QUARTERLY STATUS REPORT OF THE LASL PLASMA THERMOCOUPLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 20, 1959
A "standardized" basic design of a plasma thermocouple for in-pile testing was selected. This utilizes a ZrC-UC fuel pin, 1/4 in. in diameter by 1 in. long, centered within a zirconium collector, leaving a 1-mm annular gap. With a pin of ZrC-30 mole % UC solid solution, in-pile testing was carried out at various reactor power levels. A pyrometer, thermal conductivity, and life tests were accomplished. Using the plasma cell described in the preceding report, considerable information concerning its operation was obtained by means of a Langmuir-type probe. Such a probe can reasonably be expected to yield information about electron energies, electron densities, and potentials in the cesium plasma for cesium vapor pressures up to about 0.5 mm Hg. Preparation of a cathode for higher efficiency is described. The most serious obstacle to designing and constructing cells with desirable and predictable temperature distributions in the collector and insulation is the inability to maintainn good thermal contact between the varions radial cell walls. Experiments were carried out with spraying insulating and cladding materials on collectors. This method of fabrication offers considerable promise of eliminating difficulties with radial gaps. Anomalous thermionic emission was studied. Thermionic electron emission characteristics of NbC/sub 0.94/, NbCO/sub 0.47/, and Nb metal were measured over the temperature range between 1725 and 2200 deg K. Weight loss data were obtained on a fuel pin (70-30 mole% ZrC -UC) heated in vacuum at about 2200 deg C for 212 hr. Measurements of fussion cadmium ratios for ZrC-30 mole% UC were made in the Omega West Reactor. (For preceding period see LAMS-2333). (W.D.M.)
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N. Mex.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-001636
- OSTI ID:
- 4228498
- Report Number(s):
- LAMS-2364
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CATHODES
CESIUM
COATING
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ELECTRONS
EMISSION
ENERGY
ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
FISSION
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IN PILE LOOPS
LANGMUIR PROBE
LOSSES
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
NIOBIUM
NIOBIUM CARBIDES
OWR
PLANNING
PLASMA
POWER
PRESSURE
PYROMETERS
SAMPLING
SHELLS
SOLID SOLUTIONS
SPUTTERING
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL INSULATION
THERMIONICS
THERMOCOUPLES
THERMOMETERS
URANIUM CARBIDES
VACUUM
VAPORS
WEIGHT
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM CARBIDES