Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Mesocarbon microbead densified matrix graphite A3-3 for fuel elements in molten salt reactors

  • Wang, Haoran (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Xu, Liujun (Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University) ;
  • Zhong, Yajuan (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Li, Xiaoyun (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Tang, Hui (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Zhang, Feng (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Yang, Xu (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Lin, Jun (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Zhu, Zhiyong (Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) ;
  • You, Yan (Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research & Design Institute Co., Ltd.) ;
  • Lu, Junqiang (Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research & Design Institute Co., Ltd.) ;
  • Zhu, Libing (Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research & Design Institute Co., Ltd.)
  • Received : 2020.05.18
  • Accepted : 2020.10.27
  • Published : 2021.05.25
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Abstract

This study aims to provide microstructural characterization for the matrix graphite which molten salt reactors (MSRs) use, and improve resistance to molten salt infiltration of the matrix graphite for fuel elements. Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) densified matrix graphite A3-3 (MDG) was prepared by a quasi-isostatic pressure process. After densification by MCMBs with average particle sizes of 2, 10, and 16 ㎛, the pore diameter of A3-3 decreased from 924 nm to 484 nm, 532 nm, and 778 nm, respectively. Through scanning electron microscopy, the cross-section energy spectrum and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, resistance levels of the matrix graphite to molten salt infiltration were analyzed. The results demonstrate that adding a certain proportion of MCMB powders can improve the anti-infiltration ability of A3-3. Meanwhile, the closer the particle size of MCMB is to the pore diameter of A3-3, the smaller the average pore diameter of MDG and the greater the densification. As a matrix graphite of fuel elements in MSR was involved, the thermal and mechanical properties of matrix graphite MDG were also studied. When densified by the MCMB matrix graphite, MDGs can meet the molten salt anti-infiltration requirements for MSR operation.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was carried out with the financial support of the Thorium Molten Salt Reactor Nuclear Energy System under the Strategic Pioneer Sci. & Tech. Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. XDA02030000, XDA02030200), Frontier Science Key Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. QYZDY-SSW-JSC016): Study on some key issues on the Th-U fuel cycle. National Science and Technology Major Project (Grant No. 2015ZX06004001). Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai [Grant No. 20ZR1468800]. Natural Science Foundation of Gansu province [Grant No. 20JR5RE639]. Liujun Xu had graduated from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in June 2018. After graduation, he works in Zhongshan Hospital.

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