EROSION FLOW TESTING OF PURPOSELY DEFECTED STAINLESS STEEL CLAD COMPACTED UO$sub 2$ POWDER FUEL

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4690522· OSTI ID:4690522

Lingafelter, J. W.; Lees, E. A.; Seely, R. J.

Compacted UO/sub 2/ powder specimens with purposely defected stainless steel cladding were erosion flow tested under simulated boiling-water reactor operating conditions, excluding neutron flux. The type of clad defects were 0.026inch wide slits, completely through the clad, varying in length from 0.25 to 1 inch. Maximum erosion flow test exposure was 6000 hours in 7 ft/sec, 536 deg F flowing water. The results of post test examination indicated that defected stainiess-clad swaged fuel with UO/sub 2/ densities greater than 90% T.D. is comparable to pellet type fuel with respect to erosion resistance. Within the test parameters, the stresses and imperfections introduced into the stainless cladding as a result of swaging did not adversely affect the corrosion characteristics of stainless steel in a boiling water reactor coolant environment. As a result of the test data, two swaged fuel rods containing 0.50-inch long slits were inserted into the VBWR reactor. The defected rods are performing satisfactorily after accumulating 1000 Mwd/t exposure, with activity due to fission gas release below 20 mu c/sec. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Atomic Power Equipment Dept., San Jose, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-030936
• OSTI ID: 4690522
• Report Number(s): GEAP-4020
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BOILING
COMPACTING
CORROSION
DEFECTS
DENSITY
EROSION
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAGES
GASES
IRRADIATION
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
PERFORMANCE
REACTORS
RODS
STAINLESS STEELS
STRESSES
TESTING
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VBWR
WATER