About this Research Topic
The thermal conductivity of nuclear fuels is a critical physical property directly tied to reactor safety and efficiency. The mean free path of thermal carriers in oxide and metallic fuels is strongly dependent on the operation temperature and radiation-induced microstructure defects (e.g., point defects, dislocation loops, and small defect clusters). This complicated, dynamically self-evolving process leads to temporal and spatial variations of thermal conductivity, and may cause unexpected local temperature oscillations in fuels.
In the development of advanced fuels, targeting higher thermal conductivities will enable the operating of fuels at lower temperatures and will reduce fission gas transport. An understanding of thermal conductivity and its variation in reactors is necessary for advanced fuel performance codes and to aid in the development of advanced fuels.
This Research Topic is focused on showcasing thermal transport related research of nuclear fuels and materials, especially the property measurements and prediction in extreme conditions. When combining the experimental approaches, including in-reactor measurements and post-irradiation-examination, modeling efforts from atomic scale to mesoscale, and microstructural characterization techniques (such as advanced electron microscope, positron annihilation spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy channeling, etc.), the fundamental science of the microstructure evolution of nuclear fuels in reactors and the impact on thermal transport can be revealed. This knowledge can profoundly benefit the discovery and qualification of advanced nuclear fuels and materials, and contribute to the wider research community and nuclear energy industry.
Themes within the scope of this Research Topic include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Thermal transport of nuclear fuels and materials under radiation
• In-reactor and PIE characterization techniques for thermal conductivity measurement
• Thermal property investigation of advanced fuels and novel materials (such as TRISO, HEA, and AM products, etc.) with/without microstructural defects
• DFT/MD simulation on thermal transport of nuclear fuels with/without microstructural defects
• Kinetic Monte Carlo/cluster dynamics/rate theory to study microstructural defects generation and evolution
• Tailoring microstructural features to improve thermal energy transport in harsh environments
In the development of advanced fuels, targeting higher thermal conductivities will enable the operating of fuels at lower temperatures and will reduce fission gas transport. An understanding of thermal conductivity and its variation in reactors is necessary for advanced fuel performance codes and to aid in the development of advanced fuels.
This Research Topic is focused on showcasing thermal transport related research of nuclear fuels and materials, especially the property measurements and prediction in extreme conditions. When combining the experimental approaches, including in-reactor measurements and post-irradiation-examination, modeling efforts from atomic scale to mesoscale, and microstructural characterization techniques (such as advanced electron microscope, positron annihilation spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy channeling, etc.), the fundamental science of the microstructure evolution of nuclear fuels in reactors and the impact on thermal transport can be revealed. This knowledge can profoundly benefit the discovery and qualification of advanced nuclear fuels and materials, and contribute to the wider research community and nuclear energy industry.
Themes within the scope of this Research Topic include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Thermal transport of nuclear fuels and materials under radiation
• In-reactor and PIE characterization techniques for thermal conductivity measurement
• Thermal property investigation of advanced fuels and novel materials (such as TRISO, HEA, and AM products, etc.) with/without microstructural defects
• DFT/MD simulation on thermal transport of nuclear fuels with/without microstructural defects
• Kinetic Monte Carlo/cluster dynamics/rate theory to study microstructural defects generation and evolution
• Tailoring microstructural features to improve thermal energy transport in harsh environments
Keywords: nuclear fuels, nuclear materials, PIE and in-reactor thermal transport measurement, advanced fuel performance codes, Boltzmann transport equation, high thermal conductivity nuclear fuels, thermal conductivity, extreme environments, thermal energy transport
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