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Understanding the 1600°C Fuel Temperature Limit of TRISO Coated Fuel Particles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2015

Félix Cancino Trejo ,
Mariana Sáenz Padilla  and
Eddie López-Honorato
Félix Cancino Trejo
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, 25900.
Mariana Sáenz Padilla
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, 25900.
Eddie López-Honorato*
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, 25900.
*
*Corresponding author: E-mail address: eddie.lopez@cinvetav.edu.mx (L.-H. E).
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Abstract

The TRISO (tristructural isotropic) coated fuel particle is made of a uranium oxide kernel coated with three layers of pyrolytic carbon and one of silicon carbide. This fuel, originally used in High Temperature Reactors, has been proposed as accident tolerant fuel for Light Water Reactors after the accident in Fukushima. Although this fuel is capable of retaining fission products within the particle up to 1600°C, little is known on the origin of this temperature limit. Therefore, in order to increase the safety of this type of fuel, it is necessary to understand the origin of the degradation of the materials that compose this fuel. We have studied the effect of temperature on the microstructure and diffusion of silver in pyrolytic carbon coatings produced by fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition. Samples were heat treated at 1000°C, 1400°C and 1700°C for 200 hrs. under inert atmosphere. The effect of temperature on the microstructure and silver diffusion behavior were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction, optical microscopy, SEM and TEM. We observed that the microstructure of PyC changed drastically above 1400°C, showing the increase in anisotropy and the re-orientation of the graphene planes. The diffusion of silver appears to be also correlated with this change in microstructure.

Keywords

microstructurecoatingnuclear materials
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1769: Symposium 6E – Materials for Nuclear Applications , 2015 , IMRC 2014 6E-03
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

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References

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