• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.576-581
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• 2010

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) fabricated MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel pellets as a cooperation project with PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut) for an irradiation test in the Halden reactor. The MOX pellets were fitted into fuel rods that included instrumentation for measurement in IFE (Institutt for Energiteknikk). The fuel rods were assembled into the test rig and irradiated in the Halden reactor up to 50 MWd/kgHM. The irradiated fuel rods were transported to the IFE, where ceramography was carried out. The fuel rods were cut transversely at the relatively higher burn-up locations and then the radial cross sections were observed. Micrographs were analyzed using an image analysis program and grain sizes along the radial direction were measured by the linear intercept method. Radial cracks in the irradiated MOX were observed that were generally circumferentially closed at the pellet periphery and open in the hot central region. A circumferential crack was formed along the boundary between the dark central and the outer regions. The inner surface of the cladding was covered with an oxide layer. Pu-rich spots were observed in the outer region of the fuel pellets. The spots were surrounded by many small pores and contained some big pores inside. Metallic fission product precipitates were observed mainly in the central region and in the inside of the Pu spots. The average areal fractions of the metallic precipitates at the radial cross section were 0.41% for rod 6 and 0.32% for rod 3. In the periphery, pore density smaller than 2 ${\mu}m$ was higher than that of the other regions. The grain growth occurred from 10 ${\mu}m$ to 12 ${\mu}m$ in the central region of rod 6 during irradiation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.559-565
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• 2000

The sintering behavior of UO$_2$-Gd$_2$O$_3$fuel pellets under H$_2$gas has been investigated using dilatometry and XRD methods. The addition of TiO$_2$or Al(OH)$_3$increased the density and grain size. A density of 95% TD and a grain size larger than 6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ are achieved by the addition of 0.1 wt% TiO$_2$or Al(OH)$_3$. It was found that the densification of UO$_2$-Gd$_2$O$_3$pellets was suppressed in the temperature range of 1300 to 150$0^{\circ}C$, compared to UO$_2$pellets. The formation of a (U,Gd)O$_2$solid solution is the main reason for the suppression of densification. The role of TiO$_2$in densification and grain growth is discussed on the basis of the densification cuwe and ceramography.