Irradiation of three T-111 clad uranium nitride fuel pins for 8070 hours at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F)
Abstract
The design and successful operation of three tantalum alloy (Ta-8W-2Hf) clad uranium mononitride (UN) fuel pins irradiated for 8070 h at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F) is described. Two pin diameters having measured burnups of 0.47 and 0.90 uranium atom percent were tested. No clad failures or swelling was detected; however, postirradiation clad samples tested failed with 1 percent strain. The fuel density decrease was 2 percent, and the fission gas release was less than 0.05 percent. Isotropic fuel swelling, which averaged about 0.5 percent, was less than fuel pin assembly clearances. Thus the clad was not strained. Thermocouples with a modified hot zone operated at average temperatures to 1100/sup 0/C (2012/sup 0/F) without failure. Factors that influence the ability to maintain uniform clad temperature as well as the results of the heat transfer calculations are discussed.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6861885
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 6861885; Legacy ID: TI84900933
- Report Number(s):
- N-73-31614; NASA-TM-X-2878
ON: TI84900933
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; FUEL PINS; PERFORMANCE TESTING; FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE; FUEL CANS; IRRADIATION; PBR REACTOR; POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION; TANTALUM ALLOY-T111; URANIUM NITRIDES; VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; ALLOYS; ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS; FUEL ELEMENTS; IRRADIATION REACTORS; MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS; NITRIDES; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; PNICTIDES; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS; RESEARCH REACTORS; TANK TYPE REACTORS; TANTALUM ALLOYS; TANTALUM BASE ALLOYS; TESTING; URANIUM COMPOUNDS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS 220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
Citation Formats
Slaby, J.G., Siegel, B.L., Gedeon, L., and Galbo, R.J. Irradiation of three T-111 clad uranium nitride fuel pins for 8070 hours at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F). United States: N. p., 1973.
Web. doi:10.2172/6861885.
Slaby, J.G., Siegel, B.L., Gedeon, L., & Galbo, R.J. Irradiation of three T-111 clad uranium nitride fuel pins for 8070 hours at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F). United States. doi:10.2172/6861885.
Slaby, J.G., Siegel, B.L., Gedeon, L., and Galbo, R.J. Mon .
"Irradiation of three T-111 clad uranium nitride fuel pins for 8070 hours at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F)". United States.
doi:10.2172/6861885. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6861885.
@article{osti_6861885,
title = {Irradiation of three T-111 clad uranium nitride fuel pins for 8070 hours at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F)},
author = {Slaby, J.G. and Siegel, B.L. and Gedeon, L. and Galbo, R.J.},
abstractNote = {The design and successful operation of three tantalum alloy (Ta-8W-2Hf) clad uranium mononitride (UN) fuel pins irradiated for 8070 h at 990/sup 0/C (1815/sup 0/F) is described. Two pin diameters having measured burnups of 0.47 and 0.90 uranium atom percent were tested. No clad failures or swelling was detected; however, postirradiation clad samples tested failed with 1 percent strain. The fuel density decrease was 2 percent, and the fission gas release was less than 0.05 percent. Isotropic fuel swelling, which averaged about 0.5 percent, was less than fuel pin assembly clearances. Thus the clad was not strained. Thermocouples with a modified hot zone operated at average temperatures to 1100/sup 0/C (2012/sup 0/F) without failure. Factors that influence the ability to maintain uniform clad temperature as well as the results of the heat transfer calculations are discussed.},
doi = {10.2172/6861885},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1973},
month = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1973}
}
-
The examination of 27 fuel pins irradiated in the Plum Brook reactor facility is described. Curtailment of NASA sponsored nuclear programs prevented a complete examination of all pins. Nevertheless, results include fuel pin integrity, clad ductility, clad strain, fission gas release, fuel burnup, fuel swelling, neutron fluence, metallography, and instrumentation reliability. Twenty-two fuel pins were tested for fission gas leaks; 13 pins leaked with two having visible cracks. Fuel swelling appeared to be primarily burnup dependent for burnup values up to 2 at. %. Maximum burnup reached in these tests was 2.34 at. %. In general, the fuel pellets didmore »
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Evaluation of refractory-metal-clad uranium nitride and uranium dioxide fuel pins after irradiation for times up to 10,450 hours at 990/sup 0/C. [Lithium cooled space power reactor]
The effects of some materials variables on the irradiation performance of fuel pins for a lithium-cooled space power reactor design concept were examined. The variables studied were UN fuel density, fuel composition, and cladding alloy. All pins were irradiated at about 990/sup 0/C in a thermal neutron environment to the design fuel burnup. An 85-percent dense UN fuel gave the best overall results in meeting the operational goals. The T-111 cladding on all specimens was embrittled, possibly by hydrogen in the case of the UN fuel and by uranium and oxygen in the case of the UO/sub 2/ fuel. Testsmore »