Post-irradiation behavior of UO/sub 2/ fuel 1: Elements at 220 to 250/sup 0/C in air
Irradiated UO/sub 2/ fuel elements with and without deliberately induced 0.8-mm-diam defects were heated in air at 220, 230, and 250/sup 0/C for times up to 685 h. Pretest burnup was typically 190 MW X h/kg U (7600 MW X d/TeU) at a maximum linear power of 45 kW/m; cooling times were 1 to 3 yr. In fuel elements with six defects, diametral increases in excess of 5% and sheath splitting occurred after about200 h at 250/sup 0/C, consistent with oxidation to U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. There was a maximum 2% increase in elements with one defect at 250/sup 0/C, but no change in an irradiated but undefected control. Dimensional increases in defected elements at 220 and 230/sup 0/C were typically <1% for times in excess of 600 h, consistent with oxidation primarily to nonswelling U/sub 3/O/sub 7/. The rate of weight change at 230 and 250/sup 0/C was up to 50 times greater in defected irradiated elements, compared with that for defected unirradiated elements. There was no significant effect of power history or cooling time in the elements studied.
- Research Organization:
- Atomic Energy of Canada Limited--Research Company Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario
- OSTI ID:
- 6715530
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 63:2; ISSN NUTYB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Postirradiation behavior of naturally and artificially defected UO/sub 2/ fuel elements at 250/sup 0/C in air
UO/sub 2/ oxidation at low temperatures in air
Related Subjects
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360206 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Radiation Effects
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AIR
BURNUP
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COOLING
CRACK PROPAGATION
DATA
DEFECTS
DIMENSIONS
EXCURSIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
GASES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INFORMATION
IRRADIATION
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
POWER RANGE 10-100 GW
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SWELLING
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
URANIUM OXIDES U3O8
WEIGHT