Materials-technology investigations of fuel elements, irradiated in a reactor at the Obninsk nuclear power plant, after standing for 38 years in a depository

The results of materials-technology investigations of a spent fuel assembly from a reactor at the Obninsk nuclear power plant, the first nuclear power plant in the world, before the rated burnup and after prolonged dry storag e (for about 40 years) were presented. It was established that the fuel elements from the fuel assembly studied ar e in satisfactory condition. No appreciable damage due to the prolonged sto rage was found: the outer diameter remains within the technological toleran ce limits and the strength and the plasticity of the jackets are high. Only surface corrosion damage to 10 mu m depth was found on the fuel-element ja ckets. The fuel composition remained whole. 6 figures, 1 table, 3 reference s.