Conjugate heat transfer simulations of advanced research reactor fuel

Growth behavior of intermetallic compounds during reactive diffusion between aluminum alloy 1060 and magnesium at 573–673 K

“…Therefore, the reported annealing time was started 15 min after placing the sample inside the furnace. Although the temperature of the interface between Al alloy 1060 and Mg is usually less than 423 K under normal and abnormal operating conditions in the reactor [26], the diffusion temperature was selected to be as high as possible under the eutectic reaction temperature (710 K) to save experimental time. At the end of the heat treatment periods, the diffusion couples were removed from the furnace and air-cooled.…”

Structure and thermal properties of as-fabricated U-7Mo/Mg and U-10Mo/Mg low-enriched uranium research reactor fuels

“…In a previous effort to simulate heat transfer of U-Mo/Mg fuel to predict fuel and cladding temperatures, the thermal conductivity of the fuel was approximated with the Maxwell-Eucken model [6]. The intent of this approximation was to make a best attempt to predict the thermal conductivity of the fuel in the absence of experimental data with the understanding that experimental measurements of thermal transport in U-Mo/Mg fuel materials would be required in the future to validate the approximation.…”

“…Post-irradiation examination showed that the U-Mo fuel particles were stable under neutron irradiation; however, there was an excessive UAl x interaction layer that formed between the U-Mo fuel particles and the aluminum matrix, which led to significant fuel swelling [4]. Furthermore, the low-thermal conductivity interaction layer consumed a large portion of the aluminum matrix, thereby lowering the effectiveness of heat removal from the fuel element to the coolant [5], [6]. The combination of fuel swelling and thermal conductivity degradation ultimately led to fuel failures.…”

“…The in-reactor temperature distribution of the fuel was initially predicted based on the fuel core thermal conductivity estimated using the Maxwell-Eucken model by Piro and Leitch [6]. Given the importance of accurately representing the thermal conductivity for predicting the in-reactor fuel temperatures, Piro and Leitch recommended that fuel thermal conductivity measurements should be made [6].…”

“…Given the importance of accurately representing the thermal conductivity for predicting the in-reactor fuel temperatures, Piro and Leitch recommended that fuel thermal conductivity measurements should be made [6]. In this paper, the structure of unirradiated U-7Mo/Mg and U-10Mo/Mg fuel cores was analyzed.…”