Analysis of beryllium poisoning effect on liquid metal reactor with U–Be alloy fuel

A liquid metal reactor(LMR) loaded with a fuel compound of uranium and beryllium(U-Be alloy fuel),which was cooled by a lead-bismuth eutectic alloy(PbBi),has been applied in Russian Alfa-class nuclear submarines.Because of the large amount of beryllium in the core, the reaction between the beryllium atoms and neutrons could result in the accumulation of 3 He and 6 Li, which are called the "poisoned elements" owing to their large thermal neutron capture cross section. The accumulation of neutron absorber can affect the performance of a reactor. In this study, the Super Multi-functional Calculation Program(SuperMC) code, which was developed by Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(INEST, CAS), was adopted to illustrate the influence of beryllium on an LMR.

Plutonium utilization in a small modular molten-salt reactor based on a batch fuel reprocessing scheme

A molten salt reactor(MSR)has outstanding features considering the application of thorium fuel,inherent safety,sustainability,and resistance to proliferation.However,fissile material^(233)U is significantly rare at the current stage,thus it is difficult for MSR to achieve a pure thorium-uranium fuel cycle.Therefore,using plutonium or enriched uranium as the initial fuel for MSR is more practical.In this study,we aim to verify the feasibility of a small modular MSR that utilizes plutonium as the starting fuel(SM-MSR-Pu),and highlight its advantages and disadvantages.First,the structural design and fuel management scheme of the SM-MSR-Pu were presented.Second,the neutronic characteristics,such as the graphite-irradiation lifetime,burn-up performance,and coefficient of temperature reactivity were calculated to analyze the physical characteristics of the SM-MSR-Pu.The results indicate that plutonium is a feasible and advantageous starting fuel for a SM-MSR;however,there are certain shortcomings that need to be solved.In a 250 MWth SM-MSR-Pu,approximately 288.64 kg^(233)U of plutonium with a purity of greater than 90% is produced while 978.00 kg is burned every ten years.The temperature reactivity coefficient decreases from -4.0 to -6.5 pcm K^(-1) over the 50-year operating time,which ensures a long-term safe operation.However,the amount of plutonium and accumulation of minor actinides(MAs)would increase as the burn-up time increases,and the annual production and purity of^(233)U will decrease.To achieve an optimal burn-up performance,setting the entire operation time to 30 years is advisable.Regardless,more than 3600 kg of plutonium eventually accumulate in the core.Further research is required to effectively utilize this accumulated plutonium.

Comparative studies on the hot corrosion behavior of air plasma spray and high velocity oxygen fuel coated Co-based L605 superalloys in a gas turbine environment

An improvement in the corrosion resistance of alloys at elevated temperature is a factor for their potential use in gas turbines. In this study, Co Ni Cr Al Y has been coated on the L605 alloy using air plasma spray(APS) and high-velocity oxygen fuel(HVOF) coating techniques to enhance its corrosion resistance. Hot corrosion studies were conducted on uncoated and coated samples in a molten salt environment at 850°C under cyclic conditions. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the corrosion kinetics. The samples were subjected to scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction for further investigation. In coated samples, the formation of Al2O3 and Cr2O3 in the coating acts as a diffusion barrier that could resists the inward movement of the corrosive species present in the molten salt. Coated samples showed very less spallation, lower weight gain, less porosity, and internal oxidation as compared to uncoated sample.HVOF-coated sample showed greater corrosion resistance and inferred that this is the best technique under these conditions.

Harnessing dimethyl ether and methyl formate fuels for direct electrochemical energy conversion

In this work,the oxidation of a mixture of dimethyl ether(DME) and methyl formate(MF) was studied in both an aqueous electrochemical cell and a vapor-fed polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC)utilizing a multi-metallic alloy catalyst,Pt_(3)Pd_(3)Sn_(2)/C,discovered earlier by us.The current obtained during the bulk oxidation of a DME-saturated 1 M MF was higher than the summation of the currents provided by the two fuels separately,suggesting the cooperative effect of mixing these fuels.A significant increase in the anodic charge was realized during oxidative stripping of a pre-adsorbed DME+MF mixture as compared to DME or MF individually.This is ascribed to greater utilization of specific catalytic sites on account of the relatively lower adsorption energy of the dual-molecules than of the sum of the individual molecules as confirmed by the density fu nctional theory(DFT) calculations.Fuel cell polarization was also conducted using a Pt_(3)Pd_(3)Sn_(2)/C(anode) and Pt/C(cathode) catalysts-coated membrane(CCM).The enhanced surface coverage and active site utilization resulted in providing a higher peak power density by the DME+MF mixture-fed fuel cell(123 mW cm^(-2)at 0.45 V) than with DME(84mW cm^(-2)at 0.35 V) or MF(28 mW cm^(-2)at 0.2 V) at the same total anode hydrocarbon flow rate,temperature,and ambient pressure.

