THE MANUFACTURE OF CENTRIFUGALLY CAST ALLOY FUEL SLUGS (MARK-II FUEL LOADING FOR EBR-I)

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4148953· OSTI ID:4148953

Yaggee, F L

The fabrication of the Mark-II fuel loading for EBR-I, consisting of a U- 2 wt.% Zr alloy, is described. Fuel slugs measuring 0.383 in. in diameter were centrifugally cast to size in massive Cu molds. The resulting microstructure was characterized by a fine grain size and a completely random grain orientation not easily obtained in wrought fissile material of comparable composition, even after heat treatment. Reproducibility of the desirable as-cast structure and physical properties of the fuel slugs was automatic. On thermal cycling in NaK in the temperature range from 50 to 550 deg C, the resulting fuel slugs exhibited negligible growth, even after 570 cycles. The gross weight of the 477 alloy fuel slugs produced in 31 productive melts was 67,199.6 g. The over-all process yield was 91.71%. These fuel slugs were loaded into 227 fuel rcds for shipment to EBR- I. (auth)

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Ill.
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• NSA Number: NSA-14-024521
• OSTI ID: 4148953
• Report Number(s): ANL-5724
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CASTING
CONFIGURATION
EBR-1
EXPANSION
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HEAT TREATMENTS
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PERFORMANCE
POTASSIUM ALLOYS
REACTORS
RODS
SODIUM ALLOYS
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL CYCLING
URANIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS