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Investigation of High-Temperature Uranium-Dioxide Kernel Creep in Nuclear Reactors

  • SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS
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Atomic Energy Aims and scope

The operation of a high-temperature fuel rod with a fuel kernel consisting of uranium dioxide is accompanied by significant changes in the initial structure of the fuel – a multi-zone dioxide structure with different grain size and shape (growth of initially uniaxial grains, formation of a columnar structure) can form in the transverse section of the kernel. For low level of stress appearing in the fuel kernel of such a fuel rod, the creep rate ξ of uranium dioxide is proportional to the stress σ(ξ ~ Bσ), where the creep coefficient B for a specified range of stress depends on the grain size. A method is described for performing reactor tests on model fuel rods that makes it possible to determine the integral coefficient of creep of a fuel kernel, which depends on the temperature distribution and the size and shape of the formed grains. The use of this coefficient greatly simplifies the computational modeling of the useful-life behavior of a high-temperature fuel rod. This method obviates the need for post-reactor studies of fuel-kernel structure. It is most effective when used in combination with neutron-diffraction analysis during irradiation for fast processing of fuel rods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Luch Research Institute and Scientific Industrial Association (NII NPO Luch), Podolsk, Russia

    A. S. Gontar’, V. V. Kuznetsov, M. V. Nelidov & V. S. Serikov

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  1. A. S. Gontar’
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  2. V. V. Kuznetsov
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  3. M. V. Nelidov
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  4. V. S. Serikov
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Correspondence to V. V. Kuznetsov.

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Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 128, No. 2, pp. 111–114, February, 2020.

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Gontar’, A.S., Kuznetsov, V.V., Nelidov, M.V. et al. Investigation of High-Temperature Uranium-Dioxide Kernel Creep in Nuclear Reactors. At Energy 128, 121–124 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-020-00660-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-020-00660-0

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