Abstract
The initial swelling in irradiated U 3Si fuel elements is dependent on burnup and temperature. The volume increase, ΔV/ V, was determined as a function of fuel radius in elements which operated at calculated central temperatures between 530 and 600 °C, and surface temperatures from 350 to 380 °C. Fuel burnups varied from 50 to 990 MWd/tonne U. There was no significant swelling up to at least 270 MWd/ tonne U, with the first such indication occurring at 795 MWd/tonne U, where the peak ΔV/ V value was 8%. At 990 MWd/tonne U, the maximum volume increase was 11.5%. At both burnups the swelling was temperature dependent, with the maxima in the range from 500 to 540 °C. Transmission electron microscopy of low burnup samples revealed defects which may represent an early stage in the growth of pores responsible for the swelling observed at higher burnups. Previous studies in the range 1500–8400 MWd/ tonne U have been extended to 14 700 MWd/tonne U; no further volume increase occurred with the additional burnup.
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