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Quintal CC, Reymond M, Fiorito F, Martin F, Pontillon M, Richaud JC, Doualle T, Pontillon Y, Gallais L. A laser-based system to heat nuclear fuel pellets at high temperature. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2023; 94:103905. [PMID: 37823768 DOI: 10.1063/5.0139508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Annealing tests are of utmost importance in nuclear fuel research, particularly to study the thermophysical properties of the material, microstructure evolution, or the released gas as a function of temperature. As an alternative to conventional furnace or induction annealing, we report on a laser-heating experiment allowing one to heat a nuclear fuel pellet made of uranium dioxide, UO2, or potentially other nuclear fuel pellets in an isothermal and controlled manner. For that purpose, we propose to use an indirect heating method based on a two compartment tungsten crucible, one containing the sample and the other acting as a laser susceptor for efficient and homogeneous heating of the assembly. With this concept, we demonstrate the heating of UO2 samples up to 1500 °C at a maximum heating rate of 30 °C/s with the use of two 500 W lasers. The system is, however, scalable to higher heating rates or higher temperatures by increasing the laser power up to few kW. The experiment has been designed to heat a pressurized water reactor fuel pellet, but the concept could be easily applied to other sample geometries or materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cifuentes Quintal
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
- CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - M Reymond
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
- CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - F Fiorito
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - F Martin
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - M Pontillon
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - J C Richaud
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - T Doualle
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - Y Pontillon
- CEA, DES, IRESNE, DEC, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France
| | - L Gallais
- CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
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Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis M, Manara D, Vlahovic L, Robba D, Boboridis K, Ernstberger M, Eloirdi R, Amador P, Konings RJM. Identifying Thermodynamic Mechanisms Affecting Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity During Severe Nuclear Accidents Simulated by Laser Heating at the Laboratory Scale. NUCL SCI ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00295639.2022.2108643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dario Manara
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Luka Vlahovic
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Davide Robba
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Konstantinos Boboridis
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Markus Ernstberger
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Rachel Eloirdi
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Pedro Amador
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
| | - Rudy J. M. Konings
- European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, P.O. Box 2340, Karlsruhe, D-76125, Germany
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Soldi L, Manara D, Bottomley D, Robba D, Luzzi L, Konings RJM. Simulation of the Melting Behavior of the UO 2-Zircaloy Fuel Cladding System by Laser Heating. NUCL SCI ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00295639.2022.2106731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Soldi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, Nuclear Engineering Division, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milano, Italy
| | - D. Manara
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - D. Bottomley
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - D. Robba
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - L. Luzzi
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, Nuclear Engineering Division, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milano, Italy
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Laser Heating Study of the High-Temperature Interactions in Nanograined Uranium Carbides. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14195568. [PMID: 34639964 PMCID: PMC8509787 DOI: 10.3390/ma14195568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Nanograined nuclear materials are expected to have a better performance as spallation targets and nuclear fuels than conventional materials, but many basic properties of these materials are still unknown. The present work aims to contribute to their better understanding by studying the effect of grain size on the melting and solid-solid transitions of nanograined UC2-y. We laser-heated 4 nm-10 nm grain size samples with UC2-y as the main phase (but containing graphite and UO2 as impurities) under inert gas to temperatures above 3000 K, and their behavior was studied by thermal radiance spectroscopy. The UC2-y solidification point (2713(30) K) and α-UC2 to β-UC2 solid-solid transition temperature (2038(10) K) were observed to remain unchanged when compared to bulk crystalline materials with micrometer grain sizes. After melting, the composite grain size persisted at the nanoscale, from around 10 nm to 20 nm, pointing to an effective role of carbon in preventing the rapid diffusion of uranium and grain growth.
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Balakrishnan S, Ananthasivan K, Ambika N, Hari Kumar KC. Design and performance of an improved thermo-optometric equipment for the measurement of the solidus and liquidus at high temperatures. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2020; 91:094901. [PMID: 33003813 DOI: 10.1063/5.0007438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Experimental determination of solidus and liquidus in reactive systems at very high-temperatures requires special equipment and is rather complex. In the present study, we describe setting up an experimental facility based on the "spot-technique." It was demonstrated that this setup could be used to measure phase transformation temperatures involving liquids in refractory systems that comprise reactive and radioactive components, in the range of 1273 K-2273 K, by using a thermo-optometric technique, namely, the "spot-technique." The equipment and the method were validated by measuring the melting points of high purity metals, namely, gold, copper, nickel, and zirconium. A measurement accuracy of ±2 K could be realized at temperatures as high as 2128 K. The solidus and liquidus temperatures of nuclear reactor fuels as well as some binary alloys were also measured by using this setup. The research involved in building this equipment and the key features of the equipment and method are described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Balakrishnan
- Materials Chemistry and Metal Fuel Cycle Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, India
| | - K Ananthasivan
- Reprocessing Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, India
| | - N Ambika
- Materials Chemistry and Metal Fuel Cycle Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, India
| | - K C Hari Kumar
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Tamil Nadu 600 036, India
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Vidal T, Gallais L, Burla R, Martin F, Capdevila H, Clément S, Pontillon Y. Optical system for real-time monitoring of nuclear fuel pellets at high temperature. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Saedi M, de Voogd JM, Sjardin A, Manikas A, Galiotis C, Jankowski M, Renaud G, La Porta F, Konovalov O, van Baarle GJC, Groot IMN. Development of a reactor for the in situ monitoring of 2D materials growth on liquid metal catalysts, using synchrotron x-ray scattering, Raman spectroscopy, and optical microscopy. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2020; 91:013907. [PMID: 32012586 DOI: 10.1063/1.5110656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metal catalysts (LMCats) (e.g., molten copper) can provide a new mass-production method for two-dimensional materials (2DMs) (e.g., graphene) with significantly higher quality and speed and lower energy and material consumption. To reach such technological excellence, the physicochemical properties of LMCats and the growth mechanisms of 2DMs on LMCats should be investigated. Here, we report the development of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor which allows the investigation of ongoing chemical reactions on the surface of a molten metal at elevated temperatures and under reactive conditions. The surface of the molten metal is monitored simultaneously using synchrotron x-ray scattering, Raman spectroscopy, and optical microscopy, thereby providing complementary information about the atomic structure and chemical state of the surface. To enable in situ characterization on a molten substrate at high temperatures (e.g., ∼1370 K for copper), the optical and x-ray windows need to be protected from the evaporating LMCat, reaction products, and intense heat. This has been achieved by creating specific gas-flow patterns inside the reactor. The optimized design of the reactor has been achieved using multiphysics COMSOL simulations, which take into account the heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and transport of LMCat vapor inside the reactor. The setup has been successfully tested and is currently used to investigate the CVD growth of graphene on the surface of molten copper under pressures ranging from medium vacuum up to atmospheric pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Saedi
- Catalysis & Surface Chemistry (CASC), Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - J M de Voogd
- Leiden Probe Microscopy (LPM), Kenauweg 21, 2331 BA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A Sjardin
- Leiden Probe Microscopy (LPM), Kenauweg 21, 2331 BA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A Manikas
- Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Laboratory (NANOTECH), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Achaia, Patras, Greece
| | - C Galiotis
- Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Laboratory (NANOTECH), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Achaia, Patras, Greece
| | - M Jankowski
- University Grenoble Alpes, CEA, IRIG-DEPHY-MEM, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - G Renaud
- University Grenoble Alpes, CEA, IRIG-DEPHY-MEM, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - F La Porta
- ID10, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - O Konovalov
- ID10, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - G J C van Baarle
- Leiden Probe Microscopy (LPM), Kenauweg 21, 2331 BA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - I M N Groot
- Catalysis & Surface Chemistry (CASC), Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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Manara D, Soldi L, Mastromarino S, Boboridis K, Robba D, Vlahovic L, Konings R. Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29286382 PMCID: PMC5755562 DOI: 10.3791/54807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Major and severe accidents have occurred three times in nuclear power plants (NPPs), at Three Mile Island (USA, 1979), Chernobyl (former USSR, 1986) and Fukushima (Japan, 2011). Research on the causes, dynamics, and consequences of these mishaps has been performed in a few laboratories worldwide in the last three decades. Common goals of such research activities are: the prevention of these kinds of accidents, both in existing and potential new nuclear power plants; the minimization of their eventual consequences; and ultimately, a full understanding of the real risks connected with NPPs. At the European Commission Joint Research Centre's Institute for Transuranium Elements, a laser-heating and fast radiance spectro-pyrometry facility is used for the laboratory simulation, on a small scale, of NPP core meltdown, the most common type of severe accident (SA) that can occur in a nuclear reactor as a consequence of a failure of the cooling system. This simulation tool permits fast and effective high-temperature measurements on real nuclear materials, such as plutonium and minor actinide-containing fission fuel samples. In this respect, and in its capability to produce large amount of data concerning materials under extreme conditions, the current experimental approach is certainly unique. For current and future concepts of NPP, example results are presented on the melting behavior of some different types of nuclear fuels: uranium-plutonium oxides, carbides, and nitrides. Results on the high-temperature interaction of oxide fuels with containment materials are also briefly shown.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luca Soldi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre; Energy Department, Politecnico di Milano; CEA Saclay
| | - Sara Mastromarino
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre; Department of Chemical Physics, Sapienza - Università di Roma; TU Delft
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Investigating the highest melting temperature materials: A laser melting study of the TaC-HfC system. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37962. [PMID: 27905481 PMCID: PMC5131352 DOI: 10.1038/srep37962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
TaC, HfC and their solid solutions are promising candidate materials for thermal protection structures in hypersonic vehicles because of their very high melting temperatures (>4000 K) among other properties. The melting temperatures of slightly hypostoichiometric TaC, HfC and three solid solution compositions (Ta1−xHfxC, with x = 0.8, 0.5 and 0.2) have long been identified as the highest known. In the current research, they were reassessed, for the first time in the last fifty years, using a laser heating technique. They were found to melt in the range of 4041–4232 K, with HfC having the highest and TaC the lowest. Spectral radiance of the hot samples was measured in situ, showing that the optical emissivity of these compounds plays a fundamental role in their heat balance. Independently, the results show that the melting point for HfC0.98, (4232 ± 84) K, is the highest recorded for any compound studied until now.
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Manara D, Jackson H, Perinetti-Casoni C, Boboridis K, Welland M, Luzzi L, Ossi P, Lee W. The ZrC–C eutectic structure and melting behaviour: A high-temperature radiance spectroscopy study. Ann Ital Chir 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2012.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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