IRRADIATION OF URANIUM-METAL AND URANIUM-OXIDE FUEL PINS TO HIGH BURN-UP AT HIGH TEMPERATURE

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1961 · J. Nuclear Energy, Pts. A & B. Reactor Sci. and Technol.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0368-3230(61)90050-7· OSTI ID:4817807

Blake, L R

Fuel pins are tested in Dounreay Materials Testing Reactor (D.M.T.R.) under onerous fast-reactor type irradiation condltions, and achieved a high burn- up at higher temperature and rating than heretofore achieved. The fuel pins are representative of a fast power reactor but scaled down proportionally to reduce the diameter to 0.122 in. o.d., which enables a high power densitv of 550 W/g to be used, so reducing irradiation time to 17 days per 1 per cent hunn-up. Uranium-metal is irradiated to 4.75 per cent burn-up at 700 deg C center- temperature, and uranium oxide is 5.3 per cent burn-up at 1600 deg C center- temperature, in 0.011 in. thick cans of Nimonic 80 at 500 deg C fuel surface temperature approximately. The pins survive with no measurable distortion. A proposal is made to achieve high bunn-up by introducing about 30 per cent void space in the fuel and containing it in a strong can. Theory suggests that the pins are capable of three times this burn-up, and this is partiy confirmed by post-irradiation, high-temperature tests. A rig is developed to test the fuel pins in D.M.T.R. at high power density under controlled temperature conditions. A technique is also established of x-raying the complete rig and returning it to the reactor, thus enabling fuel swelling and distortion to be measured and plotted during the irradiation. (auth)

• Research Organization: Dounreay Experimental Reactor Establishment, Caithness, Scotland
• NSA Number: NSA-16-002702
• OSTI ID: 4817807
• Journal Information: J. Nuclear Energy, Pts. A & B. Reactor Sci. and Technol., Journal Name: J. Nuclear Energy, Pts. A & B. Reactor Sci. and Technol. Vol. Vol: 5
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BURNOUT
BURNUP
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COBALT ALLOYS
DEFORMATION
DIAGRAMS
DMTR
EFFICIENCY
EXPANSION
FAILURES
FAST NEUTRONS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
NEUTRON FLUX
NICKEL ALLOYS
NIMONIC
POWER PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
RODS
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL STRESSES
THICKNESS
TITANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM
URANIUM OXIDES
VARIATIONS
X RADIATION