Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics

Brian J. Ade; Daniel P. Schappel; Benjamin R. Betzler; Grant W. Helmreich; Alberto Talamo; Dylan D. Richardson; Michael P. Trammel; Brian P. Jolly; Austin T. Schumacher; Kurt A. Terrani

doi:10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995

Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics

Brian J. Ade, Daniel P. Schappel, Benjamin R. Betzler, Grant W. Helmreich, Alberto Talamo, Dylan D. Richardson, Michael P. Trammel, Brian P. Jolly, Austin T. Schumacher, Kurt A. Terrani

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3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Detailed analysis of the particle distribution in Transformational Challenge Reactor fuel elements indicates that particle packing is not random; instead, it follows a relatively ordered structure near fuel element surfaces. Discrete particle neutronic simulations indicate that the core reactivity is not impacted when assuming homogenization of particles with the silicon carbide matrix. However, the neutronic power distribution resulting from the ordered packing structure indicates that the highest-power particles reside at the top and bottom of the fuel elements and nearest the YH_1.85 moderator rods. The power distribution results were applied to thermomechanical simulations using mesh-based power distributions. Previous results indicated high stress at the bottom of the fuel element, where packing is most ordered. To reduce this stress concentration, additively manufactured protrusions were added to the bottom of a test fuel element to disrupt dense particle packing. These protrusions reduced the overall power peaking, but the thermomechanical simulations did not indicate a significant change in the fuel element’s maximum stress or failure probability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1517-1538
Number of pages	22
Journal	Nuclear Science and Engineering
Volume	196
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995
State	Published - 2022

Funding

This work was supported by the Office of Nuclear Energy. This work was supported by the DOE-NE TCR program. Special thanks to ORNL Manufacturing Demonstration Facility staff for the initial design iteration of the TCR fuel element, as well Justin Weinmeister and Prashant Jain for additional fuel element design and optimization. This paper has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract number DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the DOE. This work was supported by the DOE-NE TCR program. Special thanks to ORNL Manufacturing Demonstration Facility staff for the initial design iteration of the TCR fuel element, as well Justin Weinmeister and Prashant Jain for additional fuel element design and optimization. This paper has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract number DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the DOE.

Funders	Funder number
DOE-NE
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Nuclear Energy	DE-AC05-00OR22725

Keywords

3-D printing
TCR
TRISO
microreactor
yttrium hydride

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10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995

Cite this

Ade, B. J., Schappel, D. P., Betzler, B. R., Helmreich, G. W., Talamo, A., Richardson, D. D., Trammel, M. P., Jolly, B. P., Schumacher, A. T., & Terrani, K. A. (2022). Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics. Nuclear Science and Engineering, 196(12), 1517-1538. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995

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title = "Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics",

abstract = "Detailed analysis of the particle distribution in Transformational Challenge Reactor fuel elements indicates that particle packing is not random; instead, it follows a relatively ordered structure near fuel element surfaces. Discrete particle neutronic simulations indicate that the core reactivity is not impacted when assuming homogenization of particles with the silicon carbide matrix. However, the neutronic power distribution resulting from the ordered packing structure indicates that the highest-power particles reside at the top and bottom of the fuel elements and nearest the YH1.85 moderator rods. The power distribution results were applied to thermomechanical simulations using mesh-based power distributions. Previous results indicated high stress at the bottom of the fuel element, where packing is most ordered. To reduce this stress concentration, additively manufactured protrusions were added to the bottom of a test fuel element to disrupt dense particle packing. These protrusions reduced the overall power peaking, but the thermomechanical simulations did not indicate a significant change in the fuel element{\textquoteright}s maximum stress or failure probability.",

keywords = "3-D printing, TCR, TRISO, microreactor, yttrium hydride",

author = "Ade, {Brian J.} and Schappel, {Daniel P.} and Betzler, {Benjamin R.} and Helmreich, {Grant W.} and Alberto Talamo and Richardson, {Dylan D.} and Trammel, {Michael P.} and Jolly, {Brian P.} and Schumacher, {Austin T.} and Terrani, {Kurt A.}",

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year = "2022",

doi = "10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995",

language = "English",

volume = "196",

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Ade, BJ , Schappel, DP, Betzler, BR, Helmreich, GW, Talamo, A, Richardson, DD, Trammel, MP, Jolly, BP, Schumacher, AT & Terrani, KA 2022, 'Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics', Nuclear Science and Engineering, vol. 196, no. 12, pp. 1517-1538. https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2049995

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T1 - Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics

AU - Ade, Brian J.

AU - Schappel, Daniel P.

AU - Betzler, Benjamin R.

AU - Helmreich, Grant W.

AU - Talamo, Alberto

AU - Richardson, Dylan D.

AU - Trammel, Michael P.

AU - Jolly, Brian P.

AU - Schumacher, Austin T.

AU - Terrani, Kurt A.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Detailed analysis of the particle distribution in Transformational Challenge Reactor fuel elements indicates that particle packing is not random; instead, it follows a relatively ordered structure near fuel element surfaces. Discrete particle neutronic simulations indicate that the core reactivity is not impacted when assuming homogenization of particles with the silicon carbide matrix. However, the neutronic power distribution resulting from the ordered packing structure indicates that the highest-power particles reside at the top and bottom of the fuel elements and nearest the YH1.85 moderator rods. The power distribution results were applied to thermomechanical simulations using mesh-based power distributions. Previous results indicated high stress at the bottom of the fuel element, where packing is most ordered. To reduce this stress concentration, additively manufactured protrusions were added to the bottom of a test fuel element to disrupt dense particle packing. These protrusions reduced the overall power peaking, but the thermomechanical simulations did not indicate a significant change in the fuel element’s maximum stress or failure probability.

AB - Detailed analysis of the particle distribution in Transformational Challenge Reactor fuel elements indicates that particle packing is not random; instead, it follows a relatively ordered structure near fuel element surfaces. Discrete particle neutronic simulations indicate that the core reactivity is not impacted when assuming homogenization of particles with the silicon carbide matrix. However, the neutronic power distribution resulting from the ordered packing structure indicates that the highest-power particles reside at the top and bottom of the fuel elements and nearest the YH1.85 moderator rods. The power distribution results were applied to thermomechanical simulations using mesh-based power distributions. Previous results indicated high stress at the bottom of the fuel element, where packing is most ordered. To reduce this stress concentration, additively manufactured protrusions were added to the bottom of a test fuel element to disrupt dense particle packing. These protrusions reduced the overall power peaking, but the thermomechanical simulations did not indicate a significant change in the fuel element’s maximum stress or failure probability.

KW - 3-D printing

KW - TCR

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Ordered Particle Packing in Dense TRISO/SiC Fuel Elements and Preliminary Assessment of Neutronic and Thermomechanical Characteristics

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