Predicted irradiation behavior of U3O8-Al dispersion fuels for production reactor applications.

摘要

Candidate fuels for the new heavy-water production reactor include uranium/aluminum alloy and U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al dispersion fuels. The U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al dispersion fuel would make possible higher uranium loadings and would facilitate uranium recycle. Research efforts on U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al fuel include in-pile irradiation studies and development of analytical tools to characterize the behavior of dispersion fuels at high-burnup. In this paper the irradiation performance of U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al is assessed using the mechanistic Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) code. Predictions of fuel swelling and alteration of thermal conductivity are presented and compared with experimental data. Calculational results indicate good agreement with available data where the effects of as-fabricated porosity and U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al oxygen exchange reactions are shown to exert a controlling influence on irradiation behavior. The DART code is judged to be a useful tool for assessing U(sub 3)O(sub 8)--Al performance over a wide range of irradiation conditions. 8 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.