高速炉燃料の熱物性評価; 融点と熱伝導率

Evaluation of thermal physical properties for fast reactor fuels; Melting point and thermal conductivities

加藤 正人   ; 森本 恭一 ; 米野 憲 ; 中道 晋哉  ; 鹿志村 元明; 安部 智之; 宇野 弘樹*; 小笠原 誠洋*; 田村 哲也*; 菅田 博正*; 砂押 剛雄*; 柴田 和哉*

Kato, Masato; Morimoto, Kyoichi; Komeno, Akira; Nakamichi, Shinya; Kashimura, Motoaki; Abe, Tomoyuki; Uno, Hiroki*; Ogasawara, Masahiro*; Tamura, Tetsuya*; Sugata, Hiromasa*; Sunaoshi, Takeo*; Shibata, Kazuya*

本研究では、燃料の熱設計で特に重要である融点と熱伝導率について、広範囲の組成のMOXについて測定を実施し、測定データの信頼性を向上させるとともに、Amの影響を評価した。融点測定は、タングステンカプセル中に真空封入して実施したが、30%Pu以上のMOXの測定では、測定中にMOXとタングステンの反応を防ぐため、レニウム製の内容器を用いて評価した。その結果、MOXの融点は、Pu含有率の増加で低下し、O/Mの低下でわずかに上昇することが確認できた。また、Amの融点に及ぼす影響は、3%までの含有では大きな影響はないことが確認できた。熱伝導率は、Amの含有によって、900C以下でわずかに低下し、フォノン伝導による熱伝導メカニズムに不純物として扱うことによって評価できることを確認した。本測定結果から温度,O/M,Am含有率及び密度を関数とした熱伝導率評価式を導き、文献値を含めて実験データをよく再現できることを確認した。得られた融点及び熱伝導率の測定結果によって、「もんじゅ」長期保管燃料に蓄積したAmの影響を評価することができた。燃料の熱設計へ及ぼすAmの影響はわずかである。

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed a fast breeder reactor(FBR), and plutonium and uranium mixed oxide (MOX) having low density and 20-30%Pu content has used as a fuel of the FBR, Monju. In plutonium, Americium has been accumulated during long-term storage, and Am content will be increasing up to 2-3% in the MOX. It is essential to evaluate the influence of Am content on physical properties of MOX on the development of FBR in the future. In this study melting points and thermal conductivities which are important data on the fuel design were measured systematically in wide range of composition, and the effects of Am accumulated were evaluated. The solidus temperatures of MOX were measured as a function of Pu content, oxygen to metal ratio(O/M) and Am content using thermal arrest technique. The sample was sealed in a tungsten capsule in vacuum for measuring solidus temperature. In the measurements of MOX with Pu content of more than 30%, a rhenium inner capsule was used to prevent the reaction between MOX and tungsten. In the results, it was confirmed that the melting points of MOX decrease with as an increase of Pu content and increase slightly with a decrease of O/M ratio. The effect of Am content on the fuel design was negligible small in the range of Am content up to 3%. Thermal conductivities of MOX were evaluated from thermal diffusivity measured by laser flash method and heat capacity calculated by Nuemann- Kopp's law. The thermal conductivity of MOX decreased slightly in the temperature of less than 1173K with increasing Am content. The effect of Am accumulated in long-term storage fuel was evaluated from melting points and thermal conductivities measured in this study. It is concluded that the increase of Am in the fuel barely affect the fuel design in the range of less than 3%Am content.