Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Harp, Jason Michael; Lessing, Paul Alan; Hoggan, Rita Elaine

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027

Title: Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Abstract

In collaboration with industry, Idaho National Laboratory is investigating uranium silicide for use in future light water reactor fuels as a more accident resistant alternative to uranium oxide base fuels. Specifically this project was focused on producing uranium silicide (U₃Si₂) pellets by conventional powder metallurgy with a density greater than 94% of the theoretical density. This work has produced a process to consistently produce pellets with the desired density through careful optimization of the process. Milling of the U₃Si₂ has been optimized and high phase purity U₃Si₂ has been successfully produced. Results are presented from sintering studies and microstructural examinations that illustrate the need for a finely ground reproducible particle size distribution in the source powder. The optimized process was used to produce pellets for the Accident Tolerant Fuel-1 irradiation experiment. The average density of these pellets was 11.54 ±0.06 g/cm³. Additional characterization of the pellets by scaning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction has also been performed. As a result, pellets produced in this work have been encapsulated for irradiation, and irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor is expected soon.

Authors:

Harp, Jason Michael ^[1]; Lessing, Paul Alan ^[1]; Hoggan, Rita Elaine ^[1]

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

Publication Date:: Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015

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

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1239870

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1252262

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-15-34239
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115; TRN: US1600468

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517; FOA-0000712

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 466; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; accident tolerant fuel; powder metallurgy; uranium silicide

Citation Formats


                    Harp, Jason Michael, Lessing, Paul Alan, and Hoggan, Rita Elaine. Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation.  United States: N. p., 2015. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027.

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                    Harp, Jason Michael, Lessing, Paul Alan, & Hoggan, Rita Elaine. Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027

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                    Harp, Jason Michael, Lessing, Paul Alan, and Hoggan, Rita Elaine. Sun .  
"Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1239870.

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@article{osti_1239870,

  title        = {Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation},

  author       = {Harp, Jason Michael and Lessing, Paul Alan and Hoggan, Rita Elaine},

  abstractNote = {In collaboration with industry, Idaho National Laboratory is investigating uranium silicide for use in future light water reactor fuels as a more accident resistant alternative to uranium oxide base fuels. Specifically this project was focused on producing uranium silicide (U3Si2) pellets by conventional powder metallurgy with a density greater than 94% of the theoretical density. This work has produced a process to consistently produce pellets with the desired density through careful optimization of the process. Milling of the U3Si2 has been optimized and high phase purity U3Si2 has been successfully produced. Results are presented from sintering studies and microstructural examinations that illustrate the need for a finely ground reproducible particle size distribution in the source powder. The optimized process was used to produce pellets for the Accident Tolerant Fuel-1 irradiation experiment. The average density of these pellets was 11.54 ±0.06 g/cm3. Additional characterization of the pellets by scaning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction has also been performed. As a result, pellets produced in this work have been encapsulated for irradiation, and irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor is expected soon.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 466,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015},

  month        = {Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Crystal structure stability and fission gas swelling in intermetallic uranium compounds
journal, October 1986

Hofman, Gerard L.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 140, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1016/0022-3115(86)90208-4

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds
journal, February 2004

Finlay, M. R.; Hofman, G. L.; Snelgrove, J. L.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 325, Issue 2-3
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2003.11.009

Amorphization of U3Si2 by ion or neutron irradiation
journal, June 1996

Birtcher, R. C.; Richardson, J. W.; Mueller, M. H.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 230, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1016/0022-3115(96)00160-2

Thermophysical properties of $U_{3} {Si}_{2}$ to 1773 K
journal, September 2015

White, J. T.; Nelson, A. T.; Dunwoody, J. T.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 464
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.04.031

Preliminary safety analysis of the PWR with accident-tolerant fuels during severe accident conditions
journal, June 2015

Wu, Xiaoli; Li, Wei; Wang, Yang
Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 80
DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.02.040

The Powder Metallurgy of Uranium
journal, March 1956

Hausner, Henry H.; Zambrow, John L.
Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 1, Issue 1
DOI: 10.13182/NSE56-A17661

Works referencing / citing this record:

Assessment of Neutronic Characteristics of Accident-Tolerant Fuel and Claddings for CANDU Reactors
journal, January 2018

Younan, Simon; Novog, David
Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations, Vol. 2018
DOI: 10.1155/2018/5327146

Fabrication of stoichiometric U3Si2 fuel pellets
journal, January 2019

Wagner, Adrian R.; Harp, Jason M.; Archibald, Kip E.
MethodsX, Vol. 6
DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2019.05.016

Development Status of Accident-tolerant Fuel for Light Water Reactors in Korea
journal, February 2016

Kim, Hyun-Gil; Yang, Jae-Ho; Kim, Weon-Ju
Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.net.2015.11.011

Features that Further Performance Limits of Nuclear Fuel Fabrication: Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing of Nuclear Fuels
report, May 2019

Nelson, Andrew T.
DOI: 10.2172/1669784

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Similar Records

Title: Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation

Abstract

Citation Formats

Crystal structure stability and fission gas swelling in intermetallic uranium compounds journal, October 1986

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds journal, February 2004

Amorphization of U3Si2 by ion or neutron irradiation journal, June 1996

Thermophysical properties of U 3 Si 2 to 1773 K journal, September 2015

Preliminary safety analysis of the PWR with accident-tolerant fuels during severe accident conditions journal, June 2015

The Powder Metallurgy of Uranium journal, March 1956

Assessment of Neutronic Characteristics of Accident-Tolerant Fuel and Claddings for CANDU Reactors journal, January 2018

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Features that Further Performance Limits of Nuclear Fuel Fabrication: Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing of Nuclear Fuels report, May 2019

Crystal structure stability and fission gas swelling in intermetallic uranium compounds
journal, October 1986

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds
journal, February 2004

Amorphization of U3Si2 by ion or neutron irradiation
journal, June 1996

Thermophysical properties of $U_{3} {Si}_{2}$ to 1773 K
journal, September 2015

Preliminary safety analysis of the PWR with accident-tolerant fuels during severe accident conditions
journal, June 2015

The Powder Metallurgy of Uranium
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Assessment of Neutronic Characteristics of Accident-Tolerant Fuel and Claddings for CANDU Reactors
journal, January 2018

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