/sup 238/Pu fuel-form processes. Quarterly report, October-December 1981

Technical Report · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5168708· OSTI ID:5168708

Progress in the Savannah River /sup 238/Pu Fuel Form Program is summarized. Work during this period concentrated on the extensive cracking of the /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ fuel form prior to encapsulation in the iridium containment shell for heat sources. This cracking results in increased recycle cost and decreased production efficiency. To better understand this cracking, Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) has made an extensive review of the development of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ fuel forms from small-scale Multi-hundred Watt (MHW) pellets through the current GPHS full-scale pellet production. Historically, /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ fuel has almost always been uncracked after hot pressing in a graphite die, but has emerged cracked and fragile from the final heat-treatment furnace. The cracking tendency depends on the microstructure of the fuel form and on the hot pressing conditions used to fabricate it. In general, a microstructure of large intershard porosity is more desirable because it allows internal gas to escape more readily and it can absorb more reoxidation strain. Studies of the GPHS microstructure showed that the internal structures of typical GPHS Pellets fabricated at LANL and in the PEF differed significantly. The LANL pellets had severe density gradients and were extensively cracked.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 5168708
• Report Number(s): DPST-81-128-4; ON: DE82018587
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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