NSUF 10-242: Low Fluence Behavior of Metallic Fuels
Metallic nuclear fuels are important part of development of various reactors (e.g. fast and research reactors). Currently, new metallic fuels are under development for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) for use in fast reactors that will be utilized for actinide transmutation, and for the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program. This proposal is focused on providing key, in-pile data that is necessary to support the development of metallic fuels and their claddings, either as input to the predictive model or to augment the out-of-pile experiments and their validation. The program will focus on low fluence irradiations utilizing the newly installed hydraulic shuttle irradiation system (HSIS) within ATR. Currently, there is little or no data that exists for low fluences of metallic fuels. However, it is known that the changes that lead to fuel degradation starts at very low burn-up (e.g. < 0.9%). The changes that we will examine in metallic fuels by low fluence, including defect formation, fission product nucleation, constituent redistribution and microstructural degradation will have a profound effect on overall performance of metallic fuels.The objective of the proposed program is understand the U-Zr and U-Mo based metallic fuel behavior with low fluence irradiation testing. A range of fluence (1 x 10-5 to 1 dpa) and temperatures (50° to 750°C) will be explored with various exposure time. Samples to be irradiated will include prefabricated TEM disks, diffusion couples and multiples. Samples are specifically designed for post-irradiation characterization and comparison to out-of-pile experimental observations (i.e., on-going programs at universities and INL or critical literature). Characterization of post-irradiation will focus on early defect formation, evolution of phase constituents and microstructure, and the impact of radiation enhanced diffusion in fuels and fuel/cladding systems.Findings from the proposed program will have several broad impacts. First, this program will mark the first systematic experiments at low fluence for metallic fuels. Initial changes in microstructure of the fuel and fuel/cladding assemblies will provide critical information that will have a significant effect on long-term behavior of metallic fuels. In other words, for understanding and modeling the fuel performance, the knowledge gained from this study will provide “initial” condition within the irradiation. Also the use of pre-fabricated diffusion couples will enhance the chance of successfully acuquiring controlled data on radiation enhanced diffusion for fuel-related materials. Finally and most importantly, detailed scientific findings from this study will provide thermo-kinetic parameters that are critical and required for predictive modeling capability for AFCI and RERTR programs.A strong collaborative team among university and national laboratory has been assembled for the proposed program, ranging from ATR experiments, metallic fuels, fuel/cladding interactions, materials characterization, multiscale materials modeling. The proposed ATR program is designed for three years of tasks. During the first year, we will focus on experimental design and pre-fabrication of specimens to be tested. The second year tasks will include the irradiations in the HSIS at ATR, and PIE. The third year will involve the remaining PIE and documentation of findings.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Awarded Institution | University of Central Florida |
| CINR Number | 242 |
| Embargo End Date | 2026-02-27 |
| Facility Tech Lead | Noé Morales |
| NSUF Call | FY 2010 Fall Solicitation for User Proposals |
| PI | Yongho Sohn |
| Project Member | Steven Hayes - Idaho National Laboratory |
| Project Member | Assoc. Prof. Maria Okuniewski, Associate Professor - Purdue University (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3498-6827) |
| Project Member | Dr. Yongho Sohn, Professor - University of Central Florida (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3723-4743) |
| Project Member | Daniel Wachs - Idaho National Laboratory |
| Project Member | Dennis Keiser, Distinguished Staff Scientist - Idaho National Laboratory |
| Project Member | Chaitanya Deo, Associate Professor - Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Project Type | Irradiation/PIE |
| Publication | Diffusion under temperature gradient: A phase-field model study Yongho Sohn Journal of Applied Physics 106 2009-09-01 http://www.researchgate.net/publication/224577899_Diffusion_under_temperature_gradient_A_phase-field_model_study |
| Publication | Phase constituents of Al-rich U–Mo–Al alloys examined by transmission electron microscopy Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 394 2009-11-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311509007740 |
| Publication | Microstructural Characterization of U-Nb-Zr, U-Mo-Nb, and U-Mo-Ti Alloys via Electron Microscopy Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion 31 2010-06-01 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11669-009-9645-4/fulltext.html |
| Publication | Microstructural Analysis of As-Processed U-10wt.%Mo Monolithic Fuel Plate in AA6061 Matrix with Zr Diffusion Barrier Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 402 2010-07-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311510001601 |
| Publication | Characterization of Interaction Layer in U-Mo-X (X = Nb, Zr) and U-Nb-Zr vs. Al Diffusion Couples Annealed at 600 degrees C for 10 Hours Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Defects and Diffusion Forum 312-315 2011-05-01 http://www.researchgate.net/publication/255248317_Characterization_of_Interaction_Layer_in_U-Mo-X_%28X__Nb_Zr%29_and_U-Nb-Zr_vs._Al_Diffusion_Couples_Annealed_at_600_degrees_C_for_10_Hours |
