The fabrication processes applied to nuclear fuels are subject to severe limitations because of the conditions imposed by the reactor environment. The combined problems of neutrons fluxes, high heat fluxes, corrosion by the coolant , and embrittlement by hydriding or similar reactions may be minimized through establishing rigorous materials and fabrication specifications for fuel and cladding.

The purpose of this report is to present a HAPO proposal for the design and construction of a high-temperature, high-pressure light water recirculation test facility for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Atomic Power Division This report does not attempt to justify the feasibility of site location nor does it attempt to elaborate on such technical considerations as permissible test specimen heat generation and enrichment requirements which have been covered in an earlier document. Instead, detail information is developed on the proposed design with major emphasis on detail descriptions of the proposed loop and auxiliaries, design and construction scheduling and costs, and operating costs.

The result of a leak in a PRTR process tube between the flow monitor and the heated section would be to increase the flow through the monitor, but to decrease the flow through the heated section. The concern for the case of small leaks is whether the increase in flow through the flow monitor is sufficient to cause a high flow tip and a reactor scram for the condition where the flow through the heated section is reduced to the point to cause excessive fuel element temperatures.

Plutonium Oxide Fuels. Mixtures of PWR grade UO2 containing 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 w/o PuO2 were sintered in hydrogen for 44 hours at 1600 C to get additional data on solubility in this system. Densities of all the pieces were low, approximately 80 percent of theoretical; however, solid solution formation was complete in every case. The low density material should not affect lattice parameter values, but it did slightly reduce the intensity of the reflections.

Specifications including detail dimension, materials, fabrication steps, acceptance criteria, and final assembly steps for the swaged uranium dioxide, 19-rod cluster Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor fuel element.