Novel Approaches to Addressing Fuel-Cladding Chemical Interactions for Fast Reactors
Abstract: About 19% of electricity produced in the United States comes from nuclear sources. In order to meet the burgeoning demand for electricity, more nuclear reactors must be built, existing reactor lifetime extended, and some shut-down reactors brought back online. Advanced reactors will need to operate under much more severe conditions including higher temperatures, higher radiation doses and more extreme corrosive environments than the current reactors. New materials need to be developed, or existing materials be tailored, for high performance. In the first part of my talk, I will briefly describe my background and expertise, and our department programs at the University of Idaho. In the second part of the talk, I will highlight an array of research activities focused on fast reactor fuel development for managing fuel-cladding chemical interactions (FCCI). Lanthanide fission products (e.g. neodymium, cerium, praseodymium and lanthanum) produced within the fuels migrate toward the cladding-fuel interface, creating intermetallic compounds and leading to the risk of cladding breach. We have demonstrated that detrimental lanthanides can be arrested within the metallic fuel matrix by forming stable intermetallic compounds with externally added dopants such as arsenic and tellurium. An integrated theoretical and experimental approach to screening dopants will be presented for effective capture of lanthanides within the U-Zr fuel matrix. Results from some recent research will also be discussed regarding an alternative approach of countering FCCI via nanostructuring of fuels.
Bio: Professor Indrajit Charit has been serving as the Chair in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Industrial Management at the University of Idaho (UofI), Idaho Falls, since January 2021. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly, University of Missouri-Rolla) in 2004. He joined the UofI faculty in 2007 following a postdoctoral stint at the North Carolina State University. His research interests span across various aspects of materials processing, microstructure and materials characterization with a focus on nuclear materials. His research has mainly been supported by different entities including the US Department of Energy – Office of Nuclear Energy, Idaho National Laboratory, National Energy Technology Laboratory, and Idaho funding agencies. He is the author or co-author of about 150 publications including journal articles, conference proceedings, book chapters, and two textbooks. He also serves as a reviewer for various journals and research grant agencies. He is a licensed professional engineer.