Postirradiation Examination of FUTURIX-FTA metallic alloy experiments

Harp, Jason M.; Capriotti, Luca; Chichester, Heather J. M.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.12.051

Postirradiation Examination of FUTURIX-FTA metallic alloy experiments

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 23:00:00 EST 2019 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.12.051· OSTI ID:1497054

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

Two different metallic nuclear fuel alloys intended for transmutation applications in fast neutron spectrum nuclear reactors have been irradiated, and their performance has been evaluated after irradiation. These alloys contained elevated levels of plutonium and other minor actinides (Am, Np) compared to historically irradiated fast reactor fuel to ascertain the impact of these isotopes on fuel performance. The irradiation of these alloys was performed at the Phénix fast reactor in France to facilitate comparisons between true fast spectrum irradiations and pseudo-fast spectrum irradiations performed at the thermal neutron spectrum Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. The irradiation tests were designated FUTURIX-FTA DOE1 which contained a low-fertile alloy and FUTURIX-FTA DOE2 which contained a non-fertile alloy. The DOE1 fuel was irradiated to a measured burnup of 9.5 % fissions per initial heavy metal atom (FIMA), and the DOE2 fuel was irradiated to a measured burnup of 12.7 % fissions per initial heavy metal atom. This work reports baseline Postirradiation Examination (PIE) results for DOE1 and DOE2. Fuel swelling, fission product distribution, cladding strain, fission gas release, fuel microstructure, fuel cladding chemical interaction and minor actinide transmutation were all evaluated. Cladding strain was negligible and fission gas release was 52% for DOE1 and 69% for DOE2. The exams show the 2 pins behaved very similar to EBR-II metallic fuel experience. Minor actinides seem to not affect the performance of this candidate transmutation fuel. As a result, performance data from these irradiations can be used to inform the feasibility of minor actinide transmutation in future reactor systems.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Fuel Cycle Technologies (NE-5)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 1497054

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1547901
OSTI ID: 22890007

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--18-52239-Rev000

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: C Vol. 515; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Advanced Postirradiation Characterization of Nuclear Fuels Using Pulsed Neutrons Vogel, Sven C.; Bourke, Mark A. M.; Craft, Aaron E. JOM, Vol. 72, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-019-03849-2	journal	November 2019

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