Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an External-Fuel [UO2] Full-Length Thermionic Converter

The development of a double-ended full-core-length external-fuel converter, a prototypical fuel module for a 200- to 300-ekw thermionic reactor, is described. The converter design is based on a revolver-shaped tungsten emitter body, with six peripheral fuel chambers loaded with enriched UO2 pellets. The columbium collector is water-cooled through a sub-atmospheric adjustable-pressure helium gap. The converter employs graded metal-ceramic seals, and its double-ended construction is made possible by bellows to compensate for differential axial expansion. Fission gases are vented from the fuel chambers and collected in an accumulator designed for continuous monitoring of the pressure buildup. Component fabrication, assembly sequence, and joining methods are described; also the test procedures, and the converter load control. All tests are performed in vacuum. During inpile testing, the fuel is triply contained, with thermal insulation between the secondary and tertiary containers. Before insertion inpile, the fully fueled converter is qualification-tested by rf-induction heating using a specially developed high vacuum rf-feedthrough