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Lindemer, Terrence

Publications and source records attributed to Lindemer, Terrence.

7 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Triso coating development progress for uranium nitride kernels

In support of fully ceramic matrix (FCM) fuel development [1-2], coating development work is ongoing at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to produce tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles with UN kernels [3]. The nitride kernels are used to increase fissile density in these SiC-matrix fuel pellets with details described elsewhere [4]. The advanced gas reactor (AGR) program at ORNL used fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD) techniques for TRISO coating of UCO (two phase mixture of UO2 and UCx) kernels [5]. Similar techniques were employed for coating of the UN kernels, however significant changes in processing conditions were required to maintain acceptable coating properties due to physical property and dimensional differences between the UCO and UN kernels (Table 1).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Carbothermic Synthesis of ~820- m UN Kernels. Investigation of Process Variables

This report details the continued investigation of process variables involved in converting sol-gel-derived, urainia-carbon microspheres to ~820-μm-dia. UN fuel kernels in flow-through, vertical refractory-metal crucibles at temperatures up to 2123 K. Experiments included calcining of air-dried UO 3 -H 2 O-C microspheres in Ar and H 2 -containing gases, conversion of the resulting UO 2 -C kernels to dense UO 2 :2UC in the same gases and vacuum, and its conversion in N 2 to in UC 1-x N x . The thermodynamics of the relevant reactions were applied extensively to interpret and control the process variables. Producing the precursor UO 2 :2UC kernel of ~96% theoretical density was required, but its subsequent conversion to UC 1-x N x at 2123 K was not accompanied by sintering and resulted in ~83-86% of theoretical density. Decreasing the UC 1-x N x kernel carbide component via HCN evolution was shown to be quantitatively consistent with present and past experiments and the only useful application of H2 in the entire process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

M3FT-15OR0202237: Submit Report on Results From Initial Coating Layer Development For UN TRISO Particles

In support of fully ceramic matrix (FCM) fuel development, coating development work has begun at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to produce tri-isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles with UN kernels. The nitride kernels are used to increase heavy metal density in these SiC-matrix fuel pellets with details described elsewhere. The advanced gas reactor (AGR) program at ORNL used fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD) techniques for TRISO coating of UCO (two phase mixture of UO 2 and UC x ) kernels. Similar techniques were employed for coating of the UN kernels, however significant changes in processing conditions were required to maintain acceptable coating properties due to physical property and dimensional differences between the UCO and UN kernels.

Jolly, Brian C.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Carbothermic Synthesis of 820 m UN Kernels: Literature Review, Thermodynamics, Analysis, and Related Experiments

The U.S. Department of Energy is considering a new nuclear fuel that would be less susceptible to ruptures during a loss-of-coolant accident. The fuel would consist of tristructural isotropic coated particles with large, dense uranium nitride (UN) kernels. This effort explores many factors involved in using gel-derived uranium oxide-carbon microspheres to make large UN kernels. Analysis of recent studies with sufficient experimental details is provided. Extensive thermodynamic calculations are used to predict carbon monoxide and other pressures for several different reactions that may be involved in conversion of uranium oxides and carbides to UN. Experimentally, the method for making the gel-derived microspheres is described. These were used in a microbalance with an attached mass spectrometer to determine details of carbothermic conversion in argon, nitrogen, or vacuum. A quantitative model is derived from experiments for vacuum conversion to an uranium oxide-carbide kernel.

carothermic↗
DOE OSTI2014

Preparation of UC0.07-0.10N0.90-0.93 spheres for TRISO coated fuel particles

The U.S. Department of Energy is considering a new nuclear fuel, which should be much more impervious during a loss of coolant accident. The fuel would consist of tristructural isotropic coated particles with dense uranium nitride (UN) kernels. The objectives of this effort are to make uranium oxide microspheres with adequately dispersed carbon nanoparticles and to convert these microspheres into UN kernels. Recent improvements to internal gelation process were successfully applied to the production of uranium gel spheres with different concentrations of carbon black. After the spheres were washed, a simple, two-step heat profile was used to produce kernels with a chemical composition of UC0.07 0.10N0.90 0.93. The first step involved heating the microspheres to 2023 K in a vacuum, and in the second step, the microspheres were held at 1873 K for 6 hrs in nitrogen.

internal gelation↗
DOE OSTI2013

Evaluation of sintering effects on SiC incorporated UO2 kernels under Ar and Ar-4%H2 environments

Silicon carbide (SiC) is suggested as an oxygen getter in UO2 kernels used for TRISO particle fuels to lower oxygen potential and prevent kernel migration during irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry analyses performed on sintered kernels verified that internal gelation process can be used to incorporate SiC in urania fuel kernels. Sintering in either Ar or Ar-4%H2 at 1500 C lowered the SiC content in the UO2 kernels to some extent. Formation of UC was observed as the major chemical phase in the process, while other minor phases such as U3Si2C2, USi2, U3Si2, and UC2 were also identified. UC formation was presumed to be occurred by two reactions. The first was the SiC reaction with its protective SiO2 oxide layer on SiC grains to produce volatile SiO and free carbon that subsequently reacted with UO2 to form UC. The second process was direct UO2 reaction with SiC grains to form SiO, CO, and UC, especially in Ar-4%H2. A slightly higher density and UC content was observed in the sample sintered in Ar-4%H2, but the use of both atmospheres produced kernels with ~95% of theoretical density. It is suggested that incorporating CO in the sintering gas would prevent UC formation and preserve the initial SiC content.

Silicon carbide uranium oxide↗