Irradiation performance of duplex-fuel-pellet test rods depleted to 9 x 10/sup 20/ fissions/cm/sup 3/ of compartment: D-1 test (AWBA development program)
This report evaluates the irradiation performance of the D-1 test. The D-1 test is a screening test of the duplex pellet prebreeder reactor fuel concept consisting of a cylindrical thoria pellet surrounded by an annulus containing urania enriched in uranium-235. The duplex pellet geometry offers the advantage of lower fuel temperatures than solid pellets for equal power output and provides a means of including the fertile material in the fuel rods with little or no loss of heat transfer surface while also providing a practical (chemical) means for separating the uranium-233 bred in the thoria central core without contamination by other uranium isotopes in the annulus. The design of the test, which includes duplex pellet annuli of four different compositions (UO/sub 2/, ZrO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/, ZrO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/-CaO and ThO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/) is described, and results of nondestructive examinations and destructive examinations of selected rods after operation at 9 to 17 kw/ft to peak depletions of 9 x 10/sup 20/ fissions/cm/sup 3/ (38,000 Mwd/Tonne U + Th) are presented. It is concluded that performance capability of the duplex pellets is excellent. Fuel pellet integrity was well maintained and dimensional changes, fission gas release, and fuel microstructural changes compare favorably with previous solid fuel pellet tests associated with the LWBR development programs. 78 figures, 19 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Bettis Atomic Power Div.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC11-76PN00014
- OSTI ID:
- 6887014
- Report Number(s):
- WAPD-TM-1460; ON: DE83001848; TRN: 82-026865
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FUEL RODS
PERFORMANCE
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
CALCIUM OXIDES
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ENRICHED URANIUM
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FUEL CANS
FUEL PELLETS
INSPECTION
MICROSTRUCTURE
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM 233
URANIUM OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDER REACTORS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding