Patent Application
20110268243
The present invention relates to a fuel channel that is arranged to be comprised by a fuel element for a fission reactor. The fuel element comprises an inlet, an outlet and a plurality of elongated fuel rods, which fuel rods each comprises a nuclear fuel and are arranged to transfer energy to a streaming medium during operation of the fission reactor. The fuel channel comprises a casing adapted to surround the fuel rods between the inlet and the outlet. The casing is adapted during operation of the fission reactor to guide the streaming medium along the fuel rods from the inlet to the outlet and be subjected to irradiation from the fuel rods.
During operation of a fuel element in a fission reactor the function of the fuel channel is to guide the streaming medium, which in light water reactors comprises water, along the fuel rods of the fuel element. During operation the fuel channel is subjected to irradiation from the fuel rods and a chemical reactive environment from the streaming medium.
The fuel channel is usually manufactured from a zirconium alloy. Zirconium is used in fuel channels due to its low neutron cross section, good mechanical properties and a relatively high corrosion resistance. Different types of zirconium alloys are available.
In spite of the favorable properties of the zirconium alloys, fuel channels manufactured from a zirconium alloy are affected by the environment in the reactor such that the material expands. The expansion of the zirconium alloy creates a permanent deformation, for example an elongation, of the fuel channel's dimensions in relation to the fuel channel's original dimensions. The expansion of the zirconium alloy arises anisotropicly, which results in that an originally straight fuel channel will bend away from its longitudinal axis.
The permanent deformation of the zirconium alloy in the fuel channel is induced by irradiation from the fuel rods and by corrosion and hydrogen pick up. The hydrogen pick up is concentrated in the form of hydrides in the zirconium alloy, which in addition to the permanent deformation also results in a weakening of the mechanical properties of the fuel channel.
Fuels channels are used in so called boiling water reactors (BWR), where the streaming medium is water that gradually is transformed from a liquid phase to a steam phase, wherein the water is guided by the fuel channel along the fuel rods.
Boiling water reactors are controlled by means of control rods that are displaced into and displaced out of positions between the fuel elements. Due to the fuel channel's great length in a boiling water reactor, even a small inhomogeneous permanent deformation of the fuel channel may create a large bending of the fuel channel. At large enough bending of the fuel channel the displacement of the reactor's control rods in the positions between the fuel elements may be obstructed by frictional contact between the control rods and the fuel channels.
US2003/0053582 presents a manufacturing method for a fuel channel consisting of a zirconium alloy.
US2007/0189952 presents a silicon carbide material comprising boron in the form of B4C as a sintering aid, wherein the majority of the boron is boron-11. The material is adapted to be used in a fission reactor by means of that boron-11 has a lower neutron cross section than boron with a natural occurring isotopic composition of about 20% boron-10. Furthermore boron-11 forms when being influenced by neutron irradiation less gas than boron with a natural occurring isotopic composition of boron-10.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a fuel channel with improved dimensional stability and in particular to reduce the inhomogeneous permanent deformations that result in a bending of the fuel channel. A second object of the present invention is to provide a fuel channel that has an improved corrosion resistance in comparison with fuel channels according to prior art. A third object of the present invention is to provide a fuel channel that has a useful life that exceeds the useful life of the fuel element.
These objects are obtained by the previous mentioned fuel channel that is characterized in that the casing of the fuel channel is manufactured from a ceramic material.
According to an embodiment of the invention the ceramic material comprises, or contains, silicon carbide and a balance of possible residual substances.
Silicon carbide, with chemical formula SiC, has properties that reduce the problem with the permanent deformation of fuel channels according to the state of the art. Silicon carbide has a low and predictable irradiation induced expansion in comparison to zirconium alloys. The irradiation induced expansion of silicon carbide is about one third of the irradiation induced expansion of zirconium alloys. Furthermore the irradiation induced expansion of silicon carbide arises mainly homogeneous in all directions, i.e. the expansion is isotropic. Thereby, the problem with bending of the fuel channel is reduced.
Silicon carbide has high corrosion resistance in comparison with zirconium alloys that are used according to the state of the art. The corrosion that still may occur on silicon carbide does not, or only to a limited extent, give rise to secondary phases in the material. Accordingly, the corrosion induced expansion is small or negligible. Thereby the problem with bending of the fuel channel is further reduced. By means of the improved properties of the fuel channel the usable life time of the fuel channel in the fission reactor is extended.
Silicon carbide also has a low neutron cross section in comparison to zirconium alloys. The primary function of the low neutron cross section is to reduce parasitic neutron absorption and thereby improve the fuel economy.
