• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.327-330
• /
• 2004

Laser aided direct metal deposition (LADMD) process offers the ability to make a metal component directly from 3-D CAD dimensions. A 3-D object can be formed by repeating laser cladding layer by layer. The key of the build-up mechanism is the effective control of powder delivery and laser power to be irradiated into the melt-pool. A feedback control system using optical sensors is introduced to control laser power and powder mass flow rate. Using H13 tool steel and $CO_2$ laser system, comprehensive analysis are executed to test the efficiency of the system. In addition, the dimensional characteristics of directed deposited material are investigated with the parameters of deposition thickness, laser power, traverse speed and powder mass flow rate.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.5
• /
• pp.1031-1043
• /
• 2017

A structural model for stress distributions of coated Zircaloy subjected to realistic incore pressure difference, thermal expansion, irradiation-induced axial growth, and creep has been developed in this study. In normal operation, the structural integrity of coating layers is anticipated to be significantly challenged with increasing burnup. Strain mismatch between the zircaloy and the coated layer, due to their different irradiation-induced axial growth, and creep deformation are found to be the most dominant causes of stress. This study suggests that the compatibility of the high temperature irradiation-induced strains (axial growth and creep) between zircaloy and the coating layer and the capability to undergo plastic strain should be taken as key metrics, along with the traditional focus on chemical protectiveness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2017.10a
• /
• pp.127-128
• /
• 2017

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.11
• /
• pp.2565-2571
• /
• 2020

Background: Understanding the behaviour of nuclear fuel claddings by conducting burst test on single cladding tube under simulated loss-of-coolant accident conditions and developing theoretical cum empirical predictive computer codes have been the focus of several investigations. The developed burst criterion (a) assumes symmetrical deformation of cladding tube in contrast to experimental observation (b) interpolates the properties of Zircaloy-4 cladding in mixed α+β phase (c) does not account for azimuthal temperature variations. In order to overcome all these drawbacks of burst criterion, it is reasoned that artificial intelligence technique may be a better option to predict the burst parameters. Methods: Artificial neural network models based on feedforward backpropagation algorithm with logsig transfer function are developed. Results: Neural network architecture of 2-4-4-3, that is model with two hidden layers having four nodes in each layer is found to be the most suitable. The mean, maximum, and minimum prediction errors for this optimised model are 0.82%, 19.62%, and 0.004%, respectively. Conclusion: The burst stress, burst temperature, and burst strain obtained from burst criterion have average deviation of 19%, 12%, and 53% respectively whereas the developed neural network model predicted these parameters with average deviation of 6%, 2%, and 8%, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.16-25
• /
• 2016

In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconiumalloy fuel claddingmaterials are rapidlyheateddue to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority in accident management, an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) design may extend coping and recovery time for operators to restore emergency power, and cooling, and achieve safe shutdown. An ATF is required to possess high resistance to steam oxidation to reduce hydrogen generation and sufficient mechanical strength to maintain fuel rod integrity and core coolability. The initiative undertaken by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an ATF cladding with capability to maintain its integrity in $1,200-1,500^{\circ}C$ steam for at least 24 hours. This ATF cladding utilizes thin-walled Mo-alloys coated with oxidation-resistant surface layers. The basic design consists of a thin-walled Mo alloy structural tube with a metallurgically bonded, oxidation-resistant outer layer. Two options are being investigated: a commercially available iron, chromium, and aluminum alloy with excellent high temperature oxidation resistance, and a Zr alloy with demonstratedcorrosionresistance.Asthese composite claddings will incorporate either no Zr, or thin Zr outer layers, hydrogen generation under severe LOCA conditions will be greatly reduced. Key technical challenges and uncertainties specific to Moalloy fuel cladding include: economic core design, industrial scale fabricability, radiation embrittlement, and corrosion and oxidation resistance during normal operation, transients, and severe accidents. Progress in each aspect has been made and key results are discussed in this document. In addition to assisting plants in meeting Light Water Reactor (LWR) challenges, accident-tolerant Mo-based cladding technologies are expected to be applicable for use in high-temperature helium and molten salt reactor designs, as well as nonnuclear high temperature applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.526-535
• /
• 1994

For the evaluation of the corrosion behavior of the aluminum cladding in the KMRR(Korea Multipurpose Research Reactor) fuel, a modified Griess correlation was derived by introducing a heat flux factor derived from the comparison of the measured in-reactor corrosion data with the prediction of the Griess correlation. As a design criterion on the corrosion to maintain the KMRR fuel integrity, prevention of the oxide spallation was conservatively selected, which is conservatively assumed to occur when the temperature difference across the oxide layer exceeds 114$^{\circ}C$. A bounding power history of the KMRR fuel was determined by examining all the power histories of the KMRR fuel from cycle 1 to equilibrium cycle, and used to predict the maximum possible corrosion. Results of the corrosion prediction of the KMRR fuel with the bounding power history showed that the maximum local thickness of the oxide layer would be below 50$\mu$m and the design criterion on the oxide spallation would be satisfied with a factor of two margin. Therefore, it can be said that corrosion of the cladding will not impair the integrity of the KMRR fuel. Nevertheless, the applicability of the modified Griess correlation to the KMRR needs to be further verified through the KMRR fuel corrosion surveillance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.8
• /
• pp.2629-2639
• /
• 2021

Within the frame of the EMPIrE test, four monolithic mini-plates were irradiated in the ATR reactor. In two of them, the monolithic U(Mo) foil had been PVD-coated with Zr before the plate manufacturing. Extensive microstructural characterizations were performed on a fresh archive mini-plate, using Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) combined with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB)/Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) with nano EDS. A particular attention was paid to the examination of the U(Mo) foil, the PVD coating, the cladding/Zr and Zr/U(Mo) interfaces. The Zr coating has a thickness around 15 ㎛. It has a columnar microstructure and appears dense. The cohesion of the cladding/Zr and Zr/U(Mo) interfaces seems to be satisfactory. An almost continuous layer with a thickness of the order of 100-300 nm is present at the cladding/Zr interface and corresponds to an oxidized part of the Zr coating. At the Zr/U(Mo) interface, a thin discontinuous layer is observed. It could correspond to locally oxidized U(Mo). This work provides a basis for interpreting the results of characterizations on EMPIrE irradiated plates.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.332-340
• /
• 1989

Destructive examination of 14$\times$14 PWR fuel burned for 3 cycles are carried out to investigate the in-reactor fuel performance. The results obtained are as follows; 1) Grain growth is not occured at the fuel center. 2) Fuel density is decreased as the turnup increase, the density is down to 94.4% TD at burnup of 36,000 MWD/MTU. 3) Average thickness of oxide layer on cladding is less than 10 $\mu$m in the lower and middle section, while it is rapidly increased above 20 $\mu$m in the upper section. 4) The rate of hydride production in the cladding is large in the upper section than lower section and is related to the production of oxide on the cladding

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.193-202
• /
• 2010

In order to study the cladding properties of zirconium after a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA)-simulation oxidation and water quenching test, commercial Zircaloy-4 and two kinds of HANA claddings were oxidized at temperatures ranging from $900^{\circ}C$ to $1250^{\circ}C$ and exposed for 300 s, and then cooled to $700^{\circ}C$ before quenching. Microstructural observations were made to evaluate the matrix characteristics with the chemical compositions after the LOCA-simulation test. Ring compression testing was then performed to compare the ductile behaviour of the HANA and Zircaloy-4 claddings. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was carried out for temperatures ranging from room temperature to $1250^{\circ}C$ for the oxide layer to verify the oxide crystal structure at each oxidation temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.11
• /
• pp.3723-3740
• /
• 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.