Thermo-mechanical coupling behavior analysis for a U–10Mo/Al monolithic fuel assembly

Xiaoxiao Mao; Xiaobin Jian; Haoyu Wang; Jingyu Zhang; Jibin Zhang; Feng Yan; Hongyang Wei; Shurong Ding; Yuanming Li

Nuclear Engineering and Technology (Sep 2021)

Thermo-mechanical coupling behavior analysis for a U–10Mo/Al monolithic fuel assembly

Xiaoxiao Mao,
Xiaobin Jian,
Haoyu Wang,
Jingyu Zhang,
Jibin Zhang,
Feng Yan,
Hongyang Wei,
Shurong Ding,
Yuanming Li

Affiliations

Xiaoxiao Mao: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
Xiaobin Jian: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
Haoyu Wang: Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology Laboratory, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610213, China
Jingyu Zhang: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
Jibin Zhang: Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology Laboratory, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610213, China
Feng Yan: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
Hongyang Wei: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
Shurong Ding: Institute of Mechanics and Computational Engineering, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China; Corresponding author.
Yuanming Li: Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology Laboratory, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, 610213, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 53, no. 9
pp. 2937 – 2952

Abstract

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A typical three-dimensional finite element model for a fuel assembly is established, which is composed of 16 monolithic U–10Mo fuel plates and Al alloy frame. The distribution and evolution results of temperature, displacement and stresses/strains in all the parts are numerically obtained and analyzed with a self-developed code of FUELTM. The simulation results indicate that (1) the out-of-plane displacements of Al alloy side plates are mainly attributed to the bending deformations; (2) enhanced out-of-plane displacements appear in fuel plates adjacent to the outside Al plates, which results from the occurred bending deformations due to the applied constraints of outside Al plates; (3) an intense interaction of fuel foil with the cladding occurs near the foil edge, which appears more heavily in the fuel plates adjacent to the outside Al plates. The maximum first principal stresses in the fuel foil are similar for all the fuel plates and appear near the fuel foil edge; while, the through-thickness creep strains of fuel foil in the fuel plate near the central region of fuel assembly are larger, and the induced creep damage might weaken the fuel skeleton strength and raise the fuel failure risk.

Published in Nuclear Engineering and Technology

ISSN: 1738-5733 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Korea, Republic of
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Nuclear engineering. Atomic power
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/nuclear-engineering-and-technology

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