EROSION FLOW TESTING OF PURPOSELY DEFECTED STAINLESS STEEL CLAD COMPACTED U02 POWDER FUEL

摘要

Compacted U02 powder specimens with purposely defected stainless steel cladding were erosion flow tested under simulated boiling water reactor operating conditions, excluding neutron flux. The type of clad defects were 0.020-inch wide slits, completely through the clad, varying in length from l/4-inch to 1-inch. Maximum erosion flow test exposure was 6000 hours in 7 ft/sec, 536 F flowing water. The results of post test examination indicated that defected stainless clad swaged fuel with U02 densities greater than 90 per cent T.D. is comparable to pellet type fuel with respect to erosion resistance.