Interdiffusion, Reactions, And Phase Transformations Observed During Fabrication Of Low Enriched Uranium Monolithic Fuel System For Research And Test Reactors

Keywords

Aluminum; Cladding; Diffusion; Diffusion barrier; Metallic nuclear fuels; Molybdenum; Phase transformations; Uranium; Zirconium

Abstract

Monolithic fuel plates have been developed utilizing low enriched U alloyed with 10 wt.% Mo to replace highly enriched fuels in research and test reactors, in accordance with the goals of the Materials Management and Minimization Reactor Conversion Program. The fuel plates consist of U10Mo fuel, Zr diffusion barrier, and AA6061 cladding. They are fabricated by co-rolling the U10Mo and Zr, which are then encapsulated in AA6061 via hot isostatic pressing of the entire U10Mo/Zr/AA6061 assembly. During fabrication, the metal constituents of the fuel plates undergo phase transformations as well as interdiffusion and reactions at interfaces. The areas of interest are the U10Mo fuel, U10Mo/Zr interface, U10Mo/AA6061 interface, Zr/AA6061 interface, and AA6061-AA6061 bond line. Knowledge of the transformations and growth in the plates is necessary to optimize fabrication parameters and predict behavior as they relate to irradiation performance. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze these reactions in monolithic fuel plates, and a summary of their observations is provided in this paper.

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Publication Title

Defect and Diffusion Forum

Volume

383

Number of Pages

10-16

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/DDF.383.10

Socpus ID

85043578775 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85043578775

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS