| 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 |
Improved Model of Microcracking Behavior in High Burnup UO2 Fuel |
| Author(s) |
Walter Cade Brinkley, Oliver Baldwin, Jonathan Norman, Nathan Capps, Brian Wirth |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Walter Cade Brinkley |
| Abstract Scope |
Microstructure of a nuclear fuel pellet drastically changes as burnup increases. Fuel performance at high burnup is strongly dependent on this evolving microstructure and the related effects. To seek fuel burnup extensions, increased understanding of fuel behavior is required to improve fuel performance code predictions. Notably, micro-cracking of the fuel matrix occurs at these higher burnups, resulting in potential fission gas release (FGR) during temperature transients. FGR has many negative effects associated with it including fuel plenum pressurization. Additional high burnup transient FGR data has been acquired and will be used to develop an improved micro-cracking correlation to include temperature, burnup, and heating rate in an extended regime. This new empirical model will allow for increased understanding of high burnup fission gas release mechanisms observed during temperature transients. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Modeling and Simulation, Other |