• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.899-906
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• 2018

The irradiation performance of $U_3Si$ dispersion fuel in an Al matrix, $U_3Si-Al$, under the Hi-Flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO) design full-power condition of 30 MW was tested for full-power qualification of the fuel. A test assembly was fabricated containing 18 fuel rods made with atomized $U_3Si$ powder manufactured at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The test assembly was irradiated for 188 full-power operation days in the HANARO subject to the normal fuel-loading scheme and achieved about 60 at% U-235 average burnup and 75 at% U-235 peak burnup. The maximum linear power of the test assembly was 98 kW/m. Nondestructive and destructive postirradiation examinations were conducted. The measured postirradiation examination data were compared with data from previous irradiations and the design criteria required for HANARO fuel. Consequently, it was concluded that in-pile performance was acceptable and fuel integrity was maintained, and the behavior satisfied the fuel design requirements.

• 한국분말야금학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국분말야금학회 2000년도 춘계학술강연 및 발표대회 강연 및 발표논문 초록집
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• pp.20-20
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• 2000

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1999년도 춘계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.259-259
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• 1999

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.645-650
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• 2017

This technical note demonstrates the feasibility of using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the characterization of U-7Mo/Ale5Si dispersion fuel. Our measurements show 5.0% Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) for the reproducibility of measured $^{98}Mo/^{238}U$ ratios in fuel particles from spot analysis, and 3.4% RSD for $^{98}Mo/^{238}U$ ratios in a NIST-SRM 612 glass standard. Line scanning allows for the distinction of U-7Mo fuel particles from the Al-5Si matrix. Each mass spectrum peak indicates the presence of U-7Mo fuel particles, and the time width of each peak corresponds to the size of that fuel particle. The size of the fuel particles is estimated from the time width of the mass spectrum peak for $^{98}Mo$ by considering the scan rate used during the line scan. This preliminary application clearly demonstrates that laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry can directly identify isotope ratios and sizes of the fuel particles in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel. Once optimized further, this instrument will be a powerful tool for investigating irradiated dispersion fuels in terms of fission product distributions in fuel matrices, and the changes in fuel particle size or shape after irradiation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권5호
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• pp.1044-1062
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• 2017

The construction project of the Kijang research reactor (KJRR), which is the second research reactor in Korea, has been launched. The KJRR was designed to use, for the first time, U-Mo fuel. Plate-type U-7 wt.% Mo/Al-5 wt.% Si, referred to as U-7Mo/Ale5Si, dispersion fuel with a uranium loading of $8.0gU/cm^3$, was selected to achieve higher fuel efficiency and performance than are possible when using $U_3Si_2/Al$ dispersion fuel. To qualify the U-Mo fuel in terms of plate geometry, the first miniplates [HANARO Miniplate (HAMP-1)], containing U-7Mo/Al-5Si dispersion fuel ($8gU/cm^3$), were fabricated at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and recently irradiated at HANARO. The PIE (Post-irradiation Examination) results of the HAMP-1 irradiation test were analyzed in depth in order to verify the safe in-pile performance of the U-7Mo/Al-5Si dispersion fuel under the KJRR irradiation conditions. Nondestructive analyses included visual inspection, gamma spectrometric mapping, and two-dimensional measurements of the plate thickness and oxide thickness. Destructive PIE work was also carried out, focusing on characterization of the microstructural behavior using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Electron probe microanalysis was also used to measure the elemental concentrations in the interaction layer formed between the U-Mo kernels and the matrix. A blistering threshold test and a bending test were performed on the irradiated HAMP-1 miniplates that were saved from the destructive tests. Swelling evaluation of the U-Mo fuel was also conducted using two methods: plate thickness measurement and meat thickness measurement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권11호
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• pp.3723-3740
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• 2021

The harsh conditions in the reactor affect the thermal and mechanical performance of the fuel plate heavily. Some in-pile behaviors, like fission-induced swelling, can cause a large deformation of fuel plate at very high burnup, which may even disturb the flow of coolant. In this research, the emphasis is put on the thermal expansion, fission-induced swelling, interaction layer (IL) growth, creep of the fuel meat, and plasticity of the cladding for the U₃Si₂/Al dispersion fuel plate. A detailed model of the fuel meat swelling is developed. Taking these in-pile behaviors into consideration, the three-dimensional large deformation incremental constitutive relations and stress update algorithms have been developed to study its thermal-mechanical performance under normal conditions using Abaqus. Results have shown that IL can effectively decrease the thermal conductivity of fuel meat. The high Mises stress region mainly locates at the interface between fuel meat and cladding, especially around the side edge of the interface. With irradiation time increasing, the stress in the fuel plate gets larger resulting from the growth of fuel meat swelling but then decreases under the effect of creep deformation. For the cladding, plasticity deformation does not occur within the irradiation time.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.72-78
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• 1994

