About this Abstract |
Meeting |
MS&T23: Materials Science & Technology
|
Symposium
|
Ceramics for New Generation Nuclear Energy System Application
|
Presentation Title |
Analysis of Radially Resolved Thermal Conductivity in High Burnup Mixed Oxide Fuel |
Author(s) |
Joshua Ferrigno, Tsvetoslav Pavlov, Narayan Poudel, Daniele Salvato, Brian Merritt, Alex Hansen, Troy Munro, Fabiola Cappia, Marat Khafizov |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Joshua Ferrigno |
Abstract Scope |
The thermal conductivity of high burnup (19% FIMA) mixed oxide (U,Pu)O2 nuclear fuel was measured along the radial direction using a thermal conductivity microscope. Due to large thermal variations across the annular fuel pellet, many significant microstructural alterations occur across short distances which significantly impact thermal conductivity. We analyze the ability of the Lucuta-Inoue model, a common fuel performance model of thermal conductivity, to capture thermal conductivity degradation in various regions of the fuel governed by vaporization and sublimation, pore migration, grain growth, high burnup structure (HBS) formation, as well as actinide, oxygen, and precipitate redistribution. We find that the Lucuta-Inoue adequately captures thermal conductivity in the central region of fuel. It is unable to capture degradation in the HBS region. Interestingly, we observe the largest thermal conductivity in the mid-radial region of the fuel pin. These measurements provide a pathway for improving thermal conductivity correlations in fuel performance codes. |