"Pin-cushion" Irradiation Tests of Uranium-chromium Alloys

Author: S. H. Paine

Publisher:

Published: 1958

Total Pages: 46

ISBN-13:

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Irradiation tests on small pins of wrought and heat-treated U235-Cr alloys mounted in special heat transfer blocks or ''cushions'' are described. Three compositions, estimated at 0.03, 0.07, and 0.22 wt.% Cr, were tested in three metallurgical conditions: alpha-annealed, beta-quenched, and isothermally transformed. Radiation damage to the specimens having the first two heat treatments was very similar to that observed in unalloyed uranium of comparable history, and the isothermally treated specimens were similar to beta-annealed uranium in behavior. In spite of this essentially null result, which is associated with failure to obtain grain refinement in the specimens, there is evidence that under proper conditions chromium additions to uranium may be beneficial.

"Pin-cushion" Irradiation of Cast Uranium-plutonium Alloy Specimens

Author: S. H. Paine

Publisher:

Published: 1958

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13:

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The irradiation behavior of small pin specimens of chill-cast U-10 wt.% Pu and U-15 wt.% Pu specimens projecting from heat transfer cushions is described. The specimens were coated with a thin layer of carbonyl-deposited nickel. The 15 wt.% Pu pins showed excellent dimensional stability at 1/3 wt.% total burnup. The 10 wt.% Pu specimens were somewhat inferior, failure of one of them indicating that the improvement in performance over unalloyed uranium may be due to the restraint imposed by the cladding.

Examination of Uranium-2 W/o Zirconium Experimental Fuel Slugs Irradiated in EBR-I
Examination of Uranium-2 W/o Zirconium Experimental Fuel Slugs Irradiated in EBR-I

Author: W. F. Murphy

Publisher:

Published: 1962

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13:

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Six groups of U-2 wt% Zr fuel slugs were irradiated in the first core of the EBR-I to burnups of 0.080 to 0.189 at.% at calculated temperatures of 307 to 353 deg C. Two groups of cast specimens were found to be more dimensionally stable than four groups of wrought slugs. Of the wrought slugs, the as quenched group showed less tendency to grow than the three groups which had some annealing after quenching. Specimens at burnups of about 0.189 at.% and at 383 deg C showed the onset of swelling as indicated by density measurements. The hardness of these specimens seemed but little affected by radiation, but there was an indication of softening with increasing irradiation temperature.