PLUTONIUM FUELS DEVELOPMENT, PLUTONIUM METALLURGY OPERATION QUARTERLY REPORT-JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER 1958

Technical Report · Mon Feb 23 23:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4158173

Wick, O J

Examination of Al--1.65 wt.% Pu and Al--12 wt.% Si-1.65 wt.% Pu capsules irradiated 55 to 60% burnout of the Pu atoms revealed a 1.4% vol. increase and no apparent microstructural change. A four red cluster centailing Al-8 wt.% Pu and Al--12 wt.% Si--8 wt.% Pu alloy cores is currently under irradiation at a water temperature of approximately 230 deg C. Revelopment of pyrometallurgical reproces sing techniques for Pu--Al alloys has continued. Injection east Pu--Al irradiation capsules were fabricated by a process utilizing existing equipment. Development of pressure die easting techniques is continuing. Extrusion studies were performed with a number of Al alloys as studies for Pu--Al. Sintering studies are being conducted on a variety of UO/sub 2/-PuO/sub 2/ compositions composed of both mechanically rnixed oxides and co-precipitated oxides diluted mechanically with UO/sub 2/. Engineering studies on 19-red cluster elements have resulted in improvements in design and simplification of fab- rication techniques. Welded closures were effected on Zircaloy-2 clad Pu--Al alloy fuel reds in the vacuum welding box. (W.L.H.)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-52
• NSA Number: NSA-14-018110
• OSTI ID: 4158173
• Report Number(s): HW-59365
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- CASTING-- DIES-- FABRICATION-- FUEL CANS-- INJECTION-- IRRADIATION-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS-- PRESSURE
ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- EXTRUSION-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- FABRICATION-- FUEL CANS-- FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS-- RODS-- VACUUM-- WELDING-- WELDS-- ZIRCALOY
ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- FUEL CANS-- FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS-- IRRADIATION-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS-- RODS-- SILICIDES-- TEMPERATURE-- WATER
ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- HIGH TEMPERATURE-- METALLURGY-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES-- SINTERING-- URANIUM DIOXIDE