Gulf GA-A12608

UC-33, Propulsion Systems

and Energy Conversion

Prepared under

Contract AT (04-3)-840

for the

San Francisco Operations Office

U. S. Atomic Energy Commission

Gulf General Atomic Project 0018 Date Published: June 30, 1973

GULF GENERAL ATOMIC COMPANY

P.O. BOX 608, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92112

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION

xix

1. THERMIONIC RESEARCH 1-1
1.1 Out-of-Core Testing (G.O. Fitzpatrick, M. K. Yates) 1-1
1.1.1 Mark VIIA OC-A4 Test 1-1
1.1.2 Laboratory F Cell 1-2
1.2 Diagnostic Method Development (G. O. Fitzpatrick) 1-2
1.2.1 Emitter Temperature Correlations 1-2
1.2.2 TFE Performance Determinations 1-11
1.2.3 Performance Map Correlations 1-12
References 1-14

2. MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY 2-1
2.1 Fuel Technology 2-7
2.1.1 Carbide Fuel Phase Relationship (R. G. Hudson, L. Yang) 2-7
2.1.2 Compatibility and Trapping of Fission Products (G. Buzzelli) 2-10
2.1.3 TFE Port Investigations (J. Kemme) 2-14
2.2 Cladding Technology 2-24
2.2.1 Study of Creep Behavior of Prototype Tungsten Emitter (L. Yang, H. Johnson, D. Allen) 2-24
2.2.2 Preparation of Uniaxial Creep Samples (J. Chin, R. G. Hudson) 2-26
2.2.3 CVD Tungsten Development (J. Chin) 2-28
2.3 Seal, Trilayer, and Electrical Insulation Technology (J. Chin, C. Messick) 2-33
2.3.1. Development of Y₂O₃ Seal 2-33
2.3.2 Trilayer Development 2-37
2.3.3 Thermal Stability of A1₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ Trilayers 2-41

iii

2.3.4 Electrical Insulation Coating Development 2-44
2.4 Joint Technology (J. Grebetz) 2-57
2.4.1 Diffusion Bonding Study 2-57
2.4.2 Evaluation of Work 2-61
2.5 Seal and Trilayer Irradiation (J. Chin, C. Messick) 2-62
2.5.1 Capsule K-3, 4 2-62
2.6 Fuel-Clad Irradiation (M. Yates, E. Thacher, D. Allen, A. Marshall, L. Yang) 2-66
2.6.1 FC-3 Oxide Fuel Capsule 2-66
2.6.2 FC-4 Oxide Fueled Capsule 2-71
2.7 Hot Cell Examinations (H. Johnson, C. Buzzelli, L. Yang) 2-77
2.7.1 Examination of 90 UC-l0 ZrC-4 wt % W Fueled Thermionic Fuel Element 6F1 2-77
2.7.2 Examination of 90 UC-l0 ZrC-4 wt % W Fueled Thermionic Fuel Element 6F2 2-93
References 2-102

3. THERMONIC FUEL ELEMENT DEVELOPMENT 3-1
3.1 Engineering and Hardware Design (E. F. Thacher) 3-2
3.1.1 F-Series TFE Design Analysis (E.F. Thacher, D. T. Allen, D. J. Heisser) 3-2
3.1.2 TFE Cost Reduction 3-7
3.1.3 Modification and Use of BRITL Computer Code to Analyze Thermionic Emitter Distortion 3-12
3.1.4 Laboratory F-Cell Design (E.J. Steeger) 3-17
3.1.5 Evaluation of Work 3-20
3.2 TFE Fabrication (H. Horner, J. Kay) 3-21
3.2.1 Recent Fabrication Accomplishments 3-21
3.2.2 Evaluation of Work 3-26

iv

3.3 TFE Fabrication Development (J. Grebetz) 3-29
3.3.1 Low Cost Component Development 3-29
3.3.2 Evaluation of Results 3-31
3.4 Instrumentation and Encapsulation (D. Schwarzer) 3-32
3.5 In-Core Testing (G.O. Fitzpatrick, M. K. Yates, D. Schwarzer)3-33
3.5.1 Thermionic Performance 3-41
3.5.2 Emitter Dimensional Stability 3-48
3.5.3 Electrical Discharge Testing 3-59
3.5.4 Neutron Radiography 3-61
3.5.5 Evaluation of Work 3-62
3.6 Triga Operation (D. Schwarzer, G. Fitzpatrick, M. Yates) 3-63
3.7 TFE Development Test Support 3-64
References 3-73

4. REACTOR TECHNOLOGY 4-1
4.1 Nuclear Analysis 4-5
4.1.1 Cross Section Maintenance 4-5
4.1.2 Analytical Methods Development 4-5
4.1.3 Critical Experiment Planning 4-6
4.1.4 Reactor Design Studies 4-6
4.2 Reactor Design and Analysis 4-40
4.2.1 Layout and Specifications for the 120 kWe NEP Reactor (D. Allen) 4-40
4.2.2 Mechanical Design for 120 kWe Reactor (E.J. Steeger) 4-47
References 4-63

5. SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY 5-1
5.1 System Design 5-2
5.1.1 Undersea Power Systems (D. Allen, C. Carney, W. Leech) 5-4
5.2 System Analysis 5-14
5.2.1 System Optimization Programs 5-14
5.2.2 Reliability Analysis 5-15

v

5.3 Technology Evaluation and Development 5-16
5.4 Applications Analysis 5-17
References 5-18

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

vi

LIST OF FIGURES

vii

LIST OF TABLES

xviii