Issue report summarizing non-destructive characterization and performance of SiC/SiC tubes

Abstract

Silicon Carbide (SiC) fiber reinforced SiC matrix composites, SiC/SiC composites, are a promising material intended to be used as a fuel cladding for light water reactors and advanced fission reactors. The design and performance analysis of SiC/SiC composites for nuclear applications require non-destructive, non-contact techniques and microstructural informed based models that are able to assess the complex microstructure of this type of material. Multiple types of SiC/SiC architectures can be tailored to enhance the lifetime and properties of these SiC/SiC composites. Manufacturing defects, preexisting pores and defects created by the exposure of the material to a nuclear reactor environment can reduce the thermal conductivity of the SiC/SiC composites. A reduction of thermal conductivity in SiC/SiC composites can lead to the deterioration or cracking of the composites. In this report the authors propose the use of a novel image-based modeling methodologies, a combination of x-ray computed tomography and finite element analysis, to nondestructively assess thermal properties of SiC/SiC composite cladding. The proposed microstructural heat transfer models help to identify which pores or defects are more detrimental to the performance of the SiC/SiC composites. In addition, the proposed method is useful to evaluate anisotropy of the thermal properties, which cannot be determined by conventional experiments.Issue report summarizing non-destructive characterization and performance of SiC/SiC tubes iv 07/23/2021Issue report summarizing non-destructive characterization and performance of SiC/SiC tubes