| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-cladding Interface
|
| Presentation Title |
Comparing the Impact of Thermal Stresses and Bubble Pressure on Intergranular Fracture in UO2 Using 2D Phase Field Fracture Simulations |
| Author(s) |
Shuaifang Zhang, Wen Jiang, Kyle Gamble, Michael R. Tonks |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Michael R. Tonks |
| Abstract Scope |
UO2 fuel fragmentation and pulverization during loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs) is an ongoing safety concern that has gained importance due to recent interest in increasing burnup limits for light water reactor fuel. In this work, we investigate the importance of bubble pressure on fragmentation using 2D phase field fracture simulations of UO2 polycrystals. A stress is applied that is representative of the internal stresses observed in macroscale BISON simulations of LOCA tests. Cracks do not form in UO2 polycrystals with the applied stress and no porosity. Crack nucleation and propagation do occur throughout stressed polycrystals with unpressurized intergranular voids. They also occur in polycrystals with and without applied stress that have pressurized bubbles. Our results indicate that bubble pressure may not be necessary to initiate fragmentation in polycrystals with intergranular porosity under LOCA conditions. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Computational Materials Science & Engineering, Nuclear Materials, Modeling and Simulation |