PLUTONIUM RECYCLE PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT, FISCAL YEAR 1961

Technical Report · Fri Aug 11 04:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4801348

Goldsmith, S ed

7 6 4 9 ; : 9 7 8 5 9 6 3 7B 8 8 5 8 5 9 ; ? : < 6 A 8 tinued on updating, revising, and debugging the RBU, MELEAGER, PUCK, and LOLA codes. Three new codes, PROTEUS, PUVE, and QUICK, were developed to assist analytical studies. The PROTEUS code, an accessory to MELEAGER, was developed to facilltate the rounding out'' of fuel and fuel cycle studies. The PUVE code will account for the various combinations of Pu isotopes that are formed during successlve recycles of Pu fuels. A simplified representatlon of utility cost accountlng practlces adjusted as required by the regulations of the Atomlc Energy Commission was programmed as the QUICK code. In this code, total fuel costs are obtained by considering seven major cost segrnents. An analysis of the relatlonship between various U price schedules and Pu values showed that the value of Pu is proportional to the price of fully enriched U and not to the corresponding cost of U/sup 235/ burnup. Several analyses were performed on long-lived (Phoenix) fuels. These include computations to extend the parametrlc study of Phoenix fuel applicability, computations of burn-up rates of specific Pu concentrations for irradiation test specimens, and analysis to deflne a Phoenix-type mixture with a constant fission rate that would produce a superior neutron flux monltoring system. It appears that relatlvely hard neutron spectra will yield the most satisfactory Phoenix actions for many reactor-occurring Pu isotope combinations. Combined fuel cycle analyses were made in which optimum methods of utillzing excess neutrons to reduce fuel and capital costs were investigated. A fairly complete range of variables was considered for UO/sub 2/ and thO/sub 2/ fuels of theoretical density. Research and development in nuclear physics and instrumentation encompassed work on theoretical and experimental studies, neutron cross section and lattice parameter measurements, nuclear safety studies, analog computer studies, and development of specialized instrumentation for the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR). Work on Pu fuels included basic studies of the physical properties of Pu ceramic systems, development of Pu fuel fabrication techniques, and irradiation testing of Pu fuel designs and fabrication processes. The liquidus for the UO/sub 2/-PuO/sub 2/ system was determined. With the exception of UO/sub 2/ rich composition, a continuous curve extends from the melting point of UO/sub 2/, 2730 deg C, to that of PuO/sub 2/, 2280 deg C. The phase diagram for the PuO/sub 2/-ZrO/sub 2/ system was determined. Between 0 and 80 mole% ZrO/ sub 2/, a series of face-centered cubic solid solutions exists. Fabrication development efforts were applied to Pu fuels for spike and uniform enrlchment loadings. Thirty-six 19-rod cluster Pu-Al alloy elements, clad in Zircaloy-4, were fabricated for the PRTR power operation. Irradiation tests were performed using capsule and rod cluster speclmens with Pu-Al alloy cores and Pu-Al core clad in Zircaloy performed very satisfactorily with regard to corrosion, dimensional stability, heat transfer characteristics, and post-rupture release of core materials to the coolant. Test specimens were subjected to surface heat fluxes up to 600,000 Btu/(hr)(sq ft) and maximum exposures of 6.1 x l0/sup 19/ fissions/cc. High and low density, UO/sub 2/-PuO/sub 2/ pellets were clad in Zircaloy and irradiated at exposures up to 3.6 x 10/sup 19/ fissions/cc. Maximum fission gas releaee was 3% in the high density (90% TD) pellets as compared with 22% in the low density (65% TD) pellets. U fuel development efforts include work on preparation and evaluation of core materials, fuel deslgn, novel fabrication processes, non-destructive and irradiation testing, and baslc supporting studies as applied to UO/sub 2/ core fuels. Materials development work was performed on Zr pressure tubes and fuel cladding, corrosion effects, and general coolant systems. Accomplishments in the area

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-16-014376
• OSTI ID: 4801348
• Report Number(s): HW-70000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
ANALOG SYSTEMS
BURNUP
CAPSULES
CATALYSIS
CERAMICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
COATING
COMPUTERS
CONFIGURATION
COOLANTS
CORROSION
CROSS SECTIONS
DENSITY
DEPOSITS
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYTES
ENRICHMENT
FABRICATION
FISSION
FUEL CANS
FUELS
GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
HEAT TRANSFER
INSTRUMENTS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
LAYERS
LEAD CHLORIDES
LOSSES
MEASURED VALUES
MELTING
MERCURY
METALLURGY
MONITORING
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRONS
NITRIC ACID
OPERATION
PELLETS
PHOTOMETRY
PLANNING
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
POWER
PREPARATION
PRESSURE
PROGRAMMING
QUANTITY RATIO
RAD