Fission product retention in TRISCO coated UO sub 2 particle fuels subjected to HTR simulated core heating tests

Conference · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5536090

Baldwin, C A; Kania, M J

Results of the examination and analysis of 25,730 individual microspheres from spherical fuel elements HFR-K3/1 and HFR-K3/3 are reported. The parent spheres were irradiated in excess of end-of-life exposure and subsequently subjected to simulated core heating tests in a special high-temperature furnace at Forschungszentrum, Juelich, GmbH (KFA). Following the heating tests, the spheres were electrolytically deconsolidated to obtain unbonded fuel particles for Irradiated Microsphere Gamma Analyzer (IMGA) analysis. For sphere HFR-K3/1, which was heated for 500 h at 1600{degree}C, only four particles were identified as having released fission products. The remaining particles from the sphere showed no statistical evidence of fission product release. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) examination showed that three of the defect particles had large sections of the TRISO coating missing, while the fourth appeared normal. For sphere HFR-K3/3, which was heated for 100 h at 1800{degree}C, the IMGA data revealed that fission product release (cesium) from individual particles was significant and that there was large particle-to-particle variation in retention capabilities. Individual particle release (cesium) averaged ten times the KFA-measured integral spherical fuel element release value. In addition, the bimodal distribution of the individual particle data indicated that two distinct modes of failure at fuel temperatures of 1800{degree}C and above may exist. 6 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5536090
• Report Number(s): CONF-9011211-2; ON: DE91014255
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210300* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
CESIUM 144
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHALCOGENIDES
COATED FUEL PARTICLES
COOPERATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EUROPE
EUROPIUM 154
EUROPIUM ISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PARTICLES
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HEATING
HFR REACTOR
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
IRRADIATION
IRRADIATION REACTORS
ISOMERIC TRANSI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
MICROSCOPY
MINUTES LIVING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORNL
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
RUTHENIUM 106
RUTHENIUM ISOTOPES
SAFETY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
TANK TYPE REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES