Materials Development and Related Issues Materials Development and Related Issues in Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle with in Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle with Fast Breeder Reactors Fast Breeder Reactors Baldev Raj Baldev Raj Distinguished Scientist Distinguished Scientist & & Director Director Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research Kalpakkam Kalpakkam
ROLE OF FBR IN INDIAN ENERGY GROWTH SCENARIO 6000 5305 P e r C a p ita G e n e r a tio n (k W h ) 5000 3699 4000 2454 3000 1620 2000 1000 613 1000 0 2002 2012 2022 2032 2042 2052 Energy Time period Resources (BTCE) Per Capita Electricity Consumption 2005 2052 � Electricity Generation ~ 1344 (GWe) 122.3 � Nuclear Energy Share ~ 275 (GWe) 3.31 � PHWR (GWe) ~ 0 2.99 � Faster Growth needed to reach the target � FBR with Closed Fuel Cycle & High Breeding Ratio inevitable
Innovative FBRs FBRs – – Indian Approach Indian Approach Innovative � Improved Economy � Improved Economy # High Burn- -up up – – 200 200 GWd GWd/t /t # High Burn # Increased Plant life : 40 60 years # Increased Plant life : 40 60 years � Sustainability � Sustainability # High Breeding High Breeding – – Metallic Fuels Metallic Fuels # � Enhanced Safety � Enhanced Safety
Plan of the Presentation Plan of the Presentation Materials Development Program Materials Development Program & & Addressing Issues for Addressing Issues for � Extending burn � Extending burn- -up to 200 up to 200 GWd GWd/t /t � Increasing life of Reprocessing Plants � Increasing life of Reprocessing Plants � Increasing Breeding by Metal Fuels � Increasing Breeding by Metal Fuels
I MPORTANCE OF HI GH BURN-UP IN FBRs, 200 GWd/t BURN-UP IS DESIRED TO FR Burn-up (MWd/Kg) • LOWER UNIT ENERGY COST Due to reduced amount of fuel fabricated and processed per MWe Relative fuel cycle cost • MINIMISE WASTE GENERATION Less Minor Actinides and Fission Products per MWe • REDUCE MAN REM EXPOSURE per MWe , , EFR vs EPR generating cost Comparison normalised to 100% EPR EPR EFR +20% EFR+30% EPR+ 20% EPR EPR+20% EPR+30% Investment 56 67 73 O & M 25 30 32 Fuel 19 9 9 Fuel Cycle Cost Variation with Fuel Cycle Cost Variation with Total cost 100 106 114 Burn- Burn -up up
COMPREHENSIVE MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY REACTOR PARAMETERS MATERIALS FOR FUTURE FBRs HIGH LEVEL WASTE MANAGEMENT REPROCESSING
Strategy for 200 GWd/t Burn-up
Issues Related to High Burn-up � In-Pile Behavior of Fuel Element & Subassembly - Deformation, Fuel Clad Chemical Interaction � Degradation in Mechanical Properties � Fuel Cycle Aspects Research & Development - Multi Disciplinary � Reactor physics � Fuel Properties � Structural Material Properties � Core engineering PIE Modeling � Reprocessing and Waste Management Integrated and Synergistic Approach
REACTOR PHYSICS MEASURES FOR HIGH BURN-UP Enhance Excess Reactivity of Fuel Reduce Reactivity Fall with burnup by at Beginning of Cycle – Residence time higher breeding ratio (BR) - Residence time Excess reactivity: Δ = − Excess Reactivity k k 1 eff Excess Reactivity High BR Δ k 2 Δ > Δ Δ k k k Low BR 2 1 1 t 1 t 2 Residence time Residence time t 1 t 2 Fissile Content High in FBRs – High Burn-up Achievable Parameter Present Future Cycle length (full power days) 180 270 IMPROVED Fuel enrichment (%) 21/28 23/31 PFBR OXIDE CORE Fraction of core discharge per cycle 1/3 1/4 Peak fuel burn-up (Gwd/t) 100 200
CORE ENGINEERING FOR 100 GWd GWd/t /t CORE ENGINEERING FOR 100 FBTR: Mk –I Fuel Subassembly PFBR: Fuel Subassembly Fuel : (70%PuC-30%UC) Fuel : (U-Pu)O2 Peak Linear Power : 400 W/cm Peak Linear Power : 450 W/cm Clad material : 20%CW 316 Clad material : 20%CW D9 Wrapper material: 20%CW 316L Wrapper material: 20%CW D9 No. of pins : 61 No. of pins : 217
PIE OF 100 GWd/t FBTR CARBIDE FUEL Microstructure of Fuel pin cross section at centre of fuel column 25 GWd/ t BURN-UP 50 GWd/ t BURN-UP 100 GWd/ t BURN-UP � EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE OF FUEL / CLAD / HEXCAN � NO FUEL/CLAD GAP SEEN AT THE CENTRE OF FUEL COLUMN � INTERNAL CLAD CARBURISATION NOT OBSERVED � MAXIMUM INCREASE IN CLAD DIAMETER - 1.6% � RESIDUAL DUCTILITY OBSERVED ON THE CLAD TUBE - 3% � CLAD VOLUMETRIC SWELLING ESTIMATED TO BE 4.4% FUEL HAS REACHED 154 GWd/t BURN-UP WITHOUT FAILURE Burn-up Limited by Clad Ductility and Assembly Interaction
Oxide Core for Higher Breeding Gain (BG) 0.125 0.12 0.105 1% 0.10 Increase 0.095 BG = BR-1 each of Ferritic smear steel 0.08 Bottom density for axial & volume 3 Rows hexcan 0.05 blanket fraction Present of radial increased of fuel blanket design by 10 cm Improvements in design & materials Breeding gain increase with design improvements
ENGINEERING CONSEQUENCES OF SWELLING & IRRADIATION CREEP C S WRAPPER SUBASSEMBLY DILATION BOWING & AXIAL GROWTH Handling Force Limit -15 kN S – Swelling Component (isotropic) Handling Force for 100 C – Creep Component GWd/t - 6 kN
Fuel Subassembly - - Clad & Wrapper Clad & Wrapper Fuel Subassembly • Radiation damage is the major consideration FAST REACTOR STRUCTURAL MATERIALS High Temperature Intense Neutron Flux 400-700 o C- clad (10 15 n/cm 2 /s) 400-600 o C wrapper DISPLACEMENT DAMAGE 100 – 200 dpa VOID SWELLING Irradiation Creep Dimensional Changes Due to Swelling and Creep Limit Burnup
ENGINEERING DESIGN MEASURES FOR HIGH BURNUP Fuel Pin Schematic Increasing fission gas plenum � � Increasing fission gas plenum Spring Decreasing the smeared density � � Decreasing the smeared density Blanket Annular pellet concept � � Annular pellet concept Fuel Pellet Fission Gas Central Plenum Hole Clad
ENGINEERING DESIGN MEASURES FOR HIGH BURNUP Bowing Reduction Bowing Reduction Reduction of Fuel Clad Reduction of Fuel Clad Chemical Interaction Chemical Interaction � More number of More number of � Higher allowance in � � Higher allowance in flow zones flow zones clad thickness clad thickness � More enrichment � More enrichment Lower O/M ratio � Lower O/M ratio � zones zones Annular Pellet Clad
HIGH BURN- -UP ISSUES IN OXIDE FUELS UP ISSUES IN OXIDE FUELS HIGH BURN � Increase in O/M ratio Increase in O/M ratio - - oxidation of clad oxidation of clad � � Clad corrosion due to fission products Clad corrosion due to fission products � � Cladding stress due to higher fission gas release Cladding stress due to higher fission gas release � � Fuel Fuel- -coolant interaction coolant interaction � Above issues are not life limiting up to 200 GWd/t Burn-Up Oxide Fuels achieved 13-16 at% burn-up -Internationally 24 at% - Experimental Pins Oxide Fuel is Well Proven for High Burn-up with Advanced Materials
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF HIGH BURN- -UP FUELS UP FUELS THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF HIGH BURN • Thermal Conductivity Degradation at High Burn-up • Need for Measurement of Fuel Conductivity Relative Thermal Conductivity of 56 GWd/t burnt UO 2 fuel at 1273 K Ref: H. Sakurai and Y. Wakashima Nippon Nuclear Fuel Dev.Co., Ltd., Japan .
Issues Related to High Burn- -up up Issues Related to High Burn � Core Engineering Core Engineering � � Reactor Physics � Reactor Physics � Materials Development (Fuel, Clad & � Materials Development (Fuel, Clad & Wrapper) Wrapper) � Impact of high burn up on Reprocessing � Impact of high burn up on Reprocessing � Waste Management � Waste Management
Demands on the Core Structural Materials Reliability Durability Economy
Swelling Resistant Materials VOID SWELLING; IRRADIATION CREEP; H.T. PROPERTIES Alloy HT9 Alloy D9 B.J. Makenas et. al, 1990 Development of advanced clad and wrapper materials for achieving burn-ups of ~ 2,00,000 MWd/t initiated Clad : Development of improved version of D9 (D9I) by optimisation of minor alloying elements; Si, Ti and P (better void swelling resistance) Wrapper : Optimised mod.9Cr-1Mo steel with controlled residuals to improve ductile to brittle transition temperature
Choice of Materials for High Burn- -up up Choice of Materials for High Burn Fuel - - Oxide or Metal Oxide or Metal Clad & Wrapper Fuel Clad & Wrapper Austenitic stainless steel Austenitic stainless steel Type 316 & modifications Type 316 & modifications 15Cr- -15Ni 15Ni- -Ti Ti- -C (Alloy D9) & C (Alloy D9) & 15Cr Current generation its improved versions its improved versions Ferritic / Martensitic Steels 9Cr-1Mo; Mod. 9Cr-1Mo-V-Nb Immediate Future 9Cr-2Mo-V-Nb; 12Cr-1Mo-V-W ; Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels 13Cr-1.5Mo-2.9Ti-1.8Ti 2 O 3 , 13Cr-1.5Mo-2.2Ti - Future 0.9 Ti 2 O 3 -0.5Y 2 O 3 , 12Cr-0.03C-2W- 0.3Ti- 0.24 Y 2 O 3, 9Cr - 0.13C- 2W + Ti + Y 2 O 3 � Reprocessing - Stainless steel, Ti & Zr based alloys, Ceramic & Nano Coatings � Waste management – Synroc & Glass Matrices
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