AB_5-type Hydrogen Storage Alloy Modified with Ti/Zr Used as Anodic Materials in Borohydride Fuel Cell

Fuel cell using borohydride as the fuel has received much attention. AB5-type hydrogen storage alloy used as the anodic material instead of noble metals has been investigated. In order to restrain the generation of hydrogen and enhance the utilization of borohydride, Ti/Zr metal powders has been added into the parent LmNi4.78Mn0.22 （where Lm is La-richened mischmetal） alloy （LNM） by ball milling and heat treatment methods. It is found that the addition of Ti/Zr metal powders lowers the electrochemical catalytic activity of the electrodes, at the same time, restrains the generation of hydrogen and enhances the utilization of the fuel. All the results show that the hydrogen generation rate or the utilization of the fuel is directly relative to the electrochemical catalytic activity or the discharge capability of the electrodes. The utilization of the fuel increases with discharge current density. It is very important to find a balance between the discharge capability and the utilization of the fuel.

Nb元素含量对U-Nb合金显微组织和比热容的影响

U-Nb合金具有良好的耐腐蚀性、结构稳定性和加工性,是核领域重要的结构材料。制备了不同Nb元素含量的淬火态U-Nb合金,对其显微组织和比热容进行了研究。结果表明:淬火态U-2Nb合金中存在大量粗针状马氏体;随着Nb元素含量的增加,马氏体逐渐消失,U-Nb合金形成等轴晶组织;随着Nb元素含量增加和温度的升高,U-Nb合金的比热容逐渐增大;当温度超过650℃时,U-Nb合金发生了相变,比热容显著减小。

FeCoNiCrCu高熵合金涂层对复合铸造Al/Mg双金属组织和性能的影响

目的研究不同厚度的FeCoNiCrCu高熵合金涂层对Al/Mg双金属组织和力学性能的影响。方法通过超音速火焰喷涂工艺在A356嵌体表面喷涂不同厚度的FeCoNiCrCu高熵合金涂层,采用消失模复合铸造工艺制备Al/Mg双金属,利用扫描电镜、EDS能谱及XRD衍射仪、维氏硬度测试仪和万能试验机对Al/Mg双金属界面微观组织和力学性能进行测试和分析。结果未喷涂高熵合金涂层的Al/Mg双金属界面由共晶层和金属间化合物层组成,断裂位置主要位于金属间化合物层,裂纹从Al_(3)Mg_(2)扩展至共晶层结束,具有典型的脆性断裂特征,剪切强度仅为30.37MPa。当高熵合金涂层厚度为5μm时,Al/Mg双金属形成了Al_(3)Mg_(2)+Mg_(2)Si/AlxFeCoNiCrCu+FeCoNiCrCu+Al-Mg-Co-Ni混合相/δ-Mg+Al_(12)Mg_(17)共晶组织的复杂界面,断裂发生在高熵合金层与δ-Mg+Al_(12)Mg_(17)共晶组织的交界处,断裂面产生了一定程度的塑性变形,剪切强度为48.46MPa,相对于无涂层的Al/Mg双金属提高了59.56%。当高熵合金涂层厚度为20μm时,铝侧生成了AlxFeCoNiCrCu高熵合金,镁侧则只生成了少量Mg-Ni-Cu混合相,断裂发生在高熵合金涂层与镁基体交界处,剪切强度为39.69 MPa。结论高熵合金涂层可以有效阻碍Al、Mg元素之间的扩散,从而显著抑制或完全阻止Al-Mg脆性金属间化合物的产生,大幅度降低界面层厚度。金属间化合物的减少和混合相对裂纹扩展的阻碍作用显著提高了Al/Mg双金属界面的剪切强度。

Relation between Gamma Decomposition and Powder Formation of <i>γ</i>-U8Mo Nuclear Fuel Alloys via Hydrogen Embrittlement and Thermal Shock

Gamma uranium-molybdenum alloys have been considered as the fuel phase in plate type fuel elements for material and test reactors (MTR), due to their acceptable performance under irradiation. Regarding their usage as a dispersion phase in aluminum matrix, it is necessary to convert the as cast structure into powder, and one of the techniques considered for this purpose is the hydration-dehydration (HDH). This paper shows that, under specific conditions of heating and cooling, γ-UMo fragmentation occurs in a non-reactive predominant mechanism, as shown by the curves of hydrogen absorption/desorption as a function of time and temperature. Our focus was on the experimental results presented by the addition of 8% weight molybdenum. Following the production by induction melting, samples of the alloys were thermally treated under a constant flow of hydrogen for temperatures varying from 500°C to 600°C and for times of 0.5 to 4 h. It was observed that, even without a massive hydration-dehydration process, the alloys fragmented under specific conditions of thermal treatment during the thermal shock phase of the experiments. Also, it was observed that there was a relation between absorption and the rate of gamma decomposition or the gamma phase stability of the alloy.

