铀锆合金中氙扩散的分子动力学研究

Molecular Dynamics Study on Xenon Diffusion in Uranium-zirconium Alloy

  • 摘要: 本文采用分子动力学方法研究了铀锆合金中的氙扩散行为,计算了氙的扩散系数,分析了温度和锆含量对氙扩散的影响,拟合了氙的扩散系数、温度和锆含量三者之间的函数关系。结果显示:在铀锆合金中,氙的扩散系数随温度升高而增大,随锆含量的增加先减小后增大。当锆含量为10%时,随着温度从1 050 K升至1 400 K,氙的扩散系数由0.007 8×10−8 m2/s增加至0.120 6×10−8 m2/s,扩散激活能为1.04 eV;在1 250 K条件下,锆含量为50%时,氙的扩散系数达到最小值0.015 3×10−8 m2/s;铀锆合金中有氙团簇形成,尺寸随温度升高呈增大趋势,随锆含量增加先减小后增大。本文研究结果可为金属燃料的设计和性能优化提供理论支持。

     

    Abstract: Metal fuel is a major candidate fuel type for the next generation nuclear energy systems such as fast neutron reactors. However, the irradiation swelling problem caused by gaseous fission products is quite significant, which can easily lead to cladding rupture at a relatively shallow fuel burnup, thus limiting its application performance. Xenon is one of the inert gases generated in reactor core, so it is important to study the behavior of xenon in metal fuel. In this paper, the diffusion behavior of xenon in uranium-zirconium alloy fuel was systematically studied using molecular dynamics method. The diffusion characteristics were analyzed, and the corresponding diffusion coefficients at different temperatures and zirconium contents were calculated. Furthermore, a fitted quantitative function relationship between the diffusion coefficient of xenon and temperature as well as zirconium content was established. The results show that the diffusion coefficient of xenon increases with the increasing temperature in uranium-zirconium alloy, which is in agreement with the Arrhenius equation. When the zirconium content is 10%, as the temperature rises from 1 050 K to 1 400 K, the diffusion coefficient of xenon increases from 0.007 8×10−8 m2/s to 0.120 6×10−8 m2/s with the corresponding diffusion activation energy of 1.04 eV. The xenon diffusion can be hindered by the addition of zirconium in an appropriate amount, thereby improving the irradiation resistance of metal fuel. When the zirconium content increases from 0 to 50%, the diffusion coefficient of xenon decreases from 0.071 3×10−8 m2/s to 0.015 3×10−8 m2/s. However, when the zirconium content exceeds 50%, as the further addition of zirconium, the alloy composition gradually transforms into pure zirconium, which promotes the diffusion of xenon instead. Additionally, xenon tends to aggregate and form clusters in uranium-zirconium alloys. The cluster size increases with the increasing temperature, and initially decreases and then increases with zirconium content, reaching the minimum value at a zirconium content of 60%. The cluster evolution trend is generally consistent with the relationship of the diffusion coefficient with temperature and composition. As a result, the formation of xenon cluster is closely related to its diffusion behavior, and the enhancement of xenon diffusion is beneficial to the formation of large-sized clusters. The fitted function relationship between the diffusion coefficient of xenon, temperature, and zirconium content contains a certain physical implication, i.e., the first item represents the initial diffusion coefficient, and the second item represents diffusion activation energy. The study results can provide theoretical support for the design and performance optimization of metal fuel.

     

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