Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF ZIRCALOY-2 AND ZIRCALOY-4 TUBING FOR USE IN CLADDING URANIUM DIOXIDE AND ALUMINUM-PLUTONIUM FUEL

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4078372
Fuel elements for the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor are clusters of 19 uranium dioxide or aluminum-1.65% plutonium alloy fuel rods clad with Zircaloy-2 or Zircaloy-4. High quality cladding is required to prevent in-reactor fuel- element failures. The quality of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 tubing improved as test and inspection techniques capable of detecting defectives tubes were developed. An immersion ultrasonic test, capable of detecting defects as shallow as 0.002 in. on the inner tube surface, is promising. Observations of the behavior of tubing during swaging indicate that a small grain size is desirable if cracking is to be avoided. (auth)
Research Organization:
General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
DOE Contract Number:
AT(45-1)-1350
NSA Number:
NSA-15-011541
OSTI ID:
4078372
Report Number(s):
HW-66810
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English