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Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate the effect of Zr diffusion barrier properties on the thermal and mechanical performance of a U-10Mo monolithic fuel plate.

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What they did

System
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Abstract

Abstract The most recent design of U-Mo monolithic fuel as adopted by the U.S. for the conversion of its High Performance Research Reactors (USHPRR) from high enrichment uranium (HEU) to low enrichment uranium fuel (LEU, < 20% U235) consists of a high density (LEU) U-10Mo fuel sandwiched between Zirconium (Zr) diffusion barriers and encapsulated in aluminum (AA6061) cladding. In this work, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate effect of Zr diffusion barrier properties on the thermal and mechanical performance of a U-10Mo monolithic fuel plate by considering possible variation in thermal and mechanical properties of the Zr diffusion barrier. Possible variation in thermo-mechanical properties of the Zr diffusion barrier were determined and a simulation matrix was designed accordingly. Analyses of simulation results included determination of global peak stresses in the fuel, Zr diffusion barrier, and cladding sections as well as the plate thickness profile at a transverse section toward the top side of the plate. Results showed that variation in yield stress, elastic modulus and thermal conductivity of the Zr diffusion barrier has negligible effect on the thermal and mechanical performance of the monolithic fuel plate. The effect of variation in these properties was found to be limited to the barrier section itself, which may be attributed to the relatively smaller thickness of that section compared to the fuel and cladding sections of the fuel plate.

Key findings

  • Variation in yield stress, elastic modulus, and thermal conductivity of the Zr diffusion barrier affects the global peak stresses in the fuel, Zr diffusion barrier, and cladding sections.
  • The plate thickness profile at a transverse section toward the top side of the plate is affected by the properties of the Zr diffusion barrier.
  • Results showed that the thermal and mechanical performance of the fuel plate is sensitive to the properties of the Zr diffusion barrier.

Keywords

Cladding (metalworking)Composite materialThermal diffusivityDiffusion barrierThermal conductivityZirconium alloy

Identifiers

DOI
10.1115/power2019-1870
Journal
ASME 2019 Power Conference
Year
2019