Two kinds of $U_3Si$ powders and $U_3Si$ dispersed nuclear fuel meats have been prepared by conventional comminution process and a newly developed rotating disk atomization process. In contrast to angular shape and broad size distribution of the conventionally processed powder, the atomized powder was spherical and showed narrow size distribution. For the atomized powder, the heat treatment time for the formation of $U_3Si$ by a peritectoid reaction was reduced to about one tenth, thanks to microstructure refinement by rapid cooling of about 5$\times$104 K/s. The extruding pressure of atomized $U_3Si$ powder and Al powder mixture was lower than that of comminuted $U_3Si$ and Al powder mixture. The elongation of the atomization processed fuel meats was much higher than that of the comminution processed fuel meats and remained over 10% up to 80wt.% of $U_3Si$ powder fraction in the fuel meats. It appears therefore that the loading density of $U_3Si$ in fuel meat can be increased by using atomized $U_3Si$ powder. The atomized spherical particles were randomly distributed, while the comminuted particles with angular and longish shape were considerably aligned along the extrusion direction. Along the transverse direction of the extraction the electrical conductivity of the atomization processed fuel meats was appreciably higher than that of comminution processed fuel meats. This tendency became pronounced as $U_3Si$ content increased. Because the thermal conduction which is believed to be proportioned to the electrical conduction in the nuclear fuel meats occurs in radial direction, the atomization processed fuel can be better used in research reactors where high thermal conductivity is required.

• 분석과학
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.355-362
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• 2004

하나로 원자로에서 조사된 최대 선출력이 121 kW/m이고, 63 at%의 평균 연소도를 갖는 $U_3Si-Al$ 원심 분무 고출력 핵연료를 EPMA를 이용하여 파단면 관찰 및 반응층에 대한 핵분열 생성물을 분석 하였다. 조사된 고출력 $U_3Si-Al$ 핵연료를 EPMA로 화학 조성을 분석하기 위해 선행조건은 방사능 허용 한도가 $3{\times}10^{10}Bq$ 이하로 제한되는 EPMA 기기에 부합 될 수 있게 시험 시편을 최소화 하기 위한 작업이다. 시험 조건에 부합될 수 있는 시편의 제조를 위해 핵연료 천공 장치를 제작하였으며, 천공 장치를 사용하여 ${\Phi}1.57{\times}2mm$의 크기를 갖는 시료를 만들었다. 천공 된 시료를 파단 시편과 연마 시편으로 제조하여 파단면의 관찰 및 반응층(Inter-reaction layer)과 산화층에 대한 EPMA 분석을 수행하였다. 두께가 $16{\mu}m$인 반응층에 대한 평균값은 $UO_2$를 표준 시편으로 calibration한 경우의 조성은 $U_{2.84}$ Si $Al_{14}$ 이였으며, 시험 시편으로 calibration한 경우의 조성은 $U_{3.24}$ Si $Al_{14.1}$ 였다. 또한 반응층에서 핵분열 생성물의 조성을 분석하였으며, 반응층에서의 금속 석출물(metallic precipitates)의 생성은 확인할 수 없었다. 시험 시편의 산화층 조성은 $Ai_2O_3$ 임을 확인했다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.40-51
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• 1992

연구용 원자로의 분산형 핵연료에 대한 노내 조사 거동의 주요 특성중의 하나는 핵연료심 팽윤에 기인된 핵연료봉 직경 증가이다. 본 논문에서는 분산형 우라늄실리사이드 핵연료에 대한 노내 조사거 동과 실험 증거들을 분석함으로써 그 핵연료의 팽윤에 대한 물리적 해석 모형인, DFSWELL 전산 모형을 개발하였다. 문헌에 보고된 실험 증거들로부터 노내에서 U$_3$Si-Al 핵연료심의 부피변화는 온도와 핵분열율에 따라 크게 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났다. 분산형 우라늄 실리사이드 핵연료에 대한 정량적 팽윤량은 주어진 온도, 핵분열율, 핵분열고체생성물 측적 및 핵분열기체 기포거동을 고려함으로써 평가될 수 있다. 연구로의 분산형 우라늄실리사이드 핵연료의 팽윤 현상은 다음과 같은 세 가지 현상으로 귀결된다. i ) 핵분열기체생성물 기포 생성/축적에 치한 부피변화 ii ) 고체 핵분열생성물의 축적 및 상 변화에 의한 부피변화 iii ) 핵연료 입자와 기지 사이의 공유층에 대한 부피변화 상기 세 가지의 물리 적 현상을 고려하는 본 DFSWELL 전산 모형의 출력이력 조건에 따른 절대 예측치들은 실행 결과와 비교할 때 분산형 우라윰실리 사이드 핵연료의 조사추 팽윤 실측치와 잘 일치한다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.150-161
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• 1996

연구로용 우라늄-실리사이드 분산 핵연료에서의 응력 및 변형율 분포를 계산할 수 있는 변형모델을 개발하였다. 이 변형모델은 탄소성이론 및 지수법칙 크리프이론을 기초로 한 것이며, 또한 등방 핵연료팽윤 및 열팽창을 가정하였다. 개발된 모델을 HANARO 및 카나다의 NRU 핵연료에 적용하여 본 결과 핵연료의 변형을 성공적으로 계산하는 것으로 판단되었다. 계산결과에 따르면, 연구로용 우라늄-실리사이드 분산핵연료가 연소할 때 핵연료심에서 가장 중요한 변형기구는 팽윤이며, 피복관에서 가장 중요한 변형기구는 크리프이다. 또한, 피복관에서 원주방향 최대응력은 항상 5 MPa 이하로서 항복응력보다 훨씬 낮게 유지되었다. 여기서 고려한 두 핵연료설계에 대해서 전 연소도 범위에서 핵연료봉의 부피변화는 10% 이하로 예측되었다.