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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Fabrication of aluminum can components in PT-NR-57

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7142978

Production Test PT-NR-57 was conducted to provide a pilot-plant quantity of irradiated co-producer target elements, made with lithium-bearing ceramic cores, and to evaluate the in-reactor performance of ceramic bearing target elements fabricated by several processes. The targets consisted of lithium aluminate (LiAlO/sub 2/) ceramic cores sealed in the inner aluminum cans which were in turn sealed in Zr-2 outer cans. Starting stock for the aluminum tubes was 8001 aluminum alloy tubing 1.5 in. OD x 0.055 in. wall in 8 ft lengths. The fabrication steps used to reduce this tubing size and obtain the 260 to 1.25 in. OD tubes as described above were: dye penetrant test for major surface defects; draw from 1.5 in. OD to 1.25 in. nominal OD in six reduction steps; roll straighten; swage to final 1.250 in. OD; ultrasonic test 100 percent of swaged tubing for surface and internal defects; machine usable tube sections to 11.950 in. length; and measure for acceptable OD and ID, length, and warp. Of eight hundred feet of starting 8001 aluminum tubing, 1.5 in. OD nominal, 30 percent was rejected at the dye penetrant step, 30 percent at the ultrasonic test step, and 8 percent at the final measurement step. The 260 approximately 1 foot long pieces of tubing acceptable for the inner target component represented approximately 32 percent of the original starting stock. The 60 percent total reject from dye penetrant and ultrasonic tests resulted from a large number of defects found in both the transverse and longitudinal directions in the tubing surface.

Research Organization:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
E(45-1)-1830
OSTI ID:
7142978
Report Number(s):
BNWL-CC-427
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English