Irradiation testing in the development of gas-cooled fast breeder reactor fuel elements
The irradiation program for the development of fuel elements for the gas- cooled fast breeder reactor GCFR is discussed. Thermal flux irradiations included two vented mixed-oxide fuel rods, one irradiated to 54,000 MWd/Te and one that attained a burn-up of 20,500 MWd/Te. These experiments provided design data and confirmed the feasibility of the vented fuel concept. Fast flux irradiation of an assembly of seven encapsulated mixed-oxide sealed fuel rods to planned burnups up to a maximum of 100,000 MWd/Te in progress. Interim examinations at 25,000 and 52,000 MWd/Te showed that all rods remained intact even at the maximum cladding outside surface temperature of 780 deg C (1436 deg F). A second capsule assembly will be irradiated in a fast flux starting early in 1974. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Gulf General Atomic, Inc., San Diego, CA
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-011885
- OSTI ID:
- 4396352
- Journal Information:
- J. Brit. Nucl. Energy Soc., v. 12, no. 4, pp. 395-408, Journal Name: J. Brit. Nucl. Energy Soc., v. 12, no. 4, pp. 395-408; ISSN JBNSA
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
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