behaviour and chemical state of irradiated ceramic fuels

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BEHAVIOUR
AND CHEMICAL STATE OF
IRRADIATED
CERAMIC FUELS
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, 1974

BEHAVIOUR AND CHEMICAL STATE
OF IRRADIATED CERAMIC FUELS
The following States are Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
AFGHANISTAN HAITI PAKISTAN
ALBANIA HOLY SEE PANAMA
ALGERIA HUNGARY PARAGUAY
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AUSTRALIA INDIA PHILIPPINES
AUSTRIA INDONESIA POLAND
BANGLADESH IRAN PORTUGAL
-BELGIUM IRAQ ROMANIA
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CANADA KENYA SUDAN
CHILE KHMER REPUBLIC . SWEDEN
COLOMBIA KOREA, REPUBLIC OF SWITZERLAND
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EGYPT, ARAB REPUBLIC OF MALI REPUBLICS
EL SALVADOR MEXICO UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT
ETHIOPIA MONACO BRITAIN AND NORTHERN
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GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGER VIET-NAM
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GREECE NORWAY ZAIRE, REPUBLIC OF
GUATEMALA ZAMBIA
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© IAEA, 1974
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Printed by the IAEA in Austria
January 1974
PANEL PROCEEDINGS SERIES
BEHAVIOUR AND CHEMICAL STATE
OF IRRADIATED CERAMIC FUELS
PROCEEDINGS OF A PANEL ON
THE BEHAVIOUR AND CHEMICAL STATE OF
IRRADIATED CERAMIC FUELS
ORGANIZED BY
THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
AND HELD IN VIENNA, 7-11.AUGUST 1972
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
VIENNA, 1974
BEHAVIOUR AND CHEMICAL STATE
OF IRRADIATED CERAMIC FUELS
IAEA, VIENNA, 1974
STI/PUB/303
FOREWORD
The economic attractiveness of large nuclear power reactors is criti­
cally dependent on overall fuel performance and fuel life. The successful
design of high performance, long-lived fuel elements is itself dependent
on a thorough understanding of the special chemical and physical behaviour
of irradiated fuel. The transformation of some of the original actinide
elements into new species, the effects of fission products, the progressive
alteration in the stoichiometry within the fuel, and the effects of oxygen on
fuel and cladding are among the many important problems that must be in­
vestigated when developing a successful fuel. Extensive studies are under­
way on mixed urania-plutonia fuel systems, developed for fast breeder
reactors, and on other advanced fuels.
To review the progress and problems in this field, the International
Atomic Energy Agency convened a panel of experts at its Headquarters in
Vienna on 7 - 11 August 1972. The deliberations of the Panel, which was
composed of 19 experts from seven countries and EURATOM, covered many
aspects of transport properties, fuel/fission product-clad interaction, and
the thermodynamics and phase equilibria of nuclear fuel materials.
These Proceedings contain the texts of the 30 working papers con­
sidered by the Panel and the Panel's Summary and Recommendations.

CONTENTS
Stoichiometric effects in irradiated uranium-plutonium oxide
fuel (IAEA-PL-463/1) ................................................................................... 1
C. E. Johnson, I. Johnson,. P. Blackburn,
J.E. Battles, C.E. Crouthamel
The composition and chemical state of irradiated oxide reactor
fuel material (IAEA-PL-463/2) .............................................................. 31
J. R. Findlay
Redistribution of uranium and plutonium in mixed-oxide fuels
during irradiation (IAEA-PL-463/3) ...................................................... 41
D.R. O'Boyle, R.O. Meyer
Determination du taux de combustion et de la composition en
isotopes lourds et en produits de fission des combustibles
des réacteurs thermiques et rapides (IAEA-PL-463/4a) ................ 67
R. Vidal, M. Robin, C. Devillers
Désaccord entre les rendements de fission théorique et
experimental des gaz nobles en neutrons rapides — Mise
en évidence sur le combustible du réacteur RAPSODIE
(IAEA- PL-463 / 4b) .................................V..................................................... 77
B. Kr y g e r
Oxygen redistribution in LMFBR fuels (IAEA-PL-463/5) .................... 83
S. K. Evans, E.A. Aitken
Modification du potentiel d'oxydation des oxydes mixtes (U, Pu)02,
en fonction du taux de combustion (IAEA-PL-463/6a) .................... 87
F. Schmitz, J. Marticorena, G. Dean
Evolution de l'activité du carbone en fonction du taux de
combustion dans un combustible carbure (IAEA-PL-463/6b) ......... 99
Nicole Lo r e n z e 11 i , J.P. Marcon
Some phase equilibria and thermodynamic considerations for
irradiated oxide nuclear fuels (IAEA-PL-463/7)................................ 115
P. E. Potter
Formation of phases and distribution of fission products in
an oxide fuel (IAEA-PL-463/8) ................................................................. 157
H. Kleykamp
Microanalyse X d'oxyde (U, Pu)02+x simulant différents taux
d'irradiation (IAEA-PL-463/9a) ............................................................... 167
F. de Keroulas, D. Calais, F. Schmitz
Migration des produits de fission radioactifs dans des
combustibles (U, Pu)02 (IAEA-PL-463/9b) ......................................... 179
M. Mouchnino
Distribution des produits de fission et localisation par spectrométrie
gamma en cours d'irradiation et après irradiation
(IAEA- PL-463 /9c) ......................................................................................... 191
G. de Contenson, J. Monier, Nicole V i gn e s ou 11
Analyse à la microsonde de produits de fission métalliques
dans les combustibles en géométrie eau ordinaire fonctionnant
avec une zone fondue (IAEA-PL-463/9d) .............................................. 201
J. Bazin, M. Perrot, Nicole V i gn.e s о u lt
The migration of fission products through reactor fuel
materials (IAEA-PL-463/10) .................................................................... 211
J.R. Findlay
Contribution to the studies of the fission gases released
from irradiated uranium oxide pellets (IAEA-PL-463/11 ) ................. 221
J. Klima, M. Podest, V. Vins
Pu, U redistribution in (U, Pu)02 fuels by temperature
gradients (IAEA-PL-463/12) ..................................................................... 225
M. G. Adamson, E. A. Ait ken
Chemical interactions of fission products with stainless steel
claddings (IAEA-PL-463/14) ..................................................................... 237
P. Hofmann, O. Gôtzmann
Fuel/cladding compatibility of stainless steels with gas and
sodium-bonded uranium plutonium carbide fuels
(IAEA- PL-463/15) ......................................................................................... 255
O. Götzmann, R. W. Ohse
Out-of-pile investigations of fission product-cladding reactions
in fast reactor fuel pins (IAEA-PL-463/16) ......................................... 269
E. A. Aitken, S. K. Evans, B. F. Rubin
Réaction à l'interface gaine (acier inoxydable )/combustible
(oxyde mixte (U,Pu)02±x) dans les éléments combustibles
irradiés en neutrons rapides (1AEA-PL-463/17) ....................'......... 287
D. Calais, M. Conte, F. de Keroulas, R. Le Beuze
The role of caesium in chemical interaction of austenitic
stainless steels with uranium plutonium oxide fuels
(IAEA-PL-463/18) ......................................................................................... 299
R. W. Ohse, M. Schlechter
Mise en évidence de la migration de l'oxygène sous irradiation:
Irradiation L-l (IAEA-PL-463/l9a) ..................................................... 315
M. Trotabas, F. de Keroulas, J. P. Gatesoupe
Thermodiffusion et vaporisation dans les oxydes mixtes
irradiés: Evolution du rapport Pu/U + Pu (IAEA-PL-463/19b) .... 325
M. Mouchnino
Emission des gaz de fission par l'oxyde d'uranium dans les
éléments combustibles (IAEA-PL-463/19c) ......................................... 337
P. Chènebault, R. Delmas
Réactions entre le sodium et les oxydes mixtes
(IAEA- PL-463/l9d)......................................................................................... 349
M. Housseau, G. Dean, F. Perret
Reaction behaviour of fission products in carbides
(IAEA-PL-463/20) ......................................................................................... 361
H. Holleck, E. Smailos
Fission product distribution in fast reactor oxide fuels
(IAEA-PL-463/21) ......................................................................................... 379
H.J. Powell
Reaction of sodium with uranium-plutonium oxide and uranium
oxide fuels (IAEA-PL-463/22) ................................................................. 393
P. E. Blackburn
Thermodynamic studies of the sodium fuel reaction at
General Electric (IAEA-PL-463/23) ....................................................... 411
M. G. Adamson, E. A. Aitken, S. K. Evans
Summary, conclusions and recommendations ......................................... 421
List of Participants’’........................................................................................... 435