

Effects of Heterogeneous Distribution of Fuel Particles on the Irradiation-Induced Mechanical Behaviors in the Dispersion Nuclear Fuel Plate
Abstract
The three-dimensional finite element models for different particle distances are developed. The virtual temperature load method is adopted in simulating the swelling effect of fuel particles and irradiation growth of the cladding. The irradiation-induced mechanical behaviors in the dispersion nuclear fuel plate are numerically obtained. The research results indicate that the maximums of the first principal stresses between the close fuel particles are obviously affected by the particle distance variation and may be the main factor that induces the matrix failure.
Keywords
dispersion nuclear fuel plate; virtual temperature; irradiation swelling; irradiation growth; finite element methodText