Performance of low-enriched U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/-aluminum dispersion fuel elements in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor
Six high-density, low-enriched U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/-Al dispersion fuel elements have been tested in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR). The elements were geometrically identical to standard ORR elements. The uranium density in the fuel meat ranged between 4.6 and 5.2 Mg/m/sup 3/. The elements were fabricated by B and W, CERCA, and NUKEM using their normal materials and fabrication practices, with minor modifications necessitated by the new fuel. The U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/ contained minor amounts of USi, U/sub 3/Si and/or uranium solid solution. The elements were irradiated to approximately normal ORR burnup, and three elements were irradiated twice as long, to average burnups of approx.80% of the initially contained /sup 235/U, well above the burnups normally achieved in research and test reactors. Peak burnups of 98% were achieved. Following suitable cooling periods, the elements were subjected to a series of nondestructive and destructive examinations. The behavior of the fuel was found to be entirely consistent with the known irradiation behavior of the constituent phases. The extremely stable swelling behavior of the U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/ phase dominated in all cases. The plates showed small, uniform thickness changes. Blister threshold temperatures were greater than or equal to550/sup 0/C. It is concluded that low-enriched U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/-Al dispersion fuel elements will perform at least as well in research and test reactors with power densities up to that of the ORR as the highly enriched UAl/sub x/-Al and U/sub 3/O/sub 8/-Al dispersion fuels currently being used. There were no indications that use of this fuel under substantially more stringent conditions might be precluded. 10 refs., 87 figs., 9 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 5560545
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/RERTR/TM-10; ON: DE88004143
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DISPERSION NUCLEAR FUELS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
FUEL PLATES
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
BURNUP
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
IRRADIATION
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ORR REACTOR
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
SWELLING
URANIUM SILICIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
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ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
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METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOLID FUELS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
TESTING
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
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360106 - Metals & Alloys- Radiation Effects