Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

Fission products of DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel in CANDU Reactors) fuel, irradiated in HANARO research reactor with 61 kW/m of maximum linear power and 1,770 MWd/tU of average burn-up, was characterized by EPMA(Electron Probe Micro Analyzer). In order to find accurate characterization, the analysis results by EPMA of fresh simulated DUPIC fuel containing fission products as chemicals were compared with that of wet chemical analysis. The metallic precipitates observed at the center of the fresh simulated DUPIC fuel were about 1 ㎛ in size and their major components by EPMA were Mo-53.89 at.%, Ru-37.40 at.%, and Pd+Rh-8.71 at.%. Established procedure through the fresh simulated DUPIC fuel was applied to the irradiated DUPIC fuel. Observed size of metallic precipitates were 2 2.5 ㎛ and their compositions were Mo-47.34 at.%, Ru-46 at.%, and Pd+Rh-6.65 at.%. What are uncommon things for this experiment, special treatment for improving the conductivity was attempted to the specimen and the conditions of exact irradiation of electron beam to small metallic precipitate were suggested.

Keywords

EPMA,nuclear fuel,post irradiation examination,DUPIC