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Title: AGR-1 Compact 4-1-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results

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Abstract

Destructive post-irradiation examination was performed on AGR-1 fuel Compact 4-1-1, which was irradiated to a final compact-average burnup of 19.4% FIMA (fissions per initial metal atom) and a time-average, volume-average temperature of 1072°C. The analysis of this compact focused on characterizing the extent of fission product release from the particles and examining particles to determine the condition of the kernels and coating layers. The work included deconsolidation of the compact and leach-burn-leach analysis, visual inspection and gamma counting of individual particles, metallurgical preparation of selected particles, and examination of particle cross-sections with optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. Deconsolidation-leach-burn-leach (DLBL) analysis revealed no particles with failed TRISO or failed SiC layers (as indicated by very low uranium inventory in all of the leach solutions). The total fractions of the predicted compact inventories of fission products Ce-144, Cs-134, Cs-137, and Sr-90 that were present in the compact outside of the SiC layers were <2×10-6, based on DLBL data. The Ag-110m fraction in the compact outside the SiC layers was 3.3×10-2, indicating appreciable release of silver through the intact coatings and subsequent retention in the OPyC layers or matrix. The Eu-154 fraction was 2.4×10-4, which is equivalent to the inventory inmore » one average particle, and indicates a small but measurable level of release from the intact coatings. Gamma counting of 61 individual particles indicated no particles with anomalously low fission product retention. The average ratio of measured inventory to calculated inventory was close to a value of 1.0 for several fission product isotopes (Ce-144, Cs-134, and Cs-137), indicating good retention and reasonably good agreement with the predicted inventories. Measured-to-calculated (M/C) activity ratios for fission products Eu-154, Eu-155, Ru-106, Sb-125, and Zr-95 were significantly less than 1.0. However, as no significant release of these fission products from compacts was noted during previous analysis of the AGR-1 capsule components, the low M/C ratios are most likely an indication of a bias in the inventories predicted by physics simulations of the AGR-1 experiment. The distribution of Ag-110m M/C ratios was centered on a value of 1.02 and was fairly broad (standard deviation of 0.18, with values as high as 1.42 and as low as 0.68). Based on all data gathered to date, it is believed that silver retention in the particles was on average relatively high, but that the broad distribution in values among the particles represents significant variation in the inventory of Ag-110m generated in the particles. Ceramographic analysis of particle cross-sections revealed many of the characteristic microstructures often observed in irradiated AGR-1 particles from other fuel compacts. Palladium-rich fission product clusters were observed in the IPyC and SiC layers near the IPyC-SiC interface of three Compact 4-1-1 particle cross-sections. In spite of the presence of fission product clusters in the SiC layer, no significant corrosion or degradation of the layer was observed in any of the particles examined.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
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  1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
OSTI Identifier:
1260880
Report Number(s):
INL/EXT-15-36169
TRN: US1601560
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; SILVER 110; CERIUM 144; CESIUM 134; CESIUM 137; EUROPIUM 154; ANTIMONY 125; EUROPIUM 155; RUTHENIUM 106; STRONTIUM 90; ZIRCONIUM 95; SILICON CARBIDES; FISSION PRODUCTS; LEACHING; FUEL PARTICLES; COMPACTS; DATA; LAYERS; POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION; ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; OPTICAL MICROSCOPY; COATINGS; FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE; CROSS SECTIONS; BURNUP; ACCIDENT-TOLERANT NUCLEAR FUELS; INSPECTION; SIMULATION; ATR REACTOR; TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K; AGR TYPE REACTORS; CORROSION; Deconsolidation-leach-burn-leach; Inner pyrolytic carbon; PIE

Citation Formats

Demkowicz, Paul Andrew, Harp, Jason M., Winston, Philip L., Ploger, Scott A., and van Rooyen, Isabella J. AGR-1 Compact 4-1-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.2172/1260880.
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Demkowicz, Paul Andrew, Harp, Jason M., Winston, Philip L., Ploger, Scott A., & van Rooyen, Isabella J. AGR-1 Compact 4-1-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1260880
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Demkowicz, Paul Andrew, Harp, Jason M., Winston, Philip L., Ploger, Scott A., and van Rooyen, Isabella J. 2016. "AGR-1 Compact 4-1-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1260880. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1260880.
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@article{osti_1260880,
title = {AGR-1 Compact 4-1-1 Post-Irradiation Examination Results},
author = {Demkowicz, Paul Andrew and Harp, Jason M. and Winston, Philip L. and Ploger, Scott A. and van Rooyen, Isabella J.},
abstractNote = {Destructive post-irradiation examination was performed on AGR-1 fuel Compact 4-1-1, which was irradiated to a final compact-average burnup of 19.4% FIMA (fissions per initial metal atom) and a time-average, volume-average temperature of 1072°C. The analysis of this compact focused on characterizing the extent of fission product release from the particles and examining particles to determine the condition of the kernels and coating layers. The work included deconsolidation of the compact and leach-burn-leach analysis, visual inspection and gamma counting of individual particles, metallurgical preparation of selected particles, and examination of particle cross-sections with optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. Deconsolidation-leach-burn-leach (DLBL) analysis revealed no particles with failed TRISO or failed SiC layers (as indicated by very low uranium inventory in all of the leach solutions). The total fractions of the predicted compact inventories of fission products Ce-144, Cs-134, Cs-137, and Sr-90 that were present in the compact outside of the SiC layers were <2×10-6, based on DLBL data. The Ag-110m fraction in the compact outside the SiC layers was 3.3×10-2, indicating appreciable release of silver through the intact coatings and subsequent retention in the OPyC layers or matrix. The Eu-154 fraction was 2.4×10-4, which is equivalent to the inventory in one average particle, and indicates a small but measurable level of release from the intact coatings. Gamma counting of 61 individual particles indicated no particles with anomalously low fission product retention. The average ratio of measured inventory to calculated inventory was close to a value of 1.0 for several fission product isotopes (Ce-144, Cs-134, and Cs-137), indicating good retention and reasonably good agreement with the predicted inventories. Measured-to-calculated (M/C) activity ratios for fission products Eu-154, Eu-155, Ru-106, Sb-125, and Zr-95 were significantly less than 1.0. However, as no significant release of these fission products from compacts was noted during previous analysis of the AGR-1 capsule components, the low M/C ratios are most likely an indication of a bias in the inventories predicted by physics simulations of the AGR-1 experiment. The distribution of Ag-110m M/C ratios was centered on a value of 1.02 and was fairly broad (standard deviation of 0.18, with values as high as 1.42 and as low as 0.68). Based on all data gathered to date, it is believed that silver retention in the particles was on average relatively high, but that the broad distribution in values among the particles represents significant variation in the inventory of Ag-110m generated in the particles. Ceramographic analysis of particle cross-sections revealed many of the characteristic microstructures often observed in irradiated AGR-1 particles from other fuel compacts. Palladium-rich fission product clusters were observed in the IPyC and SiC layers near the IPyC-SiC interface of three Compact 4-1-1 particle cross-sections. In spite of the presence of fission product clusters in the SiC layer, no significant corrosion or degradation of the layer was observed in any of the particles examined.},
doi = {10.2172/1260880},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1260880}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}
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https://doi.org/10.2172/1260880
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