The post-irradiation examination of a PuO₂-UO₂ fast reactor fuel

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4669170· OSTI ID:4669170

Gerhart, J. M.

A program was carried out to determine the irradiation behavior of a PuO₂-UO₂ fast reactor fuel prototype. Forty stainless steel clad fuel specimens were fabricated, encapsulated, and irradiated in the General Electric Test Reactor to burnups ranging from 5000 to 99,000 MWD/T, and at heat fluxes ranging from 0.5 x 10⁶ to 1.6 x 10⁶ Btu/ hr-ft². The cladding surface temperature ranged from 700 to 1200 deg F with most specimens in the 1000 to 1200 deg F range. All specimens were irradiated without rapture despite the high performance conditions imposed. Following irradiation, the fuel specimens were examined in the Radioactive Materials Laboratory. The post-irradiation examination consisted of dimensional measurements, gamma scans, determination of fission gas release, visual examination of the fuel, measurement of central voids, and metallographic examination of selected samples. Specimen and capsule fabrication is discussed, and the results of the postirradiation examination are presented and discussed.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Vallecitos Atomic Lab., San Jose, Calif. (US)
• NSA Number: NSA-17-032663
• OSTI ID: 4669170
• Report Number(s): GEAP-3833
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
BURNUP
FABRICATION
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAMMA RADIATION
GASES
GETR
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IRRADIATION
METALLOGRAPHY
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
REACTORS
STAINLESS STEELS
TESTING
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VOLUME