PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR (PWR) PROJECT TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE PERIOD APRIL 24, 1958 TO JUNE 23, 1958

Technical Report · Fri Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4302244

A photoelastic study of the Core 1 Seed 2 subassembly was completed. The conceptual design for the Seed 2 metal and inlet water temperature instrumentstion was established. Conceptual designs of Core 2 were established for the blanket and seed fuel assemblies. The results of a study of electron beam welding of zirconiumbase alloys show that good penetration and weld cleanliness can be obtained in simulated PWR Core 2 fuel elements. Exposure of nickel-diffusion-bonded Zircaloy and solid Zircaloy tensile specimens in a high pressure-hot water loop to a maximum integrated flux of 6.53 x 10/sup 20/ nvt resulted in severe hydride embrittlement and a considerable reduction in tensile strength in the nickel-diffusion-bonded samples and little change in the solid Zircaloy samples. Examination of the prototype Core 1 blanket rods which operated 14 months in the X-1 loop to a maximum exposure of 12,000 Mwd/1T showed no apparent chnge in the microstructure of the UO/sub 2/ of the undefected rods and grain growth of the UO/sub 2/ in the defected rod. The temperature coefficient of reactivity was remeasured for Core 1 after 550 EFPH and was found to be essentially unchanged. (For preceding period see WAPD-MRP-73.) (W.D.M.)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp. Bettis Plant, Pittsburgh Page(s): 87
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-14
• NSA Number: NSA-12-015855
• OSTI ID: 4302244
• Report Number(s): WAPD-MRP-74
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BLANKETS
BONDING
BRITTLENESS
CANNING
CONFIGURATION
COOLANT LOOPS
DEFECTS
DIFFUSION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON BEAMS
FAILURES
FERTILE MATERIALS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDRIDES
IN PILE LOOPS
INSTRUMENTS
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
MONITORING
NEUTRON FLUX
NICKEL
PHYSICS
PLANNING
PRESSURE
PWR
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
RODS
SOLIDS
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
URANIUM DIOXIDE
WATER
WATER COOLANT
WELDING
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS