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Sample records for burnup-simulated nuclear fuel

  1. Simulation of the behaviour of nuclear fuel under high burnup conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soba, Alejandro; Lemes, Martin; González, Martin Emilio; Denis, Alicia; Romero, Luis

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Increasing the time of nuclear fuel into reactor generates high burnup structure. • We analyze model to simulate high burnup scenarios for UO 2 nuclear fuel. • We include these models in the DIONISIO 2.0 code. • Tests of our models are in very good agreement with experimental data. • We extend the range of predictability of our code up to 60 MWd/KgU average. - Abstract: In this paper we summarize all the models included in the latest version of the DIONISIO code related to the high burnup scenario. Due to the extension of nuclear fuels permanence under irradiation, physical and chemical modifications are developed in the fuel material, especially in the external corona of the pellet. The codes devoted to simulation of the rod behaviour under irradiation need to introduce modifications and new models in order to describe those phenomena and be capable to predict the behaviour in all the range of a general pressurized water reactor. A complex group of subroutines has been included in the code in order to predict the radial distribution of power density, burnup, concentration of diverse nuclides and porosity within the pellet. The behaviour of gadolinium as burnable poison also is modelled into the code. The results of some of the simulations performed with DIONISIO are presented to show the good agreement with the data selected for the FUMEX I/II/III exercises, compiled in the NEA data bank

  2. Development of high burnup nuclear fuel technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suk, Ho Chun; Kang, Young Hwan; Jung, Jin Gone; Hwang, Won; Park, Zoo Hwan; Ryu, Woo Seog; Kim, Bong Goo; Kim, Il Gone

    1987-04-01

    The objectives of the project are mainly to develope both design and manufacturing technologies for 600 MWe-CANDU-PHWR-type high burnup nuclear fuel, and secondly to build up the foundation of PWR high burnup nuclear fuel technology on the basis of KAERI technology localized upon the standard 600 MWe-CANDU- PHWR nuclear fuel. So, as in the first stage, the goal of the program in the last one year was set up mainly to establish the concept of the nuclear fuel pellet design and manufacturing. The economic incentives for high burnup nuclear fuel technology development are improvement of fuel utilization, backend costs plant operation, etc. Forming the most important incentives of fuel cycle costs reduction and improvement of power operation, etc., the development of high burnup nuclear fuel technology and also the research on the incore fuel management and safety and technologies are necessary in this country

  3. Nuclear fuel burn-up economy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matausek, M.

    1984-01-01

    In the period 1981-1985, for the needs of Utility Organization, Beograd, and with the support of the Scientific Council of SR Srbija, work has been performed on the study entitled 'Nuclear Fuel Burn-up Economy'. The forst [phase, completed during the year 1983 comprised: comparative analysis of commercial NPP from the standpoint of nuclear fuel requirements; development of methods for fuel burn-up analysis; specification of elements concerning the nuclear fuel for the tender documentation. The present paper gives the short description of the purpose, content and results achieved in the up-to-now work on the study. (author)

  4. Simulation of integral local tests with high-burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gyori, G.

    2011-01-01

    The behaviour of nuclear fuel under LOCA conditions may strongly depend on the burnup-dependent fuel characteristics, as it has been indicated by recent integral experiments. Fuel fragmentation and the associated fission gas release can influence the integral fuel behaviour, the rod rupture and the radiological release. The TRANSURANUS fuel performance code is a proper tool for the consistent simulation of burnup-dependent phenomena during normal operation and the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the fuel rod in a subsequent accident. The code has been extended with an empirical model for micro-cracking induced FGR and fuel fragmentation and verified against integral LOCA tests of international projects. (author)

  5. Estimate of fuel burnup spatial a multipurpose reactor in computer simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Nadia Rodrigues dos; Lima, Zelmo Rodrigues de; Moreira, Maria de Lourdes