The possible residual substances of the ceramic material comprise non intended impurities and possible additives such as B4C containing for example boron-11, graphite, a carbon compound, etcetera.
According to an embodiment of the invention the ceramic material comprises mainly silicon carbide.
According to an embodiment of the invention the ceramic material consist of more than about 90 weight percent silicon carbide and a balance of possible residual substances.
According to an embodiment of the invention said ceramic material comprises a first layer comprising fibers of silicon carbide.
By means of the silicon carbide being at least partly present in the form of fibers improves the mechanical properties of the ceramic material obtained in comparison to a homogeneous ceramic material. In particular the fibers of silicon carbide improve the fuel channel's ductility in comparison to a homogenous ceramic material. Moreover, the fibers contribute to reducing crack propagation in the ceramic material.
According to one embodiment of the invention the fibers are spun to tows. The tows of fibers increase the mechanical strength of the fuel channel.
According to an embodiment of the invention each fiber of silicon carbide has an envelope surface, wherein the envelope surfaces of the fibers or of a major part of the fibers comprising a friction reducing coating.
According to an embodiment of the invention the fibers have a length that allows the first layer to be manufactured by means of winding the fibers around a form.
The friction reducing coating on the fibers allows slippage between the fibers and between the fibers and possible surrounding material, which improves the ductility of the material. Furthermore, the slippage creates an improved strength of the fuel channel to withstand physical collisions against nearby components in the fission reactor.
According to an embodiment of the invention the friction reducing coating consists entirely or mainly of substances with a low neutron cross section. In an alternative embodiment the friction reducing coating comprises mainly boron nitride, graphite, a carbon compound, etcetera. In a preferable embodiment the coating comprises boron nitride, wherein the boron in the boron nitride has an isotopic composition of mainly boron-11 and the nitride in the boron nitride has an isotopic composition of mainly nitrogen-15.
According to an embodiment of the invention the fuel channel comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the first layer comprises a primary layer, in which primary layer the fibers are mainly arranged along a first direction that is non-parallel with the fuel channels longitudinal axis. According to an embodiment of the invention at least some of the fibers or tows of the first layer are parallel with the fuel channel's longitudinal axis. Preferably, the first direction and the fuel channels longitudinal axis form an angle of about 15-75 degrees.
According to an embodiment of the invention the first layer comprises a secondary layer next to the primary layer, wherein the secondary layer comprises fibers of silicon carbide, which fibers in the secondary layer are mainly arranged along a second direction that also may be non-parallel with the fuel channels longitudinal axis, wherein the first and the second direction are non-parallel. According to an embodiment of the invention at least some of the fibers or tows of the secondary layer are parallel with the fuel channel's longitudinal axis. Preferably, the second direction and the fuel channel's longitudinal axis form an angle of about 15-75 degrees.
The fibers in the primary layer are arranged along the first direction and the fibers in the secondary layer are arranged along the second direction, wherein an improved mechanical strength of the fuel channel is obtained.
According to an embodiment of the invention the first layer comprises a filler material in a hollow space between the fibers, which filler material comprises silicon carbide, wherein the fibers and the filler material have different material structure. By means of the filler material a higher density of the first layer is obtained, wherein the fuel channels mechanical strength increases.
According to an embodiment of the invention said ceramic material comprises a second layer comprising silicon carbide, which second layer borders on at least one side of the first layer, wherein the first layer has a first density and the second layer has a second density, wherein the second density is higher than the first density. Preferably the ceramic material comprises mainly silicon carbide.
By means of the second layer that is optional, a dense layer is created on at least one side of the first layer. Thereby possible porosity is enclosed at least from one side of the first layer.
According to an embodiment of the invention the second layer comprises a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer, wherein the first sub-layer borders on a first side of the first layer and the second sub-layer borders on a second side of the first layer.
According to an embodiment of the invention the second layer forms a barrier to the streaming medium. Preferably the second layer is adapted to create a barrier to water and steam. Preferably, the barrier is impenetrable or mainly impenetrable to water and steam.
According to an embodiment of the invention the silicon carbide is treated with a dose of irradiation prior to operation in the fission reactor, wherein the dose of irradiation is such that irradiation induced permanent deformation of the casing during operation of the fission reactor is reduced.
The irradiation induced expansion of the silicon carbide material continues until a saturation level is reached, where after no or only neglectable irradiation induced expansion occurs. By means of pre-treating the silicon carbide with irradiation the possible irradiation induced expansion during operation is reduced. Thereby, the problem with permanent deformation and bending of the fuel channel is further reduced.
According to an embodiment of the invention the dose of irradiation on the silicon carbide is less than 2 nvt, preferably between about 0.1 and 1 nvt. The unit “nvt” is a measure of a neutron flux that is provided to the fuel channel, where 1 nvt corresponds to 1021 neutron/cm2 with an energy larger than 1 MeV.
According to an embodiment of the invention the fuel channel comprises one or more inner channels for guiding the streaming medium, which channels are manufactured from said ceramic material.
The inner channels may be of any geometry. The inner channel is in the same way as the casing of the fuel channels exposed to the environment in the reactor. By means of that the channel is manufactured from said ceramic material the formed permanent deformation of the channel during operation in the fission reactor is reduced.
According to an embodiment of the invention the fuel channel comprises four sides, wherein the casing comprises at least four wall sections, which wall sections are attached so that they form the sides of the casing, wherein each wall section is manufactured from said ceramic material. By means of that the casing is formed by the four wall sections the manufacturing procedure of the fuel channel is simplified.
According to an embodiment of the invention the fuel channel is adapted to be used during a time period that exceeds the usable time period of the fuel element.
By means of the fuel channel's higher resistance to irradiation and high corrosion resistance the fuel channel is usable during a longer time period in the fission reactor than the usable time period for the fuel element, i.e. the usable time period for the fuel rods of the fuel element. Thereby it is possible to reuse the fuel channel, wherein the fuel channel is used during operation of several subsequent fuel elements in the reactor. By means of such use of the fuel channel the amount of irradiated material from the reactor that requires waste disposal is reduced.
The invention will now be explained more closely by the description of the different embodiments of the invention and with reference to the appended figures.
The fuel rods 3 comprise a nuclear fuel, comprising enriched uranium, for instance in the form of uranium oxide (UO2), adapted to generate energy that is transferred to a streaming medium around the fuel rods 3. The streaming medium is present in liquid or gas form. In conventional fission reactors the streaming medium is water. In boiling water reactors (BWR) and pressure water reactor (PWR) the streaming medium is water, which acts both as a cooling medium and a moderating medium.
The in
The function of the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 is to guide the streaming medium along the fuel rods 3 from the inlet 9 to the outlet 11 of the fuel element 1. The fuel channel 5 is elongated and has a longitudinal axis L that is mainly parallel with a longitudinal axis of the fuel rods 3. The casing 7 comprises four sides that extends along the fuel rods 3 and are directed away from the fuel rods 3. The fuel channel 5 has an upper and a lower opening, and a passage between the upper and lower opening. During assembling of the fuel element 1, the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 is pushed outside the fuel rods 3 by means of a displacing movement towards the fuel element 1. Vice versa, the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 is removable from the fuel rods 3 by means of a displacing movement away from the fuel element 1.
The fuel element 1 comprises in the shown embodiment four groups of fuel rods 3, so called fuel bundles 13. The fuel rods 3 in each of the fuel bundle 13 are kept together in certain position by means of a plurality of spacer elements, so called spacer grids 15, positioned along the length of the fuel rods 3, see
In the present embodiment, the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 forms five inner channels 20 for guiding a part of the streaming medium separately from the fuel rods 3 in the four fuel bundles 13. However, in alternative embodiments, the casing 7 comprises one or more inner channels 20 in a different configuration. The five inner channels 20 are placed in a cross formed pattern viewed from a cross section of the fuel element 1. One of the inner channels 20 is placed in the center of the cross section of the fuel element 1. The other four inner channels 20 are placed between neighbouring pairs of the four fuel bundles 13.
The function of the inner channels 20 is to guide a part of the streaming medium separately from the streaming medium that surrounds the fuel rods 3. In boiling water reactors the water around the fuel rods 3, during receiving energy from the fuel rods 3, is gradually transforming from a liquid phase to a steam phase from the inlet 9 to the outlet 11 of the fuel element 1. The steam phase provides a lower degree of moderation than the liquid phase. By means of guiding the water in liquid phase in the inner channels 20 the moderation of the fission process is increased where the steam phase is present around the fuel rods 3. Thereby, a more uniform moderation of the fission process along the fuel rods 3 is obtained.
The ceramic material comprises or contains silicon carbide and a balance of possible residual substances. The ceramic material comprises a first layer 30 and a second layer 32. In a preferable embodiment each of the first layer 30 and the second layer 32 has a thickness between 0.1 and 3 mm, preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.
Even though the ceramic material in the present embodiment of the invention comprises the first layer 30 and the second layer 32, it shall be noted that only the first layer 30 will be sufficient for the function of the fuel channel 5. However, the use of the second layer 32 will improve the strength of the fuel channel 5.
The first layer 30 is constructed by fibers 34 of silicon carbide. Preferably, the fibers 34 are spun to tows 39, see
Each fiber 34 has an envelope surface. The envelope surface is coated with a friction reducing coating 36, see
The first layer 30 is preferably formed by winding the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide around a form, such as a form of graphite. By means of winding the fibers 34 or tows 39 around the form the four sides of the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 is formed. The form gives the size of the upper and lower opening, and the passage between the upper and lower opening. Thus, the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide have a length that admits the fibers 34 or tows 39 to be wound around the form. Alternatively, flat sheets of ceramic material are manufactured by means of that the fibers 34 or tows 39 are placed in the form. The flat plates are attached together to form the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5. Also plates of a ceramic material with forms arranged to be attached to the inner channels 20 can be manufactured by one or more forms.
The first layer 30 comprises a filler material 38 in a hollow space between the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide. The filler material 38 comprises silicon carbide with a material structure that differs from the material structure of the fibers 34. By means of the filler material 38 the density of the first layer 30 is increased. Accordingly, the first layer 30 is constructed as a composite structure comprising the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide and the filler material 38 of silicon carbide. The fibers 34 and the filler material 38 are at least partly separated from each other by the friction reducing coating 36.
In an embodiment of the invention the filler material 38 comprises silicon carbide manufactured by means of Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI). In an alternative embodiment the filler material 38 is manufactured by applying a silicon carbide precursor in the hollow space between the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide. The precursor is transformed by means of a transformation process into silicon carbide. The transformation process is performed by heating the precursor to between 1000° C. and 2000° C.
The first layer 30 comprises a primary layer 30a and a secondary layer 30b. The fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide in the primary layer 30a are arranged in a first direction and the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide in the secondary layer 30b are arranged in a second direction. The first and the second direction are non-parallel, see
It shall be noted that
The optional second layer 32 is arranged so that it at least partly encloses the first layer 30. In the disclosed embodiment the second layer 32 is positioned so that it borders on one side of the primary layer 30a and on one side of the secondary layer 30b. The second layer 32 is accordingly divided in a first sub-layer 32a that borders on the primary layer 30a and a second sub-layer 32b that borders on the secondary layer 30b, as shown in
The second layer 32 has a density that is higher than the first layer 30. Thereby the second layer 32 forms a barrier that is impenetrable for water. By means of the second layer 32 remaining porosity in the first layer 30 is enclosed. Preferably the second layer 32 comprises mainly silicon carbide without fibers 34 of silicon carbide.
In a preferable embodiment of the invention the second layer 32 is formed in connection with that the filler material 38 is applied so that the filler material 38 fills the hollow space between the fibers 34 or tows 39 of silicon carbide in the first layer 30. Accordingly the same manufacturing step is used for forming the filler material 38 of the first layer 30 and the second layer 32.
By means of the silicon carbide the dimensional stability of the fuel channel 5 is increased. The moderate permanent deformation that still may arise on the fuel channel 5 comprising the ceramic material occurs mainly homogenous and thus isotropic due to the silicon carbide's corrosion and irradiation properties. Accordingly the silicon carbide contributes in reducing the problem with bending of the fuel channel 5.
In an embodiment of the invention the silicon carbide is treated with a dose of irradiation prior to operation in the fission reactor. The irradiation of the silicon carbide provides a further reduction of the permanent deformation that may occur on the fuel channel 5 during operation in the reactor.
For example the fuel channel 5 is irradiated in its manufactured form. Alternatively, the silicon carbide is irradiated prior to or during manufacturing of the fuel channel 5. In an embodiment the silicon carbide fibers are irradiated prior to manufacturing of the fuel channel 5. In an alternative embodiment the first layer 30 followed by the second layer 32 is irradiated. In an alternative embodiment each of the primary layer 30a, the secondary layer 30b and possible further layers are irradiated during manufacturing of the first layer 30. Thereafter the second layer 32 is irradiated.
Preferably the silicon carbide is irradiated with a dose of irradiation that is less than 2 nvt, where 1 nvt corresponds to 1021 neutron/cm2 with an energy larger than 1 MeV. Preferably, the silicon carbide component is irradiated with a dose of irradiation between 0.1 and 1 nvt.
The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but may be varied and modified within the scope of the following claims.
For example the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 may comprise an outer casing part that forms four outer sides of the fuel channel 5 and an inner casing part that forms one or more inner channels 20. The channels 20 may be of any geometry.
The casing 7 of the fuel channel 5 may be constructed from one or more wall sections, which wall sections are manufactured from the ceramic material. The wall sections are attached to each other and form together the casing 7 of the fuel channel 5. Preferably the wall sections are plane or mainly plane. In the same manner the inner casing part may be attached together by means of appropriate formed wall sections.
