AN EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL LINER MATERIALS FOR ELIMINATING FCCI IN IRRADIATED METALLIC NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENTS
Metallic nuclear fuels are being looked at as part of the Global Nuclear Energy Program for transmuting longlive transuranic actinide isotopes contained in spent nuclear fuel into shorter-lived fission products. In order to optimize the performance of these fuels, the concept of using liners to eliminate the fuel/cladding chemical interactions that can occur during irradiation of a fuel element has been investigated. The potential liner materials Zr and V have been tested using solid-solid diffusion couples, consisting of liner materials butted against fuel alloys and against cladding materials. The couples were annealed at the relatively high temperature of 700°C. This temperature would be the absolute maximum temperature present at the fuel/cladding interface for a fuel element in-reactor. Analysis was performed using a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive and wavelengthdispersive spectrometers (SEM/EDS/WDS) to evaluate any developed diffusion structures. At 700°C, minimal interaction was observed between the metallic fuels and either Zr or V. Similarly, limited interaction was observed between the Zr and V and the cladding materials. The best performing liner material appeared to be the V, based on amounts of interaction.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-99ID-13727
- OSTI ID:
- 926329
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-07-12189; TRN: US0802540
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Global 2007,Boise, ID,09/09/2007,09/13/2007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Microgamma Scan System for analyzing radial isotopic profiles of irradiated transmutation fuels
Development of Diffusion barrier coatings and Deposition Technologies for Mitigating Fuel Cladding Chemical Interactions (FCCI)