Open AccessDEVELOPMENT OF CLAD CERAMIC FUEL PLATES BY SPRAY-COATING TECHNIQUES. Quarterly Technical Progress Report, January-March 1961
Publication year - 1961
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/4028917
Subject(s) - pellet , fabrication , thermal spraying , materials science , ceramic , coating , plasma , deposition (geology) , tube (container) , nuclear engineering , metallurgy , composite material , engineering , physics , nuclear physics , medicine , paleontology , alternative medicine , pathology , sediment , biology
The development of plasma-jet spray-coating techniques for producing clad ceramic fuel plates is discussed. Conditions for spraying fused UO/sub 2/ powder were established by depositing cones on stationary substrates. It was found that the arc-gas flow range within which deposition occurs is very narrow. Coatings were made from --200 +325, --270 + 325, and de-slimed -325 mesh fused UO/ sub 2/ powders. To provide data regarding the economics of the process, deposition rates and efficiencies were determined under various conditions. The effects of powder size, power input, arcgas flow rate, spray distance, traverse rate, power feed rate, powder-gas flow rate, and cover-gas flow rate on deposition efficiency are discussed. Oxygen-to-uranium ratios of coatings made for evaluation of density were determined by gravimetric and volumetric methods. Preparation of the surface without distortion for plasma spraying is discussed. Fixturing and instrumentation methods were designed for measuring substrate and coating temperatures during spraying of typical fuel-element-cladding thickesses of stainless steel and Zircaloy-2. (M.C.G.