    2015-01-01

    In previous research, which aimed, through computer simulation, estimate the spatial fuel burnup for the research reactor benchmark, material test research - International Atomic Energy Agency (MTR/IAEA), it was found that the use of the code in FORTRAN language, based on the diffusion theory of neutrons and WIMSD-5B, which makes cell calculation, bespoke be valid to estimate the spatial burnup other nuclear research reactors. That said, this paper aims to present the results of computer simulation to estimate the space fuel burnup of a typical multipurpose reactor, plate type and dispersion. the results were considered satisfactory, being in line with those presented in the literature. for future work is suggested simulations with other core configurations. are also suggested comparisons of WIMSD-5B results with programs often employed in burnup calculations and also test different methods of interpolation values obtained by FORTRAN. Another proposal is to estimate the burning fuel, taking into account the thermohydraulics parameters and the appearance of xenon. (author)

  6. Burnup effect on nuclear fuel cycle cost using an equilibrium model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Youn, S. R.; Kim, S. K.; Ko, W. I.

    2014-01-01

    The degree of fuel burnup is an important technical parameter to the nuclear fuel cycle, being sensitive and progressive to reduce the total volume of process flow materials and eventually cut the nuclear fuel cycle costs. This paper performed the sensitivity analysis of the total nuclear fuel cycle costs to changes in the technical parameter by varying the degree of burnups in each of the three nuclear fuel cycles using an equilibrium model. Important as burnup does, burnup effect was used among the cost drivers of fuel cycle, as the technical parameter. The fuel cycle options analyzed in this paper are three different fuel cycle options as follows: PWR-Once Through Cycle(PWR-OT), PWR-MOX Recycle, Pyro-SFR Recycle. These fuel cycles are most likely to be adopted in the foreseeable future. As a result of the sensitivity analysis on burnup effect of each three different nuclear fuel cycle costs, PWR-MOX turned out to be the most influenced by burnup changes. Next to PWR-MOX cycle, in the order of Pyro-SFR and PWR-OT cycle turned out to be influenced by the degree of burnup. In conclusion, the degree of burnup in the three nuclear fuel cycles can act as the controlling driver of nuclear fuel cycle costs due to a reduction in the volume of spent fuel leading better availability and capacity factors. However, the equilibrium model used in this paper has a limit that time-dependent material flow and cost calculation is impossible. Hence, comparative analysis of the results calculated by dynamic model hereafter and the calculation results using an equilibrium model should be proceed. Moving forward to the foreseeable future with increasing burnups, further studies regarding alternative material of high corrosion resistance fuel cladding for the overall

  7. Nuclear fuel burn-up economy; Ekonomija izgaranja nuklearnog goriva

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matausek, M [Institute of nuclear sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Yugoslavia)

    1984-07-01

    In the period 1981-1985, for the needs of Utility Organization, Beograd, and with the support of the Scientific Council of SR Srbija, work has been performed on the study entitled 'Nuclear Fuel Burn-up Economy'. The forst [phase, completed during the year 1983 comprised: comparative analysis of commercial NPP from the standpoint of nuclear fuel requirements; development of methods for fuel burn-up analysis; specification of elements concerning the nuclear fuel for the tender documentation. The present paper gives the short description of the purpose, content and results achieved in the up-to-now work on the study. (author)

  8. Burnup determination of mass spectrometry for nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Chunhua.

    1987-01-01

    The various methods currently being used in burnup determination of nuclear fuels are studied and reviewed. The mass spectrometry method of destructive testing is discussed emphatically. The burnup determination of mass spectrometry includes heavy isotopic abundance ratio method and isotope dilution mass spectrometry used as burnup indicator for the fission products. The former is applied to high burnup level, but the later to various burnup level. According to experiences, some problems which should be noticed in burnup determination of mass spectrometry are presented

  9. Determination of burn-up of irradiated nuclear fuels using mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jagadish Kumar, S.; Telmore, V.M.; Shah, R.V.; Sasi Bhushan, K.; Paul, Sumana; Kumar, Pranaw; Rao, Radhika M.; Jaison, P.G.

