About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Symposium
|
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Presentation Title |
Influence of Carbon Stoichiometry and Microstructure on the Irradiation Performance of Uranium Carbide Fuels |
| Author(s) |
Denise Adorno Lopes, Annabelle Le Coq, Will Cureton, Grant Helmreich, Kory Linton, Christian Petrie, Jason Harp, Andy Nelson |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Denise Adorno Lopes |
| Abstract Scope |
Uranium carbide is a candidate fuel form for a wide range of advanced reactors, including larger Gen-IV reactors as well as small modular and microreactors. However, its commercial deployment timeline faces challenges via traditional qualification approaches. To address this, an accelerated fission rate irradiation test has been performed to collect basic fuel performance data to inform fuel performance models and potential future integral tests. UC1+x kernels were irradiated using the MiniFuel irradiation vehicle. The test matrix spanned two temperature regimes (700°C and 800°C) and burnup levels (1.8% and 2.8% fissions per initial metal atom). As-fabricated microstructural analysis revealed a multiphase composition with UC, UC2, UC2-y, and U-C-O phases. Measured fission gas release was below 5% for all irradiation conditions. A binary swelling response was observed; the lower burnup and temperature conditions resulted in negligible swelling, but the higher burnup and temperature conditions produced significant anisotropic swelling and densification in a subset of kernels. The basic microstructural exams of kernels following irradiation were not capable of elucidating a correlation between kernels that exhibited excessive swelling and those which did not. Characterization of a subset of samples using the Advanced Photon Source and more detailed microstructural examination of unirradiated kernels revealed a subset of kernels contained very high UC2 phase fractions. The anomalous swelling response is hypothesized to have been driven by this chemical variation. The results of this irradiation highlight the importance of quality control (QC) for carbon composition prior to reactor insertion. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |