球形燃料元件温度分布对包覆燃料颗粒失效概率的影响

固态熔盐堆采用TRISO(Tristructural isotropic)包覆颗粒球形燃料元件。在运行工况下,燃料元件内部存在一定的温度分布,填充在燃料元件内部不同位置的TRISO颗粒的失效概率会因此受到影响。利用体积微元的方法分析了温度分布对包覆颗粒失效概率的影响,并进一步研究了球形燃料元件尺寸对TRISO颗粒平均失效概率的影响。结果表明,在一定的功率密度下,如果利用球心温度或者平均温度计算燃料元件内部TRISO颗粒的平均失效概率,结果相比实际值会有至少一个数量级的差别;在相同功率密度和相同燃耗条件下,燃料元件直径每减小1 cm,其包覆颗粒平均失效概率降低两个数量级左右。     

高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒破损机制及失效模型

高温气冷堆的燃料元件的基本构成单元是全陶瓷型的包覆燃料颗粒,其性能决定了高温气冷堆的安全性。除了传统的辐照实验检测外,建立理论模型对其研究具有重要的意义。本文主要介绍了TRI-SO型包覆燃料颗粒的结构及破损机制,以及国外现有的几个主要模型的基本假设,计算原理和特点,通过对比几个模型的优缺点,提出今后研究的方向。     

高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒尺寸测量方法研究

包覆燃料颗粒是高温气冷堆燃料元件的关键组元,包覆燃料颗粒包覆层的厚度和密度决定了包覆颗粒以及燃料元件的性能,而包覆层的厚度和密度均可通过精确测量其尺寸和质量来获得,因此,精确测量包覆燃料颗粒的尺寸至关重要.本文讨论了X射线显微照相一投影放大法、V型槽法、光电测长法、金相法、图像分析法、计算机自动光学显微分析仪法、颗粒尺寸分析仪法等几种测量方法的优缺点,根据测量方法的精度以及是否满足在线检测要求等因素,提出采用高精度的计算机自动光学显微分析仪法和自动颗粒尺寸分析仪法等测量包覆燃料颗粒的尺寸将是非常好的在线检测方法.     

包覆燃料颗粒几何参数统计规律对破损率的影响

将包覆燃料颗粒的碳化硅包覆层看作模型中的承压壳,利用蒙特卡罗方法,将颗粒几何参数的统计分布应用到压力壳式模型,考虑颗粒包覆层几何参数的统计规律对破损率的影响。研究结果表明,包覆燃料颗粒核芯半径、疏松层厚度、内致密热解炭层厚度以及碳化硅层厚度等参数对破损率有较为明显的影响;其中,核芯半径和疏松层厚度是影响破损率相对关键的因素。     

包覆燃料颗粒包覆层性能测试方法

高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒，是由ＵＯ２燃料核芯和在它上包覆热解碳和ＳｉＣ层材料构成。为测量这些微小颗粒包覆层材料的性能，专门研究了一些测试方法和专用仪器。本文简要地介绍了这些测试方法和测量精度     

HTGR颗粒燃料包覆工艺研究

包覆颗粒燃料涂层工艺是高温气冷堆(HTGR)关键技术之一。在研究制备工艺参数对包覆层性能的影响的基础上,确定了制备包覆颗粒燃料的最佳工艺条件,并制备出达到冷态设计要求的 Triso 型包覆颗粒燃料。     

高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒包覆层性能测试方法

高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒由ＵＯ２燃料堆饼和在它表面沉积的热解碳和ＳｉＣ层材料构成。这些热解碳和ＳｉＣ层的厚度只有３０－９０μｍ，为测量这些微小颗粒包覆层材料的性能，专门研究了热解碳和ＳｉＣ层的厚度，密度和热解碳层的各项异性能，ＳｉＣ层的弹性模量等的测量方法，并研制了颗粒尺寸分析仪，小试样弹性模量测定仪设备等。     

颗粒尺寸分析仪法测量包覆颗粒疏松层密度的研究

包覆燃料颗粒的质量对于高温气冷堆安全运行起着重要作用。低密度热解炭层作为包覆的第一层非常关键,关系到包覆燃料颗粒和燃料元件的性能质量。本文介绍一种用颗粒尺寸分析仪测量疏松热解炭层密度的方法,该方法采用颗粒尺寸分析仪测量包覆前后颗粒的直径,再结合天平称得包覆前后颗粒的质量,经过计算得到包覆燃料颗粒疏松热解炭层的密度。对该方法测量包覆燃料颗粒疏松层密度的测量精度进行了验证。结果表明,该方法的测量精度满足测试要求,且该方法快速、便捷,适于工程应用。     

UN核芯TRISO燃料颗粒破损概率模型研究

TRISO燃料颗粒由核芯和4层包覆层组成,具有良好的裂变产物包容能力。TRISO燃料颗粒破损概率是表征TRISO燃料事故安全特性的关键参数。本文基于修正的PANAMA破损概率计算方法,在考虑UN核芯裂变气体释放导致的气体内压以及内外致密热解炭层辐照蠕变和收缩作用的基础上,开发了UN核芯TRISO燃料颗粒压力壳式破损概率计算方法,并采用IAEA基准题6和基准题9对模型进行了验证;基于开发的UN核芯TRISO颗粒破损概率计算方法,采用随机抽样统计方法分析了事故工况下UN核芯和包覆层设计参数(包括包覆层尺寸及密度)对UN核芯TRISO燃料颗粒破损概率的影响。研究结果显示,疏松热解炭(Buffer)层设计参数是影响TRISO颗粒破损概率的关键因素,可通过降低Buffer层尺寸及密度分布设计标准偏差的方法降低UN核芯TRISO燃料颗粒的破损概率。     

包覆燃料颗粒的形状分选

畸形燃料核芯及包覆燃料颗粒是燃料元件制造过程中破损率的主要来源之一.本文涉及采用倾斜振动板式分选机对畸形燃料核芯和包覆燃料颗粒进行分选.该机对畸形颗粒的分选效率约为95%.     

球形燃料元件中包覆燃料颗粒的化学分析

报道了高温气冷堆球形燃料元件中包覆燃料颗粒的表面铀沾污、自由铀含量及包覆燃料颗粒的装铀量等性能指标的测试方法、范围及测量误差。利用激光荧光法测量并计算了包覆燃料颗粒中的自由铀含量及表面铀 沾污,利用电位滴定法测量了包覆燃料颗粒的装铀量。结果表明,经4层连续包覆的包覆燃料颗粒的质量符合并满足高温气冷堆球形燃料元件对包覆燃料颗粒的设计要求。     

Modeling spent TRISO fuel for geological disposal: corrosion and failure under oxidizing conditions in the presence of water

High temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) are being considered for near term deployment in the United States under the GNEP program and farther term deployment under the Gen IV reactor design (U.S. DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee, 2002). A common factor among current HTGR (prismatic or pebble) designs is the use of TRISO coated particle fuel. TRISO refers to the three types of coating layers (pyrolytic carbon, porous carbon, and silicon carbide) around the fuel kernel, which is both protected and contained by the layers. While there have been a number of reactors operated with coated particle fuel, and extensive amount of research has gone into designing new HTGRs, little work has been done on modeling and analysing the degradation rates of spent TRISO fuel for permanent geological disposal. An integral part of developing a spent fuel degradation modeling was to analyze the waste form without taking any consideration for engineering barriers. A basic model was developed to simulate the time to failure of spent TRISO fuel in a repository environment. Preliminary verification of the model was performed with comparison to output from a proprietary model called GARGOYLE that was also used to model degradation rates of TRISO fuel. A sensitivity study was performed to determine which fuel and repository parameters had the most significant effect on the predicted time to fuel particle failure. Results of the analysis indicate corrosion rates and thicknesses of the outer pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide layers, along with the time dependent temperature of the spent fuel in the repository environment, have a significant effect on the time to particle failure. The thicknesses of the kernel, buffer, and IPyC layers along with the strength of the SiC layer and the pressure in the TRISO particle did not significantly alter the results from the model. It can be concluded that a better understanding of the corrosion rates of the OPyC and SiC layers, along with increasing the quality control of the OPyC and SiC layer thicknesses, can significantly reduce uncertainty in estimates of the time to failure of spent TRISO fuel in a repository environment.     

Current status of researches on the plutonium rock-like oxide fuel and its burning in light water reactors

Intention of the ROX-LWR system research is to provide an option for utilization or disposition of surplus plutonium. Researches on inert matrix materials and irradiation performance shows that the most favorable candidate for the ROX fuel is a particle dispersed fuel where small particles consisted of yttria stabilized zirconia, PuO₂ and some additives are homogeneously dispersed in spinel matrix. Reactor safety analyses show that the ROX fueled PWR core has nearly the same performability as the existing UO₂ fueled PWR under both reactivity initiated accidents and loss of coolant accidents.     

Current status and future development of coated fuel particles for high temperature gas-cooled reactors

The coated particles were first invented by Roy Huddle in Harwell 1957. Through five decades of development, the German UO₂ coated particle and US LEU UCO coated particle represent the highly successful coated particle designs up to now. In this paper, current status as well as the failure mechanisms of coated particle so far is reviewed and discussed. The challenges associated with high temperatures for coated particles applied in future VHTR are evaluated. And future development prospects of advanced coated particle suited for higher temperatures are presented. According to the past coated fuel particle development experience, it is unwise to make multiple simultaneous changes in the coated particle design. Two advanced designs which are modifications of standard German UO₂ coated particle (UO₂^∗ herein) and US UCO coated particle (TRIZO) are promising and feasible under the world-wide cooperations and efforts.     

Improvements in Quality of As-Manufactured Fuels for High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors

The mechanisms of coating failure of the fuel particles for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactors during coating and compaction processes of the fuel fabrication were studied to determine a way to reduce the defective particle fraction of the as-manufactured fuels. Through the observation of the defective particles, it was found that the coating failure during the coating process was mainly caused by the strong mechanical shocks to the particles given by violent particle fluidization in the coater and by unloading and loading of the particles. The coating failure during the compaction process was probably related to the direct contact with neighboring particles in the fuel compacts. The coating process was improved by optimizing the mode of the particle fluidization and by developing the process without unloading and loading of the particles at intermediate coating process. The compaction process was improved by optimizing the combination of the pressing temperature and the pressing speed of the overcoated particles. Through these modifications of the fabrication process, the quality of the as-manufactured fuel compacts was improved outstandingly.     

包覆燃料颗粒制备的自动化控制系统设计与研制

针对高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒生产逐渐规模化大批量发展的趋势,原制备工艺的手动控制体系已不能适应,需发展现代化工业级别的包覆燃料颗粒制备自动化控制系统。针对TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒4层连续包覆工艺进行分析,将包覆炉系统划分为5个子系统,将整个包覆过程分解为9个操作状态,提出建立分布式控制系统（DCS）自动化控制系统的思路。根据对包覆颗粒制备工艺的严格要求提出了控制系统设计原则,包括连锁控制、安全可靠、集成规范、实用易用、开放和易更新原则,并在具体建设过程中实现了这些原则要求,建立起一套完整的包覆燃料颗粒制备工艺自动化控制系统。该系统在我国高温气冷堆示范工程项目辐照样品的生产中投入运行,经实践检验,证明该系统可较好地实现包覆燃料颗粒制备工艺控制,满足工厂规模的生产要求。     

Development of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel in Japan

This paper describes experiences and present status of research and development works for the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel in Japan. Recently, Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) is evaluated highly worldwide, and is a principal candidate for the Generation IV reactor systems. In Japan, HTGR fuel fabrication technologies have been developed through the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) project in Japan Atomic Energy Agency since 1960’s. In total about 2 tons of uranium of the HTTR fuel has been fabricated successfully and its excellent quality has been confirmed through the long-term high temperature operation. Based on the HTTR fuel technologies, SiC TRISO fuel has been newly developed for burnup extension targeted VHTR. For ZrC-TRISO coated fuel as an advanced fuel designs, R&Ds for fabrication and inspection have been carried out in JAEA. The irradiation with the Japanese uniform stoichiometric ZrC coating has been completed in the cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the United States.