Postirradiation results and evaluation of helium-bonded uranium--plutonium carbide fuel elements irradiated in EBR-II. Interim report. [LMFBR]

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7362806· OSTI ID:7362806

Latimer, T W; Barner, J O; Kerrisk, J F; Green, J L

An evaluation was made of the performance of 74 helium-bonded uranium-plutonium carbide fuel elements that were irradiated in EBR-II at 38-96 kW/m to 2-12 at. percent burnup. Only 38 of these elements have completed postirradiation examination. The higher failure rate found in fuel elements which contained high-density (greater than 95 percent theoretical density) fuel than those which contained low-density (77-91 percent theoretical density) fuel was attributed to the limited ability of the high-density fuel to swell into the void space provided in the fuel element. Increasing cladding thickness and original fuel-cladding gap size were both found to influence the failure rates for elements containing low-density fuel. Lower cladding strain and higher fission-gas release were found in high-burnup fuel elements having smear densities of less than 81 percent. Fission-gas release was usually less than 5 percent for high-density fuel, but increased with burnup to a maximum of 37 percent in low-density fuel. Maximum carburization in elements attaining 5-10 at. percent burnup and clad in Types 304 or 316 stainless steel and Incoloy 800 ranged from 36-80 ..mu..m and 38-52 ..mu..m, respectively. Strontium and barium were the fission products most frequently found in contact with the cladding but no penetration of the cladding by uranium, plutonium, or fission products was observed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7362806
• Report Number(s): LA-6249-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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