Spatial distribution and preferred orientation of crystalline microstructure of lead-bismuth eutectic

To develop a lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled nuclear reactor, phase transition phenomena of LBE are very important. In the solidification of LBE, the crystalline structure is varied with the cooling process. The volumetric expansion of LBE must be clarified for the safety of an LBE cooled nuclear reactor. The time dependence of the volumetric expansion depends on the crystalline microstructure. In this study, the crystalline microstructure of the LBE samples solidified with the different cooling processes was investigated by the neutron Bragg edge imaging technique. Spatially integrated and local microstructure characteristics of LBE samples were analyzed. Characteristics of preferred orientation of LBE microstructure were clarified.