High burnup irradiation testing of spherical beryllium oxide based fuel elements for a conceptual high temperature air-cooled reactor
Date
1973-05
Authors
Hanna, GL
Reeve, KD
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Abstract
Fuelled beryllium oxide spheres, with a thin layer of porous BeO separating the fuelled core from the unfuelled shell, were irradiated at 500ºC, 750ºC and 1000ºC to burnups of 13.4 to 15.6 per cent (U + Th) and fast neutron doses of 1.4 x 10 20 to 1.9 x 1020 nvt. The four spheres irradiated at 1000ºC were apparently undamaged but the shell had fractured in all those irradiated at 500ºC and 750ºC. Failure is believed to have been caused by enhanced expansion of the inner regions of the unfuelled shell arising from exposure to both fast neutrons and energetic β-particles. Further work necessary to prove a fuel element design for the proposed application is briefly outlined.
Description
Keywords
Beryllium oxides, HTGR type reactors, Spheres, Ceramics, Fuel elements, Irradiation, Fission products
Citation
Hanna, G. L., & Reeve, K. D. (1973). High burnup irradiation testing of spherical beryllium oxide based fuel elements for a conceptual high temperature air-cooled reactor. (AAEC/E239). Lucas Heights, NSW: Australian Atomic Energy Commission.