Preparation And Fabrication Of Plutonium Fuel Alloy For Los Alamos Molten Plutonium Reactor Experiment No 1 PDF Download

Tantalum-sheathed plutonium fuel pins were prepared for the first core loading of the Los Alamos Molten Plutonium Reactor Experiment-I. Plutonium--10 at.% iron alloy was prepared by co-reduction and by co-melting methods. After casting the alloy into rods, each rod was machined and finished to a 0.357-in.- diameter piece weighing 175 g. The finished alloy rod was finally placed in a tantalum sheath, then sealed by fusion welding to a tantalum capitolo Procedures and equipment used for alloying, casting, machining, welding, and inspection are described. Methods used to prepare rods of other low-melting plutonium alloys also are discussed. (auth).