Multiphysics phase-field modeling of quasi-static cracking in urania ceramic nuclear fuel

Abstract This work presents phase-field modeling of quasi-static cracking in urania (UO2) ceramic nuclear fuel under neutron radiation at high temperatures. Considering the tightly coupled multi-physics processes within the fuel during reactor power operation, a diffusion model including Fickian and Soret effects is used to describe the oxygen hyper-stoichiometry (x in UO2+x), and the temperature field is given by a thermal model involving non-uniform fission-generated heat source and heat flow across fuel pellet, pellet-cladding gap and cladding to the outside heat sink. Both temperature and irradiation effects are taken into account for the basic thermo-mechanical properties and irradiation behaviors of the nuclear fuel. Especially, the acceleration of fuel thermal creep by oxygen hyper-stoichiometry is included. The fracture due to the above physical processes is approximated by a scalar phase-field variable based upon a cohesive phase-field fracture method. A granite fracture experiment is simulated to validate the thermo-fracture coupling approach. For the first time, the diffusion-thermo-mechanical-fracture coupling model is applied to UO2 fuel pellet cracking during reactor startup, power ramp and reactor shutdown. UO2 creep is found to play an important role on the fuel pellet fragmentation. The developed capability supports interpretation of experimental data and can guide material design of ceramic nuclear fuels.