Abstract:Dispersion coated particle fuel is one of the potential technical development options for accident tolerant fuels (ATF). By adopting the excellent performances of matrix material, including high thermal conductivity, good stability at high temperature, and outstanding oxidation resistance, this kind of fuel can significantly improve the thermal performances and fission product containment capacity, thereby greatly enhancing the intrinsic safety of fuel elements and reactors. In the present study, ZrC-SiC composite matrix dispersion coated particle fuel surrogate pellets were prepared using spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The effects of different TRISO packing fraction on the microstructure and sintering densification process of surrogate pellets were investigated, and the distribution of TRISO particles were characterized. The results showed that, under sintering conditions of 1900℃/30MPa/10min, dispersion coated particle fuel pellet samples with TRISO packing fraction up to 40%, uniform particle distribution, integral microstructure and good matrix densification could be obtained. The TRISO packing fraction has little effect on the sintering densification process of fuel pellet samples.