THE EFFECT OF FABRICATION VARIABLES ON THE STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF UO$sub 2$-STAINLESS STEEL DISPERSION FUEL PLATES

Technical Report · Wed Feb 18 04:00:00 EST 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4185452· OSTI ID:4185452

Paprocki, S. J.; Keller, D. L.; Cunningham, G. W.

Based on the results of detailed fabrication studies, an evaluation of the effects of varying the type and size of UO/sub 2/ particles, the type and size of stainless steel matrix powders, blending procedures, compacting pressures, sintering times, temperatures, and atmospheres, roll-clading temperatures and reduction rates, total cold reduction, and heat-treating times and temperatures was made for UO/sub 2/stainless steel dispersion fuel elements. Transverse tensile tests, creep-rupture tests, metallographic examination, radiography, density measurements, and x-raydiffraction studies were used to evaluate the structure and properties of the fuel elements. From these studies a reference fabrication procedure for GCRE fuel elements was established. The fuel element core contains minus 100 plus 200-mesh hydrothermal UO/sub 2/ dispersed in an 18-14-2.5 alloy matrix prepared from minus 325-mesh elemental iron, chromium, nickel, and molybdenum powders. Commercial Type 318 stainless steel is used for cladding. Core compacts are sintered in steps to 2300 deg F after cold compacting at 15 tsi. Evacuated picture-frame packs are hot rolled from a hydrogen muffle at 2200 deg F with a 40% reduction in thickness on the first pass and a 20% reduction in thickness on remaining passes. After annealing at 2300 deg F, the fuel elements are given a light pickle and cold reduced 15 to 20% in thickness to give a total reduction of 8 to 1. The final treatment consists of a flat anneal at 2050 deg F. (auth)

• Research Organization: Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, Ohio
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-92
• NSA Number: NSA-14-007761
• OSTI ID: 4185452
• Report Number(s): BMI-1322
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AIR
ANNEALING
BEARINGS
CANNING
CHROMIUM
COLD WORKING
COMPACTING
CONFIGURATION
CREEP
DENSITY
DIFFRACTION
DISPERSIONS
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HOT WORKING
HYDROGEN
HYDROLOGY
IRON
MACHINE PARTS
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND MATERIALS
MIXING
MOLYBDENUM
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL
PLATES
POWDERS
PRESSURE
RADIOGRAPHY
ROLLING
SINTERING
STAINLESS STEELS
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
THICKNESS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VARIATIONS
X RADIATION