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Title: 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)

Abstract

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 withmore » previous solid fuel pellet tests associated with the LWBR development programs. 78 figures, 19 tables.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Bettis Atomic Power Div.
OSTI Identifier:
6887014
Report Number(s):
WAPD-TM-1460
ON: DE83001848; TRN: 82-026865
DOE Contract Number:  
AC11-76PN00014
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 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

Citation Formats

Sphar, C D, Mertz, D A, and Roesener, W S. 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). United States: N. p., 1982. Web.
Sphar, C D, Mertz, D A, & Roesener, W S. 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). United States.
Sphar, C D, Mertz, D A, and Roesener, W S. 1982. "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)". United States.
@article{osti_6887014,
title = {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)},
author = {Sphar, C D and Mertz, D A and Roesener, W S},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6887014}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}

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