Microstructure of the irradiated U3Si2/Al silicide dispersion fuel

Jian Gan; D. D. Keiser; B. D. Miller; J. F. Jue; A. B. Robinson; J. W. Madden; P. G. Medvedev; D. M. Wachs

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.07.030

Microstructure of the irradiated U₃Si₂/Al silicide dispersion fuel

Jian Gan, D. D. Keiser, B. D. Miller, J. F. Jue, A. B. Robinson, J. W. Madden, P. G. Medvedev, D. M. Wachs

Materials and Fuels Complex

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24 Scopus citations

Abstract

The silicide dispersion fuel of U₃Si₂/Al is recognized as the best performance fuel for many nuclear research and test reactors with up to 4.8 gU/cm³ fuel loading. An irradiated U ₃Si₂/Al dispersion fuel (²³⁵U ∼ 75%) from the high-flux side of a fuel plate (U0R040) from the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR)-8 test was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The fuel was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) for 105 days. The average irradiation temperature and fission density of the U₃Si₂ fuel particles for the TEM sample are estimated to be approximately 110°C and 5.4 × 10²⁷ f/m³. The characterization was performed using a 200-kV TEM. The U/Si ratio for the fuel particle and (Si + Al)/U for the fuel-matrix-interaction layer are approximately 1.1 and 4-10, respectively. The estimated average diameter, number density and volume fraction for small bubbles (<1 μm) in the fuel particle are ∼94 nm, 1.05 × 10²⁰ m^-3 and ∼11%, respectively. The results and their implication on the performance of the U₃Si₂/Al silicide dispersion fuel are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	97-104
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	419
Issue number	1-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.07.030
State	Published - Dec 2011

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10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.07.030

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title = "Microstructure of the irradiated U3Si2/Al silicide dispersion fuel",

abstract = "The silicide dispersion fuel of U3Si2/Al is recognized as the best performance fuel for many nuclear research and test reactors with up to 4.8 gU/cm3 fuel loading. An irradiated U 3Si2/Al dispersion fuel (235U ∼ 75%) from the high-flux side of a fuel plate (U0R040) from the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR)-8 test was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The fuel was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) for 105 days. The average irradiation temperature and fission density of the U3Si2 fuel particles for the TEM sample are estimated to be approximately 110°C and 5.4 × 1027 f/m3. The characterization was performed using a 200-kV TEM. The U/Si ratio for the fuel particle and (Si + Al)/U for the fuel-matrix-interaction layer are approximately 1.1 and 4-10, respectively. The estimated average diameter, number density and volume fraction for small bubbles (<1 μm) in the fuel particle are ∼94 nm, 1.05 × 1020 m-3 and ∼11%, respectively. The results and their implication on the performance of the U3Si2/Al silicide dispersion fuel are discussed.",

author = "Jian Gan and Keiser, {D. D.} and Miller, {B. D.} and Jue, {J. F.} and Robinson, {A. B.} and Madden, {J. W.} and Medvedev, {P. G.} and Wachs, {D. M.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to express their gratitude to the HFEF staff at INL for producing the TEM punching sample. This work was supported through funding provided by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to the RERTR program at INL, operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517.",

year = "2011",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.07.030",

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AU - Gan, Jian

AU - Keiser, D. D.

AU - Miller, B. D.

AU - Jue, J. F.

AU - Robinson, A. B.

AU - Madden, J. W.

AU - Medvedev, P. G.

AU - Wachs, D. M.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to express their gratitude to the HFEF staff at INL for producing the TEM punching sample. This work was supported through funding provided by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to the RERTR program at INL, operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517.

PY - 2011/12

Y1 - 2011/12

N2 - The silicide dispersion fuel of U3Si2/Al is recognized as the best performance fuel for many nuclear research and test reactors with up to 4.8 gU/cm3 fuel loading. An irradiated U 3Si2/Al dispersion fuel (235U ∼ 75%) from the high-flux side of a fuel plate (U0R040) from the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR)-8 test was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The fuel was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) for 105 days. The average irradiation temperature and fission density of the U3Si2 fuel particles for the TEM sample are estimated to be approximately 110°C and 5.4 × 1027 f/m3. The characterization was performed using a 200-kV TEM. The U/Si ratio for the fuel particle and (Si + Al)/U for the fuel-matrix-interaction layer are approximately 1.1 and 4-10, respectively. The estimated average diameter, number density and volume fraction for small bubbles (<1 μm) in the fuel particle are ∼94 nm, 1.05 × 1020 m-3 and ∼11%, respectively. The results and their implication on the performance of the U3Si2/Al silicide dispersion fuel are discussed.

AB - The silicide dispersion fuel of U3Si2/Al is recognized as the best performance fuel for many nuclear research and test reactors with up to 4.8 gU/cm3 fuel loading. An irradiated U 3Si2/Al dispersion fuel (235U ∼ 75%) from the high-flux side of a fuel plate (U0R040) from the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR)-8 test was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The fuel was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) for 105 days. The average irradiation temperature and fission density of the U3Si2 fuel particles for the TEM sample are estimated to be approximately 110°C and 5.4 × 1027 f/m3. The characterization was performed using a 200-kV TEM. The U/Si ratio for the fuel particle and (Si + Al)/U for the fuel-matrix-interaction layer are approximately 1.1 and 4-10, respectively. The estimated average diameter, number density and volume fraction for small bubbles (<1 μm) in the fuel particle are ∼94 nm, 1.05 × 1020 m-3 and ∼11%, respectively. The results and their implication on the performance of the U3Si2/Al silicide dispersion fuel are discussed.

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Microstructure of the irradiated U₃Si₂/Al silicide dispersion fuel

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