Feasibility Study for Electrical Discharge Machining of Large DU-Mo Castings

Technical Report · Mon Oct 31 00:00:00 EDT 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1334106· OSTI ID:1334106

Hill, Mary Ann ^[1]; Dombrowski, David E. ^[1]; Clarke, Kester Diederik ^[1]; Forsyth, Robert Thomas ^[1]; Aikin, Robert M. ^[1]; Alexander, David John ^[1]; Tegtmeier, Eric Lee ^[1]; Robison, Jeffrey Curt ^[1]; Beard, Timothy Vance ^[1]; Edwards, Randall Lynn ^[1]; Mauro, Michael Ernest ^[1]; Scott, Jeffrey E. ^[1]; Strandy, Matthew Thomas ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). SIGMA Division

U-10 wt. % Mo (U-10Mo) alloys are being developed as low enrichment monolithic fuel for the CONVERT program. Optimization of processing for the monolithic fuel is being pursued with the use of electrical discharge machining (EDM) under CONVERT HPRR WBS 1.2.4.5 Optimization of Coupon Preparation. The process is applicable to manufacturing experimental fuel plate specimens for the Mini-Plate-1 (MP-1) irradiation campaign. The benefits of EDM are reduced machining costs, ability to achieve higher tolerances, stress-free, burr-free surfaces eliminating the need for milling, and the ability to machine complex shapes. Kerf losses are much smaller with EDM (tenths of mm) compared to conventional machining (mm). Reliable repeatability is achievable with EDM due to its computer-generated machining programs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1334106
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-16-29061; TRN: US1700796
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
URANIUM BASE ALLOYS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
MACHINING
CASTINGS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
FUEL PLATES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
OPTIMIZATION
LOSSES
MANUFACTURING
COMPUTER-AIDED MANUFACTURING
uranium
fuel
electrical discharge machining