/sup 238/Pu fuel form processes. Quarterly report, April-June 1982

Technical Report · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6876768· OSTI ID:6876768

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Progress in studies of /sup 238/Pu fuel form processes is reported. Analytical studies of weld-quench cracking in DOP-26 iridium alloy-clad vent sets in General Purpose Heat Sources (GPHS) showed that weld-quench cracking is much more severe in MER alloy than in LR and NR alloys. Spark source mass spectrometry indicated that areas in DOP-26 alloy with severe weld-quench cracking have high thorium inhomogeneity. Secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed differences in LR and MR alloys that may be related to their dissimilar susceptibilities for weld-quench cracking. Impact ductility tests showed that welds in DOP-26 alloy clad vent sets made using parameters similar to PuFF production welding had high elongations. Decontamination of encapsulated GPHS pellets in PuFF was demonstrated using a solution of 3.5 M HNO/sub 3/ + 6.4 M HF which is capable of reducing transferable contamination below the specified 10/sup 3/ dpm upper limit in <30 minutes at a bath temperature of 80/sup 0/C using ultrasonic cleaning. Decontamination vessels were constructed to trap and condense acid vapors during decontamination. Impact and metallographic data showed that although the micro and macrostructures between LANL and SRL pellets have large differences, the difference in impact response between these two types of pellets is not correspondingly large. Both types of pellets have impacted successfully. The micro and macrostructures of SRP pellets made with either low fired shards sintered in Ar/5%O/sub 2/ or Ar are intermediate between those of the LANL and SRL pellets. Therefore, either type of SRP pellet should impact successfully.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6876768
• Report Number(s): DPST-82-128-2; ON: DE83004624
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
070301* -- Isotopic Power Supplies-- Design &amp; Fabrication-- (-1987)
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101 -- Metals &amp; Alloys-- Preparation &amp; Fabrication
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALLOYS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CRACKS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FABRICATION
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY NUCLEI
IRIDIUM ALLOYS
ISOTOPES
JOINTS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEI
PLATINUM METAL ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POROSITY
QUENCHING
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
RADIOISOTOPES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELDED JOINTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES