Abstract
The X501 transmutation experiment irradiated in Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) was intended to evaluate the safety and performance of the addition of minor actinides (Am, Np) into the metallic nuclear fuel system. The irradiation of this experiment is also of paramount importance for comparisons between true fast spectrum irradiations (e.g. EBR-II) and shrouded irradiation capsules performed at the thermal neutron spectrum Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. The X501 experimental fuel pins were irradiated to a peak measured burnup of 6.2% fission per initial heavy metal atom. This work reports and discusses Postirradiation Examination results for one of two minor actinide bearing pins from the EBR-II X-501 experiment (X501-G591) with a focus on fuel microstructure evolution. Fuel swelling, fission product distribution, cladding strain, fission gas release, fuel microstructure and fuel cladding chemical interaction were all evaluated. The fission gas release was 79.9% and the microstructure along the fuel pin presented several characteristics very similar to other EBR-II U-Pu-Zr ternary metallic fuel experience. Minor actinides seem to not dramatically affect the overall performance of this candidate transmutation fuel. Scanning Electron Microscopy was also performed and an in-depth characterization of the different regions and phases is presented. Performance data from these irradiations can be used to inform the feasibility of minor actinide transmutation in future reactor systems.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 152279 |
| Journal | Journal of Nuclear Materials |
| Volume | 539 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2020 |
Funding
This manuscript has been authored by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC07-05ID14517 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Fuels Campaign of the Nuclear Technology Research and Development program in the Office of Nuclear Energy. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of all HFEF and EML staff members. This manuscript has been authored by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC07-05ID14517 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Fuels Campaign of the Nuclear Technology Research and Development program in the Office of Nuclear Energy . The authors would like to acknowledge the support of all HFEF and EML staff members.
Keywords
- EBR-II
- Metallic fuel
- Microstructure characterization
- Postirradiation examination
- SEM
- Transmutation fuel