HIGH-TEMPERATURE IRRADIATION TEST OF UO$sub 2$ CERMET FUELS

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1963

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4711314· OSTI ID:4711314

Keller, D L; Cunningham, G W; Murr, W E; Fromm, E O; Lozier, D E

Niobium-clad niobium cermets and Type 430 stainless steel-clad molybdenum and chromium cermets, all containing 80 vol% 20% enriched UO/sub 2/, prepared by vapordeposition techniques or from the powders and densified and clad by gas-pressure bonding, were subjected to hightemperature high-heat-flux irradiation in the MTR. Two instrumerted double-walled capsules, each containing duplicate NaK-immersed cylindrical specimens of the three compositions were involved. Specimen diameters were varied according to the particular cermet thermal conductivity in an attempt to secure central temperatures of about 0.6 of the matrix melting point. Probably because of weld failures in both capsules, irradiation temperatures were higher than intended, causing loss of the chromium cermets in one capsule and all of the cermets in the other capsule. The remaining specimens were given a postirradiation dimensional and metallographic examination. The niobium-clad niobium-UO/sub 2/ cermet exhibited excellent stability at estimated center-line temperatures above 2500 deg F. A density decrease of only 1.4% was measured at a burnup of about 4 at.%. Although the capsule overheating caused the molybdenum-UO/sub 2/ cermet to partially melt, areas only a few mils from the melted zone showed no evidence of damage from the adverse conditions of the irradiation. (auth)

• Research Organization: Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-92
• NSA Number: NSA-17-011254
• OSTI ID: 4711314
• Report Number(s): BMI-1608
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
BONDING
BURNUP
CANNING
CAPSULES
CERMETS
CHROMIUM
COMPACTING
CYLINDERS
DENSITY
ENRICHMENT
FAILURES
FUEL CANS
GASES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
MELTING
MELTING POINTS
METALLOGRAPHY
MOLYBDENUM
MTR
NIOBIUM
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POWDERS
PREPARATION
PRESSURE
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTORS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
STAINLESS STEELS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VOLUME
WELDS