Simulation of the irradiation-induced micro-thermo-mechanical behaviors evolution in ADS nuclear fuel pellets

An Accelerator Driven System (ADS) is dedicated to Minor Actinides (MA) transmutation. The fuels for ADS are highly innovative, which are composite fuel pellets with the fuel particles containing MA phases dispersed in a MgO or Mo matrix. Assuming that the fuel particles are distributed periodically in the MgO matrix, a three-dimensional finite element model is developed. The three-dimensional incremental large-deformation constitutive relations for the fuel particles and matrix are separately built, and a method is accordingly constructed to implement simulation of the micro-thermo-mechanical behaviors evolution. Evolutions of the temperature and mechanical fields are given and discussed. With irradiation creep included in the MgO matrix constitutive relation, the conclusions can be drawn as that (1) irradiation creep has a remarkable effect on the mechanical behaviors evolution in the matrix; (2) irradiation creep plays an important role in the damage mechanism interpretation of ceramic matrix fuel pellets.