Possibility of Using Ni-Co Alloy As Catalyst for Oxygen Electrode of Fuel Cell

In recent years, the scale of use of fuel cells （FCs） has been increasing continuously. One of the essential elements that affect their work is a catalyst. Precious metals （mainly platinum） are known for their high efficiency as FC catalysts. However, their high cost holds back the FCs from application on a large scale. Therefore, catalysts that do not contain precious metals are sought. Studies are focused mainly on the search for fuel electrode catalysts, but for the efficiency of FCs also the oxygen electrode catalyst is of great significance. The paper presents an analysis of the possibilitiesof using Ni-Co alloy as a catalyst for the oxygen electrode of the FC.

Analysis of fixation method of fuel assembly for lead-alloy cooled reactor

As a potential candidate for generation IV reactors, lead-alloy cooled reactor has attracted much attentions in recent years. The China LEAd-based research Reactor(CLEAR) is proposed as the primary choice for the accelerator driven subcritical system project launched by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Lead-bismuth eutectic(LBE) is selected as the coolant of CLEAR owing to its efficient heat conductivity properties and high production rate of neutrons. In order to compensate the buoyancy due to the high density of lead-alloy, fixation methods of fuel assembly(FA) have become a research hotspot worldwide. In this paper, we report an integrated system of ballast and fuel element for CLEAR FA. It guarantees the correct positioning of each FA in normal and refueling operations. Force calculation and temperature analysis prove that the FA will be stable and safe under CLEAR operation conditions.

Preliminary Developments of Miniplate-Type Fuel of U-2.5Zr-7.5Nb Alloy Dispersed and Cladded in Zircaloy

Nuclear fuel based on uranium metal alloys is utilized in research and test reactors. For the purpose of the reduction of fuel enrichment, high densities of uranium-235 in this kind of fuel are needed. This can be achieved when uranium alloys are used containing elements such as Zr, Mo and Nb. The construction of fuel element with high-uranium density requires materials with low cross sections for neutron absorption, stability under irradiation and absence of the chemical interactions between the fuel and cladding elements. In case of U-Zr-Nb alloys, Zry （zircaloy） cladding is a better option due to the fact that they have a higher chemical compatibility when compared with the use of aluminum alloys. This study aims to develop plate type nuclear fuel using the U-2.5Zr-7.5Nb alloy dispersed in Zry. Powders of this uranium based alloy and Zry were obtained by hydriding-dehydriding process. These powders were homogenized, compacted in pellet that was sandwiched in plates and frame of Zry. This assembly was hot rolled forming the dispersion fuel miniplate.

挤压比和钛质量分数对U-Ti合金力学性能的影响

利用材料实验机和分离式霍普金森压杆对2种挤压比、3种钛质量分数的U-Ti合金室温静动态力学性能进行了研究。结果表明:挤压比为4∶1时,U-Ti合金的静动态强度均高于挤压比为8∶1的情况;挤压比相同时,钛质量分数越高,U-Ti合金的静态屈服强度越低。6种U-Ti合金中挤压比为4∶1,钛质量分数为0.95%的U-Ti合金综合力学性能最好,拟合得到了该合金的Johnson-Cook模型参数,并通过数值仿真进行了有效性验证。

Ordered mesoporous carbon supported bifunctional PtM(M=Ru,Fe,Mo)electrocatalysts for a fuel cell anode

The deposition onto an ordered mesoporous carbon（OMC）support of well dispersed PtM（M = Ru,Fe,Mo）alloy nanoparticles（NPs）were synthesized by a direct replication method using SBA-15 as the hard template,furfuryl alcohol and trimethylbeneze as the primary carbon sources,and metal acetylacetonate as the alloying metal precursor and secondary carbon source.The physicochemical properties of the PtM-OMC catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption,X-ray diffraction,transmission electron microscopy,X-ray absorption near edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure.The alloy PtM NPs have an average size of 2-3 nm and were well dispersed in the pore channels of the OMC support.The second metal（M）in the PtM NPs was mostly in the reduced state,and formed a typical core（Pt）-shell（M）structure.Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that these PtM-OMC electrodes had excellent electrocatalytic activities and tolerance to CO poisoning during the methanol oxidation reaction,which surpassed those of typical activated carbon-supported PtRu catalysts.In particular,the PtFe-OMC catalyst,which exhibited the best performance,can be a practical anodic electrocatalyst in direct methanol fuel cells due to its superior stability,excellent CO tolerance,and low production cost.

Integrating single Ni site and PtNi alloy on two-dimensional porous carbon nanosheet for efficient catalysis in fuel cell

The performance of catalyst depends on the intrinsic activity of active sites and the structural characteristics of the support.Here,we simultaneously integrate single nickel(Ni)sites and platinum-nickel(PtNi)alloy nanoparticles(NPs)on a two-dimensional(2D)porous carbon nanosheet,demonstrating remarkable catalytic performance in the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).The single Ni sites can activate the oxygen molecules into key oxygen-containing intermediate that is further efficiently transferred to the adjacent PtNi alloy NPs and rapidly reduced to H_(2)O,which establishes a relay catalysis between active sites.The porous structure on the carbon nanosheet support promotes the transfer of active intermediates between these active sites,which assists the relay catalysis by improving mass diffusion.Remarkably,the obtained catalyst demonstrates a half-wave potential of up to 0.942 V,a high mass activity of 0.54 A·mgPt^(−1),and negligible decay of activity after 30,000 cycles,which are all superior to the commercial Pt/C catalysts with comparable loading of Pt.The theoretical calculation results reveal that the obtained catalyst with defect structure of carbon support presents enhanced relay catalytic effect of PtNi alloy NPs and single Ni sites,ultimately realizing improved catalytic performance.This work provides valuable inspiration for developing low platinum loading catalyst,integrating single atoms and alloy with outstanding performance in fuel cell.

Polyethyleneimine modified AuPd@PdAu alloy nanocrystals as advanced electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction

Designing the low cost, active, durable, and alcohol-tolerant cathode catalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is significant for the large-scale commercialization of direct alcohol fuel cells.Recently, Pd-based nanocrystals have attracted attention as Pt-alternative cathode catalysts towards the ORR in the alkaline electrolyte. Unfortunately, the pristine Pd-based nanocrystals lack the selectivity towards the ORR due to their inherent activity for the alcohol molecule oxidation reaction in the alkaline electrolyte. In this work, polyethyleneimine(PEI) modified Au Pd alloy nanocrystals with Au-rich Au Pd alloy cores and Pd-rich Pd Au alloy shells(AuPd@PdAu-PEI) are successfully synthesized using a traditional chemical reduction method in presence of PEI. The rotating disk electrode(RDE) technique is applied to evaluate the ORR performance of AuPd@PdAu-PEI nanocrystals. Compared with commercial Pd black,AuPd@PdAu-PEI nanocrystals show significantly enhanced activity and durability towards the ORR, and simultaneously exhibit particular alcohol tolerance towards the ORR in the alkaline electrolyte.

High-loading Pt-alloy catalysts for boosted oxygen reduction reaction performance

To improve performance of membrane electrode assembly(MEA)at large current density region,efficient mass transfer at the cathode is desired,for which a feasible strategy is to lower catalyst layer thickness by constructing high loading Pt-alloy catalysts on carbon.But the high loading may induce unwanted par-ticle aggregation.In this work,H-PtNi/C with 33%(mass)Pt loading on carbon and monodisperse distri-bution of 3.55 nm PtNi nanoparticles,was prepared by a bimodal-pore route.In electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction(ORR),H-PtNi/C displays an activity inferior to the low Pt loading catalyst L-PtNi/C(13.3%(mass))in the half-cell.While in H_(2)-0_(2) MEA,H-PtNi/C delivers the peak power density of 1.51 W·cm^(-2) and the mass transfer limiting current density of 4.4 A·cm^(-2),being 21%and 16%higher than those of L-PtNi/C(1.25 W·cm^(-2),3.8 A·cm^(-2))respectively,which can be ascribed to enhanced mass trans-fer brought by the thinner catalyst layer in the former.In addition,the same method can be used to pre-pare PtFe alloy catalyst with a high-Pt loading of 36%(mass).This work may lead to a range of catalyst materials for the large current density applications,such as fuel cell vehicles.

Analysis of burnup performance and temperature coefficient for a small modular molten‑salt reactor started with plutonium

In a thorium-based molten salt reactor(TMSR),it is difficult to achieve the pure 232Th–^(233)U fuel cycle without sufficient^(233)U fuel supply.Therefore,the original molten salt reactor was designed to use enriched uranium or plutonium as the starting fuel.By exploiting plutonium as the starting fuel and thorium as the fertile fuel,the high-purity^(233)U produced can be separated from the spent fuel by fluorination volatilization.Therefore,the molten salt reactor started with plutonium can be designed as a^(233)U breeder with the burning plutonium extracted from a pressurized water reactor(PWR).Combining these advantages,the study of the physical properties of plutonium-activated salt reactors is attractive.This study mainly focused on the burnup performance and temperature reactivity coefficient of a small modular molten-salt reactor started with plutonium(SM-MSR-Pu).The neutron spectra,^(233)U production,plutonium incineration,minor actinide(MA)residues,and temperature reactivity coefficients for different fuel salt volume fractions(VF)and hexagon pitch(P)sizes were calculated to analyze the burnup behavior in the SM-SMR-Pu.Based on the comparative analysis results of the burn-up calculation,a lower VF and larger P size are more beneficial for improving the burnup performance.However,from a passive safety perspective,a higher fuel volume fraction and smaller hexagon pitch size are necessary to achieve a deep negative feedback coefficient.Therefore,an excellent burnup performance and a deep negative temperature feedback coefficient are incompatible,and the optimal design range is relatively narrow in the optimized design of an SM-MSR-Pu.In a comprehensive consideration,P=20 cm and VF=20%are considered to be relatively balanced design parameters.Based on the fuel off-line batching scheme,a 250 MWth SM-MSR-Pu can produce approximately 29.83 kg of ^(233)U,incinerate 98.29 kg of plutonium,and accumulate 14.70 kg of MAs per year,and the temperature reactivity coefficient can always be lower than−4.0pcm/K.

Structural and hydrogen storage capacity evolution of Mg_2FeH_6 hydride synthesized by reactive mechanical alloying

Mg-based metal hydrides are promising as hydrogen storage materials for fuel ce ll application. In this work,Mg2FeH6 complex hydride phase was synthesized by controlled reactive ball milling of 2Mg-Fe （atomic ratio） powder mixture in H2. Mg2FeH6 is confirmed to be formed via the following three stages: form ation of MgH2 via the reaction of Mg with H2,incubation stage and formation of Mg2FeH6 by reaction of fully refined MgH2 and Fe. The incubation stage is characterized by no traces of Mg or hydride crystalline phase by XRD. On the other hand,Mg is observed uniformly distributed in the milled powder by SEM-E DS. Also,almost the same amount of H2 as the first stage is detected stored i n the powders of the second stage by DSC and TGA.

Hydrogen Storage Alloy Pair as a Bus Air Conditioner

A new hydrogen storage alloy pair, La0.6Ml0.4Ni4.7 Cr0.3-La0.2Mm0.8Ni4.35Fe0.65, was developed to serve as a bus hydride air conditioner, which utilizes the waste heat of exhaust gases of a bus as the high temperature source. Under the operating temperature of 150-250 °C/35-40°C/15-20°C, the maximum working hydrogen capacity and the theoretical value of COPc are 4.5 and 0.74 H/mol M respectively, which can meet the practical requirements.

Experimental Studies on the Self-Shielding Effect in Fissile Fuel Breeding Measurement in Thorium Oxide Pellets Irradiated with 14 MeV Neutrons

The 14 MeV neutrons produced in the D-T fusion reactions have the potential of breeding Uranium-233 fissile fuel from fertile material Thorium-232. In order to estimate the amount of U-233 produced, experiments are carried out by irradiating thorium dioxide pellets with neutrons produced from a 14 MeV neutron generator. The objective of the present work is to measure the reaction rates of 232Th ＋ in --＊ 233Th --＊ 2a^Pa --＊ 2a3U in different pellet thicknesses to study the self-shielding effects and adopt a procedure for correction. An appropriate assembly consisting of high-density polyethylene is designed and fabricated to slow down the high-energy neutrons, in which Thorium pellets are irradiated. The amount of fissile fuel （~3~U） produced is estimated by measuring the 312 keV gammas emitted by Protactinium-233 （half-life of 27 days）. A calibrated High Purity Germanium （HPGe） detector is used to measure the gamma ray spectrum. The amount of 233U produced by Th232 （n, ~） is calculated using MCNP code. The self-shielding effect is evaluated by calculating the reaction rates for different foil thickness. MCNP calculation results are compared with the experimental values and appropriate correction factors are estimated for self-shielding of neutrons and absorption of gamma rays.