PLUTONIUM FUELS DEVELOPMENT--PLUTONIUM METALLURGY OPERATION QUARTERLY REPORT FOR APRIL, MAY, JUNE 1958
Radiometallurgical examination of the last two capsules irradiated in the MTR to 55 to 60% burnup of the Pu atom is complete. These capsules contained Al-1.65 wt. % Pu and Al-12 wt. % Si-1.65 wt. % Pu alloy cores. Assembly is in progress on two four-rod Al-8 wt. % Pu and Al-l2 wt. % Si-8 wt. % Pu alloy clusters for irradiation in the 250 deg C water of the KER loop facility. A pyrometallurgical process for recycling irradiated Pu-Al fuels has been tested on unirradiated materials. Injection casting of Al-Pu alloy into Zircaloy-clad tubes is being investigated as a fuel fabrication technique. Mixed crystal oxides of U and Pu in a ratio of one to five have been processed to form pellets having a green density of 63% of theoretical with an L/D value of 1.3. Assembly was completed on the first model of a new 19-rod cluster design designated the Mark-IB. Improved techniques were devised for the welded closures on Zircaloy tubing and for the attachment of Zircaloy spacer wires to the Zircaloy end caps by Heliarc spot welding techniques. (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-13-007737
- OSTI ID:
- 4252481
- Report Number(s):
- HW-57342
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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