Improvement in mechanical/physical properties of TiC-based ceramics sintered at 1500 °C for inert matrix fuels

04/00743 Neutronic aspects of inert matrix fuels for application in ADS

Fuel and Energy Abstracts ◽

10.1016/s0140-6701(04)93125-6 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 98

Keyword(s):

Inert Matrix ◽

Inert Matrix Fuels

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Fabrication and characterization of silicon nitride-based inert matrix fuels sintered with magnesium silicates

Progress in Nuclear Energy ◽

10.1016/j.pnucene.2011.04.012 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 53 (7) ◽

pp. 1078-1081

Author(s):

Toshiyuki Usuki ◽

Katsumi Yoshida ◽

Toyohiko Yano ◽

Shuhei Miwa ◽

Masahiko Osaka

Keyword(s):

Silicon Nitride ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Magnesium Silicates ◽

Fabrication And Characterization ◽

Inert Matrix Fuels

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Reprocessing Silicon Carbide Inert Matrix Fuel by Molten Salt Corrosion

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-1215-v16-18 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 1215 ◽

Author(s):

Ting Cheng ◽

Ronald Baney ◽

James Tulenko

Keyword(s):

Silicon Carbide ◽

Matrix Material ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Inert Matrix Fuel ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Molten Carbonates ◽

Air Atmosphere ◽

Salt Corrosion ◽

Bulk Reaction ◽

Inert Matrix Fuels

AbstractSilicon carbide is one of the prime matrix material candidates for inert matrix fuels (IMF) which are being designed to reduce plutonium and long half-life actinide inventories through transmutation. Since complete transmutation is impractical in a single in-core run, reprocessing the inert matrix fuels becomes necessary. The current reprocessing techniques of many inert matrix materials involve dissolution of spent fuels in acidic aqueous solutions. However, SiC cannot be dissolved by that process. Thus, new reprocessing techniques are required.This paper discusses a possible way for separating transuranic (actinide) species from a bulk silicon carbide (SiC) matrix utilizing molten carbonates. Bulk reaction-bonded SiC and SiC powder (1 μm) were corroded at high temperatures (above 850 °C) in molten carbonates (K2CO3 and Na2CO3) in an air atmosphere to form water soluble silicates. Separation of Ceria (used as a surrogate for the plutonium fissile fuel) was achieved by dissolving the silicates in boiling water and leaving behind the solid ceria (CeO2).

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Low Burnup Inert Matrix Fuels Performance: TRANSURANUS Analysis of the Halden IFA-652 First Irradiation Cycle

Volume 1: Plant Operations, Maintenance and Life Cycle; Component Reliability and Materials Issues; Codes, Standards, Licensing and Regulatory Issues; Fuel Cycle and High Level Waste Management ◽

10.1115/icone14-89104 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

R. Calabrese ◽

F. Vettraino ◽

T. Tverberg

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Thermal Conductivity ◽

Early Stage ◽

Fuel Temperature ◽

Swelling Behaviour ◽

Pressure Transducers ◽

Inert Matrix ◽

Pile Testing ◽

Inert Matrix Fuels ◽

Irradiation Cycle

The inert matrix fuels are a promising option to reduce-eliminate worldwide plutonium stockpiles by burning it in LWRs. These fuels, where plutonium is hosted in a U-free inert matrix phase, may reach high burning efficiency while preventing new plutonium build-up under irradiation. A specific investigation on CSZ and thoria inert matrices has been developed by ENEA since several years. In-pile testing on the ENEA-conceived innovative fuels is ongoing in the OECD Halden HBWR since June 2000 (IFA-652 experiment). The registered burnup at the end of 2005 is about 38 MWd·kgUeq−1 vs. 45 MWd·kgUeq−1 (40 MWd·kgUOXeq−1) target. Fuel pins are equipped with fuel temperature thermocouples, internal pressure transducers and fuel stack elongation sensors, with the task of studying thermal conductivity and its degradation with burnup, densification-swelling behaviour and the FGR. In this paper, the response at low burnup (< 7 MWd·kgUeq−1) of CSZ-based fuels loaded in IFA-652, is analysed by means of the TRANSURANUS code. To this purpose, a comprehensive modelling of the above mentioned un-irradiated fuels, mainly relying on the thermophysical characterisation performed at the JRC/ITU-Karlsruhe, has been implemented in a custom TRANSURANUS version (TU-IMF). A comparison of the code predictions vs. the experimental data, aimed at evaluating the early-stage under irradiation phenomena, particularly densification and relocation, has been performed.

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