TY - JOUR
T1 - Post-irradiation examination of low burnup U3Si5 and UN-U3Si5 composite fuels
AU - Hanson, William A.
AU - Cappia, Fabiola
AU - White, Joshua T.
AU - McClellan, Kenneth J.
AU - Harp, Jason M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy , under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07–05ID14517 and National Nuclear Security Administration contract number 89233218CNA000001 . Accordingly, the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. The authors would also like to acknowledge the staff, engineers, and operators of the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) for their efforts during the post-irradiation examinations.
Funding Information:
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07–05ID14517 and National Nuclear Security Administration contract number 89233218CNA000001. Accordingly, the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. The authors would also like to acknowledge the staff, engineers, and operators of the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) for their efforts during the post-irradiation examinations.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/5
Y1 - 2023/5
N2 - This work presents post-irradiation examination data on UN-U3Si5 and U3Si5 fuels at low burnup (i.e., <10–15 GWd/tHM) with Kanthal AF® cladding. The results suggest good irradiation performance for both the silicide and nitride-silicide composite pellets. Optical microscopy revealed that the pellet-cladding gap is still open, and limited axial cracking was observed only in UN-U3Si5 pellets. Microcracking was isolated to the U3Si5 phase in all cases and was observed in pre-irradiation and depleted pellets, indicating that it was not irradiation induced. The fission gas release was minimal for the calculated fission density achieved (2.6 – 3.15 × 1020 fiss/cm3). No fission gas bubbles were observed in the optical metallography. These results suggest acceptable swelling and fission gas behavior for both the single phase and composite compositions.
AB - This work presents post-irradiation examination data on UN-U3Si5 and U3Si5 fuels at low burnup (i.e., <10–15 GWd/tHM) with Kanthal AF® cladding. The results suggest good irradiation performance for both the silicide and nitride-silicide composite pellets. Optical microscopy revealed that the pellet-cladding gap is still open, and limited axial cracking was observed only in UN-U3Si5 pellets. Microcracking was isolated to the U3Si5 phase in all cases and was observed in pre-irradiation and depleted pellets, indicating that it was not irradiation induced. The fission gas release was minimal for the calculated fission density achieved (2.6 – 3.15 × 1020 fiss/cm3). No fission gas bubbles were observed in the optical metallography. These results suggest acceptable swelling and fission gas behavior for both the single phase and composite compositions.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85149426110
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/5169f4f9-80f8-3461-8f41-36d9ce4159cc/
U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154346
DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154346
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85149426110
SN - 0022-3115
VL - 578
JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials
JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials
M1 - 154346
ER -