Irradiation performance of HTGR fertile fuel in HFIR target capsules HT-12 through HT-15. Part I. Experiment description and fission product behavior

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7290593· OSTI ID:7290593

Kania, M J; Lindemer, T B; Morgan, M T; Robbins, J M

Sixteen types of Biso-coated designs, on ThO/sub 2/ kernels, were irradiated in High Flux Isotope Reactor target capsules HT-12 through HT-15. The report addresses the description of the experiment and extensive postirradiation analyses and experiments to determine fertile-particle burnup, fuel coating failures, and fission product behavior. Several low-temperature isotropic (LTI) pyrocarbon coatings, which ''survived'' according to visual inspection, were shown to have developed permeability during irradiation. These particles were irradiated at temperatures approximately equal to 1250/sup 0/C and to burnups equal to or greater than 8 percent fission per initial heavy-metal atom (FIMA). No evidence of permeability was found in similar particles irradiated at temperatures approximately equal to 1550/sup 0/C and burnups approximately equal to 16 percent FIMA. Failures due to permeability were not detectable by visual inspection but required a more extensive investigation by the 1000/sup 0/C gaseous chlorine leaching technique. Maximum particle surface operating temperatures were found to be approximately 300/sup 0/C in excess of design limits of 900/sup 0/C (low-temperature magazines) and 1250/sup 0/C (high-temperature magazines). The extremes of high temperatures and fast neutron fluences up to 1.6 x 10/sup 22/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ produced severe degradation and swelling of the Poco graphite magazines and sample holders.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 7290593
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-5305; TRN: 77-011266
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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