Thermal Diffusion of Helium in 238Pu-doped UO2

UO2 samples doped with 0.1 wt.% plutonium oxide have been investigated with the aim to study the alpha-damage effects and the behaviour of radiogenic helium in the spent nuclear fuel by single effects studies. Characterizations were performed by x-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Helium release profiles and total helium quantities were measured using a Knudsen Effusion Mass Spectrometer and a quantitative gas measurement system, respectively. A new model for the simulation of helium release has been developed taking into account single gas atom and bubble motion, trapping, grain and bubble growth. The model, embedded into commercial multiphysics software, provided a good description of the experimental data and correlations for gas-atom and bubble diffusion coefficients have been proposed. Finally, the effect of radiation damage on helium diffusion was assessed by comparing the results of the present study with the literature data.

TALIP Zeynep;  WISS Thierry;  DI MARCELLO Valentino;  JANSSEN Arne;  COLLE Jean-Yves;  VAN UFFELEN Paul;  RAISON Philippe;  KONINGS Rudy; 

2014-01-16

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

JRC80497

0022-3115,   

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311513012336,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC80497,   

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.10.066,