IRRADIATION STUDIES OF URANIUM-10 w/o MOLYBDENUM FUEL ALLOY

Technical Report · Thu Jan 26 04:00:00 EST 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4804123· OSTI ID:4804123

Gates, J E; Murr, W E; Bauer, A A; Rough, F A

Bare and zirconium-clad uranium-10 wt% molybdenum specimens were irradiated in NaK-filled capsules in the MTR. Irradiation conditions varied to include central-core temperatures ranging from 300 to over 1200 deg F, fuel burnups ranging from 0.36 to over 3.0 total at.% and fission rates in the range of 0.35 to 1.9 x 10/sup 14/ fissions/(sec)(cm/sup 3/) of alloy. Other parameters studied included the effects of heat treatment, changes in composition, different fabrication techniques, and changes in cladding thickness on the behavior of the fuel alloy. The objective of the irradiations was to determine the behavior of the fuel alloy under conditions approaching as closely as possible those to be encountered in the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant as they were known at the time. The results indicated that the volume of the fuel alloy would increase conservatively at a rate of about 3.0% per at.% burnup as long as the critical temperature of 1000 to 1100 deg F was not exceeded and the gamma phase of the alloy did not transform during irradiation. If the critical temperature was exceeded, the alloy swelled until rupture or complete disintegration occurred. The occurrence of transformation during irradiation was noted at burnups in the range of 2.5 total at.% at fission rates of 1.5 x 10/sup 14/ to 1.9 x 10/sup 14/ fissions/(sec)(cm/sup 3/) and temperatures of 800 to 1000 deg F. The alloy was normally maintained in the gamma phase during irradiation, even at temperatures below 1100 deg F and at fission rates in the range of 0.7 x 10/sup 14/ fissions per sec. Transformation during irradiation was accompanied by excessive swelling of the alloy. (auth)

• Research Organization: Atomic Power Development Associates, Inc., Detroit; Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, Ohio
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-033510
• OSTI ID: 4804123
• Report Number(s): BMI-APDA-660
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BREEDING
BURNUP
CAPSULES
DECOMPOSITION
DISTRIBUTION
EFFBR
EXPANSION
FABRICATION
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSION
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TREATMENTS
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
MTR
NEUTRON BEAMS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
POTASSIUM ALLOYS
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
SODIUM ALLOYS
TEMPERATURE
THICKNESS
URANIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM