About this Abstract |
Meeting |
2020 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
Symposium
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Computational Materials Science and Engineering of Materials in Nuclear Reactors
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Presentation Title |
Microstructure-based Finite Element Model to Investigate the Effect of Grain Size and Homogenization on Hot-rolled U-10Mo |
Author(s) |
Ayoub Soulami, Aaron A Fortier, Curt Lavender, Vineet Joshi |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Ayoub Soulami |
Abstract Scope |
Low-enriched uranium with 10wt% molybdenum (U-10Mo) is being developed and qualified by the NNSA to replace high-enriched uranium due to its ability to meet the neutron flux requirements in U.S. high performance research reactors. During hot rolling, cast U-10Mo ingots are sandwiched between two thin zirconium (Zr) sheets and loaded into a steel can. Experimental observations after hot rolling indicate Zr thickness variations in the final fuel foil product. Non-homogenized molybdenum in the uranium matrix and coarse U-10Mo grains lead to variation in the Zr interlayer thickness. The purpose of this work is to investigate the effects of microstructural attributes on thickness variation in the resultant Zr interlayer. A microstructure-based finite-element model was developed, and a study on the effect of U-10Mo grain size, can materials, and homogenization on the Zr interlay variation was conducted. The model successfully predicted the experimentally observed variations in the Zr interlayer. |
Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Supplemental Proceedings volume |