UN核芯TRISO包覆燃料颗粒性能分析

为分析致密热解碳层、内压等因素对TRISO包覆燃料颗粒热-力学性能的影响,基于多物理场耦合软件COMSOL建立了以UN为核芯的TRISO包覆燃料颗粒三维热-力学耦合模型,并通过IAEA CRP-6基准题进行了验证。利用本文模型对稳态运行及反应性引入事故（RIA）工况下典型TRISO包覆燃料颗粒的性能进行了分析,结果表明,正常运行工况下SiC层能维持结构完整性,但IPyC层存在失效风险,需进一步优化TRISO包覆燃料颗粒的设计方案,而RIA工况下热膨胀是造成TRISO包覆燃料颗粒发生结构失效的主要原因。该模型能对轻水堆运行环境下的TRISO包覆燃料颗粒进行复杂的多物理场耦合性能分析,为进一步优化FCM燃料元件设计打下基础。     

包覆燃料颗粒生产线压力平衡分析及系统优化

高温气冷堆使用的TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒采用流化床化学气相沉积法制备。实验研究发现,在包覆燃料颗粒的生产过程中,化学气相沉积过程的压力显著影响包覆燃料颗粒的性能指标。研究了包覆过程中反应压力的变化对包覆层的显微形貌及密度的影响规律。基于对化学气相沉积反应压力的控制需求,进行生产线全系统压力监测及分析,获得整个生产线压力平衡及稳定操作的值。对生产线进行了系统优化,提出从后端调节压力的方法,通过系统的压力平衡,实现了对反应压力的有效控制,保证了生产过程稳定性。研究结果指出,全系统压力平衡分析是一种有效的生产线评估手段,可用于故障分析排除、分级连锁设计以及系统优化等。     

包覆燃料颗粒及应用

介绍了包覆燃料颗粒技术及包覆燃料颗粒的结构和制备过程, 探讨了包覆燃料颗粒及其技术的潜在应用方向.     

包覆颗粒燃料分布随机性的影响研究

高温气冷堆采用弥散在石墨基体中的包覆颗粒燃料。包覆颗粒在燃料球内的离散分布及燃料球在堆芯内的离散分布共同导致了燃料分布的双重不均匀性,其分布还具有随机性,由此可能对反应堆的某些参数造成影响。建立适当燃料颗粒随机分布的几何模型,并用MCNP对模型进行相关计算,并与规则分布模型相比较,分析了分布的随机性对有效增殖因数的影响。结果显示,燃料颗粒随机分布会使全堆有效增殖因数较规则模型的稍大,两种模型偏差的主要原因在于两种颗粒排列方式在空间和角度分布的不同。     

Research and Development of HTTR Coated Particle Fuel

The coated particle fuel has been developed within a framework of the HTTR (High Temperature engineering Test Reactor) Development Program at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The HTTR fuel is a prismatic block type containing TRISO-coated U0₂ particles. Research and development on the fuel has been progressed in three categories; a work for fuel production technology, a proof test of fuel performance and a safety-related research. In the present report the concept and outline of the fuel in the HTTR design are firstly described, and then fuel fabrication technology including recently developed methods for improving fuel quality is followed. Tests for proving fuel performance have been carried out extensively on the reference fuel of the HTTR design by irradiation in an in-pile gas loop and capsules, and typical results are presented in this report. Concerning the safety-related research, fuel failure and ¹³⁷Cs release at abnormally high temperature are described.     

10MW高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒的研制

我国10MW高温气冷堆采用全陶瓷型包覆颗粒球形燃料元件。TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒由燃料核芯、疏松热解碳层、内致密热解碳层、碳化硅层和外致密热解碳层组成。采用丙烯和乙炔混合气体制备致密热解碳层以及四层连续包覆的新工艺,开展生产工艺条件试验,系统地研究了生产工艺和性能之间的关系,摸索出最佳生产工艺条件。用化学气相沉积方法在150mm流化床沉积炉系统中批量生产出TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒。用扫描电镜观察分析了包覆燃料颗粒的微观结构,包覆燃料颗粒的制造破损率为3.4×10-6,冷态性能达到我国10MW高温气冷堆设计要求。包覆燃料颗粒辐照考验结果(放射性裂变产物释放率R/B为1×10-6左右)表明,包覆燃料颗粒的质量可以满足10MW高温气冷堆安全运行的要求。     

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。     

碳化硅基新型包覆燃料颗粒的设计及制备

TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒可将核裂变产生的气体、固体裂变产物束缚在燃料颗粒内部,是高温气冷堆安全性的重要保障。为满足未来超高温气冷堆在更高温度及更高燃耗条件下对燃料元件的要求,需对传统TRISO颗粒进行优化和改进。基于包覆颗粒的破损机制,设计了两种SiC基新型包覆颗粒,一种采用疏松SiC层替代疏松热解炭层,包覆层由内而外依次为疏松SiC层、内致密热解炭层、致密SiC层、外致密热解炭层;另一种为全SiC包覆结构,包覆层由内而外依次为内层疏松SiC层、SiC过渡层、外层致密SiC层。根据结构设计,采用流化床化学气相沉积法实验探索了疏松SiC的形成机制及包覆工艺条件,并利用SEM、XRD等进行材料分析,最终成功实现了两种新型包覆颗粒的大规模制备。更进一步,提出了全SiC基燃料元件的概念,并制备了球形和柱形全SiC基模拟燃料元件。     

核电站燃料棒破损在线探测系统研制

采用在线检测方法对现役核电站燃料棒的破损情况进行监测可以克服传统化学取样方法不能连续探测和不能及时报告堆内燃料破损情况的不足.本工作研制出核电站燃料棒破损在线探测系统(FDDS-1),通过检测一回路核燃料裂变产物的活度,根据燃料破损性状分析程序FUDAC-1计算出燃料棒的破损根数等参数,给出在线探测报告.     

包覆燃料颗粒应力的有限元分析

高温气冷堆的燃料元件由包覆燃料颗粒弥散在石墨基体中组成。在反应堆运行过程中,辐照及各复杂的物理化学反应产生的应力会使包覆燃料颗粒发生破损,对包覆燃料颗粒进行应力分析是评价燃料元件和反应堆运行安全性能的主要内容之一。本文基于压力壳模式,主要考虑内压作用下的球形壳层应力及包覆燃料颗粒的非球形因素,用有限元法对应力进行了分析。     

Real-Time High-Sensitivity Fuel Failure Detection for HTGR

A real-time high-sensitivity fuel failure detection (FFD) method has been developed, where a wire precipitator radiation detector measures noble-gas fission products (FPs) released from a High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR). By changing the reference counting rate of the precipitator between the normal state and the failed fuel state in real time in response to reactor operation conditions, i.e. reactor power, fuel temperature, coolant-gas flow rate and so on, fuel failure with an extremely low failure fraction (Release-to-Birth ratio <5×10^?6) can be detected. The reference counting rate is obtained by adding an operational tolerance to the background counting rate that is estimated by a diagnostic equation. The diagnostic equation consists of a release equation for estimating the release rate of noble-gas FPs, a gas circulation equation for calculating concentrations of noble-gas FPs in the primary coolant system and a response equation for determining the detection efficiency of the wire precipitator. The feasibility of the method was evaluated by irradiation experiments using gas swept capsules and the Oarai Helium Gas Loop (OGL-1) in the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR). The background counting rate was estimated with an error of about 20% in real time by the diagnostic equation.     

Small PWR Using Coated Particle Fuel of Thorium and Plutonium

An innovative concept of PFPWR50 for district heating has been studied, which is a small PWR of 50MWt capability using coated particle fuels with conventional zircaloy cladding. This concept takes advantages of fuel integrity against fission products release of coated particle fuels and a high reliability of PWR technology based on the long history of a successful operation. We have investigated burnup characteristics of fuel rods, assemblies, and reactor cores by the calculation code SRAC95 in order to establish a core concept of long life without on-site refueling. The loading pattern of assemblies with various concentrations of burnable poison is optimized to obtain a flat excess reactivity during the core life in order to eliminate a soluble boron control system. The core life of a cycle is about 8.9 equivalent full power years. And we have also studied the applicability of SiC/SiC composite cladding in place of zircaloy cladding, which is now under development for gas cooled fast reactor fuels. It could be applicable to high burnup fuel rods for a long term operation. From the calculation results, it is found out that the burnup characteristics do not change significantly with SiC cladding and contribute to elongate the core life to 9.2 equivalent full power years.     

Detection of Failed Coated Particles in HTGR Fuels by Acid Leaching

By acid leaching of several kinds of irradiated coated particle fuels, uranium-and ¹³⁷Cs-leaching fractions were measured. These fractions were compared with the surface failure fraction of the coated particles by a visual inspection in the post-irradiation examination. From the measurements it was found that ¹³⁷Cs was unsuitable as the objective nuclide for acid leaching, because this nuclide escaped from failed coated particles during irradiation or trapped in the graphite grains of the fuel-compact matrix, and therefore, it was difficult to relate the leaching fraction of ¹³⁷Cs to the failure fraction of the coated particles. Cesium-137 leaching fraction was less than 10% of the uranium fraction. The uranium leaching fraction agreed fairly well with the surface failure fraction. Therefore, uranium is regarded as the suitable objective nuclide for acid leaching. Also, combination of the acid leaching and the surface inspection is an useful method for detection of failed coated particles.     

金属基弥散微封装燃料中TRISO燃料颗粒的尺寸优化设计

弥散微封装燃料是将包覆燃料颗粒弥散在基体中形成燃料芯块或者燃料棒,是目前耐事故燃料（ATF）中最具发展潜力的燃料之一。包覆燃料颗粒为三结构同向型（TRISO）或者两结构同向型（BISO）包覆燃料颗粒,基体可以是金属也可以是陶瓷。本文用有限元分析软件ABAQUS对金属基弥散微封装燃料进行了分析计算。通过分析TRISO燃料颗粒各包覆层厚度对燃料性能的影响,提出优化改进的建议。研究结果表明,疏松热解碳层（Buffer）厚度越大,燃料颗粒发生破损失效的燃耗越高,因此设计时应考虑增加其厚度;内部致密热解碳层（IPyC）厚度越大,其自身的最大环向拉应力越大,因此设计时应降低其厚度;碳化硅（SiC）层厚度越大,其自身环向压应力越小,因此设计时应降低其厚度。本文的研究结果可为金属基弥散微封装燃料的优化设计提供指导。      

10 MW高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒辐照考验

TRISO型包覆燃料颗粒由燃料核芯、疏松热解炭层、内致密热解炭层、碳化硅层和外致密热解炭层组成.在冷态性能检验合格的基础上,进行了10 MW高温气冷堆包覆燃料颗粒的静态辐照试验和动态回路辐照试验.在辐照温度1 000 ℃、累积快中子注量1.28×1025 m-2和燃耗(以金属铀计)达到95 GW·d·t-1时,包覆燃料颗粒的放射性裂变产物85Krm的释放率为1.02×10-6,辐照后检验未发现包覆燃料颗粒破损.辐照考验结果表明,包覆燃料颗粒的性能可以满足我国10 MW高温气冷堆安全运行的要求.     

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。     

Behavior of Coated Fuel Particle of High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor under Reactivity-Initiated Accident Conditions

In order to clarify the failure mechanism and determine the failure limit of the High-Temperature Gascooled Reactor (HTGR) fuel under reactivity-initiated accident (RIA) conditions, pulse irradiations were performed with unirradiated coated fuel particles at the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR). The energy deposition ranged from 0.578 to 1.869 kJ/gUO₂, in the pulse irradiations and the estimated peak temperature at the center of the fuel particle ranged from 1,510 to 3,950 K. Detailed examinations after the pulse irradiations showed that the coated fuel particles failed above 1.40 kJ/gUO₂, where the peak fuel temperature reached over the melting point of UO₂ fuel. It was concluded that the coated fuel particle was failed by the mechanical interaction between the melted and swelled fuel kernel and the coating layer under RIA conditions.     

高体积份额下包覆颗粒弥散燃料等效热学模型

准确预测核燃料的内部温度场分布,对于多层包覆颗粒弥散核燃料元件的设计及筛选具有重要的指导意义。在多层包覆颗粒及其弥散块体的等效热导率模型基础上,本文针对高体积份额情况分析建立了等效传热计算方法及其数值模型,并研究了燃料颗粒的空间分布、颗粒尺寸、团聚等因素对核燃料元件温度场的影响。本研究有助于理解多层包覆颗粒弥散核燃料元件的微观-宏观传热机制,为核燃料的设计、优化和安全分析提供了分析工具。      

核燃料组件无损检测探测系统设计

燃料组件是反应堆的核心部分,在高温、高压及强中子辐射场等复杂环境条件下,燃料棒中芯块会出现肿胀、变形甚至包壳破裂,严重威胁反应堆的安全运行。为了更好地了解燃料组件在反应堆内的变化,研究高燃耗的燃料组件中燃料棒的中心空洞形成和燃料棒的变形情况,高能X射线无损检测是一种有效的技术手段。由于辐照后核燃料组件自身具有强放射性,探测系统设计中必须考虑减弱燃料组件自身辐射对探测采集的影响,因此组件探测系统中探测器阵列及准直器的优化设计十分必要。经过建模及相关模拟计算,得到了探测器单元最佳尺寸,优化了后准直器的结构设计,为提高燃料组件无损检测系统重建图像的质量提供帮助。     

Techniques for Quality Inspection of Coated Fuel Particles

Various techniques have been developed for the quality inspection of coated fuel particles. The present report summarizes these techniques, which include random sampling of particles by two-stage sampling, measurement of kernel diameter and coating thickness by metallography and X-ray microradiography, determination of density by Hg displacement, m-xylene pycnometry and sink-float technique, determination of the crystallite orientation of pyrolytic carbon, assessment of uranium contamination by α-counting, fluorescence analysis and fission track counting, determination of the C/Si ratio of SiC layer by chlorination, and measurement of the crushing strength of particles. Quality evaluation based on statistical treatment of the data is also described briefly.