Continuum-mechanics-based multi-scale modeling of fission gas swelling and release coupling behaviors for UO2 fuels

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

Journal of Nuclear Materials Pub Date : 2025-03-15 DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.155757

Jing Zhang , Feng Yan , Shurong Ding

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Under the extreme in-pile environments, gaseous fission products continuously accumulate within nuclear fuels, causing macroscopic fuel swelling and fission gas release. Fission gas swelling and release effects are coupled to each other, related to the diffusion behavior of fission gas atoms within fuel grains. With the evolution of bubbles, the fuels transform into porous structures, degrading their macroscopic thermo-mechanical properties and thereby affecting the overall thermo-mechanical behaviors of the fuel elements. Conducting multi-scale modeling studies on the coupling behaviors of fission gas swelling and release, and achieving accurate predictions of these behaviors, are essential scientific problems and important concerns in reactor engineering design. In this study, the macroscopic volume changes and fission gas release behaviors of porous fuels are considered to be associated with the diffusion of fission gas atom, the growth of inter-granular bubbles, grain recrystallization effects and the creep deformations of the solid skeleton. By considering the contributions of bubble internal pressure, surface tension and external hydrostatic pressure, a multi-scale model describing fission gas swelling and release coupling behaviors is established based on continuum mechanics theory. This model is validated using abundant experimental results. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of fission gas swelling and release coupling behaviors are revealed. It is found that the creep deformation of the surrounding skeleton is the primary contributor to fission gas swelling, and creep-related damage of the skeleton appears to be the dominant mechanism for fission gas release and bubble connection. This study can provide technical support for the multi-scale thermo-mechanical behavior analysis of many advanced fuel elements.

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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.