Abstract
The behaviour of gases produced by fission is of great importance for nuclear fuel in operation. Within this context, a decade ago, a general method for the characterisation of the fission gas including gas bubbles in an irradiated UO2 nuclear fuel was developed and applied to determine the bubbles internal pressure. The method consists in the determination of the pressure, over a large population of bubbles, using three techniques: SEM, EPMA and SIMS. In this paper, a complementary approach using the information given by the same techniques is performed on an isolated bubble under the surface and is aiming for a better accuracy compared to the more general measurement of gas content. SEM and EPMA enable the detection of a bubble filled with xenon under the surface. SIMS enables the detection of the gas filling the bubble. The quantification is achieved using the EPMA data as reference at positions where no or nearly no bubbles are detected.
Highlights
The behaviour of rare gases produced by fission is of great importance for nuclear fuel in operation
During the operation of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), the fuel is subjected to different loads - mainly mechanical and thermal - that modify its behaviour when combined with the effects of irradiation
Fission gases behaviour in oxides fuels has been the focus of attention for decades because of their impact on the overall behaviour of the fuel rod
Summary
The behaviour of rare gases produced by fission is of great importance for nuclear fuel in operation. It controls the release in the free volume and the internal pressure of the fuel rod, the fuel swelling and part of the behaviour of the fuel during off-normal situations or accidental events. Fission gases behaviour in oxides fuels has been the focus of attention for decades because of their impact on the overall behaviour of the fuel rod During accidents such as RIA (Reactivity Initiated Accident) or LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident), increasing temperature in the pellets leads to grain boundary fracturing, release of intergranular gases and rod over-pressurisation. Evaluating this pressure is a key matter especially for nuclear safety aspects
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