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Thermal Energy Transport in Oxide Nuclear Fuel
David H Hurley1, Anter El-Azab2, Matthew S Bryan3
1Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 North Fremont Avenue, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415, United States.
Chemical Reviews
|December 17, 2021
Summary
Advanced nuclear fuels like uranium dioxide and thorium dioxide require understanding thermal transport under extreme conditions. Research focuses on modeling heat transfer, considering defects from radiation, to improve reactor performance and safety.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nuclear Engineering
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Advanced nuclear reactors require solid fuels capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and radiation.
- Thermal energy transport in nuclear fuel is critical for reactor performance and safety.
- Accurately modeling thermal transport in nuclear fuels presents significant computational and experimental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of thermal transport research in uranium dioxide (UO2) and thorium dioxide (ThO2).
- To summarize current understanding and future directions in modeling thermal transport in advanced nuclear fuels.
- To highlight the impact of crystalline defects on thermal conductivity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing research on thermal transport in perfect single crystals.
- Analysis of ion irradiation studies simulating fission product damage to investigate defect generation and evolution.
- Discussion of modeling and experimental efforts for predicting mesoscale thermal transport.
Main Results:
- Heat in UO2 and ThO2 is primarily transported by phonons.
- Crystalline defects, generated by fission events, scatter phonons and degrade fuel performance.
- New computational and experimental tools are advancing the understanding of phonon transport and defect behavior.
Conclusions:
- Accurate modeling of thermal transport in advanced nuclear fuels is essential for reactor design and safety.
- Further research is needed to develop holistic models that predict thermal transport under diverse environmental conditions.
- Controlling thermal transport through understanding defect evolution is a key goal for future nuclear fuel development.
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