Burnable neutron absorber element

Patent · Tue Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6720829

Ferrari, H M

A burnable thermal neutron absorber element is described comprising: a zirconium alloy elongated tubular container having an inside diameter surface; hydrogen diffusion barrier means for limiting hydrogen diffusion from within the container into the zirconium alloy; a boron-containing burnable thermal neutron absorber material sealed within the zirconium alloy elongated container, the boron-containing burnable absorber material being in a particle form, the particles of absorber material being coated with a diffusion barrier material; zirconium hydride sealed within the zirconium alloy elongated container, the zirconium hydride being in a partially hydrided condition and having a H to Zr ratio on an atomic basis in the range of about 1.0 to about 1.8; the burnable thermal neutron absorber material and the zirconium hydride distributed along the length of the zirconium alloy elongated container; and the zirconium hydride acts as a neutron moderator thereby enhancing the neutron capture efficiency of the burnable thermal neutron absorber.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4751041
• OSTI ID: 6720829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104 -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
ALLOYS
BARYON REACTIONS
BORON ALLOYS
CAPTURE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISORPTION
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
DIFFUSION
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
ELEMENTS
HADRON REACTIONS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NEUTRON ABSORBERS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THERMAL DIFFUSION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDES