ISSN:
1551-2916
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
The Potts Monte Carlo simulation was used to simulate microstructural evolution in uranium dioxide fuel rods. During service, grain growth, pore migration, and thermal segregation of the pores and UO2 occur in the rods in a thermal gradient. In this investigation, we developed a model which simulates simultaneous grain growth, pore migration, and thermal segregation of the pores and UO2 in a temperature gradient. Grain growth in a thermal gradient was simulated using the Monte Carlo Potts model technique developed by Anderson, Srolovitz, and co-workers. Pore migration was simulated using conserved dynamics with minimum-energy exchanges at a finite temperature. A temperature gradient was introduced into the model via interfacial mobility gradient. Finally, thermal segregation of the pores and UO2 was achieved by introducing a heat of migration term, ΔEt, which biased the motion of porosity to the high-temperature region. The development of this model is described and the incorporation of the proper physics of pore migration and thermal segregation is discussed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1998.tb02365.x
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