Fuel Fabrication Capability Research and Development Plan

Abstract

SummaryThe purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive review of the mission of the Fuel Fabrication Capability (FFC) within the Global Threat Reduction Initiative Convert Program, along with research and development (R&D) needs that have been identified as necessary to ensuring mission success. The design and fabrication of successful nuclear fuels must be closely linked endeavors. Therefore, the overriding motivation behind the FFC R&D program described in this plan is to foster closer integration between fuel design and fabrication to reduce programmatic risk by ensuring the following:• The manufacturing process consistently produces fuel with acceptable quality (i.e., meets or exceeds design requirements)• The sensitivity of material properties and characteristics to manufacturing process parameters is clearly understood so adequate process specifications can be defined• Fuel product specifications are realistic and achievable using the selected manufacturing methods• A better linkage between the effect of process parameters on fuel performance, to ensure that changes or variability in manufacturing does not have an adverse effect on irradiation behaviorThese motivating factors are all interrelated, and progress addressing one will aid understanding of the others. The FFC R&D needs fall into two principle categories, 1) baseline process optimization, to refine the existing fabrication technologies, and 2) manufacturing process alternatives, to evaluate new fabrication technologies that could provide improvements in quality, repeatability, or cost. The FFC R&D Plan examines efforts currently under way in regard to coupon, foil, plate, and fuel element manufacturing, and provides recommendations for a number of R&D topics that are of high priority but not currently funded (i.e., knowledge gaps). The plan ties all FFC R&D efforts into a unified vision that supports the overall Convert Program schedule in general, and the fabrication schedule leading up to the MP-1, MP-2, and FSP-1 irradiation experiments specifically.The FFC R&D Plan describes the downselection methodology for optimizing the baseline fabrication process as well as considering alternative manufacturing technologies. The criteria for downselection include the following considerations:• Technical Merit -Does the process produce parts that meet product specification requirements?• Reproducibility -Does the process consistently produce high-quality parts?• Economics -Does the process offer life-cycle (not just capital) cost savings over the baseline process, including considerations of efficient use of uranium feedstock and scrap recycle??• Scaling -Does the process scale to full prototypic part dimensions?• Throughput -Does the process lend itself to high-volume throughput without sacrificing its advantages?• Quality Assurance -Does the process lend itself to implementation in an NQA-1 manufacturing environment?iii • Environment, Safety, and Health -Can the process be implemented effectively in a uranium production facility regulated by ...

Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr

“…In order to prevent interaction between the fuel meat and the cladding, a zirconium metal diffusion barrier will be applied to the fuel prior to cladding [1,[11][12][13]. Hot roll bonding, electroplating, and plasma spraying [14] after cold rolling have been studied to apply the Zr layer on the U-10Mo (mass %)-referred to as U-10Mo in the following. However, only recently has the bulk microstructure evolution of the U-10Mo foil during spray-coating, which should be studied for a better understanding of the anisotropic behavior of the material, been investigated [15].…”

Evaluation of the Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) Design for Conversion of the Advanced Test Reactor to a Low-Enrichment Fuel Cycle

“…Furthermore, based on scoping irradiation test data, a fuel plate system composed of solid U-10Mo fuel meat with a 25.4 µm (1 mil) zirconium diffusion barrier inside Al6061 aluminum cladding was selected for further development [6,7]. Testing of this U-10Mo fuel form continues at the ATR, while the Fuel Fabrication Capability (FFC) pillar of M 3 continues evaluation of fabrication of this fuel plate design [8].…”

The Effect of Rolling As-Cast and Homogenized U-10Mo Samples on the Microstructure Development and Recovery Curves

“…The nominal configuration of the low enriched U-10Mo plate-type fuel shown in Figure 1 is comprised of a metallic U-10Mo fuel foil enriched to slightly less than 20% 235 U, a thin Zr interlayer-diffusion barrier, and a relatively thick outer clad of 6061 aluminum. This configuration will require the use of processes and materials not currently in use for high-enriched fuel manufacturing at BWX Technologies (BWXT, the planned manufacturer of the low-enriched fuel)), so the USHPRR project is investigating several thermomechanical processing techniques to rapidly determine the most cost-effective and robust method for manufacturing the plate fuel (Burkes and Senor 2014;Senor and Burkes 2014). (Dimensions are in inches).…”

“…Rolling of foils from a cast slab is one such effective technique used to form the reactor plates and is being implemented in BWXT production (Burkes et al 2010;Senor and Burkes 2014;Park et al 2014). The thermomechanical processing of U-10Mo directly correlates with the structures/phases formed.…”