SWAGING OF URANIUM DIOXIDE. Quarterly Progress Report No. 7, January 1, 1962 to March 31, 1962

Technical Report · Mon Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4785647

A gamma absorptiometer for non-destructive determination of the UO/sub 2/ swaged density and uniformity of density along the rod was designed, constructed, and put into operation. The sensitivity of the apparatus is such that differences in UO/sub 2/ density as low as 0.5% of theoretical density can be detected and recorded. An additional series of 30 reactor length rods (20 with stainless steel clad and 10 with Zircaloy-2 clad) was fabricated for the reproducibility and uniformity study on the vibro-swaging process previously developed. The non-destructive testing of these rods is in progress. Four series of samples were prepared to study the influence of the diameter-to- thickness ratio for Zircaloy-2 tubing. The samples were cold swaged to varying reductions in area with no intermediate annealing. No conclusions of the type previously reported for stainless steel can be drawn from data obtained so far. As expected, tubes with higher dia-to-thickness ratios ruptured with fewer passes through the swaging machine. No cracks or rupture of Zircaloy-2 were observed for reduction of area lower than 20%. Thermal conductivity of swaged UO/sub 2/ having a density of 90% of theoretical was measured at 600 deg C. The value obtained (0.026 watt cm/sup -1 deg /C/sup -1/) is approximately 25% lower than figures reported for pellets of the same density. Hardness of cladding after swaging and roughness of inner surface of cladding in contact with swaged UO/sub 2/ were studied. (auth)

• Research Organization: FIAT. Sezione Energia Nucleare, Turin
• NSA Number: NSA-16-032094
• OSTI ID: 4785647
• Report Number(s): EURAEC-310; FN-E-21
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
COLD WORKING
COMPACTING
CONFIGURATION
CRACKS
DEFORMATION
DENSITY
DISTRIBUTION
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAMMA RADIATION
HARDNESS
INSTRUMENTS
MEASURED VALUES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
OPERATION
PLANNING
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
RODS
SENSITIVITY
SURFACES
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THICKNESS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VIBRATIONS
ZIRCALOY