URANIUM-BISMUTH IN-PILE CORROSION TEST LOOP. RADIATION LOOP NO. 1

A loop was operated in the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor to determine the effect of in-pile irradiation on the corrosion of various materials by a U-- Bi solution. The loop wws fabricated of 21/4% chrome-1% Mo steel and contained, in the in-pile section, specimens of low-chrome steels, C steel, Mo, Be, Ta, and graphite. The U--Bi solution containing 869 ppm U/sup 235/ 98 ppm U/ sup 238/, 236 ppm Zr, and 346 ppm Mg was circulated at 51/4 gpm. A temperature difference of 75 deg C was maintained on the loop. The in-pile test section ran at 500 deg C and the finned cooler section at 425 deg C. The in-pile test section was exposed to a neutron flux of 4.4 x 10/sup 12/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/-sec which provided a fission density of 5.5 x 10/sup 10/ fissions/cm/sup 3/-sec. Metallographic examination indicated that the corrosion and/or erosion of the steel and graphite specimens was nil. Wetting of the specimens by the U-Bi solution was limited. Results indicate that in-pile and out-of-pile experimental results are similar and that fission fragment recoils did not contribute materially to either wetting or corrosion under the conditions imposed in this test. (auth