Measured drift of irradiated and unirradiated W3%Re/W25%Re thermocouples at a nominal 2000 K.

Seven tantalum sheathed, BeO insulated, 0.157-cm-diam, grounded-junction W-3%Re/W-25%Re thermocouples were irradiated in a helium-argon environment at a temperature of 1900 to 2100 K. Six other thermocouples from the same lot were operated out-of-pile with the same temperature history as the in-pile thermocouples. Drift-in-pile was determined by periodically replacing a 'reference' thermocouple in the irradiation capsule. Drift out-of-pile was determined with an optical pyrometer. After 8000 hours irradiation, the estimated neutron fluence was 4 x 10 to the 21st power thermal neutrons/sq cm and 0.9 x 10 to the 21st power fast neutrons/sq cm (E greater than 0.18 MeV). At this time the in-pile group had decreased in output the equivalent of 340 K at 2073 K, while the out-of-pile group had decreased in output the equivalent of 54 K at 2073 K. The maximum deviation in drift between thermocouples of the in-pile group and between thermocouples of the out-of-pile group was less than plus or minus 15 K and less than plus or minus 10 K, respectively.