    2017-01-01

    Burn-up defined as the atom percent fission, is a vital parameter used for assessing the performance of nuclear fuel during its irradiation in the reactor. Accurate data on the actinide isotopes are also essential for the reliable accountability of nuclear materials and for nuclear safeguards. Both destructive and non-destructive methods are employed in the post-irradiation analysis for the burn-up measurements. Though non-destructive methods are preferred from the point view of remote handling of irradiated fuels with high radioactivity, they do not provide the high accuracy as achieved by the chemical analysis methods. Thus destructive radiochemical and chemical analyses are still the established reference methods for accurate and reliable burn-up determination of irradiated nuclear fuels. In the destructive method, burn-up of irradiated nuclear fuel is determined by correlating the amount of a fission product formed during irradiation with that of heavy elements. Thus the destructive experimental determination of burn-up involves the dissolution of irradiated fuel samples followed by the separation and determination of heavy elements and fission product(s) to be used as burn-up monitor(s). Another approach for the experimental determination of burn-up is based on the changes in the abundances of the heavy element isotopes. A widely accepted method for burn-up determination is based on stable "1"4"8Nd and "1"3"9La as burn-up monitors. Several properties such as non-volatility, nearly same yields for thermal fissions of "2"3"5U and "2"3"9Pu etc justifies the selection of "1"4"8Nd as a burn-up monitor

  10. Burnup simulations of an inert matrix fuel using a two region, multigroup reactor physics model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schneider, E. [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Univ. of Texas at Austin, 1 Univ. Place C2200, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Deinert, M.; Bingham Cady, K. [Dept. of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

    2006-07-01

    Determining the time dependent concentration of isotopes in a nuclear reactor core is of fundamental importance to analysis of nuclear fuel cycles and the impact of spent fuels on long term storage facilities. We present a fast, conceptually simple tool for performing burnup calculations applicable to obtaining isotopic balances as a function of fuel burnup. The code (VBUDS: visualization, burnup, depletion and spectra) uses a two region, multigroup collision probability model to determine the energy dependent neutron flux and tracks the buildup and burnout of 24 actinides, as well as fission products. The model has been tested against benchmarked results for LWRs burning UOX and MOX, as well as MONTEBURNS simulations of zirconium oxide based IMF, all with strong fidelity. As an illustrative example, VBUDS burnup calculation results for an IMF fuel are presented in this paper. (authors)

  11. An analysis of nuclear fuel burnup in the AGR-1 TRISO fuel experiment using gamma spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and computational simulation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harp, Jason M.; Demkowicz, Paul A.; Winston, Philip L.; Sterbentz, James W.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The burnup of irradiated AGR-1 TRISO fuel was analyzed using gamma spectrometry. • The burnup of irradiated AGR-1 TRISO fuel was also analyzed using mass spectrometry. • Agreement between experimental results and neutron physics simulations was excellent. - Abstract: AGR-1 was the first in a series of experiments designed to test US TRISO fuel under high temperature gas-cooled reactor irradiation conditions. This experiment was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and is currently undergoing post-irradiation examination (PIE) at INL and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. One component of the AGR-1 PIE is the experimental evaluation of the burnup of the fuel by two separate techniques. Gamma spectrometry was used to non-destructively evaluate the burnup of all 72 of the TRISO fuel compacts that comprised the AGR-1 experiment. Two methods for evaluating burnup by gamma spectrometry were developed, one based on the Cs-137 activity and the other based on the ratio of Cs-134 and Cs-137 activities. Burnup values determined from both methods compared well with the values predicted from simulations. The highest measured burnup was 20.1% FIMA (fissions per initial heavy metal atom) for the direct method and 20.0% FIMA for the ratio method (compared to 19.56% FIMA from simulations). An advantage of the ratio method is that the burnup of the cylindrical fuel compacts can be determined in small (2.5 mm) axial increments and an axial burnup profile can be produced. Destructive chemical analysis by inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was then performed on selected compacts that were representative of the expected range of fuel burnups in the experiment to compare with the burnup values determined by gamma spectrometry. The compacts analyzed by mass spectrometry had a burnup range of 19.3% FIMA to 10.7% FIMA. The mass spectrometry evaluation of burnup for the four compacts agreed well with the gamma

