Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2005 International RERTR Meeting

PROGRESS OF THE KOMO-3 IRRADIATION TEST FOR VARIOUS U-MO DISPERSION AND MONOLITHIC FUELS TO OVERCOME THE INTERACTION PROBLEM IN U-MO/AL DISPERSION FUEL

C.K.Kim, K.H.KIM, J.M.Park, H.J.Ryu, Y.S.Lee, D.B.Lee, S.J.Oh,
H.T.Chae, C.G.Seo, C.S.Lee

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
150 Dukjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353, Korea

ABSTRACT

The next irradiation test (KOMO-3) has been planned from the aspect of overcoming the problems which were revealed in the latest irradiation tests (KOMO-2). The main reason for the problems was found to be an interaction between the U-Mo particles and the Al matrix. The interaction problem could be solved by a smaller interface area such as a monolithic fuel and a reaction retardation by a third element addition into the Al matrix or U-Mo fuel particles. In the KOMO-3 test, multi-core fuel meat and larger U-Mo particles are applied for smaller interface area. In addition, U-7Mo-X (X=0.2Si and 1.0 Zr) fuel particles and Al-X alloys (X=0.5%Si and 2.0%Si) are chosen for an interaction retardation. Multi-core fuel meat consists of 4 U-Mo rods of 2.0 mm in diameter in aluminum matrix. The equivalent U density corresponds to 6.0 g-U/cc and the highest temperature in the irradiation was estimated to be about 322 °C. Three kinds of larger U-Mo particles, which are 100-212 μm, 212-300 μm, and 300-425 μm, were prepared by atomization methods. The U densities of the larger U-Mo particle dispersion fuel meats were selected as 4.5 g-U/cc from the safety aspect.

---

---