Detailed Analysis of Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Swelling

Detailed Analysis of Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Swelling PDF Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 21

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Swelling of U3Si and U3Si2 is analyzed. The growth of fission gas bubbles appears to be affected by fission rate, fuel loading, and microstructural change taking place in the fuel compounds during irradiation. Several mechanisms are explored to explain the observations. The present work is aimed at a better understanding of the basic swelling phenomenon in order to accurately model irradiation behavior of uranium silicide disperson fuel. 5 refs., 10 figs.

Detailed Analysis of Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Swelling

Detailed Analysis of Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Swelling PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 21

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Book Description
Swelling of U3Si and U3Si2 is analyzed. The growth of fission gas bubbles appears to be affected by fission rate, fuel loading, and microstructural change taking place in the fuel compounds during irradiation. Several mechanisms are explored to explain the observations. The present work is aimed at a better understanding of the basic swelling phenomenon in order to accurately model irradiation behavior of uranium silicide disperson fuel. 5 refs., 10 figs.

Comparison of Irradiation Behavior of Different Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Element Designs

Comparison of Irradiation Behavior of Different Uranium Silicide Dispersion Fuel Element Designs PDF Author:
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 12

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Calculations of fuel swelling of U3SiAl-Al and U3Si2 were performed for various dispersion fuel element designs. Breakaway swelling criteria in the form of critical fuel volume fractions were derived with data obtained from U3SiAl-Al plate irradiations. The results of the analysis show that rod-type elements remain well below the pillowing threshold. However, tubular fuel elements, which behave essentially like plates, will likely develop pillows or blisters at around 90% 235U burnup. The U3Si2-Al compounds demonstrate stable swelling behavior throughout the entire burnup range for all fuel element designs.

Postirradiation Analysis of Experimental Uranium-silicide Dispersion Fuel Plates

Postirradiation Analysis of Experimental Uranium-silicide Dispersion Fuel Plates PDF Author:
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Languages : en
Pages :

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Low-enriched uranium silicide dispersion fuel plates were irradiated to maximum burnups of 96% of 235U. Fuel plates containing 33 v/o U3Si and U3Si2 behaved very well up to this burnup. Plates containing 33 v/o U3Si-Al pillowed between 90 and 96% burnup of the fissile atoms. More highly loaded U3Si-Al plates, up to 50 v/o were found to pillow at lower burnups. Plates containing 40 v/o U3Si showed an increase swelling rate around 85% burnup. 5 refs., 10 figs.

A Physical Description of Fission Product Behavior Fuels for Advanced Power Reactors

A Physical Description of Fission Product Behavior Fuels for Advanced Power Reactors PDF Author:
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Languages : en
Pages :

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The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is considering a list of reactors and nuclear fuels as part of its chartered initiative. Because many of the candidate materials have not been explored experimentally under the conditions of interest, and in order to economize on program costs, analytical support in the form of combined first principle and mechanistic modeling is highly desirable. The present work is a compilation of mechanistic models developed in order to describe the fission product behavior of irradiated nuclear fuel. The mechanistic nature of the model development allows for the possibility of describing a range of nuclear fuels under varying operating conditions. Key sources include the FASTGRASS code with an application to UO2 power reactor fuel and the Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) with an application to uranium-silicide and uranium-molybdenum research reactor fuel. Described behavior mechanisms are divided into subdivisions treating fundamental materials processes under normal operation as well as the effect of transient heating conditions on these processes. Model topics discussed include intra- and intergranular gas-atom and bubble diffusion, bubble nucleation and growth, gas-atom re-solution, fuel swelling and?scion gas release. In addition, the effect of an evolving microstructure on these processes (e.g., irradiation-induced recrystallization) is considered. The uranium-alloy fuel, U-xPu-Zr, is investigated and behavior mechanisms are proposed for swelling in the [alpha]-, intermediate- and [gamma]-uranium zones of this fuel. The work reviews the FASTGRASS kinetic/mechanistic description of volatile?scion products and, separately, the basis for the DART calculation of bubble behavior in amorphous fuels. Development areas and applications for physical nuclear fuel models are identified.

