Molten aluminum alloy fuel fragmentation experiments

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7232912

Gabor, J D; Purviance, R T; Cassulo, J C; Spencer, B W

Experiments were conducted in which molten aluminum alloys were injected into a 1.2 m deep pool of water. The parameters varied were (i) injectant material (8001 aluminum alloy and 12.3 wt% U-87.7 wt% Al), (ii) melt superheat (O to 50 K), (iii) water temperature (313, 343 and 373 K) and (iv) size and geometry of the pour stream (5, 10 and 20 mm diameter circular and 57 mm annular). The pour stream fragmentation was dominated by surface tension with large particles ({approximately}30 mm) being formed from varicose wave breakup of the 10-mm circular pours and from the annular flow off a 57 mm diameter tube. The fragments produced by the 5 mm circular et were smaller ({approximately} mm), and the 20 mm jet which underwent sinuous wave breakup produced {approximately}100 mm fragments. The fragments froze to form solid particles in 313 K water, and when the water was {ge}343 K, the melt fragments did not freeze during their transit through 1.2 m of water.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7232912
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP-75321; CONF-920903--15; ON: DE92019591
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ALLOY NUCLEAR FUELS
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
DESIGN BASIS ACCIDENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
FRAGMENTATION
FUELS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAFETY
SOLID FUELS
TESTING
URANIUM ALLOYS
WATER