SOME NEW TECHNIQUES IN THE USE OF ULTRASONIC ATTENUATION IN TESTING URANIUM FUEL ELEMENTS
The ultrasonic attenuation method of testing unanium was studied by analyzing the amplitude distribution of the transmitted pulses. Several methods of pulse analysis were used. Variations in attenuation through a fuel element, both nanially and along its length, were obtained from a movie camera record of the oscitloscope pulse display. A twentychannel pulse-height anulyzer was used to measure the pulse amplitude distribution for given elements. In testing one thousand solid fuel elements, most produced nearly symmetric pulse height distributions. These can be fit quite closely by a normal curve of error. These distributions were characterized by either the maximum or most probable pulse amplitudes. Metallographic grain size measurements showed good correlation with the ultrasonic measurement in most cases. Poor correlation was probably due to other factors causing ultrasonic attenuation, some of which are grain orientation, porosity, inclusions, and cracks. Several possibitities for improving fuel element quatity are suggested. A possible instrument for performing tests to determine if instabltity under irradiation nright occur are deacribed and plans to build snd evaluate it are discussed. (auth) Dingots of uranium with hydrogen content of 2.0 to 5.3 ppm were tested for braze porosity with part of the rods heat treated in Nu-Sal (potassium chloride--sodium chloride) and the other part treated in the standard lithium-potassium carbonate bath. Primary results of the test revealed that fuel elements will contain less braze porosity due to hydrogen content when heat treated in Nu-Sal. (W.D.M.)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-52
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-015980
- OSTI ID:
- 4138309
- Report Number(s):
- HW-48989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CAMERAS
COMMUNICATIONS
CONFIGURATION
CRACKS
DEFECTS
DIAGRAMS
DISTRIBUTION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ERRORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
INCLUSIONS
IRRADIATION
LATTICES
MEASURED VALUES
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
OSCILLOGRAPHS
POROSITY
PULSES
RECORDING SYSTEMS
SOLIDS
STABILITY
TESTING
ULTRASONICS
URANIUM
USES
VARIATIONS