MODELING OF INTERACTION LAYER GROWTH BETWEEN U-Mo PARTICLES AND AN Al MATRIX

Interaction layer growth between U-Mo alloy fuel particles and Al in a dispersion fuel is a concern due to the volume expansion and other unfavorable irradiation behavior of the interaction product. To reduce interaction layer (IL) growth, a small amount of Si is added to the Al. As a result, IL growth is affected by the Si content in the Al matrix. In order to predict IL growth during fabrication and irradiation, empirical models were developed. For IL growth prediction during fabrication and any follow-on heating process before irradiation, out-of-pile heating test data were used to develop kinetic correlations. Two out-of-pile correlations, one for the pure Al matrix and the other for the Al matrix with Si addition, respectively, were developed, which are Arrhenius equations that include temperature and time. For IL growth predictions during irradiation, the out-of-pile correlations were modified to include a fission-rate term to consider fission enhanced diffusion, and multiplication factors to incorporate the Si addition effect and the effect of the Mo content. The in-pile correlation is applicable for a pure Al matrix and an Al matrix with the Si content up to 8 wt%, for fuel temperatures up to 200 ℃, and for Mo content in the range of 6 ? 10wt%. In order to cover these ranges, in-pile data were included in modeling from various tests, such as the US RERTR-4, -5, -6, -7 and -9 tests and Korea’s KOMO-4 test, that were designed to systematically examine the effects of the fission rate, temperature, Si content in Al matrix, and Mo content in U-Mo particles. A model converting the IL thickness to the IL volume fraction in the meat was also developed.

[1]  Y. Kim,et al.  Irradiation behavior of the interaction product of U-Mo fuel particle dispersion in an Al matrix , 2012 .

[2]  Ho Jin Ryu,et al.  Reaction layer growth and reaction heat of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuels using centrifugally atomized powders , 2003 .

[3]  H. Ryu,et al.  Effect of Si and Zr on the interdiffusion of U–Mo alloy and Al , 2008 .

[4]  Gerard L. Hofman,et al.  Fission product induced swelling of U–Mo alloy fuel , 2011 .

[5]  Daniel M. Wachs,et al.  Fission induced swelling and creep of U–Mo alloy fuel , 2013 .

[6]  Y. Kim,et al.  Interdiffusion in U3Si–Al, U3Si2–Al, and USi–Al dispersion fuels during irradiation , 2011 .

[7]  Tae Soon Kim,et al.  ENVIRONMENTAL FATIGUE OF METALLIC MATERIALS IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS – A REVIEW OF KOREAN TEST PROGRAMS , 2013 .

[8]  S. Van den Berghe,et al.  Transmission electron microscopy investigation of irradiated U–7 wt%Mo dispersion fuel , 2008 .

[9]  Y. Kim,et al.  Improved Irradiation Performance of Uranium-Molybdenum/Aluminum Dispersion Fuel by Silicon Addition in Aluminum , 2013 .

[10]  Microstructural characterization of U–7Mo/Al–Si alloy matrix dispersion fuel plates fabricated at 500°C , 2011 .

[11]  Daniel M. Wachs,et al.  Microstructural development in irradiated U-7Mo/6061 Al alloy matrix dispersion fuel , 2009 .

[12]  H. Ryu,et al.  Reduced interaction layer growth of U–Mo dispersion in Al–Si , 2012 .

[13]  J. M. Park,et al.  Observation on the irradiation behavior of U-Mo alloy dispersion fuel. , 2000 .

[14]  J. L. Snelgrove,et al.  RECENT OBSERVATIONS AT THE POSTIRRADIATION EXAMINATION OF LOW-ENRICHED UMo MINIPLATES IRRADIATED TO HIGH BURNUP , 2003 .

[15]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[16]  S. Van den Berghe,et al.  The effect of silicon on the interaction between metallic uranium and aluminum: A 50 year long diffusion experiment , 2008 .

[17]  D. Keiser,et al.  Potential annealing treatments for tailoring the starting microstructure of low-enriched U-Mo dispersion fuels to optimize performance during irradiation , 2011 .

[18]  J. L. Snelgrove,et al.  Recent observations at the post-irradiation examination of low-enriched U-Mo miniplates irradiated to high burn-up , 2003 .

[19]  Gerard L. Hofman,et al.  Amorphization of the interaction products in U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel during irradiation , 2009 .

[20]  G. L. Hofman,et al.  POST-IRRADIATION ANALYSIS OF LOW ENRICHED U-Mo/A1 DISPERSIONS FUEL MINIPLATE TESTS, RERTR 4 & 5 , 2005 .

[21]  Y. Kim,et al.  Recrystallization and fission-gas-bubble swelling of U–Mo fuel , 2013 .

[22]  T. C. Wiencek.  Summary report on fuel development and miniplate fabrication for the RERTR Program, 1978 to 1990 , 1995 .

[23]  B. Lustman,et al.  Phase Changes in Pile‐Irradiated Uranium‐Base Alloys , 1956 .

[24]  M. Rosenbusch,et al.  Characterization of the interaction layer grown by interdiffusion between U-7wt%Mo and Al A356 alloy at 550 and 340 °C , 2009 .

[25]  Ho Jin Ryu,et al.  PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF U-Mo/Al DISPERSION FUEL BY CONSIDERING A FUEL-MATRIX INTERACTION , 2008 .

[26]  Y. Kim.  3.14 – Uranium Intermetallic Fuels (U–Al, U–Si, U–Mo) , 2012 .

[27]  Rémi Tucoulou,et al.  U–Mo/Al–Si interaction: Influence of Si concentration , 2010 .

[28]  Yeon Soo Kim,et al.  Modeling the Integrated Performance of Dispersion and Monolithic U-Mo Based Fuels , 2006 .

[29]  D. Olander.  Growth of the interaction layer around fuel particles in dispersion fuel , 2009 .

[30]  J. L. Snelgrove,et al.  Initial assessment of radiation behavior of very-high-density low-enriched-uranium fuels. , 1999 .

[31]  M. Mirandou,et al.  Characterization of the interaction layer in diffusion couples U-7 wt.%Mo/Al 6061 alloy at 550 °C and 340 °C. Effect of the γU(Mo) cellular decomposition , 2009 .

[32]  A. Soba,et al.  An interdiffusional model for prediction of the interaction layer growth in the system uranium–molybdenum/aluminum , 2007 .