Nerva fuel nondestructive evaluation and characterization equipment and facilities

Conference · Wed Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43106· OSTI ID:6541590

Caputo, A J ^[1]

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1. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, Y-12 Plant Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States)

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is one of the technologies that the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) has identified as essential for a manned mission to Mars. A base or prior work is available upon which to build in the development of nuclear rockets. From 1955 to 1973, the U.S Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) sponsored development and testing of a nuclear rocket engine under Project Rover. The rocket engine, called the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA), used a graphite fuel element incorporating coated particle fuel. Much of the NERVA development and manufacturing work was performed at the Oak Ridge Y[minus]12 Plant. This paper gives a general review of that work in the area of nondestructive evaluation and characterization. Emphasis is placed on two key characteristics: uranium content and distribution and thickness profile of metal carbide coatings deposited in the gas passage holes.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6541590
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:3; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NERVA REACTOR
BACKSCATTERING
BETA PARTICLES
COATINGS
ENRICHED URANIUM
FUEL SPHERES
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
GRAPHITE
NIOBIUM CARBIDES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
TEST FACILITIES
THICKNESS
ACTINIDES
CARBIDES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIMENSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
HYDROGEN COOLED REACTORS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
MINERALS
MOBILE REACTORS
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
POWER REACTORS
PROPULSION REACTORS
REACTORS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
SPACE POWER REACTORS
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
SPECTROSCOPY
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable
220200 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories