fuel development status for fast reactor in china and

CEFR

Fuel development status for fast

reactor in China and irradiation

test plan on CEFR

Chen Huang*, Baoyu Xu, Xian Xu, Peisheng Zhang, Bangyue Yin

*Fast Reactor Research Center

Email: [email protected]

China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE)

CEFR

Contents

Irradiation technologies progressed Irradiation condition of CEFR Irradiation facilities designed

Irradiation plan on CEFR Irradiation plan Two Irradiation tests

Summary

Introduction Fuel development status for fast reactor MOX fuel Metallic fuel

CEFR

Introduction

Energy structure in China

Power generation in 2000

71.5%

2.8%

0.3%

24.8%

0.6%

Coal

Oil

Gas

Hydro

Nuclear

Power generation in

2050

55.6

4.4

5.6

14.4

13.3

6.7

Coal

Oil

Gas

Hydro

Nuclear

Other

Power generation in 2000 Power generation in 2050

55.6

13.3

71.5

0.6

CEFR

Thermal reactor Fast reactor

Fusion reactor

Fuel

China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR)

Critical in 2010 Operation at beginning of 2013

Irradiation technologies

Irradiation plan

Three steps for nuclear energy development

CEFR

Contents



Summary


CEFR

Fuel development for fast reactor

● Under going ○ Application

UO2

2020 2030 2040 2050 2010 2000

MOX

MOX UPuZr

Operation

Operation

Operation

Operation

R&D Pilot Operation

Design &

Construction

● CEFR ○ CDFR

● PWR fuel reprocessing pilot

○ Industrial reprocessing plant

● MOX lab. 0.5 t/a

○ MOX Plant

○ UPuZr development

CEFR

U-Pu system for fuel cycle

CEFR

MOX fuel development

In 80’s: pre-research on MOX fuel pellets fabrication process and spent fuel

reprocessing.

Some MOX fuel pellet samples were obtained

in the laboratory.

In 90’s: the project "pre-research on feasibility of MOX fuel used in LWR".

Mechanical mixing method was determined as the main manufacturing process.

Technical specifications of MOX fuel pellet and fuel pin were primarily formulated.

From 2001 to now:

Experimental scale manufacture line of MOX fuel pellet was primarily built up.

A small laboratory for MOX fuel pellet simulation production was set up in CIAE.

Designing of MOX fuel assembly for CEFR, as well as the primary performance

analysis were carried out.

CEFR

area :1400 m, output: 500 kgHM/a

Experimental scale fabrication line of MOX fuel

2

CEFR

Flow sheet of MOX fuel pellet fabrication

UO2 PuO2

Mixing, blending

Milling

Pre-compaction

Crushing, granulation

Compaction

Sintering

Pellet inspection

Delivery check

CEFR

CEFR-MOX fuel subassembly design

Characteristics UO2 fuel MOX fuel

Assembly Length, mm 2590 2590

Pin number/SA 61 61

Wrapper size (width across flats) 59 59

Wrapper material 316(Ti)SS 316(Ti)SS

Fuel pin Length, mm 1350 1350

Cladding outer diameter, mm

Cladding thickness, mm

6.0

0.3

6.0

0.4

Cladding material CHS-68 316(Ti)SS

Fuel pellet Outer diameter, mm 5.2 5.05

Inner diameter, mm 1.6 1.6

Pu /(U+Pu), % / 25

O/M 2.000~2.015 1.96~1.99

Intrinsic density,％ 95 95

CEFR

100 100

Core center

Upper blanket

Spring wire,

distance 100mm

Fuel lower blanket Pentium

Cladding

Wire

Plug CW 316(Ti) SS

CEFR

Metallic fuel development

In 90’s: research work on depleted uranium U-10Zr alloy.

Some testing devices were established, processing parameters were modified.

Some samples were fabricated.

Microstructures were observed, and physical properties were determined.

Heat treatment processing and phase transformation were studied.

In recent years, metallic fuel research work re-started.

Primary design on the metallic fuel assembly and core were finished.

Strategy of metallic fuel development in China, including production process and

re-processing was determined.

Isothermal section at different temperatures and vertical cross-section of different

compositions of U-Pu-Zr ternary alloy were calculated in order to give a

thermodynamic optimization of U-Pu-Am-Np-Zr phase diagram.

CEFR

Some results on metallic fuel

U + Zr

U-10wt%Zr alloy

Φ5mm×120mm

1#: 636℃,72h

α+ γ 2

water quenching

1500℃ vacuum induction melting

1.33×10-3Pa

Y2O3 coating on graphite crucible

1270-1330℃ spray casting

Casting pressure 0.16MPa,

Pressuring time 2s,

Raising time 10s,

Quartz glass model

3#: 700℃,72h,

γ 1+γ2

water quenching

4#: 800℃,72h,

γwater quenching

350℃,6h, tempering

quenching in water

2#: 678℃,72h,

β+γ2

water quenching

XRD phase structures

neutron diffraction

Optical microstructures

EPMA

Neutron diffraction analysis:

Single-coloured neutron wave length

1.184×10-8cm

Neutron flux 105n/(cm2s)

2θ=10-98°, step length 0.1°

Studying schematic of U-10Zr alloy

5#: 800℃,4h,

γfurnace cooling

CEFR

Metallic fuel development roadmap

Contents 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2031

2032

U-Zr

U-Pu-Zr

Dry re-processing

CEFR MOX operation

2030, U-Pu-Zr irradiation test 2020, U-Zr irradiation test

CEFR

Contents



Summary


CEFR

Main parameters (Reactor core)

Reactor Core

Item value

Normal power 65 MW

Fuel UO2(64.4%), MOX later

Max. neutron flux

E < 0.1MeV, 3.2×1015cm-2s-1

E > 0.1MeV, 2.5×1015cm-2s-1

Max./Ave. burnup

60.0/44.5 MWd/kg

Core

Height/diameter

450/600mm

UO2 mass 428kg

Max linear power

43 kW/m

Refuel period 80 d

CEFR

Fuel subassemblies

parameter value

Number of pins/SA 61

SA wrapper size 59×1.2 mm

Pin clad size Φ6.0×0.3 mm

Length of fuel zone 450 mm

Length of upper Blanket 100 mm

Length of lower Blanket 250 mm

Pentium length 450 mm

Pin length 1350 mm

SA length 2592 mm

Fuel mass/U mass 5.30/4.66 kg

Blanket material mass 4.5 kg

SA mass 29 kg

CEFR

Subassembly characteristics in operation

F_ I to F_IV refers to the four types of fuel subassemblies.

Parameter

Burn-up (%)

Max. Neutron

flux(1022cm-2)

Max. linear

power (KW/m)

Time in core

(eff. days)

Max. damage of

cladding (dpa)

F_I F_II F_III F_IV SH RE

6.2 5.8 5.4 6.3 6.5 12.9

0.65 0.61 0.55 0.62 0.63 0.63

40.1 37.0 34.2 30.5 19.4 6.5

240 240 240 240 240 400

27.0 25.0 23.0 26.0 25.0 22.0

CEFR

Core loading flexibility

1st inner ring of reflector SAs can be replaced by fuel SAs.

1st to 3nd ring of reflector SAs can be replaced by blanket SAs.

It is possible to install experimental SAs in the area of fuel SAs and reflector SAs.

CEFR

PIE technologies in CIAE

None-destructive exam. hot cell in CEFR

Semi-hot cell in CIAE

Destructive exam. hot cell: current and planed in CIAE

CEFR

Non-destructive examination hot cell

• Visual inspection

• Dimensional measurement of SA and pin

• X-ray radiography

• Gamma scanning

• Eddy current exam.

CEFR

Semi-hot cell

CEFR

Destructive examination hot cell

• Visual inspection and store for short fuel pin

• Dimension measurement

• Sample cutting

• Punch test

• Tensile test

• Metallography

• Density measurement

CEFR

New destructive examination hot cell (planned stage)

Two stories with the total building area of about 10800 m

Fuel test Materials

test

SA

re-assembly

2

CEFR

Irradiation facilities developed

for structural materials for fuel pin for fuel bundles

Off-line irradiation facility

temperature

neutron flux

On-line irradiation facility

CEFR

Irradiation facility for structural materials

Wrapper

Outer Container

Inner container

Samples

CEFR

Irradiation facility for single pin

Wrapper

Separation tube

Test pin

Capsule

CEFR

Item Value

Capsule Length, mm 453

Outer diameter, mm 7.2

Thickness, mm 0.4

Sodium quantity, g ~1.3

Tested pin Length, mm 392

Fuel stack height, mm 180

Outer diameter, mm 6

Cladding thickness, mm 0.4

Core center

Upper Connect Tested pin Capsule Lower connect

CEFR

Irradiation facility for fuel bundles

Wrapper

Outer tube

Fuel bundle

Inner tube

CEFR

Contents



Summary


CEFR

Irradiation test plan on CEFR

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Power test, power

generation

316(Ti)SS

Np added fuel

MOX fuel

15-15TiSS

FMS steel

Focus on domestic fuel irradiation.

Materials irradiation also considered.

Other irradiation tests.

CEFR

Irradiation test of 316(Ti)SS

• Material: CW316(Ti)SS

• Irradiation temperature: 450, 500, 600C

• Irradiation position: neutron source assembly

• Monitoring: temperature, neutron fluent

Double axis

creep test Swelling

test

Microstructure

Tensile,

creep

test

Cladding

tube

tensile test

CEFR

Irradiation test facility

CEFR

Irradiation test for Np added fuel

CEFR

EU-China cooperation on irradiation test

• Access to Large Infrastructures in China and Europe (Under the Eu-7

programme)

• Cooperation partners: CEFR and SCK-CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research

Centre )

• Main research works:

Definition of access conditions to the participating infrastructures in

the EU and China.

Cooperation designing on irradiation facility

Structural materials irradiation in BR-2

Same materials irradiation in CEFR

• Irradiation temperature: ND

• Irradiation damage: ~8dpa

• Monitoring: on-line in BR-2, off-line on CEFR

CEFR

Contents



Summary


CEFR

Summaries

The development trend of fast reactor fuel in China is similar as that

world wide. MOX fuel is the basic fuel type, and metallic fuel as well as

other advanced fuels are also considered.

The irradiation technologies of CEFR has being developed.

The primary irradiation plan has been determined, which emphasis is on

domestic MOX fuel.

CEFR will be the platforms for R & D international cooperation on

materials development for nuclear usage.

CEFR

CEFR

The platform for R&D international

cooperation on fast reactor

Thank you!

CEFR

Development schedule for cladding materials used in fast reactor

316(Ti)SS

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

316(Ti)SS Mod. Or15-15TiSS

ODS

FMS

Supplemental tests

Irradiation test prep. Irradiation test PIE Commercial

application

Performance out-of-pile Irradiation test PIE

Performance out-of-pile

Irradiation test PIE Research for

commercial use

Performance out-of-pile

fuel development status for fast reactor in china and

Documents