Download or read book SiC CMC Zircaloy 4 Nuclear Fuel Cladding Performance During 4 Point Tubular Bend Testing written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE NE) established the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program to develop technologies and other solutions to improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the life of current reactors. The Advanced LWR Nuclear Fuel Development Pathway in the LWRS program encompasses strategic research focused on improving reactor core economics and safety margins through the development of an advanced fuel cladding system. Recent investigations of potential options for "accident tolerant" nuclear fuel systems point to the potential benefits of silicon carbide (SiC) cladding. One of the proposed SiC-based fuel cladding designs being investigated incorporates a SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) as a structural material supplementing an internal Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) liner tube, referred to as the hybrid clad design. Characterization of the advanced cladding designs will include a number of out-of-pile (nonnuclear) tests, followed by in-pile irradiation testing of the most promising designs. One of the out-of-pile characterization tests provides measurement of the mechanical properties of the cladding tube using four point bend testing. Although the material properties of the different subsystems (materials) will be determined separately, in this paper we present results of 4-point bending tests performed on fully assembled hybrid cladding tube mock-ups, an assembled Zr-4 cladding tube mock-up as a standard and initial testing results on bare SiC-CMC sleeves to assist in defining design parameters. The hybrid mock-up samples incorporated SiC-CMC sleeves fabricated with 7 polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) cycles. To provide comparative information; both 1- and 2-ply braided SiC-CMC sleeves were used in this development study. Preliminary stress simulations were performed using the BISON nuclear fuel performance code to show the stress distribution differences for varying lengths between loading points and clad configurations. The 2-ply sleeve samples show a higher bend momentum compared to those of the 1-ply sleeve samples. This is applicable to both the hybrid mock-up and bare SiC-CMC sleeve samples. Comparatively both the 1- and 2-ply hybrid mock-up samples showed a higher bend stiffness and strength compared with the standard Zr-4 mock-up sample. The characterization of the hybrid mock-up samples showed signs of distress and preliminary signs of fraying at the protective Zr-4 sleeve areas for the 1-ply SiC-CMC sleeve. In addition, the microstructure of the SiC matrix near the cracks at the region of highest compressive bending strain shows significant cracking and flaking. The 2-ply SiC-CMC sleeve samples showed a more bonded, cohesive SiC matrix structure. This cracking and fraying causes concern for increased fretting during the actual use of the design. Tomography was proven as a successful tool to identify open porosity during pre-test characterization. Although there is currently insufficient data to make conclusive statements regarding the overall merit of the hybrid cladding design, preliminary characterization of this novel design has been demonstrated.

Download or read book Silicon Carbide Performance as Cladding for Advanced Uranium and Thorium Fuels for Light Water Reactors written by Yanin Sukjai and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There has been an ongoing interest in replacing the fuel cladding zirconium-based alloys by other materials to reduce if not eliminate the autocatalytic and exothermic chemical reaction with water and steam at above 1,200 °C. The search for an accident tolerant cladding intensified after the Fukushima events of 2011. Silicon carbide (SiC) possesses several desirable characteristics as fuel cladding in light water reactors (LWRs). Compared to zirconium, SiC has higher melting point, higher strength at elevated temperature, and better dimensional stability when exposed to radiation, as well as lower thermal expansion, creep rate, and neutron absorption cross-section. However, under irradiation, the thermal conductivity of SiC is degraded considerably. Furthermore, lack of creep down towards the fuel causes the fuel-cladding gap and gap thermal resistance to stay relatively large during in-core service. This leads to higher fuel temperature during irradiation. In order to reduce the high fuel temperature during operation, the following fuel design options were investigated in this study: using beryllium oxide (BeO) additive to enhance fuel thermal conductivity, changing the gap bond material from helium to lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) and adding a central void in the fuel pellet. In addition, the consequences of using thorium oxide (ThO2) as host matrix for plutonium oxide (PuO2) were covered. The effects of cladding thickness on fuel performance were also analyzed. A steady-state fuel performance modeling code, FRAPCON 3.4, was used as a primary tool in this study. Since the official version of the code does not include the options mentioned above, modifications of the source code were necessary. All of these options have been modeled and integrated into a single version of the code called FRAPCON 3.4-MIT. Moreover, material properties including thermal conductivity, swelling rate, and helium production/release rate of BeO have been updated. Material properties of ThO2 have been added to study performance of ThO2-PuO2 . This modified code was used to study the thermo-mechanical behavior of the most limiting fuel rod with SiC cladding, and explore the possibility to improve the fuel performance with various design options. The fuel rod designs and operating conditions of a 4-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactors (PWR) and Babcock and Wilcox (B&W) mPower small modular reactors (SMR) were reactors (PWR) and Babcock and Wilcox (B&W) mPower small modular reactors (SMR) were chosen as representatives of conventional PWRs and upcoming SMRs, respectively. Sensitivity analyses on initial helium gap pressure, linear heat generation rate (LHGR) history, and peak rod assumptions have been performed. The results suggest that, because of its lower thermal conductivity, SiC is more sensitive to changes in these parameters than zirconium alloys. For a low-conducting material like SiC, an increase in cladding thickness plays a significant role in fuel performance. With a thicker cladding (from 0.57 to 0.89 mm), the temperature drop across the cladding increases, which makes the fuel temperature higher than that with the thin cladding. Reduction of fuel volume to accommodate the thicker cladding also causes negative impact on fuel performance. However, if the extra volume of the cladding replaces some coolant, the reduced coolant fraction design (RCF) has superior performance to the decreased fuel volume fraction design. In general, the most effective fuel temperature improvement option appears to be the option of mixing beryllium oxide into the fuel. This method outperforms others because it improves the overall thermal conductivity and reduces the overall temperature of the fuel. With lower fuel temperature, fission gas release and eventually plenum pressure -- one of the most life-limiting factor for SiC -- can be lowered.