  12. Burnup simulations of different fuel grades using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asah-Opoku Fiifi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Global energy problems range from the increasing cost of fuel to the unequal distribution of energy resources and the potential climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. A sustainable nuclear energy would augment the current world energy supply and serve as a reliable future energy source. This research focuses on Monte Carlo simulations of pressurized water reactor systems. Three different fuel grades - mixed oxide fuel (MOX, uranium oxide fuel (UOX, and commercially enriched uranium or uranium metal (CEU - are used in this simulation and their impact on the effective multiplication factor (Keff and, hence, criticality and total radioactivity of the reactor core after fuel burnup analyzed. The effect of different clad materials on Keff is also studied. Burnup calculation results indicate a buildup of plutonium isotopes in UOX and CEU, as opposed to a decline in plutonium radioisotopes for MOX fuel burnup time. For MOX fuel, a decrease of 31.9% of the fissile plutonium isotope is observed, while for UOX and CEU, fissile plutonium isotopes increased by 82.3% and 83.8%, respectively. Keff results show zircaloy as a much more effective clad material in comparison to zirconium and stainless steel.

  13. Nuclear fuels with high burnup: safety requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phuc Tran Dai

    2016-01-01

    Vietnam authorities foresees to build 3 reactors from Russian design (VVER AES 2006) by 2030. In order to prepare the preliminary report on safety analysis the Vietnamese Agency for Radioprotection and Safety has launched an investigation on the behaviour of nuclear fuels at high burnups (up to 60 GWj/tU) that will be those of the new plants. This study deals mainly with the behaviour of the fuel assemblies in case of loss of coolant (LOCA). It appears that for an average burnup of 50 GWj/tU and for the advanced design of the fuel assembly (cladding and materials) safety requirements are fulfilled. For an average burnup of 60 GWj/tU, a list of issues remains to be assessed, among which the impact of clad bursting or the hydrogen embrittlement of the advanced zirconium alloys. (A.C.)

  14. Chemical analytical considerations on the determination of burnup in irradiated nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cretella, R.F.; Servant, R.E.

    1989-01-01

    Burnup in an irradiated nuclear fuel may be defined as the energy produced per mass unit, from the time the fuel is introduced into the reactor and until a given moment. It is usually shown in megawatt/day or megawatt/hour generated per ton or kilo of fuel. It is also indicated as the number of fission produced per volume unit (cm 3 ) or per every 100 initial fissionable atoms. The yield of a power plant is directly related to the burnup of its fuel load and knowing the latter contributes to optimizing the economy in reactor operation and the related technologies. The development of nuclear fuels and the operation of reactors require doing with exact and accurate methods allowing to know the burnup. Errors in this measurement have an incidence upon the fuel design, the physical and nuclear calculations, the shielding requirements, the design of vehicles for the transportation of irradiated fuels, the engineering of processing plants, etc. All these factors, in turn, have an incidence upon the cost of nuclear power generation. (Author) [es

  15. Study of nuclear fuel burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavelescu, M.; Borza, M.

    1975-01-01

    The authors approach theoretical treatment of isotopic composition changement for nuclear fuel in nuclear reactors. They show the difficulty of exhaustive treatment of burn-up problems and introduce the principal simplifying principles. Due to these principles they write and solve analytically the evolution equations of the concentration for the principal nuclides both in the case of fast and thermal reactors. Finally, they expose and comment the results obtained in the case of a power fast reactor. (author)

  16. Simulation of the neutron-physical properties of the classical UO2 fuel and of MOX fuel during the burn-up by Transuranus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breza, J. jr.; Necas, V.; Daoeilek, P.

    2005-01-01

    The classical nuclear fuel UO 2 is well known for VVER reactors. Nevertheless, in the near future it will be possible to replace this fuel by novel, advanced kinds of fuel, for instance MOX, inert matrices fuel, etc., that will allow to increase the level of burn-up and minimize the amount of hazardous waste. The code Transuranus [2], designed at ITU Karlsruhe, is intended for thermal and mechanical analyses of fuel elements in nuclear reactors. We have utilized the code Transuranus to simulate the neutron-physical properties of the classical UO 2 fuel and of MOX fuel during the burn-up to a level of 40 MWd/kgHM. We compare obtained results of uranium and plutonium nuclides concentrations, their changes during burn-up, with results obtained by code HELIOS [3], which is well-validated code for this kind of applications. We performed calculations of fission gasses concentrations, namely xenon and krypton. (author)

  17. COMRAD96, Nuclear Fuel Burnup and Depletion Calculation System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suyama, K.; Masukawa, F.; Ido, M.; Enomoto, M.; Takyu, S.; Hara, T.

