EVALUATIONS OF EFFECT OF UO$sub 2$ ON THE CORE STRENGTH OF STAINLESS STEEL FUEL ELEMENTS (TASK 7306)
A test procedure was established for evaluating the core strength of stainless steel fuel elements at temperatures to 1800 deg F. This evaluation, known as a transverse rupture test, measures the short time tensile stress required to rupture a specimen in a plane parallel to the surface of the sheet. The strength of commercial 309 stainless steel, 12 mils thick, was tested by this procedure and averaged 12,000 lbs/in/ at 1800 deg F which value compares favorably with tensile strength data reported in the literature (11,500 psi). This value was compared against that obtained for fuel element sheet of the same thickness and consisting of a 4-mil cladding and a 4-mil core. The transverse rupture strength of the fuel element sheet, containing no uranium dioxide in the core, averaged 7500 lbs/in/sup 2/ at 1800 deg F and failure was through the core. This value. while low compared to the value reported above for the commercial sheet, certainly proves the existence of a strong stable structure. Indications are that the carbon, silicon and manganese present in commercial sheet, and absent from the core of fuel element sheet, may be partially responsible for the difference noted. When additions of uranium dioxide fuel are made to the core, particle size of the fuel, as well as concentration, affect structural strength. The optimum particle size of uranium dioxide grains ranges from 10 to 40 microns. Fuel addition of optimum particle size to the core decreases structural strength directly proportional to the volume of stainless steel displaced for concentration to 40 weight per cent UO/sub 2/. Further increase in fuel concentration results in a sharp decrease in strength. Fuel sheet containing more than 70 weight per cent UO/sub 2/ in the core cannot be processed satisfactorily. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project, Lockland, Ohio
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(11-1)-171
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-007239
- OSTI ID:
- 4819941
- Report Number(s):
- DC-52-25-70
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CANNING
CARBON
CRACKS
FAILURES
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IMPURITIES
LEAKS
MANGANESE
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
POWER PLANTS
PROPULSION
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
SILICON
STABILITY
STAINLESS STEELS
SURFACES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
THERMAL STRESSES
THICKNESS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VOLUME