Swelling resistant silicide dispersion fuels

Swelling resistant silicide dispersion fuels PDF Author: J. C. Wood
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Energy Research Abstracts

Energy Research Abstracts PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Power resources
Languages : en
Pages : 780

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issuances

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issuances PDF Author: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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ISBN:
Category : Nuclear energy
Languages : en
Pages : 950

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Energy Research Abstracts

Energy Research Abstracts PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Power resources
Languages : en
Pages : 782

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Book Description
Semiannual, with semiannual and annual indexes. References to all scientific and technical literature coming from DOE, its laboratories, energy centers, and contractors. Includes all works deriving from DOE, other related government-sponsored information, and foreign nonnuclear information. Arranged under 39 categories, e.g., Biomedical sciences, basic studies; Biomedical sciences, applied studies; Health and safety; and Fusion energy. Entry gives bibliographical information and abstract. Corporate, author, subject, report number indexes.

Prospects of Stable High-density Dispersion Fuels

Prospects of Stable High-density Dispersion Fuels PDF Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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The majority of research and test reactors around the world employ aluminum fuel element designs that contain dispersed powders of uranium compounds as fuel. Specifically, two compounds are used: (1) uranium oxide (U3O) and (2) an uranium aluminide mixed phase composed of the intermetallic compounds UAl2, UAl3, and UAl4, all made with highly enriched uranium (HEU), i.e., 93% 235U. The reduction of 235U enrichment to below 20%, to so-called low enriched uranium (LEU), requires the use of higher density fuels for those applications where increased fuel loading is not feasible. Fuel dispersant loading is, in practice, limited to approximately 45 vol %. Fuel development in the Reduced Envichment Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program has focused on uranium silicides (U3Si and U3Si2) as the most promising high-density fuels. The compounds of U6Fe and U6Mn as well as U3Si containing Cu were tested as part of the search for stable very-high-density fuels. The problem of breakaway swelling in high-density fuel compounds is attributed to radiation-induced amorphization of these compounds. Alloy additions are a possible means by which the crystal structure of very-high-density compounds can be strengthened and preserved to high irradiation doses. Tailoring metallurgical treatment during fabrication, to avoid thermodynamically weak compounds, appears promising for certain compound combinations. 5 refs., 2 figs.

Dart Model for Irradiation-induced Swelling of Dispersion Fuel Elements Including Aluminum-fuel Interaction

Dart Model for Irradiation-induced Swelling of Dispersion Fuel Elements Including Aluminum-fuel Interaction PDF Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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The Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) contains models for fission-gas induced fuel swelling, interaction of fuel with the matrix aluminum, resultant reaction-product swelling, and calculation of the stress gradient within the fuel particle. The effects of an aluminide shell on fuel particle swelling are evaluated. Validation of the model is demonstrated by a comparison of DART calculations of fuel swelling of U[sub 3]SiAl-Al and U[sub 3]Si[sub 2]-Al for various dispersion fuel element designs with the data. DART results are compared with data for fuel swelling Of U[sub 3]SiAl-Al in plate, tube, and rod configurations as a function of fission density. Plate and tube calculations were performed at a constant fuel temperature of 373 K and 518 K, respectively. An irradiation temperature of 518 K results in a calculated aluminide layer thickness for the Russian tube that is in the center of the measured range (16[mu]m). Rod calculations were performed with a temperature gradient across the rod characterized by surface and central temperatures of 373 K and 423 K, respectively. The effective yield stress of irradiated Al matrix material and the aluminide was determined by comparing the results of DART calculations with postirradiation immersion volume measurement of U[sub 3]SiAl plates. The values for the effective yield stress were used in all subsequent simulations. The lower calculated fuel swelling in the rod-type element is due to an assumed biaxial stress state. Fuel swelling in plates results in plate thickness increase only. Likewise, in tubes, only the wall thickness increases. Irradiation experiments have shown that plate-type dispersion fuel elements can develop blisters or pillows at high U-235 burnup when fuel compounds exhibiting breakaway swelling are used at moderate to high fuel volume fractions. DART-calculated interaction layer thickness and fuel swelling follows the trends of the observations. 3 refs., 2 figs.