HIGH POWER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF HIGH POWER DENSITY FUEL ASSEMBLIES FOR VBWR IRRADIATION TESTING
Design criteria and calculations are presented that formed the basis for the design of 24 fuel assemblies for high power density operation in VBWR. The assemblies consisted of four 16-rod fuel follower assemblies and twenty 25-rod test assemblies. Two U02 sintered pellet sizes, 0.330-inch diameter and 0.375- inch diameter, were selected for evaluation. Twelve 25-rod fuel assemblies were made using the 0.330-inch diameter pellets with 0.014-inch thick 304 stainless cladding. The remaining eight 25-rod assemblies used the 0.375-inch pellet size, with four assemblies using 0.017-inch thick 304 stainless steel tubing; and the remaining four 0.012-inch tubing. The four 16-rod fuel follower assemblies used 0.375-inch pellet size and 0.020-inch thick stainless cladding. The fuel manufacturing process used to fabricate the 24 assemblies was the current oxide fuel fabrication process. Uranium oxide powder was converted by pressing and sintering into dense, sintered fuel pellets. The pellets were loaded into 304 stainless steel tubes, and the ends of the tube welded to end plugs to prcduce a fuel rod. Fuel rods were mechanically assembled into a fuel assembly consisting of either 25 rods or 16 rods. Detailed fuel rod and fuel assembly information were recorded. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Atomic Power Equipment Dept., San Jose, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-027208
- OSTI ID:
- 4843822
- Report Number(s):
- GEAP-3609
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF SPECIAL ASSEMBLY 12-L. TWO DESIGNS FOR UTILIZING BORON AS BURNABLE POISON
AEC FUEL CYCLE PROGRAM. DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF THE BASIC FUEL ASSEMBLIES