PATHFINDER ATOMIC POWER PLANT. ALUMINUM CLAD BOILER FUEL CAPSULE IRRADIATION

Technical Report · Wed Feb 19 23:00:00 EST 1964

OSTI ID:4064932

Patterson, D A; Nehrig, D A

Twelve aluminum-clad fuel specimens were irradiated to burnups ranging- from 2,480 to 13,240 MWD/ton-U and examined. The fuel specimens contained 95% dense UO/sub 2/ pellets clad with draw-bonded 8001 aluminum alloy. The maximum clad temperatures varied from 450 to 900 deg F. The peak heat ratings varied from 37 to 78 W/cm. Postirradiation examination revealed clad failures in five of the twelve fuel specimens. Two specimens failed by collapse of the fission gas spacer. The other three specimens experienced clad penetrations. The cause of the penetrations was not determined. Some swelling of the fuel was experienced by two specimens. The fission gas release varied from 0.05 to 5.6%. Metallographic examination revealed grain growth in only two of the fuel specimens. (auth)

• Research Organization: Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. Atomic Energy Div., Milwaukee
• NSA Number: NSA-18-015513
• OSTI ID: 4064932
• Report Number(s): ACNP-64004
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BONDING
BURNUP
CRBR
FAILURES
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL CANS
FUELS
GASES
GRAIN SIZE
IRRADIATION
LEAKS
METALLOGRAPHY
NUCLEATE BOILING
PELLETS
POWER
POWER PLANTS
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
SPACERS
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VARIATIONS