Corrosion-resistant coatings for beryllium oxide fuel elements (Pluto)

Technical Report · Tue Apr 13 04:00:00 EST 1965

OSTI ID:4338668

Folkers, C L; Rothman, A J; Snider, G D; Sandholtz, W A

Declassified 26 Nov 1973. Coatings have been studied as a means of reducing the water vapor corrosion of BeO fuel elements for an air-breathing ramjet reactor (Pluto). A 15 wt% Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/-stabilized ZrO/sub 2/ coating was mos t successful. Results of tests on coated samples indicated that the corrosion rates were dependent on temperature, humidity, and air velocity. Several possible mechanisms are discussed. A gap develops between the coating and the BeO substrate, limiting the corrosion that can be tolerated. An analytical model was satisfactory in correlating and extrapolating corrosion losses. The results indicate that coated fuel elements can be operated successfully at temperatures up to 1650 deg C in moist air for flying reactor conditions. (auth)

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• NSA Number: NSA-29-018805
• OSTI ID: 4338668
• Report Number(s): UCRL--12469
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BERYLLIUM OXIDES-- CORROSION PROTECTION
*PROPULSION REACTORS-- FUEL ELEMENTS
*URANIUM DIOXIDE-- CORROSION PROTECTION
*YTTRIUM OXIDES-- PROTECTIVE COATINGS
*ZIRCONIUM OXIDES-- PROTECTIVE COATINGS
AIR
BINARY MIXTURES
GAS FLOW
N50110* --Metals
Ceramics
& Other Materials--Ceramics & Cermets--Corrosion & Erosion & Surface Phenomena
N77800 --Reactors--Space
Mobile
Propulsion
Transportation & Package Reactors
N79300 --Reactors--Reactor Fuels
RAMJET ENGINES
STABILITY
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
WATER VAPOR