CARBIDE FUEL DEVELOPMENT. Phase I Report--Period of May 15 to September 15, 1959
A combination of UC and PuC is proposed as a fuel which has the potential for reducing the fuel cycle coat of fast breeder reactors. A 3 1/2 year development program is outlined, the purpose of which is to fabricate the fuel and evaluate the fuel properties having the most significant effect on fuel cycle cost. Analytical evaluation of PuC-UC in existing fast breeder reactors was completed with respect to heat transfer, physics, and cost. It was found that if certain reasonable fuel performance goals can be achieved, a fuel cycle cost reduction of a factor of 2 to 3 is possible. Facilities to handle and irradiate plutonium were designed and partially constructed. The facilities will be capable of synthesis and fabrication of carbides by dry powder techniques, chemical analysis, x-ray diffraction, metallography, fuel-clud compatibility studies, hardness testing, thermal cycling. Irradiation capsules were designed to irradiate clad fuel rod sections to 2% burnup at maximum fuel temperatures > 1900 deg F. High purity, better than 99 wt.%, UC pellets were fabricated by pressing and sintering. Evaluation studies were initiated. The ease of disso lution of unirradiated UC was confirmed. Dissolution studies of UC with simulated fission products were initiated. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Development Corp. of America, White Plains, N.Y.; Carborundum Co., Niagara Falls, N.Y.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-015894
- OSTI ID:
- 4155474
- Report Number(s):
- NDA-2140-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBIDES
DIFFRACTION
ECONOMICS
FABRICATION
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL CANS
FUELS
HARDNESS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
IMPURITIES
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
PLUTONIUM CARBIDES
POWDER METALLURGY
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
REACTORS
SOLUBILITY
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
X RADIATION