Postirradiation examination results of several metallic fuel alloys and forms from low burnup AFC irradiations

Harp, Jason; Chichester, Heather J.M.; Capriotti, Luca

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.07.003

Cited by 46 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…AFC-3C R1 contains some areas of low density that may indicate excess porosity about 15 to 18 mm above the end cap. AFC-3C R2 appears to have remained annular which is expected for U-10Mo, based on the AFC-3A/B irradiations [9]. The AFC-3C R3 pin has less attenuation in the center of the fuel pin also, which may indicate either enhanced porosity or less neutron attenuation from constituent redistribution in this pin.…”

Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 71%

“…The test matrix for AFC-3C, AFC-3D and AFC-4A is shown in Table 1. AFC-3C and AFC-3D repeated many of the alloys irradiated in AFC-3A and AFC-3B [9]. The AFC-3A/B irradiations were terminated early due to fabrication issues with the capsule, while the AFC-3C/D irradiations were completed as scheduled after 2, 3 or 4 cycles in the reactor.…”

Section: Motivation and Experiments Test Matrixmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lack of a phase transition eliminated constituent redistribution and should simplify the modeling of these systems. Previous irradiations have shown that while these alloys do not have constituent redistribution [9] they do interact with cladding more readily than U-Zr alloy even at moderate temperatures for sodium fast reactors. The second category is U-Zr based fuel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Baseline Postirradiation Examination of the AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A Experiments

Harp

Capriotti

Cappia

2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A capsule irradiations were irradiated at the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. These irradiations were planned to test several different fast reactor fuels that could be used to facilitate ultra-high burnup applications in sodium fast reactors. Several different alloys, fuel geometries, bonding materials, and the use of additives were tested in ferritic-martensitic HT-9 cladding. The AFC-3C and 3D experiment took various different U-Mo, U-Zr, U-Pd-Zr, U-Mo-Ti-Zr, and U-Mo-Ti-Zr-Pd alloys to burnups of 2.1% to 4.5% FIMA (fissions per initial heavy metal atoms) and fission densities of 6.13x10 20 to 1.27x10 21 fissions / cm 3 . These alloys were evaluated against the historical fuel performance of previously irradiated fuel from literature. Fuel performance was irradiated through a suite of postirradiation examination techniques including neutron radiography, gamma spectrometry, dimensional inspection, fission gas release measurements, chemical burnup analysis, and optical microscopy. The irradiations were performed at relatively aggressive temperatures that resulted in significant interaction between the cladding and the fuel in many cases. In spite of this, there were no in-pile cladding breaches in these tests. The U-Zr alloys performed better than the U-Mo or U-Mo-Ti-Zr alloys. Some of the fuel-cladding interaction issues seen in helium bonded annular fuel that was not machined to tight tolerances appear to have been resolved by machining the outer diameter of annular fuel in this irradiation. Higher Zr concentrations in additive bearing fuel appears to have improved the performance of Pd additive fuel.Baseline Postirradiation Examination of the AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A Experiments iv

show abstract

Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Motivation and Experiments Test Matrixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Baseline Postirradiation Examination of the AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A Experiments

Harp

Capriotti

Cappia

2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A MODERNIZED FUEL QUALIFICATION PARADIGM • BEAUSOLEIL et al 7 This is a critical aspect of FCCI for higher operating temperatures, as this has been shown to induce significant cladding wastage with fuel melting at elevated temperatures. 37 But unlike lanthanide attack, the origination source for contributing elements is much more straightforward and so understanding the mechanism of diffusion for fuel constituents will not necessarily improve the outlook for FCCI. However, understanding fuel alloy diffusion is still important to understanding bulk material behavior.…”

Section: Iiia Chemical Diffusivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, tests are being prepared to explore fuel designs, including the use of fuel liners and additives for FCCI mitigation, [24][25][26] sodium-free annular designs, 37 and advanced cladding. The first experiments will be available for advanced post-irradiation furnace tests, transient testing, and advanced characterization in order to show qualitative comparisons between advanced designs and historical fuel designs.…”

Section: Ivb Inl: Fastmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating Advanced Modeling and Accelerated Testing for a Modernized Fuel Qualification Paradigm

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

With the increasing interest in sodium fast reactor technology, as seen by applications to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the OKLO Aurora plant, fuel testing for the TerraPower Traveling Wave Reactor, and the impending construction and startup of the versatile test reactor (VTR), a modernized, accelerated approach to fuel qualification is needed. To guide this effort, a Phenomena Identification Ranking Table-styled analysis was performed for a U-Pu-Zr sodium-free annular fuel system. This analysis evaluated a series of fuel design properties and parameters against their contributions to key fuel performance phenomena. The resulting priority parameters were then reviewed against existing modeling and experimental capabilities to support investigation of the highest-priority parameters. A pathway for qualification was then established using highthroughput, high-volume experiments from MiniFuel and FAST in parallel with advanced physics-based model development. This effort outlines how the first stages of qualification can be reduced from the typical 20+-year development cycle to 5 to 7 years by deploying accelerated irradiation testing platforms. As with any accelerated test, these methods are prototypic in some aspects and less so in others; however, by coupling with advanced fuel performance modeling and simulation capabilities, the larger space of irradiation parameters and material response provided offers advantages for the validation of physics-based models supporting the deployment of novel fuel designs. As a test case, this paper utilizes a proposed Mark II fuel system for the upcoming VTR. Thus, an accelerated qualification method can be tested for the development of MARK II driver fuel so that by the time of VTR startup, lead test assemblies for a Mark II fuel can be initiated.

show abstract

First Structured Uranium‐Based Monoliths Produced via Vat Photopolymerization for Nuclear Applications

Zanini,

Celdran,

Walter

et al. 2024

Adv Funct Materials

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Uranium plays an unquestionable role in the framework of nuclear physics, biology, and radiopharmacy. Moreover, uranyl ion UO22+ offers an immense variety of applications due to the unique photosensitivity of its complexes. The excited state of uranyl cation is indeed accessible under ultraviolet‐visible (UV–vis) light, readily producing radical species UO22+* upon light irradiation. Herein, an innovative synthesis protocol is presented to explore the use of uranyl cations as photocatalyst systems for photocurable sol–gel‐based formulations, coupling the photochemical reactions of uranyl cations with photopolymerization‐based additive manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing has nowadays revolutionized the production of complex structures with arbitrary geometries and has opened up enticing opportunities for innovative technological breakthroughs and highly tailorable systems. The fabrication of micro‐architected components is shown via vat photopolymerization, namely, the Digital Light Processing technique, and ‐3D) printed parts are converted into uranium dicarbide (UC2)/carbon nanocomposite upon carbothermal reduction. This uranyl‐mediated additive manufacturing process constitutes the first application of the synergistic role of uranyl motifs in a photopolymer platform, demonstrating for the first time the possibility to directly pattern uranium‐based materials in complex structures.

show abstract

Postirradiation examination results of several metallic fuel alloys and forms from low burnup AFC irradiations

Cited by 46 publications

References 27 publications

Baseline Postirradiation Examination of the AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A Experiments

Baseline Postirradiation Examination of the AFC-3C, AFC-3D, and AFC-4A Experiments

Integrating Advanced Modeling and Accelerated Testing for a Modernized Fuel Qualification Paradigm

First Structured Uranium‐Based Monoliths Produced via Vat Photopolymerization for Nuclear Applications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About