Aqueous corrosion of uranium aluminide fuel

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5453014

Vinjamuri, K; Hobbins, R R

A postirradiation examination of two uranium aluminide (UAl /SUB x/ ) fuel plates from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) was conducted. The two fuel plates failed due to pinhole corrosion during irradiation to about 76% of the maximum burnup limit of 2.3 X 10/sup 21/ fission/cm/sup 3/. It is believed that the aluminum cladding failed due to pit corrosion initiated at an existing pit about 0.0076 to 0.0102 cm (3 to 4 mil) deep at a hot spot. About 0.2 and 0.8 g of UAl /SUB x/ fuel was washed out of these plates through the pinholes due to aqueous corrosion and erosion of the UAl /SUB x/ under ATR primary coolant conditions. Aluminum cladding pit corrosion depth and UAl /SUB x/ fuel corrosion-erosion mass rates under the ATR primary coolant conditions were calculated to be 0.23 cm/yr and 14 g/yr, respectively.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 5453014
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 62:2; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
ATR REACTOR
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORROSION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EROSION
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PLATES
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
FUELS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
LEAKS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
METALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SOLUTIONS
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS