CA3010876C - Nuclear fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors - Google Patents
Nuclear fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA3010876C CA3010876C CA3010876A CA3010876A CA3010876C CA 3010876 C CA3010876 C CA 3010876C CA 3010876 A CA3010876 A CA 3010876A CA 3010876 A CA3010876 A CA 3010876A CA 3010876 C CA3010876 C CA 3010876C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nuclear
- water
- fuel
- nuclear fuel
- uranium
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
- G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
- G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
- G21C3/58—Solid reactor fuel Pellets made of fissile material
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
- G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
- G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
- G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
- G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
- G21C3/58—Solid reactor fuel Pellets made of fissile material
- G21C3/62—Ceramic fuel
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
- Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
- Inorganic Compounds Of Heavy Metals (AREA)
- Ceramic Products (AREA)
Abstract
The invention refers to a nuclear fuel for use in water cooled nuclear reactors. The fuel, which consists of at least 80 % uranium nitride, has an actinide density higher than 9.7 g/cm3 and an open porosity of less than 0.1 %. Consequently, the fuel is resistant to attacks from water and stream and can be used at temperatures above 250 degrees Centigrade.
Description
Nuclear fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors Description of the invention A nuclear fuel is intended to permit longer residence time, alternatively a higher power, or a combination thereof for water-cooled nuclear reactor fuels. The actinide density of the nuclear fuel exceeds 9.7 g/cm3 and its open porosity is sufficiently low to significantly improve the corrosion resistance of the fuel. A pellet of nuclear fuel is manufactured using conventional sintering, hot pressing, field assisted hot pressing, microwave assisted hot pressing or spark plasma sintering (SPS).
1.0 In a preferred embodiment, the nuclear fuel consists of more than 80 volume percent uranium nitride (UN), with an open porosity below 0.1 %.
In another preferred embodiment, the fuel consists of more than 80 volume percent uranium nitride (UN), with an open porosity below 0.1 %. Up to 20 volume percent consists of a secondary phase with a lower melting point than UN, which thanks to higher plasticity acts as pore filler during sintering.
Summary of the invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nuclear fuel combining an actinide density higher than 9.7 g/cm3 with an improved tolerance to water and steam at temperatures exceeding 250 C.
A specific purpose of the present invention is to provide a uranium nitride nuclear fuel with improved tolerance to water and steam at temperatures exceeding 250 C.
This and other objectives are achieved by the invention as defend in the independent claims.
Yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
1.0 In a preferred embodiment, the nuclear fuel consists of more than 80 volume percent uranium nitride (UN), with an open porosity below 0.1 %.
In another preferred embodiment, the fuel consists of more than 80 volume percent uranium nitride (UN), with an open porosity below 0.1 %. Up to 20 volume percent consists of a secondary phase with a lower melting point than UN, which thanks to higher plasticity acts as pore filler during sintering.
Summary of the invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nuclear fuel combining an actinide density higher than 9.7 g/cm3 with an improved tolerance to water and steam at temperatures exceeding 250 C.
A specific purpose of the present invention is to provide a uranium nitride nuclear fuel with improved tolerance to water and steam at temperatures exceeding 250 C.
This and other objectives are achieved by the invention as defend in the independent claims.
Yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
2 The invention offers a solution to problems of corrosion of nuclear fuels with an actinide density higher than 9.7 gicm3 that have been observed during exposure to water and steam at temperatures exceeding 250 C, and therefore facilitates the use of this nuclear fuel type in commercial water-cooled nuclear power plants.
Especially nitride nuclear fuels have historically been difficult to manufacture with high density, resulting in a considerable fraction of open porosity in the pellets produced. Therefore, steam and pressurised hot water may penetrate and deeply oxidise the pellet. The larger specific volume of the forming uranium dioxide causes an inner expansion which rapidly fragnnentises and eventually powderises the pellet.
By manufacturing uranium nitride nuclear fuels, uranium silicide nuclear fuels and mixtures of these nuclear fuels with a sufficiently low fraction of open porosity, the oxidation process is limited to surface corrosion, which considerably delays the decomposition of the nuclear fuel.
Experiments on pellets with different porosity confirm that the rate of attack is more dependent on the porosity of the pellet than on reaction temperature, supporting the conclusion that improved protection against corrosion in steam and pressurised hot water is most easily achieved by eliminating the open porosity.
Uranium nitride nuclear fuels with very low porosity may be manufactured using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at a temperature exceeding 1600 C [Malkki et al, "Manufacture of fully dense uranium nitride pellets using hydride derived powders with spark plasma sintering"; Journal of Nuclear Materials Volume 452, Issues 1-3, September 2014, Pages 548-551].
Another opportunity for eliminating open porosity in a uranium nitride nuclear fuel is achieved by blending a certain fraction of uranium silicide, having a melting temperature below 1600 C, into uranium nitride. During pellet manufacture at a temperature above 1600 C the uranium silicide will, thanks to its plasticity, constitute a pore filling second phase, reducing the porosity of the pellet.
Industrial applicability The invention is especially useful in light water and heavy water cooled nuclear power reactors.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
Especially nitride nuclear fuels have historically been difficult to manufacture with high density, resulting in a considerable fraction of open porosity in the pellets produced. Therefore, steam and pressurised hot water may penetrate and deeply oxidise the pellet. The larger specific volume of the forming uranium dioxide causes an inner expansion which rapidly fragnnentises and eventually powderises the pellet.
By manufacturing uranium nitride nuclear fuels, uranium silicide nuclear fuels and mixtures of these nuclear fuels with a sufficiently low fraction of open porosity, the oxidation process is limited to surface corrosion, which considerably delays the decomposition of the nuclear fuel.
Experiments on pellets with different porosity confirm that the rate of attack is more dependent on the porosity of the pellet than on reaction temperature, supporting the conclusion that improved protection against corrosion in steam and pressurised hot water is most easily achieved by eliminating the open porosity.
Uranium nitride nuclear fuels with very low porosity may be manufactured using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at a temperature exceeding 1600 C [Malkki et al, "Manufacture of fully dense uranium nitride pellets using hydride derived powders with spark plasma sintering"; Journal of Nuclear Materials Volume 452, Issues 1-3, September 2014, Pages 548-551].
Another opportunity for eliminating open porosity in a uranium nitride nuclear fuel is achieved by blending a certain fraction of uranium silicide, having a melting temperature below 1600 C, into uranium nitride. During pellet manufacture at a temperature above 1600 C the uranium silicide will, thanks to its plasticity, constitute a pore filling second phase, reducing the porosity of the pellet.
Industrial applicability The invention is especially useful in light water and heavy water cooled nuclear power reactors.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
3 Example 1) In this example, laboratory tests were conducted on uranium nitride pellets consisting of more than 80% UN, with a varying degree of porosity and content of UO2, and uranium silicide. During exposure of UN to steam, uranium dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen gas form according to the reaction formula:
UN + 2H20 - UO2 + NH3 + 0.5 H2 Parameters of the test:
Steam pressure: 0.5 bar 1.0 Steam temperature: 400 - 425 C
The lab tests showed that the rate of corrosion attack on the uranium nitride pellet is strongly dependent of its porosity.
Figure 1 shows the measured rate of production for hydrogen and total hydrogen production rate as function of time for uranium nitride pellets with 2.3%, 13.0% and 22.4% porosity.
Example2) In this example, uranium nitride pellets with varying degree of open porosity were manufactured using the SPS-method at different temperatures and pressures. The open porosity was measured using Archimedes' method with chloroform as medium.
Figure 2 displays the open porosity as function of total porosity. The measurements show that when the total porosity of the uranium nitride pellet is less than 2.5%, open porosity is less than 0.1 %.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
UN + 2H20 - UO2 + NH3 + 0.5 H2 Parameters of the test:
Steam pressure: 0.5 bar 1.0 Steam temperature: 400 - 425 C
The lab tests showed that the rate of corrosion attack on the uranium nitride pellet is strongly dependent of its porosity.
Figure 1 shows the measured rate of production for hydrogen and total hydrogen production rate as function of time for uranium nitride pellets with 2.3%, 13.0% and 22.4% porosity.
Example2) In this example, uranium nitride pellets with varying degree of open porosity were manufactured using the SPS-method at different temperatures and pressures. The open porosity was measured using Archimedes' method with chloroform as medium.
Figure 2 displays the open porosity as function of total porosity. The measurements show that when the total porosity of the uranium nitride pellet is less than 2.5%, open porosity is less than 0.1 %.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-06-10
Claims (2)
1. A nuclear fuel for power production in water-cooled nuclear reactors, wherein the actinide density exceeds 9.7 g/cm3, wherein the nuclear fuel consists of at least 80 volume percent uranium nitride and wherein the open porosity is less than 0.1 %.
2. The nuclear fuel according to claim 1, wherein up to 20 volume percent consists of a uranium silicide compound.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE1500058A SE1500058A1 (en) | 2015-01-30 | 2015-01-30 | Fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors |
| SE1500058-1 | 2015-01-30 | ||
| PCT/SE2016/000004 WO2016122374A1 (en) | 2015-01-30 | 2016-01-29 | Fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA3010876A1 CA3010876A1 (en) | 2016-08-04 |
| CA3010876C true CA3010876C (en) | 2023-08-29 |
Family
ID=56543844
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA3010876A Active CA3010876C (en) | 2015-01-30 | 2016-01-29 | Nuclear fuel for water-cooled nuclear reactors |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA3010876C (en) |
| SE (1) | SE1500058A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2016122374A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110415845B (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2021-06-11 | 中国核动力研究设计院 | High-uranium-density composite fuel pellet and preparation method thereof |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2055686C3 (en) * | 1970-11-12 | 1979-11-15 | Nukem Gmbh, 6450 Hanau | Process for the production of a nuclear fuel from uranium monocarbide or uranium mononitride |
| US20110206174A1 (en) * | 2010-02-22 | 2011-08-25 | Westinghouse Electric Sweden Ab | Nuclear fuel, a fuel element, a fuel assembly and a method of manufacturing a nuclear fuel |
| US10790065B2 (en) * | 2012-08-15 | 2020-09-29 | University Of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. | High density UO2 and high thermal conductivity UO2 composites by spark plasma sintering (SPS) |
-
2015
- 2015-01-30 SE SE1500058A patent/SE1500058A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
2016
- 2016-01-29 WO PCT/SE2016/000004 patent/WO2016122374A1/en active Application Filing
- 2016-01-29 CA CA3010876A patent/CA3010876C/en active Active
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| SE1500058A1 (en) | 2016-07-31 |
| WO2016122374A1 (en) | 2016-08-04 |
| CA3010876A1 (en) | 2016-08-04 |
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| EEER | Examination request |
Effective date: 20210126 |
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| EEER | Examination request |
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