MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR PROGRAM QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING JULY 31, 1959

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1959

OSTI ID:4200407

The nuclear performance of a two-region graphite moderated molten-salt breeder reactor was studied. Reactor power was 125 Mw(th). Salt-lubricated hydrodynamic journal bearings wiih two axial grooves 180 deg apart were tested to failure. Three further tests were conducted with bearings containing three equally spaced helical grooves. Fabrication of a pump incorporating a three- axial-groove hydrodynamic bearing was completed. Construction of the Remote Maintenance Demonstration Facility was completed on schedule. One longterm corrosion test loop was terminated after a year's operation. The enthalpy and viscosity of a high-thoriumcontent blanket salt mixture were experimentally determined. A redetermination of the viscosities of two low-UF/sub 4/-content mixtures wita the modified viscometer resulted in lower values and altered temperature dependence for both salts. Eleven INOR-8 thermalconvection loops and twelve Inconel loops were examined. A 6000-hr test and a 5000-hr test of INOR-8 exposed at 1300 deg F to a system containing graphite and fuel 13O(LiF-BeF/sub 2/- UF/sub 4/) were completed. Inconel and INOR-8 specimens exposed to graphite- sodium systems for 4000 hr at 1400 deg F were carburized to a depth of 3O to 40 mils and showed a loss in ductility both at room temperature and at 150 deg F. Fuel 3O(NaF-ZrF/sub 4/-UF/sub 4) and fuel 130 penetrated to 58% or more of the accessible void volume in AGOT graphite specimens when 150 psig pressure was applied in a 100-hr exposure at 1300 deg F. Initial gettering and flushing tests to remove oxide contaminants from graphite specimens with fuel 130 in a in- uranium oxide precipitation normally observed in tests with nongettered graphite. The program for evaluating the mechanical properties of INOR-8 was reviewed. Initial studies to determine the cladability of prefabricated porous nickel for use as a leak-detecting component in a triplex heat-exchanger tube have indicated that the material can be bonded to Inconel with retention of core porosity. An INOR-8 weld-metal oomposition containing 2% Nb exhibited good ductility at 15OO deg F. Groundwork for a phase study of PuF/sub 3/ fuels is provided by cooling cuves on a series of compositions from the NaF-PuF/sub 3/ binary system. Fissions product behavior, particularly as related to fuel reprocessing and recovery, was studied in experiments on the solubility and precipitation of rare- earth fluorides. Solubility measurements were made on NiF/sub 2/. In a study of the compatibility of graphite with fuel, no deleterious or unfavorable effects were encountered with samples of an impervious graphite which were exposed to circulating fuel for one year in a corrosion-test loop. Two modifications of the HF dissolution process for purifying the LiF-BeF/sub 2/ carrier salt are being investigated. (For preceding period see ORNL-2723.) (W.D.M.)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-13-023115
• OSTI ID: 4200407
• Report Number(s): ORNL-2799
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

REACTORS
ALUMINUM ALLOYS- BERYLLIUM FLUORIDES- BREEDING- CARBIDES- CHEMICAL REACTIONS- CHROMIUM ALLOYS- CONVECTION- DEFECTS- FUSED SALTS- GRAPHITE- GRAPHITE MODERATOR- HIGH TEMPERATURE- INCONEL ALLOYS- INOR-8- LITHIUM FLUORIDES- MELTING- MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS- NICKEL ALLOYS- NIOBIUM ALLOYS- PERFORMANCE- PIPES- POWER PLANTS- REACTORS- SODIUM- TESTING- TITANIUM ALLOYS- URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE- ZONES
ALUMINUM ALLOYS- BONDING- BREEDING- CANNING- CHROMIUM ALLOYS- FUSED SALTS- GRAPHITE MODERATOR- HEAT EXCHANGERS- INCONEL ALLOYS- LEAK DETECTORS- MELTING- NICKEL- NICKEL ALLOYS- NIOBIUM ALLOYS- PERFORMANCE- POROSITY- POWER