THE H-1 HIGH TEMPERATURE GRAPHITE IRRADIATION EXPERIMENT

Within the scope of the 5th EURATOM Framework Programme (FP) for the HTR-F and HTR-F1 projects, a new 4-year integrated project on very high temperature reactors (RAPHAEL: ReActor for Process Heat And Electricity) was started in April 2006 as part of the 6th Framework Programme. The Sub-Project on Fuel Technology (SP-FT) is one of eight sub-projects constituting the RAPHAEL project. R&D conducted in this sub-project focuses on understanding fuel behaviour, determining the limits of state-of-the-art fuel, and developing potential performance improvements. Fabrication processes were worked out for alternative fuel kernel composition (UCO instead of UO2) and coating (ZrC instead of SiC): i) UCO microstructure reduces fission product migration and is thus considered superior to UO2 under high burn-ups and high temperature gradients. For this reason, the manufacturing feasibility of UCO kernels using modified external sol-gel routes was addressed. The calcining and sintering steps were particularly studied. ii) For its better high temperature performance, ZrC is a candidate coating material for replacing SiC in TRISO (TRistructural ISOtropic) particles. One of the objectives was therefore to deposit a stoichiometric ZrC layer without impurities. An “analytical irradiation” experiment currently performed in the HFR — named PYCASSO for PYrocarbon irradiation for Creep And Swelling/Shrinkage of Objects — was set up to measure the changes in coating material properties as a function of neutron fluence, with samples coming from the new fabrication process. This experiment was started in April 2008 and will provide data on particle component behaviour under irradiation. This data is required to upgrade material models implemented in the ATLAS fuel simulation code. The PYCASSO irradiation experiment is a true Generation IV VHTR effort, with Korean and Japanese samples included in the irradiation. Further RAPHAEL results will be made available to the GIF VHTR Fuel and Fuel Cycle project partners in the future. Post-irradiation examinations and heat-up tests performed on fuel irradiated in an earlier project are being performed to investigate the behaviour of state-of-the-art fuel in VHTR normal and accident conditions. Very interesting results from destructive examinations performed on the HFR-EU1bis pebbles were obtained, showing a clear temperature (and high burn-up) influence on both kernel changes (including fission product behaviour) and the coating layers. Based on fuel particle models established earlier, the fuel modelling capabilities could be further improved: i) Modelling of fuel elements containing thousands of particles is expected to enable a statistical approach to mechanical particle behaviour and fission product release. ii) A database on historical and new fuel properties was built to enable validation of models. This paper reports on recent progress and main results of the RAPHAEL sub-project on fuel technology.

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Description of the replacement mixed-oxide fuel-rod capsules for the F-1 (X094) high-temperature fast-flux irradiation experiment.

10.2172/4526506 ◽

1973 ◽

Author(s):

P. Flynn ◽

R. Hinz ◽

S. Langer ◽

J. Lindgren ◽

T. Washburn

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Mixed Oxide ◽

Oxide Fuel ◽

Mixed Oxide Fuel ◽

Fuel Rod ◽

Irradiation Experiment ◽

Fast Flux

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Single irradiation experiment comparing six high-temperature alloys at 760$sup 0$C

10.2172/4252820 ◽

1974 ◽

Author(s):

D. G. Harman

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Irradiation Experiment ◽

High Temperature Alloys

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Influence of Thermo-Mechanical Processing on the Microstructure of Beryllia Dispersed Nickel Alloys

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100071363 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 184-185

Author(s):

M.S. Grewal ◽

S.A. Sastri ◽

N.J. Grant

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Nickel Alloys ◽

Thermomechanical Processing ◽

Cold Work ◽

High Temperature Strength ◽

Strengthening Effect ◽

Mechanical Processing ◽

Uniform Dispersion ◽

Oxide Particles ◽

Nickel Base

Currently there is a great interest in developing nickel base alloys with fine and uniform dispersion of stable oxide particles, for high temperature applications. It is well known that the high temperature strength and stability of an oxide dispersed alloy can be greatly improved by appropriate thermomechanical processing, but the mechanism of this strengthening effect is not well understood. This investigation was undertaken to study the dislocation substructures formed in beryllia dispersed nickel alloys as a function of cold work both with and without intermediate anneals. Two alloys, one Ni-lv/oBeo and other Ni-4.5Mo-30Co-2v/oBeo were investigated. The influence of the substructures produced by Thermo-Mechanical Processing (TMP) on the high temperature creep properties of these alloys was also evaluated.

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Application of TEM to Deformation, Wear, and Fracture of Ceramics

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100052377 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 472-473

Author(s):

B. J. Hockey

Keyword(s):

Wear Resistance ◽

High Temperature ◽

Mechanical Behavior ◽

Brittle Materials ◽

High Temperature Strength ◽

Wide Range ◽

Corrosive Environments ◽

Further Development

Ceramics, such as Al2O3 and SiC have numerous current and potential uses in applications where high temperature strength, hardness, and wear resistance are required often in corrosive environments. These materials are, however, highly anisotropic and brittle, so that their mechanical behavior is often unpredictable. The further development of these materials will require a better understanding of the basic mechanisms controlling deformation, wear, and fracture.The purpose of this talk is to describe applications of TEM to the study of the deformation, wear, and fracture of Al2O3. Similar studies are currently being conducted on SiC and the techniques involved should be applicable to a wide range of hard, brittle materials.

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Lattice Imaging of Grain Boundaries in Ceramics

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100078171 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 114-115

Author(s):

D. R. Clarke ◽

G. Thomas

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

High Temperature ◽

Silicon Nitride ◽

Grain Boundaries ◽

High Temperature Strength ◽

Current Interest ◽

Lattice Imaging ◽

Special Significance ◽

Structural Applications ◽

Refractory Ceramics

Grain boundaries have long held a special significance to ceramicists. In part, this has been because it has been impossible until now to actually observe the boundaries themselves. Just as important, however, is the fact that the grain boundaries and their environs have a determing influence on both the mechanisms by which powder compaction occurs during fabrication, and on the overall mechanical properties of the material. One area where the grain boundary plays a particularly important role is in the high temperature strength of hot-pressed ceramics. This is a subject of current interest as extensive efforts are being made to develop ceramics, such as silicon nitride alloys, for high temperature structural applications. In this presentation we describe how the techniques of lattice fringe imaging have made it possible to study the grain boundaries in a number of refractory ceramics, and illustrate some of the findings.

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Effect of Improved ThO2 Particle Dispersion in Nickel on High-Temperature Strength

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100069211 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

pp. 444-445

Author(s):

E. R. Kimmel ◽

H. L. Anthony ◽

W. Scheithauer

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Metal Matrix ◽

Oxide Particle ◽

Oxide Phase ◽

Dislocation Motion ◽

Particle Dispersion ◽

High Temperature Strength ◽

Strengthening Effect ◽

Oxide Particles ◽

The Stability

The strengthening effect at high temperature produced by a dispersed oxide phase in a metal matrix is seemingly dependent on at least two major contributors: oxide particle size and spatial distribution, and stability of the worked microstructure. These two are strongly interrelated. The stability of the microstructure is produced by polygonization of the worked structure forming low angle cell boundaries which become anchored by the dispersed oxide particles. The effect of the particles on strength is therefore twofold, in that they stabilize the worked microstructure and also hinder dislocation motion during loading.

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