THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF UO$sub 2$ FUEL SYSTEMS FOR WATER REACTOR APPLICATIONS. Quarterly Report No. 2, October-December 1961

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4786017

Murtha, B E; Chernock, W P

Experiments have shown that a variety of particle size distributions can be compacted in rods of short length to about 93% of theoretical density with sufficient compaction time. The resulting particle size distributions are similar in all cases, and the time required for compaction increases proportionately to the amount of pulverization required. Current experiments have demonstrated that tubes up to six feet in length can be loaded and densified to the 80-90% of theoretical density range on very small and inexpensive vibrators. Fuel rods loaded by the above technique to 80 and 85% of theoretical density and reduced in cross section by one swaging pass have a final gross density of 92-93% of theoretical density and a local density variation of only plus or minus 0.9% of theoretical density. Both hot and cold collapse testing is under way on annealed and workhardened type 347 stainless steel cladding materials. The data compare favorably with predictions based on theoretical tube collapse considerations. Experiments are continuing to better define the transition region between elastic and inelastic collapse criteria. Tests on thin walled (fuel supported) tubing specimens were performed to study the nature of collapse in the region of chipped or axially separated pellets, low density powders, and fuel to clad clearances. (auth)

• Research Organization: Combustion Engineering, Inc. Nuclear Div., Windsor, Conn.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-032032
• OSTI ID: 4786017
• Report Number(s): CEND-152; EURAEC-259
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANNEALING
COMPACTING
DENSITY
DISTRIBUTION
ELASTICITY
FUEL CANS
GRAIN SIZE
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
POWDERS
RODS
STAINLESS STEELS
TEMPERING