Investigation on inspection methods for ZrC-coated fuel particle; Applicability evaluation of inspection methods for SiC-coated fuel particle

Takayama, Tomoo*; Ueta, Shohei   ; Aihara, Jun ; Yasuda, Atsushi*; Ishibashi, Hideharu*; Sawa, Kazuhiro

As the conventional SiC coated fuel particle, the ZrC coated fuel particle is proposed as a fuel for the Very High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (VHTR) which is one of Generation IV nuclear reactors. Applicability of inspection methods of SiC-coated fuel particle for ZrC-coated fuel particle has been examined by comparing properties of ZrC with SiC. It was suggested that hardness, absorption X-ray coefficient, density, oxidation-resistant and chemical stability of SiC were dominant properties for conventional inspection methods such as SiC coating layer thicknesses, coating layers densities for both SiC and O-PyC layers, thorough-coatings failure fraction and SiC coating layer failure fraction. With regards to the applicability of the inspection for the SiC-coated particle, some difficulties are revealed on coating layers densities for both ZrC and O-PyC layers and of ZrC failure fraction, and it was suggested that they were major issues to be solved.