HIGH PERFORMANCE UO$sub 2$ PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report No. 4, January-March 1962

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4704582

Weidenbaum, B

Activities are reported in a program to measure the fission gas pressure in UO/sub 2/-filled fuel rods as a function of temperature and fuel configurations. The pressure buildup in the rods composed of low-enrichment UO/ sub 2/ remained fairly constant, while rods containing higher enrichment UO/sub 2/ steadily increased throughout the irradiation, indicating a substantial fission gas release. In modification work on the existing pressurized water loop in the GE Test Reactor, the major changes were completed and testing is underway. Progress is reported in the UO/sub 2/ fuel performance tests to establish relations between the amount of fuel rod central melting and burn-up that can be obtained before fuel-cladding results in rod failure. Fabrication of 4 pellet- filled fuel assemblies and 1 Pbfilled dummy assembly for irradiation testing was completed during the quarter. Preliminary results of analyses of metallographic specimens irradiated at average heat fluxes of 600,000 and 800,000 BTU/hr-ft/sup 2/ indicate that control melting of 1/2-in. pellets occurred at a heat flux of 775,000 BTU/hr-ft/sup 2/. Irradiation of a third capsule with a hollow zirconia spacer in the center of the fuel column is reported; however, the capsule was not examined. (J.R.D.)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Vallecitos Atomic Lab., San Jose, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-011086
• OSTI ID: 4704582
• Report Number(s): GEAP-3771-4; EURAEC-437
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BURNUP
CANNING
CAPSULES
CONFIGURATION
ENRICHMENT
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GASES
HEATING
IN PILE LOOPS
IRRADIATION
LEAD
MEASURED VALUES
MELTING
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
PRESSURE
REACTORS
RODS
SPACERS
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
URANIUM DIOXIDE
WATER COOLANT
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES