Abstract
Engineering of nuclear fuels using monolithic plates of uranium-molybdenum and Al-6061 cladding is the current challenge for research and test reactors. The main drawback of the manufacture of monolithic nuclear fuel was analyzed using two surface coating methods: aluminum sputtering and transient liquid phase bonding (TLPB). Coating was done with a commercial alloy of Al-Si (R-4047). These techniques were used to improve the metallurgical bonding between the UMo and the cladding by rolling. Finally, design parameters and manufacture of UMo plate fuels were established. Mechanical tests were used to characterize the plates, resulting in UTS values of about 700 and 1000 MPa for the UMo alloys. These results are complemented with metrological analyses, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analyses, and metallography. X-rays and ultrasound scanners were used to monitor bonding and the co-rolling effects. These initial results show the main obstacles to the engineering development of UMo monolithic plate fuels with Al-6061 cladding, and these are discussed herein.
Highlights
The terms of the international nuclear non-proliferation program have raised interest in the development of low-enriched uranium fuels (
We proposed using the transient liquid phase bonding (TLPB) method to bond the U-7% Mo alloy plate with the alloy Al-6061 cladding, covering the UMo surface with aluminum and a commercial alloy of Al-Si Argenta TIG AL-194 (AWS R-4047)
Metal adhesion did not occur when the ingots of metallic uranium and UMo alloys were encapsulated in low carbon steel plates and yttrium oxide was incorporated
Summary
The terms of the international nuclear non-proliferation program have raised interest in the development of low-enriched uranium fuels (
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