2/, etc.) by distillation of the salt and fusion of the U in a sulfide crucible. (auth)« less
  • Personnel in the atomic energy program are confronted at times with an immediate need for information concerning the properties of commercially available nonmetallic crucibles. Some of the information is unavailable to the casual worker, and the published portion is widely scattered throughout the literature. Since nonmetallic crucibles are usually ceramic, the ORNL Ceramic group felt that a valuable contribution could be made by compiling information from both published and unpublished sources in a form that would enable the casual worker to ascertain readily the type of crucible best suited to his needs and to find a source of supply onmore » the market for each type. In addition, forming methods are presented to aid those who may wish to fabricate their own crucibles.« less