NSUF 24-4939: Porosity Evolution in High Burnup and Low Irradiation Temperature U-10wt.%Zr Fuel Subregions
This project aims to investigate the influence of low temperatures and high burnups on the formation of porous regions within U-10Zr fuel subregions, addressing a significant gap at these conditions. While metallic fuels like U-Zr offer potential benefits for fast reactors, limited research has focused on the porosity of such fuels, particularly variations across different regions. Our study builds upon recent efforts to characterize porosity in specific regions but extends to comprehensively examine pore formation across entire fuel cross-sections, especially in previously unexplored samples. This study hypothesizes that at low irradiation temperatures and high burnups, the location of pore dense regions and pore morphology varies from historically observed trends with high irradiation temperatures and moderate burnups. This hypothesis will be tested using advanced electron microscopy techniques such as x-ray microtomography (µ-CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high-resolution energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) on MFF-2 fuel pins irradiated to ~11-13 at% at ~560-600 °C. Through these analyses, we aim to understand how varying irradiation conditions and temperatures affect pore distribution, informing models for swelling in U-Zr fuels. The study will focus on two cross-sections from MFF-2 fuel pin 192167, allowing for characterization at multiple temperatures and burnups. SEM and EDS analyses will provide insights into pore volume fraction, average pore size, and compositional data, while large FIB cubes will facilitate 3D microstructure analysis using µ-CT. This comprehensive approach will enhance our understanding of pore morphology across fuel regions and its correlation with reactor operating conditions, laying the foundation for future investigations and model refinements.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Award Announced Date | 2024-05-28T16:56:10.833 |
| Awarded Institution | Purdue University |
| Facility Tech Lead | Alina Montrose |
| Irradiation Facility | |
| PI | Morgan Smith |
| PI Email | [email protected] |
| Project Type | RTE |
| RTE Number | None |