This study was concerned with the fuel/cladding interaction observed in diffusion couples of U-10 wt % Zr, U-5 wt % Fs fuels with HT-9, T91, D9, and 316 cladding at 650°C and U-10 wt % Zr fuel with the cladding materials at 750°C (U-5Fs forms a eutectic with these cladding alloys at temperatures just over 700°C). The results presented here represent complete qualitative and semiquantitative findings for diffusion couples exposed for 720 hrs along with preliminary results of 2880 h exposures. The most important result of technological importance to IFR feasibility was that U-10 wt % Zr fuel was found to not significantly interact chemically with the cladding alloys. Moreover, energy-dispersive x-ray analyses demonstrated that metallographically observed banding in the fuel near the fuel/cladding interface was not related to chemical interdiffusion, but was related to zirconium migration towards the fuel/cladding interface. The zirconium migration may be related to oxygen availability at this location. The 2880 h samples were consistent with 720 h findings, indicating that essentially no fuel/cladding interdiffusion occurred, but showing additional zirconium migration.

Part of the government series on energy, from TheCapitol.Net, this text discusses the nuclear energy issues facing Congress including federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.