    2002-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: Burn-up calculation of nuclear fuel. 2 - Methods: Matrix exponential method, Bateman Equation. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: a) One-grouped cross section library should be prepared for the fuel system to be analyzed using UNITBURN. However, UNITBURN is not available now for UNIX systems. b) Gamma ray spectrometry calculation will fail using the attached piflib routine. This problem has already been rectified in the internal version. 4 - Typical running time: Two minutes for standard burn-up calculation on Sun ULTRA 30. 5 - Unusual features - a) Selection of Matrix exponential method, or Bateman Equation. b) JDDL, a detailed decay chain data based on ENSDF. 6 - Related or auxiliary programs: UNITBURN: Burnup calculation code unit cell system

  18. Actinide-only and full burn-up credit in criticality assessment of RBMK-1500 spent nuclear fuel storage cask using axial burn-up profile

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barkauskas, V., E-mail: vytenis.barkauskas@ftmc.lt; Plukiene, R., E-mail: rita.plukiene@ftmc.lt; Plukis, A., E-mail: arturas.plukis@ftmc.lt

    2016-10-15

    Highlights: • RBMK-1500 fuel burn-up impact on k{sub eff} in the SNF cask was calculated using SCALE 6.1. • Positive end effect was noticed at certain burn-up for the RBMK-1500 spent nuclear fuel. • The non-uniform uranium depletion is responsible for the end effect in RBMK-1500 SNF. • k{sub eff} in the SNF cask does not exceed a value of 0.95 which is set in the safety requirements. - Abstract: Safe long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is one of the main issues in the field of nuclear safety. Burn-up credit application in criticality analysis of SNF reduces conservatism of usually used fresh fuel assumption and implies a positive economic impact for the SNF storage. Criticality calculations of spent nuclear fuel in the CONSTOR® RBMK-1500/M2 cask were performed using pre-generated ORIGEN-ARP spent nuclear fuel composition libraries, and the results of the RBMK-1500 burn-up credit impact on the effective neutron multiplication factor (k{sub eff}) have been obtained and are presented in the paper. SCALE 6.1 code package with the STARBUCKS burn-up credit evaluation tool was used for modeling. Pre-generated ARP (Automatic Rapid Processing) crosssection libraries based on ENDF/B-VII cross section library were used for fast burn-up inventory modeling. Different conditions in the SNF cask were modeled: 2.0% and 2.8% initial enrichment fuel of various burn-up and water density inside cavities of the SNF cask. The fuel composition for the criticality analysis was chosen taking into account main actinides and most important fission products used in burn-up calculations. A significant positive end effect is noticed from 15 GWd/tU burn-up for 2.8% enrichment fuel and from 9 GWd/tU for 2.0% enrichment fuel applying the actinide-only approach. The obtained results may be applied in further evaluations of the RBMK type reactor SNF storage as well as help to optimize the SNF storage volume inside the CONSTOR® RBMK-1500/M2 cask without compromising criticality

  19. Actinide-only and full burn-up credit in criticality assessment of RBMK-1500 spent nuclear fuel storage cask using axial burn-up profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barkauskas, V.; Plukiene, R.; Plukis, A.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • RBMK-1500 fuel burn-up impact on k_e_f_f in the SNF cask was calculated using SCALE 6.1. • Positive end effect was noticed at certain burn-up for the RBMK-1500 spent nuclear fuel. • The non-uniform uranium depletion is responsible for the end effect in RBMK-1500 SNF. • k_e_f_f in the SNF cask does not exceed a value of 0.95 which is set in the safety requirements. - Abstract: Safe long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is one of the main issues in the field of nuclear safety. Burn-up credit application in criticality analysis of SNF reduces conservatism of usually used fresh fuel assumption and implies a positive economic impact for the SNF storage. Criticality calculations of spent nuclear fuel in the CONSTOR® RBMK-1500/M2 cask were performed using pre-generated ORIGEN-ARP spent nuclear fuel composition libraries, and the results of the RBMK-1500 burn-up credit impact on the effective neutron multiplication factor (k_e_f_f) have been obtained and are presented in the paper. SCALE 6.1 code package with the STARBUCKS burn-up credit evaluation tool was used for modeling. Pre-generated ARP (Automatic Rapid Processing) crosssection libraries based on ENDF/B-VII cross section library were used for fast burn-up inventory modeling. Different conditions in the SNF cask were modeled: 2.0% and 2.8% initial enrichment fuel of various burn-up and water density inside cavities of the SNF cask. The fuel composition for the criticality analysis was chosen taking into account main actinides and most important fission products used in burn-up calculations. A significant positive end effect is noticed from 15 GWd/tU burn-up for 2.8% enrichment fuel and from 9 GWd/tU for 2.0% enrichment fuel applying the actinide-only approach. The obtained results may be applied in further evaluations of the RBMK type reactor SNF storage as well as help to optimize the SNF storage volume inside the CONSTOR® RBMK-1500/M2 cask without compromising criticality safety.

  20. Calculation of fuel burn-up and fuel reloading for the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lan, Nguyen Phuoc; Huy, Ngo Quang [Centre for Nuclear Technique Application, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Thong, Ha Van; Binh, Do Quang [Nuclear Research Inst., Da Lat (Viet Nam)

    1994-10-01

    Calculation of fuel burnup and fuel reloading for the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor was carried out by using a new programme named HEXA-BURNUP, realized in a PC. The programme is used to calculate the following parameters of the Dalat reactor: a/Critical configurations of the core loaded with 69, 72, 74, 86, 88, 89 and 92 fuel elements. The effective multiplication coefficients equal 1 within the error ranges of less than 0.38%. b/ The thermal neutron flux distribution in the reactor. The calculated results agree with the experimental data measured at 11 typical positions. c/The average fuel burn-up for the period from Feb. 1984 to Sep. 1992. The difference between calculation and experiment is only about 1.9%. 10 fuel reloading versions are calculated, from which an optimal version is proposed. (author). 9 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.

  1. chemical determination of burnup ratio in nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guereli, L.

    1997-01-01

    Measurements of the extent of fission are important to determine the irradiation performance of a nuclear fuel. The energy released per unit mass of uranium (burnup) can be determined from measurement of the percent of heavy atoms that have fissioned during irradiation.The preferred method for this determination is choosing a suitable fission monitor (usually ''1''4''8Nd) and its determination after separation from the fuel matrix. In thermal reactor fuels where the only heavy element in the starting material is uranium, uranium depletion can be used for burnup determination. ''2''3''5U depletion method requires measurement of uranium isotopic ratios of both irradiated and unirradiated fuel. Isotopic ratios can be determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometer following separation of uranium from the fuel matrix. Separation procedures include solvent extraction, ion exchange and anion exchange chromatography. Another fission monitor used is ''1''3''9La determination by HPLC. Because La is monoisotopic (''1''3''9La) in the fuel, it can be determined by chemical analysis techniques

  2. Non destructive assay of nuclear LEU spent fuels for burnup credit application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebrun, A.; Bignan, G.

