Integrated multiscale experiment and model analysis of radially resolved microstructure and thermal conductivity in mixed oxide fuel

IF 2.8 2区工程技术 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Journal of Nuclear Materials Pub Date : 2025-03-07 DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.155739

Joshua Ferrigno , Tsvetoslav Pavlov , Pierre-Clément Simon , Mathew Goodson , Ethan Hisle , Stephen Novascone , Fabiola Cappia , Marat Khafizov

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The thermal conductivity of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel depends on complex microstructural, chemical, and thermomechanical processes. Due to large thermal variations across the annular fuel pellet of sodium fast reactors, many significant microstructural alterations occur across short distances, which greatly impact local thermal conductivity. Using novel experimental methods that provide high spatial resolution enables capturing these localized microstructural trends affecting the thermo-physical properties of nuclear fuel. In this study, radial measurements of porosity, elemental composition, and thermal conductivity of mixed oxide nuclear fuel pellets at various burnups (6 - 19 % FIMA) have been acquired and are analyzed with a multiphysics fuel performance model. The model includes equations capturing heat generation and diffusion, porosity evolution, grain growth, fission gas behavior, and microstructure dependent thermal conductivity. This coupled experimental and modeling effort provides insight into how burnup and irradiation temperature lead to intricate microstructure evolution impacting the properties of the nuclear fuel. We quantify and discuss the accuracy of the implemented models. The porosity and dissolved fission product profiles resulting from burnup were identified as having the most significant impact on thermophysical properties. Validity of the overall multiphysics model was assessed using radially resolved experimental data revealing central void evolution, porosity, grain growth, dissolved fission gas, and thermal conductivity. This work provides a pathway for improving localized thermal conductivity models and the predictive capabilities of fuel performance codes.

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混合氧化物（MOX）燃料的导热性取决于复杂的微结构、化学和热机械过程。由于钠快堆环形燃料芯块的热变化很大，短距离内会发生许多显著的微观结构变化，从而对局部热导率产生很大影响。使用具有高空间分辨率的新型实验方法可以捕捉到这些影响核燃料热物理性质的局部微观结构变化趋势。在这项研究中，获得了不同燃烧度（6 - 19 % FIMA）下混合氧化物核燃料颗粒的孔隙率、元素组成和热导率的径向测量数据，并利用多物理场燃料性能模型对其进行了分析。该模型包括捕捉热量产生和扩散、孔隙率演变、晶粒生长、裂变气体行为以及与微观结构相关的热导率的方程。这种实验和建模耦合的努力让我们深入了解了燃烧和辐照温度如何导致影响核燃料性能的复杂微观结构演变。我们对所实施模型的准确性进行了量化和讨论。我们发现，燃烧产生的孔隙率和溶解裂变产物剖面对热物理性质的影响最为显著。利用径向分辨实验数据评估了整个多物理场模型的有效性，这些数据揭示了中心空隙演变、孔隙率、晶粒生长、溶解裂变气体和热导率。这项工作为改进局部热导率模型和燃料性能代码的预测能力提供了途径。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Nuclear Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

25.80%

发文量

601

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nuclear Materials publishes high quality papers in materials research for nuclear applications, primarily fission reactors, fusion reactors, and similar environments including radiation areas of charged particle accelerators. Both original research and critical review papers covering experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects of either fundamental or applied nature are welcome. The breadth of the field is such that a wide range of processes and properties in the field of materials science and engineering is of interest to the readership, spanning atom-scale processes, microstructures, thermodynamics, mechanical properties, physical properties, and corrosion, for example. Topics covered by JNM Fission reactor materials, including fuels, cladding, core structures, pressure vessels, coolant interactions with materials, moderator and control components, fission product behavior. Materials aspects of the entire fuel cycle. Materials aspects of the actinides and their compounds. Performance of nuclear waste materials; materials aspects of the immobilization of wastes. Fusion reactor materials, including first walls, blankets, insulators and magnets. Neutron and charged particle radiation effects in materials, including defects, transmutations, microstructures, phase changes and macroscopic properties. Interaction of plasmas, ion beams, electron beams and electromagnetic radiation with materials relevant to nuclear systems.