Comparative analysis of temperature dependent properties of commercial nuclear fuel pellet and surrogates undergoing cracking: A review

Patnaik, Sobhan

doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.06.266

Title: Comparative analysis of temperature dependent properties of commercial nuclear fuel pellet and surrogates undergoing cracking: A review

Journal Article · Tue Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Ceramics International

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.06.266· OSTI ID:1850494

Patnaik, Sobhan ^[1]

Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

A variety of normal and accident scenarios can generate thermal stresses enough to cause cracking in light water reactor (LWR) fuel. To better understand this behavior, cracking experiments have been carried out to induce thermal gradients in fuel pellets via induction heating and direct resistance heating. In this study, Ceria (CeO₂) and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) pellets were chosen as a surrogate fuel material for uranium dioxide (UO₂). Induction heating was done using copper coils and molybdenum susceptors which heated the surrogates to a threshold temperature that is sufficiently high for the fuel material to conduct current. Thereafter, direct resistance heating was achieved by passing current through the specimen using a DC power supply to introduce volumetric heating to replicate reactor operating conditions. Simultaneous real-time dual imaging of the ceria pellet surface has been designed using optical and infra-red camera system to capture images of cracks and full-field temperature gradients on pellet. It was observed that YSZ pellets need a much higher voltage-current for volumetric heating and do not exhibit the cracking pattern as ceria and UO₂, hence YSZ was ruled out for further consideration. Ceria was found to be an appropriate surrogate for UO₂. Furthermore, the experimental set up and test conditions demand the need to primarily understand the thermo-physical, mechanical and optical properties of UO₂ and the surrogates. Thus, it is essential to have an in-depth knowledge about the various temperature dependent properties of UO₂ and CeO₂ for establishing a comparative analysis between the surrogate and UO₂ for conducting experiments.

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Research Organization:: Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: NE0008531; 16-10905; NE-0008531

OSTI ID:: 1850494

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1809504

Journal Information:: Ceramics International, Vol. 46, Issue PA; ISSN 0272-8842

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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