    2001-01-01

    Criticality safety analysis devoted to spent fuel storage and transportation has to be conservative in order to be sure no accident will ever happen. In the spent fuel storage field, the assumption of freshness has been used to achieve the conservative aspect of criticality safety procedures. Nevertheless, after being irradiated in a reactor core, the fuel elements have obviously lost part of their original reactivity. The concept of taking into account this reactivity loss in criticality safety analysis is known as Burnup credit. To be used, Burnup credit involves obtaining evidence of the reactivity loss with a Burnup measurement. Many non destructive assays (NDA) based on neutron as well as on gamma ray emissions are devoted to spent fuel characterization. Heavy nuclei that compose the fuels are modified during irradiation and cooling. Some of them emit neutrons spontaneously and the link to Burnup is a power link. As a result, burn-up determination with passive neutron measurement is extremely accurate. Some gamma emitters also have interesting properties in order to characterize spent fuels but the convenience of the gamma spectrometric methods is very dependent on characteristics of spent fuel. In addition, contrary to the neutron emission, the gamma signal is mostly representative of the peripheral rods of the fuels. Two devices based on neutron methods but combining different NDA methods which have been studied in the past are described in detail: 1. The PYTHON device is a combination of a passive neutron measurement, a collimated total gamma measurement, and an online depletion code. This device, which has been used in several Nuclear Power Plants in western Europe, gives the average Burnup within a 5% uncertainty and also the extremity Burnup, 2. The NAJA device is an automatic device that involves three nuclear methods and an online depletion code. It is designed to cover the whole fuel assembly panel (Active Neutron Interrogation, Passive Neutron

  3. Properties of the high burnup structure in nuclear light water reactor fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiss, Thierry; Rondinella, Vincenzo V.; Konings, Rudy J.M. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe (Germany). Directorate Nuclear Safety and Security; and others

    2017-07-01

    The formation of the high burnup structure (HBS) is possibly the most significant example of the restructuring processes affecting commercial nuclear fuel in-pile. The HBS forms at the relatively cold outer rim of the fuel pellet, where the local burnup is 2-3 times higher than the average pellet burnup, under the combined effects of irradiation and thermo-mechanical conditions determined by the power regime and the fuel rod configuration. The main features of the transformation are the subdivision of the original fuel grains into new sub-micron grains, the relocation of the fission gas into newly formed intergranular pores, and the absence of large concentrations of extended defects in the fuel matrix inside the subdivided grains. The characterization of the newly formed structure and its impact on thermo-physical or mechanical properties is a key requirement to ensure that high burnup fuel operates within the safety margins. This paper presents a synthesis of the main findings from extensive studies performed at JRC-Karlsruhe during the last 25 years to determine properties and behaviour of the HBS. In particular, microstructural features, thermal transport, fission gas behaviour, and thermo-mechanical properties of the HBS will be discussed. The main conclusion of the experimental studies is that the HBS does not compromise the safety of nuclear fuel during normal operations.

  4. Underestimation of nuclear fuel burnup – theory, demonstration and solution in numerical models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gajda Paweł

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Monte Carlo methodology provides reference statistical solution of neutron transport criticality problems of nuclear systems. Estimated reaction rates can be applied as an input to Bateman equations that govern isotopic evolution of reactor materials. Because statistical solution of Boltzmann equation is computationally expensive, it is in practice applied to time steps of limited length. In this paper we show that simple staircase step model leads to underprediction of numerical fuel burnup (Fissions per Initial Metal Atom – FIMA. Theoretical considerations indicates that this error is inversely proportional to the length of the time step and origins from the variation of heating per source neutron. The bias can be diminished by application of predictor-corrector step model. A set of burnup simulations with various step length and coupling schemes has been performed. SERPENT code version 1.17 has been applied to the model of a typical fuel assembly from Pressurized Water Reactor. In reference case FIMA reaches 6.24% that is equivalent to about 60 GWD/tHM of industrial burnup. The discrepancies up to 1% have been observed depending on time step model and theoretical predictions are consistent with numerical results. Conclusions presented in this paper are important for research and development concerning nuclear fuel cycle also in the context of Gen4 systems.

  5. Basic evaluation on nuclear characteristics of BWR high burnup MOX fuel and core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagano, M.; Sakurai, S.; Yamaguchi, H.

