Development of pellet melting temperature measuring technique; Melting temperature measuring technique for small sample

Harada, Katsuya ; Nakata, Masahito; Harada, Akio; Nihei, Yasuo; Yasuda, Ryo; Nishino, Yasuharu 

The Department of Hot Laboratories has been aiming the establishment of the melting temperature measuring technique for small samples obtained from the micro-region of irradiated fuel pellet. Due to the modification of the shape of tungsten capsule contained sample and the improvement of the detection method for melting temperature from indistinct thermal arrest point owing to small sample, it is possible to determine the melting temperature of small sample and to utilize effectively for the irradiated fuel pellet by using the existing apparatus. This paper describes the technique of the melting temperature measurement for small sample and the experimental results by using tantalum, molybdenum, hafnium oxide and un-irradiated UO pellet.