What is rim-structure?

It was found around 1985 in LWR fuel as porosity development at rim of fuel pellets, just at neighbour of inner surface of the cladding. Many fine pores were observed by ceramography of magnification of around 500. At the same time French hot laboratory found reduction of EPMA signal for fission produced Xe at the same rim area.

Later by high resolution, the microscope (SEM) revealed "Cauliflower-like" structure named by Hj. Matzke of ITU, which is similar to complex biological morphology of the vegetable.

However, the first observation of the structure was made and reported in 1960th. In the development program of high burnup core at the Shippingport reactor in US, UO2 specimens were irradiated at low temperature and investigated by electron microprobe with replica method.

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Achievement of HBRP

Sponsors

HBRP is co-sponsored by CRIEPI, Japanese utilities, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nippon Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation, Nuclear Fuel Industries, Electricite de France, ABB Atom AB, Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate and Swedish utilities, Electric Power Research Institute of USA, IFE of Norway, and is carried out in co-operation with IFE and ITU Karlsruhe.

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References of HBRP

M. Kinoshita, T. Sonoda, S. Kitajima, A. Sasahara, E. Kolstad, Hj. Matzke, V.V. Rondinella, A.D. Stalios, C.T. Walker, I. Ray, M. Sheindlin, D. Halton, C. Ronchi, "High Burnup Rim Project (II) Irradiation and examination to investigate rim-structured fuel," ANS International Topical Meeting on Light Water Reactor Fuel Behavior to be held April 9-13, 2000 in Park City, Utah. (to be presented)

M. Kinoshita, S. Kitajima, T. Kameyama, T. Matsumura, E.Kolstad, Hj. Matzke, "High Burnup Rim Project, progressof irraiation and preliminary analysis," Proceedings, 1997 International Topical Meeting on Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance, Portland, Oregon, March 2-6, 1997, p530-535.

T. Sonoda, Hj. Matzke, M. Kinoshita, "High Burnup Rim Project (IV) Threshold Burnup of Rim Structure Formation," EHPG Meeting, Loen, Norway, May 1999.

S. Kitajima, Hj. Matzke, M. Kinoshita,"High Burnup Rim Project(III) Examinations to@verify attainment of@the target irradiation conditions," EHPG meeting, Lillihammar Norway, March 1998

M. Kinoshita, "High Burnup Rim Project, (II) Progress of Irradiation and Preliminary Analysis," Proceedings of Enlarged HPG Meeting, Loen, Norway, 19th-24 May, 1996., HPR-347, OECD Halden Reactor Project.

M. Kinoshita, T. Matsumura, T. Kameyama, S. Kitajima, E. Kolstad, Hj. Matzke, "High Burnup Rim Project, Irradiation Program to Study Rim Structure Formation, -Outline and Preliminary Analysis -," EHPG meeting, Bolkesjo 10/31-11/4, 1994.

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References related to rim-structure

This is still under-construction. We acknowledge here to Daniel Baron (EdF) for the collection.
If you have any information, please E-mail us to make this list better. E-Mail: moto@criepi.denken.or.jp

  1. M.L. Bleiberg, R.M. Berman, B. Lustman (Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania), "Effects of High Burn-up on Oxide Ceramic Fuels," Symposium on Radiation Damage in Solids and Reactor Materials held by the International Atomic Energy Agency at the Fondazione CINI, S.Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, 7-11 May 1962. (The part of the Proceedings are compiled in a book of the following; Radiation Damage in Reactor Materials, IAEA, Vienna, August 1963. STI/PUB/56a, pp319-428.)

  2. D. Baron, B. Houdaille, M. Trotabas, A. Raybaud, "Experience on Fission Gas Release in High Burnup Fuel Rods Operating in Power Plants," IAEA Technical Meeting on Fuel Internal Chemistry and Fission Products Behaior, Karlsruhe, 11-15 November, (1985).

  3. Pati S. R., Garde A. M.; Proceedings, ANS Topical Meeting on Light Water Reactor Feul Performance, Orlando, Florida, April 21-24, p(4-19)-(4-32), (1985),.

  4. D. Baron, C. Forat, E. Maffets, FRAGEMA Experience on Fission Gas Release under Base and Transient Operating Conditions, ANS Topical meeting on LWR Fuel Performance, April 17-20, 1988, Williamsburg, Virginia, Proceedings,p216.

  5. N. Lozano, L. Desgranges, D. Aymes, J.C. Niepce, "High magnification SEM observations for two types of granularity in a high burnup PWR fuel rim," J. Nucl. Mater. 257(1998)78-87.

  6. Barner J.O., et al., High Burnup Effects Program - Final Report, HBEP-61, 1990, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories.

  7. Barner J.O., et al., ANS/ENS International Topical Meeting on LWR Fuel Performance, Palais des Papes, Avignon, France, April 21-24,1991.

  8. Cunningham M. E., Freshley M. D., Lanning D. D.; J. Nucl. Mater. 188, 19-27 (1992).

  9. Walker C. T., Kameyama T., Kitajima S., Kinoshita M.; J. Nucl. Mater., 188, 73-79 (1992).

  10. Thomas L. E., Beyer C. E., Charlot L. A.; J. Nucl, Mater, 188, 80-89 (1992).

  11. Aoki T., Koizumi S., Umemura H., Ogata K., "Fission Gas Release Behavior of High Burnup Fuels during Power Ramp Tests," IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fission Gas Release and Fuel Rod Chemistry Related to Extended Burnup, April 28 - May 1, 1992, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada.

  12. K. Maeda, T. Mitsugi, T. Asaga, "Fission product behavior in periferal region of FBR mixed-oxide fuel pellet under high bunurp condition," IEQES-96, Mito, 1996. (presented by poster, but not printed)

  13. J. D. B. Lambert, R. Strain, Chapt. 3, Volume 10A, Nuclear Materials part 1, Volume Editor, B. R. T. Frost, "Material Science and Technology," Edited by R.W. Cahn, P. Haasen, E.J. Kramer, VCH, 1994.

  14. T. Kameyama, T. Matsumura, M. Kinoshita, Analysis of Rim Structure Formation in Battelle High Burnup Effects Program," ANS/ENS International Topical Meeting on LWR Fuel Performance, Palais des Papes, Avignon, France, April 21-24,1991. Also published in Nuclear Technology 106(1994)334-341.

  15. M. Kinoshita, T. Kameyama, S. Kitajima and HJ. Matzke, "Temperature and fission rate effects on the rim structure formation in a UO2 fuel with a burnup of 7.8% FIMA," J. Nucl. Mater. 252(1998)71-78.

  16. I.L.F. Ray, Hj. Matzke, H. Thiele and M. Kinoshita, "An Electron Microscopy Study of the RIM structure of a UO2 fuel with a high burnup of 7.9 % FIMA," J. Nucl. Mater., 245i1997j115-123

  17. Hj. Matzke, M. Kinoshita, "Polygonization and high bunrup structure in nuclear fuel," 9th Int. Symp. Thermodyn. Nucl. Mater. 14. IUPAC Conf. on Chem. Thermodynamics, Osaka, Aug. 25-30, 1996, J. Nucl. Mater. 247(1997)108-115.

  18. K. Une, K. Nogita, S. Kashibe, T. Toyonaga, M. Amaya, "Effects of irradiation-induced microstructural evolution on high burnup fuel behavior," Proceedings of ANS Topical meeting, International Topical Meeting on Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance, Portland, Oregon, March 2-6, 1997, p478-489.

  19. K. Une, K. Nogita, S. Kashibe, and M. Imamura, "Microstructural Change and its influence on fission gas release in High Burnup UO2 Fuel," J. Nucl. Mater. 188 (1992) 65-72.

  20. Kashibe S., Une K. Nogita K.; J. Nucl. Mater. 206, 22-34 (1993).

  21. M. Imamura, K. Une, H. Ohara, K. Ogata, T. Sato, T. Nomata, M. Irube, M. Futakuchi, "Verification Test on High Performance Fuel (7) - Microstructural Change of irradiated Feul Pellet -," J31, Autumn mtg,. Atomic Energy Society of Japan, 1994.

  22. K. Nogita, K. Une, "Radiation-induced microstructural change in high burnup UO2 fuel pellets," Nucler Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 91(1994) 301-306.

  23. K. Nogita and K. Une, "Irradiation-induced recrystallization in high burnup UO2 fuel," J. Nucl. Mater., 226 (1995) 302-310.

  24. K. Nogita, K. Une, M. Hirai, K. Ito, K. Ito, Y. Shirai, J. Nucl. Mater., 248 (1997) 196-203. (presented at IEQES, Mito 1996).

  25. Lassmann K., Walker C. T., van de Laar J., Lindstrom F.; J. Nucl. Mater. 226, 1 (1995).

  26. Spino J., Vennix K., Coquerelle M.; "Detailed characterization of the rim structure in PWR fuels in the burn-up range 40-67 GWd/tM", J. Nucl. Mater. 231, 170-190 (1996).

  27. J. Spino, D. Baron, M. Coquerelle, A.D. Stalios, High Burn-up Rim Structure: Evidences that Xenon-depletion, Pore formation and Grain Subdivision start at different local Burn-ups, Journal of Nuclear Materials 256 (1998) p189.

  28. M. Mogensen, J.H. Pearce, C.T.Walker, Behaviour of fission gas in the rim region of high burn-up UO2 fuel pellets with particular reference to results from XRF investigation, JNM 264 (1999) 99-112

  29. Knudsen P., Bagger C., Mogensen M. and Toftegaard H., Fission Gas Release and Fuel Temperature during Power Transients in Water Reactor Fuel at Extended Burnup, IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fission Gas Release and Fuel Rod Chemistry Related to Extended Burnup, April 28 - May 1, 1992, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada.

  30. Mogensen M., Bagger C., Toftegaard H. and Knudsen P., Fission Gas Release below 20kW/m in Transient tested Water Reactor Fuel at Extended Burn-Up, IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fission Gas Release and Fuel Rod Chemistry Related to Extended Burnup, April 28 - May 1, 1992, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada.

  31. Bagger C. and Mogensen M., Experimental Assessment of a Temperature Threshold for Thermally Induced Fission Gas Release in Transient Tested Water Reactor Fuel with Extended Burn-Up, IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fission Gas Release and Fuel Rod Chemistry Related to Extended Burnup, April 28 - May 1, 1992, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada.

  32. D. Baron and J. Spino, "Does the rim microstructure formations degrade the fuel rod performance?" IAEA TCM, on technical and economic limits to fuel burn-up extension, San Carlo de Bariloche, Argentina, November 15-19, 1999.

  33. H.J. Matzke, Recent studies on the formation of the rim structure and on polygonization in LWR fuels, IAEA TCM, on technical and economic limits to fuel burn-up extension, San Carlo de Bariloche, Argentina, November 15-19, 1999.

  34. P.G.Boczar, Benefits from the use of slightly enriched uranium fuel in operating CANDU reactors, IAEA TCM, on technical and economic limits to fuel burn-up extension, San Carlo de Bariloche, Argentina, November 15-19, 1999.

  35. J.Spino, D.Baron, Microstructure and Fracture Toughness Characterisation of Irradiated PWR Fuels in the Burn-up Range 40-67 GWd/tU, Same IAEA TCM, TOKYO, Japan, 29 October to 1 November 1996; J.Spino, K.Vennix, M.Coquerelle, Detailed Characterisation of the Rim Microstructure in PWR Fuels in the Burn-up range 40-67 GWd/tM, Journal of Nuclear Materials (1996).

  36. D. Baron S. Leclercq, J. Spino and S. Taheri, Development of a Microindentation Technique to determine the Fuel Mechanical Behaviour at High Burn-up, paper 6.6, IAEA TCM on Advances in Pellet Technology for Improved Performance at High Burn-up, Tokyo 28 0ctobre - 1er November 1996.

  37. B. Cros, D. Baron, V. Roque , Microacoustic Techniques to assess to local Characteristics of irradiated Fuel Materials, 6th International Conference on CANDU Fuels, Niagara Falls (Canada), September 26-30, 1999.

  38. J.P. Berton and D.Baron , Chemical Stability and Physical Properties of Caesium Uranates, paper 6.4, IAEA TCM on Advances in Pellet Technology for Improved Performance at High Burn-up, Tokyo 28 0ctobre - 1er November 1996.

  39. P. Guedeney, M. Trotabas, M. Boschiero, C. Forat, "FRAGEMA Fuel Behaviour Characterization at High Burn-up", ANS/ENS International Topical Meeting on LWR Fuel Performance, Avignon (France), April 21-24, 1991, P 627, Vol 2.

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Theories
  1. M. Kinoshita, "Towards the mathematical model of rim structure formation," IEQES 96, Mito, Aug. 21-23, 1996, published in J. Nucl. Mater. 248(1997)185-190.

  2. Baron D., Hermitte B. Piron J. P.; Proc. Techn. Committee Meeting on Advances in Pellet Technology for Improved Performance at High Burnup, IAEA, Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 1996.

  3. J. Rest, G.L. Hofman, "Dynamics of irradiation-induced grain subdivision and swelling in U3Si2 and UO2 fuels," J. Nucl. Mater. 210 (1994) 187-202.

  4. J. Rest,"Application of a mechanistic model for radiation-induced amorphization and crystalization of uranium silicide to recrystalization of UO2", IEQES-96, paper OB-02. published in J. Nucl. Mater., 248(1977)180-184

  5. J. Rest and G. L. Hofman, "An alternative explanation for evidence that xenon depletion, pore formation, and grain subdivision begin at different local burnups", J. Nucl. Mater., 277 (2000) 231-238.

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