Iridium-alloy processing experience in FY 1989
Iridium-alloy blanks and foil are produced at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for use as fuel cladding material in radioisotope thermoelectric generators for space power sources. Until 1984, the material was produced from small 500-g drop castings. A new process has been developed in which consumable electrodes of about 10 kg are arc melted, extruded, and then rolled to produce the sheet products. The work performed during FY 1989 included the arc melting of three electrodes and the extruding and rolling to sheet of three billets. Significant improvements have been made in the extruding and arc-melting processes. Preliminary results show that these improvements have had an important effect in increasing the rate of blank acceptance in nondestructive evaluations. 4 refs., 33 figs., 11 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6414265
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-11565; ON: DE91004972
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
070300 -- Isotopic Power Supplies
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300303* -- Thermoelectric Generators-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101 -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EXTRUSION
FABRICATION
FOILS
FUEL CANS
IRIDIUM ALLOYS
MATERIALS TESTING
MATERIALS WORKING
MELTING
MICROSTRUCTURE
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLATINUM METAL ALLOYS
POWER SUPPLIES
PROCESSING
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
TESTING
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS