Fabrication of uranium alloy fuel slug for sodium-cooled fast reactor by injection casting

The fabrication technology for metallic fuel has been developed to produce the driver fuel in a PGSFR in Korea since 2007. In order to evaluate the irradiation integrity and validate the in-reactor of the starting metallic fuel with FMS cladding for the loading of the metallic fuel, U-10 wt.%Zr fuel rodlets were fabricated and evaluated for a verification of the starting driver fuel through an irradiation test in the BOR-60 fast reactor. The injection casting method was applied to U-10 wt.%Zr fuel slugs with a diameter of 5.5 mm. Consequently, fuel slugs per melting batch without casting defects were fabricated through the development of advanced casting technology and evaluation tests. The optimal GTAW welding conditions were also established through a number of experiments. In addition, a qualification test was carried out to prove the weld quality of the end plug welding of the metallic fuel rodlets. The wire wrapping of metallic fuel rodlets was successfully accomplished for the irradiation test. Thus, PGSFR fuel rodlets have been soundly fabricated for the irradiation test in a BOR-60 fast reactor.

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Ceramic plasma-spray-coated graphite crucible for injection casting of fast reactor fuel slugs

International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology ◽

10.1111/ijac.12851 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 991-998

Author(s):

Ki-Hwan Kim ◽

Ki-Won Hong ◽

Jong-Hwan Kim ◽

Jeong-Yong Park ◽

Chan-Bock Lee

Keyword(s):

Plasma Spray ◽

Fast Reactor ◽

Graphite Crucible ◽

Reactor Fuel ◽

Injection Casting ◽

Fast Reactor Fuel

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Preparation of U–Zr–Mn, a Surrogate Alloy for Recycling Fast Reactor Fuel

Advances in Materials Science and Engineering ◽

10.1155/2015/131704 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jong-Hwan Kim ◽

Ki-Hwan Kim ◽

Chan-Bock Lee

Keyword(s):

Fast Reactor ◽

Reactor Fuel ◽

Metallic Fuel ◽

Fuel Rods ◽

Thin Sections ◽

Dynamic Vacuum ◽

Target Composition ◽

Injection Casting ◽

Fast Reactor Fuel ◽

Mn Content

Metallic fuel slugs of U–10Zr–5Mn (wt%), a surrogate alloy for the U–TRU–Zr (TRU: a transuranic element) alloys proposed for sodium-cooled fast reactors, were prepared by injection casting in a laboratory-scale furnace, and their characteristics were evaluated. As-cast U–Zr–Mn fuel rods were generally sound, without cracks or thin sections. Approximately 68% of the original Mn content was lost under dynamic vacuum and the resulting slug was denser than those prepared under Ar pressure. The concentration of volatile Mn was as per the target composition along the entire length of the rods prepared under 400 and 600 Torr. Impurities, namely, oxygen, carbon, silicon, and nitrogen, totaled less than 2,000 ppm, satisfying fuel criteria.

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