Download or read book Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry written by J. H. Schemel and published by ASTM International. This book was released on 1979 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Corrosion Performance of Zircaloy 2 and Zircaloy 4 PWR Fuel Cladding written by T. Andersson and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A variety of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 cladding tubes with different microstructures has been manufactured. Test rods have been included in two fuel assemblies, and the assemblies have been inserted into the Ringhals 3 pressurized water reactor. Samples from the same cladding tube variants have been subjected to steam autoclave testing in the range 400 to 500°C for different exposure times and have been characterized with respect to their microstructure.

Download or read book An Assessment of Silicon Carbide as a Cladding Material for Light Water Reactors written by David Michael Carpenter and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An investigation into the properties and performance of a novel silicon carbide-based fuel rod cladding under PWR conditions was conducted. The novel design is a triplex, with the inner and outermost layers consisting of monolithic SiC, while the middle layer consists of a SiC fiberwound composite. The goal of this work was evaluation of the suitability of this design for use as a fuel rod cladding material in PWRs and the identification of the effects of design alternatives on the cladding performance. An in-core loop at the MITR-II was used to irradiate prototype triplex SiC cladding specimens under typical PWR temperature, pressure, and neutron flux conditions. The irradiation involved about 70 specimens, of monolithic as well as of triplex constitution, manufactured using several different processes to form the monolith, composite, and coating layers. Post-irradiation examination found some SiC specimens had acceptably low irradiation-enhanced corrosion rates and predictable swelling behavior. However, other specimens did not fare as well and showed excessive corrosion and cracking. Therefore, the performance of the SiC cladding will depend on appropriate selection of manufacturing techniques. Hoop strength testing found wide variations in tensile strength, but patterns or performance similar to the corrosion tests. The computer code FRAPCON, which is widely used for today's fuel assessment, modified properly to account for SiC properties, was applied to simulate effects of steady-state irradiation in an LWR core. The results demonstrated that utilizing SiC cladding in a 17x17 fuel assembly for existing PWRs may allow fuel to be run to somewhat higher burnup. However, due to lack of early gap closure by creep as well as the lower conductivity of the cladding, the fuel will experience higher temperatures than with zircaloy cladding. Several options were explored to reduce the fuel temperature, and it was concluded that annular fuel pellets were a solution with industrial experience that could improve the performance sufficiently to allow reaching 40% higher burnup. Management of the fuel-cladding gap was identified as essential for control of fuel temperature and PCMI. SiC cladding performance may be limited unless cladding/fuel conductivity or gap conductance is improved.

Download or read book Characterization of Zircaloy 4 Tubing Procured for Fuel Cladding Research Programs written by and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A quantity of Zircaloy-4 tubing (10.92 mm outside diameter by 0.635 mm wall thickness) was purchased specifically for use in a number of related fuel cladding research programs sponsored by the Division of Reactor Safety Research, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC/RSR). Identical tubing (produced simultaneously and from the same ingot) was purchased concurrently by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for use in similar research programs sponsored by that organization. In this way, source variability and prior fabrication history were eliminated as parameters, thus permitting direct comparison (as far as as-received material properties are concerned) of experimental results from the different programs. The tubing is representative of current reactor technology. Consecutive serial numbers assigned to each tube identify the sequence of the individual tubes through the final tube wall reduction operation. The report presented documents the procurement activities, provides a convenient reference source of manufacturer's data and tubing distribution to the various users, and presents some preliminary characterization data. The latter have been obtained routinely in various research programs and are not complete. Although the number of analyses, tests, and/or examinations performed to date are insufficient to draw statistically valid conclusions with regard to material characterization, the data are expected to be representative of the as-received tubing. It is anticipated that additional characterizations will be performed and reported routinely by the various research programs that use the tubing.

Download or read book Design Optimization of Advanced PWR SiC SiC Fuel Cladding for Enhanced Tolerance of Loss of Coolant Conditions written by Pierre Guenoun (S.M.) and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Limited data has been published (especially on experimental work) on integrated multilayer SiC/SiC prototypical fuel cladding. In this work the mechanical performance of three unique architectures of three-layer silicon carbide (SiC) composite cladding is experimentally investigated under conditions associated with the loss of coolant accident (LOCA), and analytically under various conditions. Specifically, this work investigates SiC cladding mechanical performance after exposure to 1,400°C steam for 48 hours and after thermal shock induced by quenching from 1,200°C into either 100°C or 90°C water. Mechanical performance characteristics are thereafter correlated with sample architecture through void characterization and ceramography. The series with a reduced thickness did not have a pseudo-ductile regime due to overloading of the composite layer. The presence of the axial tow did not yield significant difference in the mechanical behavior most likely because samples were tested in the hoop direction. While as-received and quenched samples behaved similarly (pseudo ductile failure except for one series), non-frangible brittle failure (single-crack failure with no release of debris) was systematically observed after oxidation due to silica buildup in the inner voids of the ceramic matrix composite (CMC) layer. Overall, thermal shock had limited influence on sample mechanical characteristics and oxidation resulted in the formation of silica on the inner wall of the CMC voids leading to the weakening of the monolith matrix and brittle fracture. Stress field in the cladding design is simulated by finite element analysis under service and shutdown conditions at both the core's middle height and at the end of the fuel rod. Stresses in the fuel region are driven by the thermal gradient that creates stresses predominantly from irradiation induced swelling. At the endplug, constraints are mainly mechanical. Stress calculations show high sensitivity to the data scatter and especially swelling and thermal conductivity. No cladding with the design studied here can survive either service or shutdown conditions because of the high irradiation-induced tensile stresses that develop in the hot inner monolith layer. It is shown that this peak tensile stress can be alleviated by adjusting the swelling level of the different layers. The addition of an under-swelling material such as PyC or Si can reduce the monolith tensile stress by 10%. With a composite that swells 10% less than the monolith, the stress is reduced by 20%.

Download or read book Ceramic Matrix Composites written by Narottam P. Bansal and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-10-27 with total page 725 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a comprehensive source of information on various aspects of ceramic matrix composites (CMC). It covers ceramic and carbon fibers; the fiber-matrix interface; processing, properties and industrial applications of various CMC systems; architecture, mechanical behavior at room and elevated temperatures, environmental effects and protective coatings, foreign object damage, modeling, life prediction, integration and joining. Each chapter in the book is written by specialists and internationally renowned researchers in the field. This book will provide state-of-the-art information on different aspects of CMCs. The book will be directed to researchers working in industry, academia, and national laboratories with interest and professional competence on CMCs. The book will also be useful to senior year and graduate students pursuing degrees in ceramic science and engineering, materials science and engineering, aeronautical, mechanical, and civil or aerospace engineering. Presents recent advances, new approaches and discusses new issues in the field, such as foreign object damage, life predictions, multiscale modeling based on probabilistic approaches, etc. Caters to the increasing interest in the application of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) materials in areas as diverse as aerospace, transport, energy, nuclear, and environment. CMCs are considered ans enabling technology for advanced aeropropulsion, space propulsion, space power, aerospace vehicles, space structures, as well as nuclear and chemical industries. Offers detailed descriptions of ceramic and carbon fibers; fiber-matrix interface; processing, properties and industrial applications of various CMC systems; architecture, mechanical behavior at room and elevated temperatures, environmental effects and protective coatings, foreign object damage, modeling, life prediction, integration/joining.

Download or read book Modelling of Fuel Behaviour in Design Basis Accidents and Design Extension Conditions written by International Atomic Energy Agency and published by . This book was released on 2020-07-30 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication is the result of an IAEA technical meeting and reports on Member States' capabilities in modelling, predicting and improving their understanding of the behaviour of nuclear fuel under accident conditions. The main results and outcomes of a coordinated research project (CRP) on this topic are also presented.

Download or read book Nuclear Fuel Safety Criteria written by OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents brief descriptions of 20 fuel-related safety criteria along with both the rationale for having such criteria and possible new design and operational issues which could have an effect on them.

Download or read book China s Nuclear Force Modernization written by Naval War College Press and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2012-08-09 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Naval War College has expanded its expertise in the Asia-Pacific Rim region in recent years largely in response to the growing significance of the region to U.S. national security. The College has actively hired prominent scholars and hosted a number of conferences, workshops, and guest speakers focusing on the problems and possibilities facing the Pacific Rim. South and Northeast Asia, after all, are home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies and close American allies, as well as several potential political and diplomatic flashpoints. Even more to the point, China is an ascending economic and military power both in the region and on the world stage. The U.S. Navy plays a leading role in maintaining stability in the region with its strong presence and ability to guard the freedom of navigation in vital sea lines of communication. The efforts of the Asia-Pacific Rim specialists at the Naval War College in some ways represent a case of “back to the future.” One of the proudest episodes in the College's history came in the 1930s when Newport played a central role in developing the military plans necessary to cope with the ascendance of another Asian economic and military power—Japan. Although we expect that wise diplomacy and national self-interest will prevent a reoccurrence of similar difficulties in the coming decades, there is no substitute for military preparedness and well-thought-out international and regional strategies for dealing with the important region. The Naval War College Press has done its part in providing its readers with many excellent articles on regional security in Asia in the Naval War College Review; an important book—Jonathan Pollack, editor, Strategic Surprise? U.S.-China Relations in the Early Twenty-first Century (released March 2004); and now Newport Paper 22. Professor Lyle Goldstein of the Strategic Research Department of the College's Center for Naval Warfare Studies has been at the forefront of recent research into China's future. In this project he has guided a handful of naval officers through the puzzle of China's ongoing nuclear modernization programs. With the able assistance of Andrew Erickson, these sailor-scholars have examined various aspects of nuclear modernization from ballistic missile defense to nuclear command and control. In general the chapter tells a cautionary tale; the progress of China's nuclear modernization documented here should give pause to those inclined to dismiss China's military modernization. Steadily and with relatively little attention the People's Republic continues to improve its technologies and weapons systems. As the authors emphasize, no “Rubicon” has been crossed, but potentials are already apparent that, if realized, the U.S. Navy as now constituted would find challenging indeed.

Download or read book Functional Materials written by S. Banerjee and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2011-12-09 with total page 731 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Functional materials have assumed a very prominent position in several high-tech areas. Such materials are not being classified on the basis of their origin, nature of bonding or processing techniques but are classified on the basis of the functions they can perform. This is a significant departure from the earlier schemes in which materials were described as metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, glass materials etc. Several new processing techniques have also evolved in the recent past. Because of the diversity of materials and their functions it has become extremely difficult to obtain information from single source. Functional Materials: Preparation, Processing and Applications provides a comprehensive review of the latest developments. - Serves as a ready reference for Chemistry, Physics and Materials Science researchers by covering a wide range of functional materials in one book - Aids in the design of new materials by emphasizing structure or microstructure – property correlation - Covers the processing of functional materials in detail, which helps in conceptualizing the applications of them

