| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical, and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-Cladding Interface II
|
| Presentation Title |
Examining Constituent Redistribution in U-19Pu-10Zr Fuel as it Evolves with Local Burnup |
| Author(s) |
Allison R. Probert, Jason Schulthess, Luca Capriotti, Tiankai Yao, Assel Aitkaliyeva |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Allison R. Probert |
| Abstract Scope |
While constituent redistribution is a known irradiation behavior in U-Pu-Zr fuel, new data have shown it is more complex than our current understanding and predictive capabilities. The size and composition of redistributed rings evolve as a function of pin composition, burnup, geometry, and irradiation temperature. In this work, we extract microstructural information from optical microscopy conducted on U-19Pu-10Zr pins (irradiated between 1.9 at. % and 11.6 at. % peak burnup). Both manual image analysis techniques and machine learning-assisted segmentation are used to quantify the thicknesses of the cladding, fuel-cladding interaction layers, and rings of fuel constituent redistribution in addition to pore distribution. These microstructural features and individual redistributed regions affect local thermomechanical properties, and identifying the relationship between burnup and constituent redistribution will improve accurate prediction of advanced reactor fuel performance. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |