REVIEW OF METAL FUEL U-10 wt. % Zr STUDIES

Abstract

The article provides a review of well-known foreign scientific publications devoted to the study of the properties of metallic nuclear fuel based on U-Zr, in composition close to U 10 wt. % Zr, which is widely used in reactors. Differences in the microstructure of fuel made by different methods: extrusion and casting - are considered. The effect of thermal annealing on the change in the microstructure of the alloy is shown. The photographs obtained using optical and electron microscopes are presented, as well as crystallographic data for two phases: α-U and δ-UZr2. The known literature data indicate that the density of uranium-rich U-Zr alloys corresponds to the rule of mixtures. The theoretical density of the alloy U-10 wt. % Zr (U-22.5 at. % Zr) should be taken as 16.2 g/cm3. The results of thermophysical studies of 10 wt. % Zr fuel using the method of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are presented. Data on measurements of thermal expansion of U-Zr alloys, as well as thermal conductivity are presented. Most of the thermal conductivity data are either calculated from the measured density, specific heat and thermal diffusivity, or obtained from simulations.