HIGH PERFORMANCE UO$sub 2$ PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report No. 7, October-December 1962

Technical Report · Thu Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4720807

Weidenbaum, B

A composite fuel assembly containing cored-pellet fuel rods designed to operate at 0.6 x 10/sup 6/ to 1.2 x 10/sup 5/ Btu/hr-ft/sup 2/ was irradiated for approximately 20 days. A powder-filled fuel assembly experienced a rod failure while the reactor was coming to power during a startup. The EPT-COM UO/sub 2/ fuel assembly was irradiated for st run. Concent 20 days with a calculated maximum heat flux of 1.15 x 10/sup 6/ Btu/hr-ft/sup 2/ at the start and 0.85 x 10/ sup 6/ at the finish of the cycle in the rod with the highest heat rating. The necessity for removal of nitrogen and residual moisture from arc-fused UO/sub 2/ to be used in compacted powder fuel rods was reviewed. The effect of central melting on swelling and the thermal conductivity of UO/sub 2/ at high temperature are discussed. An increase in temperature appeared to have a larger effect on the rate of UO/sub 2/ grain growth than time-at-temperature at temperatures above 1950 un. Concent 85% C. The rapid change in grain growth above 2400 un. Concent 85% C was found again. (M.C.G.)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Atomic Power Equipment Dept., San Jose, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-020513
• OSTI ID: 4720807
• Report Number(s): GEAP-3771-7; EURAEC-578
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ELECTRIC ARCS
EXPANSION
FAILURES
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HUMIDITY
IRRADIATION
MELTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NITROGEN
PELLETS
PLANNING
POWDERS
REACTORS
RODS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL RADIATION
URANIUM DIOXIDE