Hot-hardness measurements of ThO/sub 2/--UO/sub 2/ fuel pellets (LWBR Development Program)
The additions of UO/sub 2/ to ThO/sub 2/ greater than 1.5 wt % increased the hardness of ThO/sub 2/ at all temperatures. The hardness of the ThO/sub 2/ + 1.5 wt % UO/sub 2/ composition is lower than any other composition including the pure ThO/sub 2/. The porosity distribution of the 1.5 wt % alloy appears to be the cause of its low hardness even though the density measurements do not indicate any undue variations. A plot of hardness at various temperatures versus composition is given. The 6 wt % additions of UO/sub 2/ results in the greatest increase in hardness at 1000/sup 0/C of any of the compositions, while the 1800/sup 0/C data for this composition are very close to that of pure ThO/sub 2/. The 13, 20, and 30 wt % additions of UO/sub 2/, while not possessing higher hardnesses than the 6 wt % UO/sub 2/ composition at 1000/sup 0/C, do have progressively higher hardnesses than ThO/sub 2/ and ThO/sub 2/ + 6 wt % UO/sub 2/ at 1800/sup 0/C. The change-over temperature from higher hardness for the 6 wt % UO/sub 2/ composition to higher hardness for the higher compositions is 1300/sup 0/C. It appears that the strongest compositions for use in the 1000/sup 0/C temperature range are the ones with approximately 6 wt % UO/sub 2/ addition. However, for the 1800/sup 0/C temperature range the compositions with larger additions of UO/sub 2/ are strongest. The 13 wt % UO/sub 2/ composition is the only one that exhibits uniformly higher hardnesses than ThO/sub 2/ at 1000/sup 0/C through 1800/sup 0/C. (NSA 22: 8818)
- Research Organization:
- College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (USA). Dept. of Physics
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(11-1)-GEN-14
- OSTI ID:
- 6742335
- Report Number(s):
- BMI-X-447
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
BREEDER REACTORS
CHALCOGENIDES
DENSITY
FUEL PELLETS
HARDNESS
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROSITY
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL REACTORS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS