Fabrication of Nuclear Fuel Plates

Using Friction Stir Welding – First

Approach
K. Tello1, L. Olivares2, C. Gutierrez2, J. Lisboa2 y D. Mena1

1
Departamento de Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Materiales, UTFSM, Valparaiso, Chile
2
Departamento de Materiales Nucleares, Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear,
Santiago, Chile

2016 AWS Professional Program and Fabtech Show

16-18 November Las Vegas NV
Outline
●
Background

●
Adaptation of a CNC machine

●
Results

●
Summary

2
 Background
Fuel elements LEU plate.
RECH-1 Fuel assembly
5 MW
250 gU/year

filter body

Research reactor RECH-1 located at La

Reina in Santiago city

Fuel plate Dipersion type (U3Si2 + Al)

Cladding (AA6061)
Reactor core
34 fuel elements

Fuel (U3Si2 + Al)

3
Background
●
Chile signed the agreement for the no proliferation of nuclear
weapons.
●
Also, participates in the Reduced Enrichment for Research and
Test Reactors Program (RERTR).
HEU LEU < 20% U235

UAlₓ U₃O₈ U₃Si₂ UMo

1983 -1988 1988 -1991 1992 -1994 2000-Present
Intermetallic Ceramic Intermetallic alloy
Dispersion composite Dispersion ¿Dispersion or
Dispersion monolithic
2.3 gU/cm3 4.8 gU/cm3
3.0 gU/cm3 7 a 12 gU/cm3

4
U-Mo Fuel: Dispersion
vs Monolithic
dispersion AA6061-T6 Monolithic

UMo-Al U-Mo foil

PROBLEMÁTICA:
●
The chemical interaction that takes A SOLUTION:
place between U-Mo particles and ●
Reduce the contact area
the Al matrix produces:
between the fuel and the matrix.
– Formation of intermetallic
compounds of U-Mo-Al. ●
How?
– Increase in the volume of the – Using a monolithic foil U-Mo
fuel plates. alloy embedded in a cladding
of AA6061.
●
Fabrication method? 5
Alternatives of Fabrication of U-Mo
Monolithic
Hot Rolling

Transient Liquid Phase

Bonding ( TLPB)

Hot Isostatic Pressure

(HIP)

Friction Stir Welding

(FSW)

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GOAL
●
Implement the FSW process to butt weld 6061-T6 sheets.
●
Adapt a CNC machine (clamping system, tool)
●
Determine proper welding parameters for obtaining sound
welds

FUTURE: Develop a method for joining a “sandwich” of

AA6061 and a thin foil (200 μm) of U-Mo using FSW in a
overlap configuration.
overlap

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CNC Machine
Characteristics:
• Hatford Model HCMC-2082

Tool holder:Rotation speed max.

8000 RPM

Work table: (3 axes), advance

velocity max. 17[mm/s]

Solid foundation: minimizes the

vibration during operation.

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Adaptation of the CNC Machine Plates to join

Base

• Clamping system
• Steel A36 Clamping plates

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 Tool
head
SHOULDER

Tool holder

PIN
tool

Shoulder diameter 16 mm
Pin diameter 6 mm
Length 5-6 mm (adjustable)
Thread/shape M5/conical
Company StirTec (Austria)

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Base Metal
●
AA6061-T6
●
6 (mm) thickness
●
Thermocouples type K
●
4 thermocouples at join line (0
mm), 3 (mm), 6 (mm) and 0 (mm).

9 (mm) 6 (mm) 3 (mm) 0 (mm)

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 sample Rotation Advance
Tension Test speed
rpm
speed
[mm/min]
P2T 1120 400

P3T P5T P7T P9T2 P11T P3T 1400 400

P4T 1800 400
P5T 1800 400
P6T 1120 600
P7T 1400 600
P9T 1400 600

P2T P4T P6T P9T P10T P9T2 1400 600

P10T 1800 600
P11T 1800 600

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Tension Test
• ASTM E-8M. AWS B4.0:2007
• Transverse direction
• Test speed: 0,5 mm/min
250 mm
50,4 mm

30 mm

35 mm 50 mm

13
Results
UTS
From literature
Yield stress

14
Temperature Profiles
Temperaturas máximas registradas
700
600
500
400 9 (mm) 3 (mm)
Temperatura [°C]

300
200
100
0
450
TC4 ubicada a 9[mm]
del centro
6 (mm) 0 (mm)
400 TC5 ubicada a 6[mm]
del centro
350 TC6 ubicada a 3[mm]
del centro

300 TC7 ubicada en el centro

1800 (rpm)
Temperatura [°C]

250

200
400 (mm/min)
150

100

50

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Tiempo de medición [s] 15
Hardness

108 P2 1120[rpm], 400[mm/min] a

3,0[mm] de la superficie
104
P9 1400[rpm], 400[mm/min] a

Base 100 3,0[mm] de la superficie

P5 1800[rpm], 400[mm/min] a
96
Metal 3,0[mm] de la superficie
92
Hardness [VH]

88

84

Weld 80

76
Joint 72

68

64

60
-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Position (mm) (left retreating side, right advance side) 16

Summary
●
The mechanical properties of the weld metal are lesser compared to the base
metal
– Maybe to the dissolution of precipitates.
– These are similar to a AA6061-T4
●
The maximum temperature is below the melting temperature of the alloy,
– Temperature in the range 300 to 450 (°C)
●
The CCHEN was capable of modifying a CNC machine to carry out FSW tests
for the first time in Chile.
●
The implementation of this welding process will allow to fabricate fuel plates
consisting on a sandwich of AA6061/U-Mo monolitic/AA6061.
●
Future work: to develop joints of AA6061 in the overlap configuration.
– Preliminary work: sandwich of AA6061/AISI 304/AA6061 have shown to
be promising.

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Acknowledgments
●
CCHEN and UTFSM for funding this work.
●
Technical personnel and engineers at the CCHEN who support
the fabrication of the clamping system, tension and hardness
tests, among others tasks.
●
Patricio Mendez who gave us experimental insight.

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Thanks for your attention!
UTFSM

CCHEN Fuel
Elements
Plant

19