Requalification of SPERT (Special Power Excursion Reactor Test) Pins for Use in University Reactors

摘要

A series of nondestructive and destructive examinations have been performed on a representative sample of stainless steel-clad UO sub 2 fuel pins procured in the early-to-mid 1960s for the SPERT program. These examinations were undertaken in order to requalify the SPERT pins for use in converting university research reactors from the use of highly enriched uranium to the use of low-enriched uranium. The requalification program included visual and dimensional inspections of fuel pins and fuel pellets, radiographic inspections of welds, fill gas analyses, and chemical and spectrographic analyses of fuel and cladding materials. In general all attributes tested were within or very close to specified values, although some weld defects not covered by the original specifications were found. 1 ref., 4 figs., 11 tabs. (ERA citation 12:043320)