Aqueous corrosion of uranium aluminide fuel

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

OSTI ID:6474934

Vinjamuri, K; Hobbins, R R

A post-irradiation 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 about76% 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 about0.0076 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., Idaho Falls, Idaho
• OSTI ID: 6474934
• 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
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ATR REACTOR
BURNUP
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
PITTING CORROSION
PLATES
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS