Report presenting a study that evaluates various types of refractories for use in a refractory-lined vessel that would be used for continuous reduction of uranium tetrafluoride to uranium metal.

Abstract: "The corrosion rate in 680 F water of the uranium-50 w/o zirconium binary alloy was found to be -0.20 mg/(cm2)(hr), and that of the uranium-40 w/o zirconium binary alloy was -0.34 mg/(cm2)(hr). Both alloys correlated uniformly, with no evidence of discontinuous failure. Normal variations in interstitial content in either alloy had no significant effect on corrosion behavior. Tantalum additions, in the range of 0.2 to 5 w/o, improved the corrosion rate of the uranium-50 w/o zirconium base, with a minimum rate of -0.06 mg/(cm2)(hr) for the 5 w/o tantalum alloy. The 5 w/o tantalum addition to the uranium-40 w/o zirconium alloy. The 5 w/o tantalum addition to the uranium-40 w/o zirconium alloy decreased the corrosion rate of the base to -0.11 mg/(cm2)(hr) in the [...] condition only. In either conditions, the 5 w/o tantalum alloy failed discontinuously. All other additions to both bases either had no effect or decreased corrosion resistance. These included aluminum, chromium, iron, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, tin, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium additions."

Abstract: The thermal distortion of a Y-shaped hafnium control rod heated by arrays of individually controlled radiation heaters was studied. The large axial and radial temperature gradients specified for this control rod were easily obtained with the radiation-heating method. The distortion, as measured with dial indicators, amounted to a 2-mil movement of the free end of the rod in the direction of the coolest blade.

Survey of properties of materials which might be suitable for use in various locations in a supercritical-water reactor. Properties examined include tensile strength, rupture strength, endurance strength, Young's modulus, tensile elongation, coefficient of thermal expansion, coefficient of thermal conductivity, density, nominal composition, usual heat treatments and thermal-neutron-absorption cross sections.

This report covers a study of the deformation characteristics of uranium in grooved rolls. The study's purpose was to provide a basis for possible improvements in the uniformity of the rolled rod produced for the Hanford and Savannah River reactors.

This report follows work performed to determine the effects of large boron additions on the fabricability and room-temperature tensile properties of various steels for reactor shielding.

Abstract: "The effects of a number of ternary additions on the constitution, casting, and fabricating characteristics and the physical properties of aluminum-35 w/o uranium were investigated. Initial investigations were concerned with the effects of 3 w/o ternary additions on the microstructure and press-forging characteristics of the alloy. It was found that additions of this magnitude often introduced extrinsic phases in the alloy. At the 3 w/o level, additions of germanium, silicon, tin or zirconium inhibited the formation of UAl4 and thereby increased the content of the aluminum matrix in the alloy. It was also noted that these additions decreased the pressures required for extruding, and the tin addition also improved the homogeneity of cast shapes. Lead and palladium also improved the homogeneity of the cast material; however, neither of these was an effective inhibitor of UAl4 and free lead was detected in the alloy to which lead had been added at the ternary. From these studies it appears that tin and zirconium are as effective as silicon in enhancing the fabricating characteristics of aluminum-35 w/o uranium alloys, and may prove superior when evaluated on the bases of casting qualities and recycling characteristics."

From Abstract: "A literature survey was made of both welding and brazing methods that might be used to minimize the amount of exposed core material and provide the longest path for corrosion in the event of a defective weld in enextruded Zircaloy-2-clad uranium and uranium-2 w/o zirconium fuel elements."

Abstract: A study has been made of the cladding of solid and powdered delta-phase zirconium hydride is both red and flat shapes with stainless steel. The program included investigations of metallurgical bonding, both with and without the sore of metallic barrier materials. Types 304 and 347 stainless steel were used for cladding material. The intermediate barrier-layer materials used were niobium, molybdenum, a combination of copper and molybdenum, and a combination of copper and niobium. The pressure-bonding techniques, involving the use of gas pressure at elevated temperatures, was employed in this study. Variable times and temperatures with a constant pressure of 10,000 poi were utilized by produce bonding. In this study, the best results were archived is cladding delta-phase zirconium hydride directly with Types 304 or 347 stainless steel. Good bonds were obtained by pressure bonding at 1600 F for 3 or 4 hr subsequent to pressure bonding at 1900 F for 1 to 2 hr at a pressure of 10,000 poi. Partial bonding was achieved between niobium and zirconium hydride and molybdeum and girconium hydride.