Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Harp, Jason Michael; Lessing, Paul Alan; Hoggan, Rita Elaine

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027

Title: Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Journal Article · Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027· OSTI ID:1239870

Harp, Jason Michael ^[1]; Lessing, Paul Alan ^[1]; Hoggan, Rita Elaine ^[1]

Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

In collaboration with industry, Idaho National Laboratory is investigating uranium silicide for use in future light water reactor fuels as a more accident resistant alternative to uranium oxide base fuels. Specifically this project was focused on producing uranium silicide (U₃Si₂) pellets by conventional powder metallurgy with a density greater than 94% of the theoretical density. This work has produced a process to consistently produce pellets with the desired density through careful optimization of the process. Milling of the U₃Si₂ has been optimized and high phase purity U₃Si₂ has been successfully produced. Results are presented from sintering studies and microstructural examinations that illustrate the need for a finely ground reproducible particle size distribution in the source powder. The optimized process was used to produce pellets for the Accident Tolerant Fuel-1 irradiation experiment. The average density of these pellets was 11.54 ±0.06 g/cm³. Additional characterization of the pellets by scaning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction has also been performed. As a result, pellets produced in this work have been encapsulated for irradiation, and irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor is expected soon.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517; FOA-0000712

OSTI ID:: 1239870

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1252262

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-15-34239; TRN: US1600468

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 466, Issue C; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 90 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (6)

Crystal structure stability and fission gas swelling in intermetallic uranium compounds Hofman, Gerard L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 140, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(86)90208-4	journal	October 1986
Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds Finlay, M. R.; Hofman, G. L.; Snelgrove, J. L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 325, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2003.11.009	journal	February 2004
Amorphization of U3Si2 by ion or neutron irradiation Birtcher, R. C.; Richardson, J. W.; Mueller, M. H. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 230, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(96)00160-2	journal	June 1996
Thermophysical properties of $U_{3} {Si}_{2}$ to 1773 K White, J. T.; Nelson, A. T.; Dunwoody, J. T. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 464 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.04.031	journal	September 2015
Preliminary safety analysis of the PWR with accident-tolerant fuels during severe accident conditions Wu, Xiaoli; Li, Wei; Wang, Yang Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 80 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2015.02.040	journal	June 2015
The Powder Metallurgy of Uranium Hausner, Henry H.; Zambrow, John L. Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 1, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE56-A17661	journal	March 1956

Cited By (4)

Assessment of Neutronic Characteristics of Accident-Tolerant Fuel and Claddings for CANDU Reactors Younan, Simon; Novog, David Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations, Vol. 2018 https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5327146	journal	January 2018
Fabrication of stoichiometric U3Si2 fuel pellets Wagner, Adrian R.; Harp, Jason M.; Archibald, Kip E. MethodsX, Vol. 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.05.016	journal	January 2019
Development Status of Accident-tolerant Fuel for Light Water Reactors in Korea Kim, Hyun-Gil; Yang, Jae-Ho; Kim, Weon-Ju Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2015.11.011	journal	February 2016
Features that Further Performance Limits of Nuclear Fuel Fabrication: Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing of Nuclear Fuels Nelson, Andrew T. https://doi.org/10.2172/1669784	report	May 2019

Similar Records

Evaluation of Thermal Neutron Scattering Cross Section of Uranium Silicide with Ab Initio Lattice Dynamics

Conference · Mon Nov 13 00:00:00 EST 2023 · OSTI ID:1239870

Gil, Junhyoung; Hawari, Ayman I.

Development of LWR Fuels with Enhanced Accident Tolerance ATF Feasibility Analysis Report Deliverable for the Westinghouse Accident Tolerant Fuel Program

Technical Report · Wed Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · OSTI ID:1239870

Lahoda, Edward J.; Boyan, Frank A.

Fabrication of stoichiometric U3Si2 fuel pellets

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2019 · MethodsX · OSTI ID:1239870

Wagner, Adrian R.; Harp, Jason M.; Archibald, Kip E.; +3 more

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
accident tolerant fuel
powder metallurgy
uranium silicide

Title: Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Citation Formats

References (6)

Cited By (4)

Similar Records

Related Subjects