MESOSCALE MODELING OF INTERGRANULAR BUBBLE PERCOLATION IN NUCLEAR FUELS

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3702872· OSTI ID:1041269

Millett, Paul C; Tonks, Michael; Biner, S B

Phase-field simulations are used to examine the variability of intergranular fission gas bubble growth and percolation on uranium dioxide grain boundaries on a mesoscopic length scale. Three key parameters are systematically varied in this study: the contact angle (or dihedral angle) defining the bubble shape, the initial bubble density on the grain boundary plane, and the ratio of the gas diffusivity on the grain boundary versus the grain interiors. The simulation results agree well with previous experimental data obtained for bubble densities and average bubble areas during coalescence events. Interestingly, the rate of percolation is found to be highly variable, with a large dependency on the contact angle and the initial bubble density, and little-to-no dependency on the grain boundary gas diffusivity.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1041269
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-11-22593
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 111; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BUBBLE GROWTH
BUBBLES
COALESCENCE
FISSION
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
Modeling and Simulation
NUCLEAR FUELS
SHAPE
SIMULATION
URANIUM DIOXIDE