Download or read book Corrosion Protection and Control Using Nanomaterials written by V S Saji and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2012-02-21 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Corrosion is an expensive and potentially dangerous problem in many industries. The potential application of different nanostructured materials in corrosion protection, prevention and control is a subject of increasing interest. Corrosion protection and control using nanomaterials explores the potential use of nanotechnology in corrosion control.The book is divided into two parts. Part one looks at the fundamentals of corrosion behaviour and the manufacture of nanocrystalline materials. Chapters discuss the impact of nanotechnology in reducing corrosion cost, and investigate the influence of various factors including thermodynamics, kinetics and grain size on the corrosion behaviour of nanocrystalline materials. There are also chapters on electrodeposition and the corrosion behaviour of electrodeposited nanocrystalline materials. Part two provides a series of case studies of applications of nanomaterials in corrosion control. Chapters review oxidation protection using nanocrystalline structures at various temperatures, sol- gel and self-healing nanocoatings and the use of nanoreservoirs and polymer nanocomposites in corrosion control.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Corrosion protection and control using nanomaterials is an invaluable reference tool for researchers and engineers working with nanomaterials in a variety of industries including, aerospace, automotive and chemical engineering as well as academics studying the unique protection and control offered by nanomaterials against corrosion. - Explores the potential use of nanotechnology and nanomaterials for corrosion prevention, protection and control - Discusses the impact of nanotechnology in reducing corrosion cost and investigates various factors on the corrosion behaviour of nanocrystalline materials - Provides a series of case studies and applications of nanomaterials for corrosion control

Download or read book Carbon Fiber Composites written by Deborah D.L. Chung and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 1994-09-23 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides introductory information on carbon fiber composites, including polymer-matrix, metal matrix, carbon-matrix, ceramic-matrix, and hybrid composites. Places emphasis on materials rather than mechanics.

Download or read book Composite Materials written by Krishan K. Chawla and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on the relationship between structure and properties, this is a well-balanced treatment of the mechanics and the materials science of composites, while not neglecting the importance of processing. This updated second edition contains new chapters on fatigue and creep of composites, and describes in detail how the various reinforcements, the materials in which they are embedded, and of the interfaces between them, control the properties of the composite materials at both the micro- and macro-levels. Extensive use is made of micrographs and line drawings, and examples of practical applications in various fields are given throughout the book, together with extensive references to the literature. Intended for use in graduate and upper-division undergraduate courses, this book will also prove a useful reference for practising engineers and researchers in industry and academia.

Download or read book Materials Handbook written by John A. Vaccari and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2002-07-09 with total page 1244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Materials Handbook is an encyclopedic, A-to-Z organization of all types of materials, featuring their key performance properties, principal characteristics and applications in product design. Materials include ferrous and nonferrous metals, plastics, elastomers, ceramics, woods, composites, chemicals, minerals, textiles, fuels, foodstuffs and natural plant and animal substances --more than 13,000 in all. Properties are expressed in both U.S. customary and metric units and a thorough index eases finding details on each and every material. Introduced in 1929 and often known simply as "Brady's," this comprehensive, one-volume, 1244 page encyclopedia of materials is intended for executives, managers, supervisors, engineers, and technicians, in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, purchasing and sales as well as educators and students. Of the dozens of families of materials updated in the 15th Edition, the most extensive additions pertain to adhesives, activated carbon, aluminides, aluminum alloys, catalysts, ceramics, composites, fullerences, heat-transfer fluids, nanophase materials, nickel alloys, olefins, silicon nitride, stainless steels, thermoplastic elastomers, titanium alloys, tungsten alloys, valve alloys and welding and hard-facing alloys. Also widely updated are acrylics, brazing alloys, chelants, biodegradable plastics, molybdenum alloys, plastic alloys, recyclate plastics, superalloys, supercritical fluids and tool steels. New classes of materials added include aliphatic polyketones, carburizing secondary-hardening steels and polyarylene ether benzimidazoles. Carcinogens and materials likely to be cancer-causing in humans are listed for the first time.

Download or read book CRC Handbook of Metal Etchants written by Perrin Walker and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1990-12-11 with total page 1434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication presents cleaning and etching solutions, their applications, and results on inorganic materials. It is a comprehensive collection of etching and cleaning solutions in a single source. Chemical formulas are presented in one of three standard formats - general, electrolytic or ionized gas formats - to insure inclusion of all necessary operational data as shown in references that accompany each numbered formula. The book describes other applications of specific solutions, including their use on other metals or metallic compounds. Physical properties, association of natural and man-made minerals, and materials are shown in relationship to crystal structure, special processing techniques and solid state devices and assemblies fabricated. This publication also presents a number of organic materials which are widely used in handling and general processing...waxes, plastics, and lacquers for example. It is useful to individuals involved in study, development, and processing of metals and metallic compounds. It is invaluable for readers from the college level to industrial R & D and full-scale device fabrication, testing and sales. Scientific disciplines, work areas and individuals with great interest include: chemistry, physics, metallurgy, geology, solid state, ceramic and glass, research libraries, individuals dealing with chemical processing of inorganic materials, societies and schools.