Effect of Interaction Layer and U-Mo Size on Pore Growth in U-Mo/Al Fuel
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 689-798 (Korea, Republic of)
- Argonne National Laboratory 9700 S. Cass Ave, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)
U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel, composed of U-Mo alloy fuel particles embedded in the aluminum (Al) matrix, has been developed to convert high-enriched uranium fuel to low-enriched uranium for high-performance research reactors. The fueled zone, referred to as 'fuel meat,' is clad with aluminum alloy. Fuel meat and cladding are metallurgically bonded during fabrication. Irradiated U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel has shown stable performance in low fission rate and burnup ranges. However, excessive fuel meat swelling or breakaway swelling, which is believed an incipient failure, was observed at higher fission rate and burnup conditions. This breakaway swelling is believed to be a result from the combination of accelerated fuel swelling and interconnection of large pores formed outside of the UMo particles. These large pores were frequently found, particularly, at the interface between the Al and the fuel-matrix interaction layer (IL) that formed by irradiation-enhanced interdiffusion of U-Mo and Al. Kim et al. developed a model for pore growth using a mechanical equilibrium between gas pressure in the pore, interfacial energies, and the external stress at the pore surface. In this model, IL provides a path way for fission gas to reach the pores and also generates tensile stress fields. Hence, suppressing IL growth by applying a diffusion barrier, like a coating of the U-Mo particles, appears to be an effective method to prevent pore formation. Another remedy to prevent pore formation is to use large U-Mo fuel particles. Using larger U-Mo particles was thought advantageous because it reduces fission gas release. In this study, the effect of IL growth and U-Mo particle size on pore formation is examined using the model. The advantage was quantified in terms of porosity.
- OSTI ID:
- 23047462
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 116; Conference: 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Nuclear Society, San Francisco, CA (United States), 11-15 Jun 2017; Other Information: Country of input: France; 2 refs.; available from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (US); ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CLADDING
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
FISSION
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL PARTICLES
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
IRRADIATION
MATRICES
NUCLEAR FUELS
PARTICLE SIZE
PERFORMANCE
POROSITY
RESEARCH REACTORS
SWELLING