Failure analysis of nuclear transient-tested UN tristructural isotropic fuel particles in a 3D printed SiC matrix

Schappel, Danny; Linton, Kory D.; Helmreich, Grant W.; Keever, Tamara J.; Petrie, Christian M.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154691

Failure analysis of nuclear transient-tested UN tristructural isotropic fuel particles in a 3D printed SiC matrix

Journal Article · Sat Aug 19 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154691· OSTI ID:1997758

^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Fully ceramic microencapsulated fuel elements containing UN tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles within a 3D printed SiC matrix were subjected to transient testing with varying energy depositions. Detailed post-irradiation examinations were performed, including leaching in hot HNO3 and post-leaching X-ray computed tomography, to quantify the percentage of failed TRISO particles and crack propagation within the particles and surrounding fuel matrix. In parallel, detailed finite element analyses were performed for comparison with experimental findings and to better evaluate transient failure modes. The lowest transient energy deposition—which still exceeded bounding values for high-temperature gas-cooled reactor applications—resulted in no detectable TRISO particle failures or matrix cracking, which was consistent with the simulations. Simulations of the higher-energy transients for which significant TRISO particle failure was expected were generally able to reproduce the transient temperatures and matrix cracking. Thus, the TRISO particle failures were explained based on the effects of local SiC matrix thickness and porosity. Results generally confirmed the high strength of the additively manufactured SiC matrix but also affirmed the need for a modified UN TRISO architecture to prevent SiC matrix cracks from propagating through TRISO layers. This unique failure mode has not historically been considered for TRISO fuels contained in weaker graphite matrices.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 1997758

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1996276

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 586; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (25)

libMesh : a C++ library for parallel adaptive mesh refinement/coarsening simulations Kirk, Benjamin S.; Peterson, John W.; Stogner, Roy H. Engineering with Computers, Vol. 22, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-006-0049-3	journal	November 2006
The specific heat of graphite: An evaluation of measurements Butland, A. T. D.; Maddison, R. J. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 49, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(73)90060-3	journal	November 1973
Material property correlations for uranium mononitride Hayes, S. L.; Thomas, J. K.; Peddicord, K. L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 171, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(90)90375-W	journal	May 1990
Material property correlations for uranium mononitride Hayes, S. L.; Thomas, J. K.; Peddicord, K. L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 171, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(90)90376-X	journal	May 1990
3.07 - TRISO-Coated Particle Fuel Performance Petti, D. A.; Demkowicz, P. A.; Maki, J. T. Comprehensive Nuclear Materials https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-056033-5.00055-0	book	February 2012
Long time experience with the development of HTR fuel elements in Germany Nickel, H.; Nabielek, H.; Pott, G. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 217, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(02)00128-0	journal	August 2002
Design and manufacture of the fuel element for the 10 MW high temperature gas-cooled reactor Tang, Chunhe; Tang, Yaping; Zhu, Junguo Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 218, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(02)00201-7	journal	October 2002
Major milestones of HTR development in Germany and still open research issues Allelein, H. -J.; Verfondern, K. Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 116 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.02.012	journal	June 2018
Estimation of maximum coated particle fuel compact packing fraction Morris, R. N.; Pappano, P. J. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 361, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2006.10.017	journal	March 2007
Handbook of SiC properties for fuel performance modeling Snead, Lance L.; Nozawa, Takashi; Katoh, Yutai Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 371, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.05.016	journal	September 2007
The challenges associated with high burnup, high temperature and accelerated irradiation for TRISO-coated particle fuel Maki, John T.; Petti, David A.; Knudson, Darrell L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 371, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.05.019	journal	September 2007
An approach to fuel development and qualification Crawford, Douglas C.; Porter, Douglas L.; Hayes, Steven L. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 371, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.05.029	journal	September 2007
High temperature oxidation behavior of SiC coating in TRISO coated particles Liu, Rongzheng; Liu, Bing; Zhang, Kaihong Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 453, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.06.055	journal	October 2014
Production and characterization of TRISO fuel particles with multilayered SiC Seibert, Rachel L.; Jolly, Brian C.; Balooch, Mehdi Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 515 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.12.024	journal	March 2019
A review of in-pile fuel safety tests of TRISO fuel forms and future testing opportunities in non-HTGR applications Brown, Nicholas R. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 534 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152139	journal	June 2020
Accelerating nuclear fuel development and qualification: Modeling and simulation integrated with separate-effects testing Terrani, Kurt A.; Capps, Nathan A.; Kerr, Matthew J. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 539 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152267	journal	October 2020
Architecture and properties of TCR fuel form Terrani, K. A.; Jolly, B. C.; Trammell, M. P. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 547 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.152781	journal	April 2021
Fission gas retention of densely packed uranium carbonitride tristructural-isotropic fuel particles in a 3D printed SiC matrix Petrie, Christian M.; Linton, Kory D.; Vasudevamurthy, Gokul Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 580 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154419	journal	July 2023
Thermal conductivity analysis of SiC ceramics and fully ceramic microencapsulated fuel composites Lee, Hyeon-Geun; Kim, Daejong; Lee, Seung Jae Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 311 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.11.005	journal	January 2017
Modeling the performance of TRISO-based fully ceramic matrix (FCM) fuel in an LWR environment using BISON Schappel, D.; Terrani, K.; Powers, J. J. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 335 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.05.018	journal	August 2018
MOOSE: Enabling massively parallel multiphysics simulation Permann, Cody J.; Gaston, Derek R.; Andrš, David SoftwareX, Vol. 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2020.100430	journal	January 2020
Transformational Challenge Reactor Safety Design and Radionuclide Retention Strategy Huning, Alexander J.; Kirkland, William M.; Terrani, Kurt A. Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 196, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2021.1989237	journal	November 2021
Stress Profile in Coating Layers of TRISO Fuel Particles in Contact with One Another Schappel, Daniel; Terrani, Kurt A. Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 196, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2090214	journal	August 2022
Behavior of Coated Fuel Particle of High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor under Reactivity-Initiated Accident Conditions Umeda, Miki; Sugiyama, Tomoyuki; Nagase, Fumihisa Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1080/18811248.2010.9711663	journal	November 2010
3D printing of high‐purity silicon carbide Terrani, Kurt; Jolly, Brian; Trammell, Michael Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 103, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.16888	journal	October 2019

Similar Records

Fission gas retention of densely packed uranium carbonitride tristructural-isotropic fuel particles in a 3D printed SiC matrix

Journal Article · Wed Mar 29 20:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Nuclear Materials · OSTI ID:1968704

Micromechanical Properties of the SiC and Pyrolytic Carbon Layers in Tristructural-Isotropic Coated Particles

Conference · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · OSTI ID:3009473

Microstructural analysis of tristructural isotropic particles in high-temperature steam mixed gas atmospheres

Journal Article · Sat Mar 11 19:00:00 EST 2023 · Journal of Nuclear Materials · OSTI ID:1985403

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS

Failure analysis of nuclear transient-tested UN tristructural isotropic fuel particles in a 3D printed SiC matrix

Citation Formats

References (25)

Similar Records

Related Subjects