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Title: Release of fission products from irradiated aluminide fuel at high temperatures

Journal Article · · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6278211

Irradiated uranium-aluminide fuel plates of 40% /sup 235/U enrichment were heated for the determination of the amounts of fission products released at temperatures up to and higher than the melting point of the fuel cladding material. The release of fission products from the fuel plate at temperatures below 500/sup 0/C was negligible. Three stages of fission product release were observed. The first rapid release was observed at about 561/sup 0/C along with blistering of the plates. The next release, which occurred at 585/sup 0/C, might have been caused by melting of the Type 6061 aluminum alloy. The last release of fission product gases occurred at 650/sup 0/C, which probably corresponds to the eutectic temperature of the uranium-aluminum alloy. The released material was mostly xenon, and small amounts of iodine and cesium were observed.

Research Organization:
Kyoto Univ., Osaka
OSTI ID:
6278211
Journal Information:
Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Vol. 87:4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English