3D analysis of TRISO fuel compacts via X-ray computed tomography

Low-enriched uranium oxycarbide (LEUCO) and surrogate tristructural isotropic (TRISO)- coated-particle compacts with particle volumetric packing fractions of 25%, 40%, and 48% were imaged utilizing X-ray-computed tomography. Subsequent 3D image analysis identified and further quantified kernel size,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nuclear materials 2022-07, Vol.565 (C), p.153745, Article 153745
Main Authors: Kane, Joshua J., Marshall, Douglas W., Cordes, Nikolaus L., Chuirazzi, William C., Kombaiah, Boopathy, van Rooyen, Isabella, Stempien, John D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3D image processing
Binding energy
Compacts
Computed tomography
Coordination numbers
Fractions
Image analysis
Image processing
Kernels
Nondestructive analysis
Oxycarbides
Packing
Porosity
Spatial distribution
Tomography
TRISO fuel
TRISO particles
Uranium
X-ray computed tomography
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Summary:Low-enriched uranium oxycarbide (LEUCO) and surrogate tristructural isotropic (TRISO)- coated-particle compacts with particle volumetric packing fractions of 25%, 40%, and 48% were imaged utilizing X-ray-computed tomography. Subsequent 3D image analysis identified and further quantified kernel size, sphericity, and observed porosity. In addition, the spatial distribution, coordination number, and kernel-nearest neighbors were analyzed and compared for the different packing fractions. Metrics such as observed porosity and sphericity enabled quantification and screening for abnormal kernels within TRISO compacts. Assessment of TRISO particle location confirmed and further quantified a non-uniform distribution of TRISO particles with the spatial distribution in the radial direction being roughly described as a dampened sinusoidal function. The amplitude and frequency of this non-uniform distribution increased with increasing packing fraction. Measured kernel-nearest neighbor distances indicated two regions along the radial surfaces of compacts where TRISO particles are more likely to be in intimate contact with one another. These regions were found: (1) at upper and lower faces of compacts (i.e., corners); (2) offset ∼10% of a compact's length from the axial center near the exterior surface. Within these regions, small quantities of defective TRISO surrogate particles (48% packing fraction) and defective LEUCO TRISO particles (40% packing fraction) were found. No defective particles were found within 25% packing fraction LEUCO TRISO compacts.
ISSN:0022-3115
1873-4820
DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153745