Total Hemispherical Emittance of Niobium-1% Zirconium Fuel Cladding for the SP-100 Space Reactor

Abstract

Total hemispherical emittance was measured for the SP-100 reactor fuel cladding alloy (Nb-l% Zr). Based on a standard test method (ASTM C 835-82), experiments were conducted on a reference sample of oxidized stainless steel and then on a sample of actual cladding. The sample is heated in a vacuum by passing DC current through it until reaching equilibrium. Measurements are made of the electrical power dissipated in the sample and of the surface temperature. Using the Stefan-Boltzmann Law and some key assumptions concerning conductive and radiative heat transfer, the measured quantities are used to calculate emittance. Calculated values for unoxidized cladding range from 0.159 +/- 5.35% at 913 K to 0.200 +/- 4.51% at 1091 K. Highest value measured after onset of visible oxidation was 0.339 +/- 3.92% at 1269 K.... SP-100, Reactor, Emittance, Niobium, Fuel cladding, Emissivity.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA270456

Entities

People

  • John E. Thomason Iii

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Emissivity
  • Emittance
  • Energy
  • Engineering
  • Heat Transfer
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Melting Point
  • Power Series
  • Stainless Steel
  • Standards
  • Surface Properties
  • Surface Temperature
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Test Methods
  • Voltage

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster