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Sensitivity Analysis of Cracking Behavior in Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated Fuel
Shichao Liu1, Haoyue Huang1, Chi Chen1
1National Key Laboratory of Nuclear Reactor Technology, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu 610200, China.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Residual pores in silicon carbide (SiC) matrices significantly impact fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel cracking under irradiation. Smaller particle spacing exacerbates cracking, potentially leading to containment failure.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Engineering
- Materials Science
- Computational Mechanics
Background:
- Fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel is a promising candidate for advanced nuclear reactors.
- Understanding crack initiation and propagation in FCM fuel under irradiation is critical for safety and performance.
- The influence of matrix defects, such as residual pores, and microstructural features like particle spacing on cracking behavior requires detailed investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors influencing the cracking behavior of FCM fuel during irradiation.
- To investigate the effects of particle spacing and residual pores in the silicon carbide (SiC) matrix on crack initiation and propagation.
- To simulate crack propagation using advanced computational methods.
Main Methods:
- Employed the MOOSE V1.3 multiphysics coupling platform for simulations.
- Utilized cohesive phase-field fracture theory to model crack initiation and propagation.
- Analyzed the influence of particle spacing and residual pore presence on stress distribution and crack formation.
Main Results:
- Particle spacing had minimal effect on stress distribution without matrix defects.
- Residual pores in the SiC matrix caused significant stress concentration, localizing maximum principal stress.
- Smaller particle spacing promoted SiC matrix cracking between particles, increasing crack numbers with fast neutron fluence.
- Crack nucleation occurred at porosity sites even at low neutron fluence in the presence of residual pores.
- Through-thickness cracks formed at a fluence of 2.3 × 10^25 n/m^2 in FCM fuel with residual pores, compromising fission product containment.
Conclusions:
- Residual pores are critical defect sites that initiate cracking in FCM fuel under irradiation.
- The interplay between particle spacing and residual pores significantly affects the mechanical integrity and fission product containment of FCM fuel.
- Computational modeling provides valuable insights into predicting and mitigating cracking in advanced nuclear fuels.
