| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2022 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Mechanical Behavior and Degradation of Advanced Nuclear Fuel and Structural Materials
|
| Presentation Title |
Phase Field Fracture Study of the Effect of Gas Bubble on Fracture at U-Mo/Zr Interface |
| Author(s) |
Aashique Alam Rezwan, Sean Masengale, Benjamin Beeler, Yongfeng Zhang |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Aashique Alam Rezwan |
| Abstract Scope |
A zirconium diffusion barrier is commonly used between the U-Mo fuel plate and the aluminum cladding in U-Mo based research reactor fuels. This Zr layers incorporation leads to forming an interaction zone with multiple sub-layers, including a U-enriched one. During operation, a high density of fission gas bubbles generates in the U-enriched sub-layer, making it susceptible to fracture. Fracture initiation and propagation have been experimentally observed in the interaction zone paralleling the Zr/U-Mo interface. This study investigates the role of gas bubbles on fracture behavior using the phase-field fracture model. By varying gas bubble density, size, alignment, and gas pressure, a series of simulations are carried out to establish a correlation between the critical fracture stress and the varying microstructure. Such a correlation will help assess the mechanical integrity of U-Mo fuel at different burn-up levels. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Modeling and Simulation, Nuclear Materials, Mechanical Properties |