Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction

Abstract Understanding cesium (Cs) transport in TRistructural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel is crucial for predicting fission product release in high-temperature reactors. However, current challenges include significant scatter in diffusivity data and unexplained temperature-dependent diffusion re...

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Main Authors: Pierre-Clément A. Simon, Jia-Hong Ke, Chao Jiang, Larry K. Aagesen, Wen Jiang, Stephen Novascone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Computational Materials
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01734-y
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author Pierre-Clément A. Simon
Jia-Hong Ke
Chao Jiang
Larry K. Aagesen
Wen Jiang
Stephen Novascone
author_facet Pierre-Clément A. Simon
Jia-Hong Ke
Chao Jiang
Larry K. Aagesen
Wen Jiang
Stephen Novascone
author_sort Pierre-Clément A. Simon
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Understanding cesium (Cs) transport in TRistructural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel is crucial for predicting fission product release in high-temperature reactors. However, current challenges include significant scatter in diffusivity data and unexplained temperature-dependent diffusion regimes in the silicon carbide layer. This study addresses these challenges by developing a multiscale, mechanistic Cs transport model integrating atomistic simulations and phase field modeling. Our model quantifies temperature and grain size effects on Cs diffusivity, attributing experimentally observed regimes to a transition from bulk-dominated diffusivity at high temperatures to grain boundary-dominated diffusivity at lower temperatures. The model, validated against diffusion measurements and advanced gas reactor (AGR)-1 and AGR-2 post-irradiation fission product release data, enhances the predictive capability of the BISON fuel performance code. This study advances our understanding of Cs release from TRISO particles and its dependence on temperature and silicon carbide grain size, with implications for the safety and efficiency of high-temperature nuclear reactors.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2057-3960
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series npj Computational Materials
spelling doaj-art-ee69a2de34984b6a8984be19796eb5c52025-08-20T04:02:56ZengNature Portfolionpj Computational Materials2057-39602025-07-0111111310.1038/s41524-025-01734-yMultiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance predictionPierre-Clément A. Simon0Jia-Hong Ke1Chao Jiang2Larry K. Aagesen3Wen Jiang4Stephen Novascone5Computational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryComputational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryComputational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryComputational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryComputational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryComputational Mechanics and Materials Department, Idaho National LaboratoryAbstract Understanding cesium (Cs) transport in TRistructural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel is crucial for predicting fission product release in high-temperature reactors. However, current challenges include significant scatter in diffusivity data and unexplained temperature-dependent diffusion regimes in the silicon carbide layer. This study addresses these challenges by developing a multiscale, mechanistic Cs transport model integrating atomistic simulations and phase field modeling. Our model quantifies temperature and grain size effects on Cs diffusivity, attributing experimentally observed regimes to a transition from bulk-dominated diffusivity at high temperatures to grain boundary-dominated diffusivity at lower temperatures. The model, validated against diffusion measurements and advanced gas reactor (AGR)-1 and AGR-2 post-irradiation fission product release data, enhances the predictive capability of the BISON fuel performance code. This study advances our understanding of Cs release from TRISO particles and its dependence on temperature and silicon carbide grain size, with implications for the safety and efficiency of high-temperature nuclear reactors.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01734-y
spellingShingle Pierre-Clément A. Simon
Jia-Hong Ke
Chao Jiang
Larry K. Aagesen
Wen Jiang
Stephen Novascone
Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
npj Computational Materials
title Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
title_full Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
title_fullStr Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
title_full_unstemmed Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
title_short Multiscale, mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for TRISO fuel performance prediction
title_sort multiscale mechanistic modeling of cesium transport in silicon carbide for triso fuel performance prediction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01734-y
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