No abstract

This report was p r e p r e d as an account of Government sponsored work. Neither the United States, nor the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commisslon:A. Makes anywarranty or representation. expressed or implied. with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained In this report, or that the use of any Information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe privately owned rights: or B. Assumes any liabillties with re~pect to the use of. or lor damages resulting from the use of any information. apparatus. method. or process disclosed in thls report.As used in the above, "person acting on behalf of the Commisaion" includes any employee or convactor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor, to the extent that such employee or contractor of the Commission. or employee of BUCh contractor prepares. disseminates. or provides access to. any information pursuant to his employment or Contract with Ihe Commission, or hls employment with such contractor. IDAHO NUCLEAR CORPORATION A J O I N T L Y O W N E D S U E S l D l A R Y O FA ABSTRACTSome f a b r i c a t o r s of n u c l e a r r e a c t o r f u e l s add s u b s t a n t i a l q u a n t i t i e s o f s i l i c o n t o aluminum-uranium f u e l core a l l o y s t o s t a b i l i z e t h e UAl3 phase and improve t h e f a b r i c a t i o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e a l l o y . The e f f e c t of s i l i c o n upon both t h e f a b r i c a t i o n and r e p r o c e s s i n g of aluminumuranium f i e 1 has been s t u d i e d . Rolled c a s t i n g s of a l l o y s used i n t h e s e s t u d i e s contained 0 , 2 2 , and 31 p e r c e n t uranium, a range of s i l i c o n c o n t e n t s from 0 t o 1 1 p e r c e n t , and t h e remainder aluminum. Alloys were t y p i c a l of t h o s e found i n f u e l element p l a t e s according t o r a d i o g r a p h i c and metallographic examination.The s i l i c o n p r e s e n t i n t h e a l l o y s i n excess of one atom of s i l i c o n p e r atom of uranium w a s segregated as elemental s i l i c o n i n t h e aluminum m a t r i x according t o both X-ray d i f f r a c t i o n and e l e c t r o n beam microprobe analyses. Maximum s o f t n e s s , as i n d i c a t e d by minimum t e n s i l e s t r e n g t h , was o b t a i n e d i n a l l o y s w i t h silicon-to-uranium atom r a t i o s n e a r one, while t h e r e w a s a hardening of t h e a l l o y above a r a t i o of one. The a l l o y s were d i s s o l v e d a t t h e b o i l i n g p o i n t using n i t r i c a c i d and mercuric n i t r a t e c a t a l y s t f o r r e p r o c e s s i n g s t u d i e s . The d i s s o l u t i o n r a t e s and t h e p r e f e r e n t i a l d i s s o l u t i o n of aluminum compared t o u r a n i u mwere r e l a t e d t o t h e m e t a l l u r g i c a l composition of t h e a l l o y which, i n t u r n , i s r e l a t e d t o t h e s i l i c o n c o n t e n t . Both emulsion s t a b i l i z a t i o n during l i q u i d -l i q u i d ...

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract