DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF COEXTRUDED STAINLESS STEEL CLAD UO$sub 2$ FUEL RODS
Technical Report
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OSTI ID:4670110
BS>A process was developed in which stainless steel-clad UO/sub 2/ fuel rods are fabricated by high-temperature coextrusion. The process has a potential of being a more economical method for the preparation of stainless steel-clad UO/ sub 2/ fuel rods than the conventional pellet process. Consequently it was considered advantageous to evaluate the irradiation characteristics of fuel rods iabricated in this manner. Therefore, 24 coextruded fuel rods were manufactured for evaluation in a reactor. The required amounts of UO/sub 2/ and clad were soaked in separate containers at 1875 and 760 deg C, respectively. The containers were removed from their respective furnaces and were coextruded in one pass. A force of 450 to 475 tons was used, and a reduction ratio of 18 to 1 was obtained. The coextruded rods were cut to the approximate length, and the ends were sealed with an acid-resistant tape. The carbon steel can covering the stainless steel clad was removed by immersion in 1: 1 nitric acid for 20 minutes. The rods were visually inspected, the specified lengths of clad and fuel were obtained by machining, and the correct diameter was obtained by belt sanding. The fabrication of the fuel rods was completed by inserting the plenum support tubes and welding in the end plugs. Nineteen of these fuel rods were sent to the Atomic Power Equipment Department (APED) for irradiation in the Vallecitos Boiling Water Reactor (VBWR). The irradiation of 12 of these rods was begun in August 1961, while the irradiation of 3 rods was begun in July 1962. The irradiations will continue until an average burnup of at least 10,000 Mwd/t is achieved by some of the fuel rods. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Atomic Power Equipment Dept., San Jose, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-032536
- OSTI ID:
- 4670110
- Report Number(s):
- GEAP-4282
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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