Fuel – cladding chemical interaction in MOX fuel rods irradiated to high burnup in an advanced thermal reactor

Raman and XPS characterization of fuel–cladding interactions using miniature specimens

“…Detailed post-irradiation data provided key information for understanding the processes leading to the observed HT-9 cladding failure. As has been observed by Tanaka et al [4], even at moderate burnup of 47 GWd (MT) À1 , a cladding-fuel interaction layer can form as shown in Fig. 1 [4].…”

“…As has been observed by Tanaka et al [4], even at moderate burnup of 47 GWd (MT) À1 , a cladding-fuel interaction layer can form as shown in Fig. 1 [4]. For MOX fuel, the fission yield is known to shift to non-oxidizable elements leaving excess oxygen available for cladding corrosion.…”

“…FCCI between UO 2 -PuO 2 (2.6%) fuel and Zircaloy-2 cladding following a burnup of 47 GWd (MT) À1 with a clearly defined cladding-fuel interaction layer[4].…”

Effects of interaction between molten zircaloy and irradiated MOX fuel on the fission product release behavior

“…The E09 fuel assembly was loaded and irradiated at the central position in the FU-GEN core for 10 operation cycles and the irradiation lasted about 1725 EFPD (effective full power days). The detailed specifications and irradiation history have been presented elsewhere [29]. One fuel rod, which was irradiated in the intermediate ring (M-7) of the E09 fuel assembly, was cut into some segments of about 4 mm in length.…”

Ceramography Analysis of Mox Fuel Rods After an Irradiation Test

“…It is due to a compensation of the swelling by some more densification of the pellets for rod 6 than that for rod 3 during the beginning of irradiation. The inner surface of the cladding was covered with an oxide layer that is composed of the main cladding elements, oxygen, fuel elements and fission products [8]. The fuel pellets were not unloaded from cladding by a tilting or tapping of the rod since the fuel swelling and the oxide layer made the gap closed.…”