COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN U-MO DISPERSED FUEL OF FULL-SIZE FUEL ELEMENTS AND MINI-RODS IRRADIATED IN THE MIR REACTOR

• Main Authors: ALEKSEY. L. IZHUTOV, VALERIY. V. IAKOVLEV, ANDREY. E. NOVOSELOV, VLADIMIR. A. STARKOV, ALEKSEY. A. SHELDYAKOV, VALERIY. YU. SHISHIN, VLADIMIR. M. KOSENKOV, ALEKSANDR. V. VATULIN, IRINA. V. DOBRIKOVA, VLADIMIR. B. SUPRUN, GENNADIY. V. KULAKOV
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2013-12-01
• Series: Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• Subjects: U-Mo Fuel; Al Matrix; Si Additions; High Burnup; ZrN Coating; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM); Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA)
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573315300735

The paper summarizes the irradiation test and post-irradiation examination (PIE) data for the U-Mo low-enriched fuel that was irradiated in the MIR reactor under the RERTR Program. The PIE data were analyzed for both full-size fuel rods and mini-rods with atomized powder dispersed in Al matrix as well as with additions of 2%, 5% and 13% of silicon in the matrix and ZrN protective coating on the fuel particles. The full-size fuel rods were irradiated up to an average burnup of ∼ 60%235U; the mini-rods were irradiated to an average burnup of ∼ 85%235U. The presented data show a significant increase of the void fraction in the U-Mo alloy as the U-235 burnup rises from ∼ 40% up to ∼ 85%. The effect of irradiation test conditions and U-235 burnup were analyzed with regard to the formation of an interaction layer between the matrix and fuel particles as well as generation of porosity in the U-Mo alloy. Shown here are changes in distribution of U fission products as the U-235 burnup increases from ∼ 40% up to ∼ 85%.