²³⁸Pu Fuel-Form Processes Quarterly report, April-June 1982

Progress in studies of /sup 238/Pu fuel form processes is reported. Analytical studies of weld-quench cracking in DOP-26 iridium alloy-clad vent sets in General Purpose Heat Sources (GPHS) showed that weld-quench cracking is much more severe in MER alloy than in LR and NR alloys. Spark source mass spectrometry indicated that areas in DOP-26 alloy with severe weld-quench cracking have high thorium inhomogeneity. Secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed differences in LR and MR alloys that may be related to their dissimilar susceptibilities for weld-quench cracking. Impact ductility tests showed that welds in DOP-26 alloy clad vent sets made using parameters similar to PuFF production welding had high elongations. Decontamination of encapsulated GPHS pellets in PuFF was demonstrated using a solution of 3.5 M HNO/sub 3/ + 6.4 M HF which is capable of reducing transferable contamination below the specified 10/sup 3/ dpm upper limit in <30 minutes at a bath temperature of 80/sup 0/C using ultrasonic cleaning. Decontamination vessels were constructed to trap and condense acid vapors during decontamination. Impact and metallographic data showed that although the micro and macrostructures between LANL and SRL pellets have large differences, the difference in impact response between these two types of pellets is not correspondingly large. Both types of pellets have impacted successfully. The micro and macrostructures of SRP pellets made with either low fired shards sintered in Ar/5%O/sub 2/ or Ar are intermediate between those of the LANL and SRL pellets. Therefore, either type of SRP pellet should impact successfully

Hand book of explosives for farmers, planters, ranchers; how to clear land ...

117, [3] p