| Publication | Phase Constituents and Microstructure of Interaction Layer Formed in U-Mo Alloys vs Al Diffusion Couples Annealed at 873 K (600 °C) Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 42 2011-05-01 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11661-011-0733-9/fulltext.html |
| Publication | Microstructure characterization of as-fabricated and 475ºC annealed U-7wt.%Mo dispersion fuel in Al-Si alloy matrix Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Jan-Fong Jue, Yongho Sohn Journal of Alloys and Compounds 509 2011-09-02 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925838811015325 |
| Publication | Interdiffusion and Reaction Between Uranium and Iron Ke Huang, Young Joo Park, Bulent Sencer, Rory Kennedy, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 424 2012-05-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311512000542 |
| Publication | Interdiffusion Between Zr Diffusion Barrier and U-Mo Alloy Ke Huang, Young Joo Park, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion 33 2012-09-19 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11669-012-0106-0 |
| Publication | Fuel-Matrix Chemical Interaction Between U-7wt.%Mo Alloy and Mg Ke Huang, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Defects and Diffusion Forum 333 2013-01-01 http://www.researchgate.net/publication/256486501_Fuel-Matrix_Chemical_Interaction_Between_U-7wt.Mo_Alloy_and_Mg |
| Publication | Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys Ke Huang, Young Joo Park, Yongho Sohn, Bulent Sencer, Rory Kennedy Journal of Nuclear Materials 451 2014-08-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311514001974 |
| Publication | Growth Kinetics and Microstructural Evolution during Hot Isostatic Pressing of U-10wt.%Mo Monolithic Fuel Plate in AA6061 Cladding with Zr Diffusion Barrier Young Joo Park, Ke Huang, Dennis Keiser, Jan-Fong Jue, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 447 2014-04-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311514000294 |
| Publication | Phase decomposition of ?-U (bcc) in U-10 wt% Mo fuel alloy during hot isostatic pressing of monolithic fuel plat Nicholas Eriksson, Dennis Keiser, Ryan Newell, Young Joo Park, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 480 2016-07-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311516306171 |
| Publication | Microstructural development from interdiffusion and reaction between U-Mo and AA6061 alloys annealed at 600° and 550 °C Dennis Keiser, Emmanuel Perez, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 477 2016-08-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311516302021 |
| Publication | Microstructural Characterization of U-7Mo/Al-Si Alloy Matrix Dispersion Fuel Plates Fabricated at 500 C Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Jan-Fong Jue, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 412 2011-02-11 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311511002248 |
| Publication | Selected Observations in Phase Constituents, Growth Kinetics and Microstructural Development of Aluminides in U-Mo vs. Al and 6061 Diffusion Couples Annealed at 600°C Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Defects and Diffusion Forum 289-292 2009-01-01 http://www.scientific.net/DDF.289-292.41 |
| Publication | Thermotransport in γ(bcc) U-Zr Alloys: A Phase-Field Model Study Maria Okuniewski, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 414 2011-02-11 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311511002960 |
| Publication | Interdiffusion, Intrinsic Diffusion, Atomic Mobility, and Vacancy Wind Effects in γ(bcc) Uranium-Molybdenum Alloy Ke Huang, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 44 2012-10-01 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11661-012-1425-9/fulltext.html |
| Publication | Role of Si on Diffusional Interaction between U-Mo and Al-Si Alloys at 823K (550 C) Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 44 2012-08-22 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11661-012-1368-1/fulltext.html |
| Publication | Interdiffusion between Potential Diffusion Barrier Mo and U-Mo Metallic Fuel Alloy for RERTR Applications Ke Huang, Young Joo Park, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion 34 2013-04-13 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11669-013-0236-z |
| Publication | Phase development in a U–7 wt.% Mo vs. Al–7 wt.% Ge diffusion couple Emmanuel Perez, Dennis Keiser, Yongho Sohn Journal of Nuclear Materials 441 2013-10-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311513008155 |
| Publication | In-situ TEM study of the ion irradiation behavior of U3Si2 and U3Si5 Tiankai Yao, Bowen Gong, Yinbin Miao, Jason Harp, Jie Lian Journal of Nuclear Materials 511 2018-12-01 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002231151830850X#ack0010 |
| Publication | An atomistic study of defect energetics and diffusion with respect to composition and temperature in U and U-Mo alloys Gyuchul Park, Benjamin Beeler, Maria Okuniewski Journal of Nuclear Materials 552 2021-08-15 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311521001938#ack0001 |
| Publication | Fuel-cladding chemical interaction of a prototype annular U-10Zr fuel with Fe-12Cr ferritic/martensitic HT-9 cladding Xiang Liu, Luca Capriotti, Tiankai Yao, Jason Harp, Michael Benson, Yachun Wang, Fei Teng, Lingfeng He https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002231152031196X#ack0001 544 2021-02-17 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002231152031196X#ack0001 |
| RTE Number | 242 |