Irradiation behavior of miniature experimental uranium silicide fuel plates

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6355221

Hofman, G L; Neimark, L A; Mattas, R F

Uranium silicides, because of their relatively high uranium density, were selected as candidate dispersion fuels for the higher fuel densities required in the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program. Irradiation experience with this type of fuel, however, was limited to relatively modest fission densities in the bulk from, on the order of 7 x 10/sup 20/ cm/sup -3/, far short of the approximately 20 x 10/sup 20/ cm/sup -3/ goal established for the RERTR program. The purpose of the irradiation experiments on silicide fuels on the ORR, therefore, was to investigate the intrinsic irradiation behavior of uranium silicide as a dispersion fuel. Of particular interest was the interaction between the silicide particles and the aluminum matrix, the swelling behavior of the silicide particles, and the maximum volume fraction of silicide particles that could be contained in the aluminum matrix.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6355221
• Report Number(s): CONF-821155-8; ON: DE83010698
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220600* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360206 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Radiation Effects
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PLATES
ISOTOPE RATIO
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TESTING
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM SILICIDES