Measurement of the Composition of Noble-Metal Particles in High-Burnup CANDU Fuel by Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis

Abstract

An investigation of the composition of the metallic inclusions in CANDU fuel, which contain Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh and Pd, has been conducted as a function of burnup by wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX) microanalysis. Quantitative measurements were performed on micrometer sized particles embedded in thin sections of fuel using elemental standards and the ZAF method. Because the fission yields of the noble metals change with burnup, as a consequence of a shift from almost entirely 235U fission to mainly 239Pu fission, their inventories were calculated from the fuel power histories using the WIMS-ORGIN code for comparison with experiment. Contrary to expectations that the oxygen potential would be buffered by progressive Mo oxidation, little evidence was obtained for reduced incorporation of Mo in the noble-metal particles at high burnup. These surprising results are discussed with respect to the oxygen balance in irradiated CANDU fuels and the likely intrinsic and extrinsic sinks for excess oxygen.