PERCOLATION ON GRAIN BOUNDARY NETWORKS: APPLICATION TO FISSION GAS RELEASE IN NUCLEAR FUELS
The percolation behavior of grain boundary networks is characterized in two- and three-dimensional lattices with circular macroscale cross-sections that correspond to nuclear fuel elements. The percolation of gas bubbles on grain boundaries, and the subsequent percolation of grain boundary networks is the primary mechanism of fission gas release from nuclear fuels. Both radial cracks and radial gradients in grain boundary property distributions are correlated with the fraction of grain boundaries vented to the free surfaces. Our results show that cracks surprisingly do not significantly increase the percolation of uniform grain boundary networks. However, for networks with radial gradients in boundary properties, the cracks can considerably raise the vented grain boundary content.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1037356
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-11-22592; TRN: US1201590
- Journal Information:
- Computational Materials Science, Vol. 53, Issue 1; ISSN 0927-0256
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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