Kurina I.S., Riaby V.M., Frolova M.Y., Plaxin O.A., Dvoryashin A.M.
A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk, Russia
Currently, there is an increased interest in the development of uranium-zirconium metal fuel. Abroad, rods for fuel elements are manufactured by induction melting followed by injection casting. The casting of fuel rods is carried out in quartz test tubes with an inner coating of yttrium oxide. In the JSC “SSC RF — IPPE”, work was carried out on the manufacture and research of some basic properties of fuel slugs of the U-10%Zr alloy. Fuel slugs were made by melting of uranium and zirconium in an arc furnace, subsequent melting of ingots in quartz test tubes in a vacuum furnace and turning to the desired size on a lathe. Obtained slugs of U-10%Zr had a density of 16.35 g/cm3, lamellar structure consisting of the phases α-U and δ-UZr2. The results of studies on the interaction of fuel with materials of test tubes and crucibles have shown that yttrium oxide is the most suitable material for melting crucibles or coatings. It is also possible to use ZrO2-Y2O3, followed by grinding the fuel rods.
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