    1997-01-01

    MOX fuel will be used in existing commercial BWR cores as a part of reload fuels with equivalent operability, safety and economy to UO 2 fuel in Japan. The design concept should be compatible with UO 2 fuel design. High burnup UO 2 fuels are being developed and commercialized step by step. The MOX fuel planned to be introduced in around year 2000 will use the same hardware as UO 2 8 x 8 array fuel developed for a second step of UO 2 high burnup fuel. The target discharge exposure of this MOX fuel is about 33 GWd/t. And the loading fraction of MOX fuel is approximately one-third in an equilibrium core. On the other hand, it becomes necessary to minimize a number of MOX fuels and plants utilizing MOX fuel, mainly due to the fuel economy, handling cost and inspection cost in site. For the above reasons, it needed to developed a high burnup MOX fuel containing much Pu and a core with a large amount of MOX fuels. The purpose of this study is to evaluate basic nuclear fuel and core characteristics of BWR high burnup MOX fuel with batch average exposure of about 39.5 GWd/t using 9 x 9 array fuel. The loading fraction of MOX fuel in the core is within a range of about 50% to 100%. Also the influence of Pu isotopic composition fluctuations and Pu-241 decay upon nuclear characteristics are studied. (author). 3 refs, 5 figs, 3 tabs

  6. Determination of nuclear fuel burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kristak, J.; Vobecky, M.

    1973-01-01

    Samples containing a known content of 235 U were irradiated with several different neutron doses and activities were determined of radionuclides including 125 Sb, 144 Ce, 134 Cs, 154 Eu, 103 Ru, 95 Zr. The values thus obtained were divided by the 137 Cs activity value. The resulting neutron dose-dependent value is plotted into a calibration graph. The degree of nuclear fuel burn-up is obtained from the graph using an experimentally determined ratio of the activities of the above radionuclides. (B.S.)

  7. Calculational prediction of fuel burn-up for the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Phuoc Lan; Do Quang Binh

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, the method of expanding operators and functions in the neutron diffusion equations as chains of time variable is used for calculation of fuel burn-up of the Dalat nuclear reactors. A computer code, named BURREF, programmed in language Fortran-77 running on IBM PC-AT, has been developed based on this method to predict the fuel burn-up of the Dalat reactor. Some results will be presented here. (author)

  8. Increased fuel burn-up and fuel cycle equilibrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Debes, M.

    2001-01-01

    Improvement of nuclear competitiveness will rely mainly on increased fuel performance, with higher burn-up, and reactors sustained life. Regarding spent fuel management, the EDF current policy relies on UO 2 fuel reprocessing (around 850 MTHM/year at La Hague) and MOX recycling to ensure plutonium flux adequacy (around 100 MTHM/year, with an electricity production equivalent to 30 TWh). This policy enables to reuse fuel material, while maintaining global kWh economy with existing facilities. It goes along with current perspective to increase fuel burn-up up to 57 GWday/t mean in 2010. The following presentation describes the consequences of higher fuel burn-up on fuel cycle and waste management and implementation of a long term and global equilibrium for decades in spent fuel management resulting from this strategy. (author)

  9. Nuclear fuel burnup calculation in a Voronezh type reactor; Analiza izgaranja nuklearnog goriva u reaktoru tipa Voronjez

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matausek, M; Marinkovic, N; Kocic, A [Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences, Vinca, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

    1977-07-01

    In order to summarize and present our abilities to perform a complex computation of the nuclear fuel burn-up, a systematic review of the available methods, algorithms and computer programmes is given in this paper. The computer programmes quoted have all been developed, modified and tested in our department, so that they can be successfully used in the analysis of nuclear power plants from both physics and economic points of view. For a commercially proven nuclear reactor - reactor of the Voronezh type - an illustrative computation of the fuel burn-up is performed. The typical results are presented and discussed. The conclusion concerns the completion of a modular scheme for the fuel burn-up calculation and the fuel cycle analysis (author)

  10. SOURCE OF BURNUP VALUES FOR COMMERCIAL SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLIES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BSC

    2004-01-01

    Waste packages are loaded with commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that satisfies the minimum burnup requirements of a criticality loading curve. The burnup value assigned by the originating nuclear utility to each SNF assembly (assigned burnup) is used to load waste packages in compliance with a criticality loading curve. The burnup provided by a nuclear utility has uncertainties, so conservative calculation methods are used to characterize those uncertainties for incorporation into the criticality loading curves. Procedural safety controls ensure that the correct assembly is loaded into each waste package to prevent a misload that could create a condition affecting the safety margins. Probabilistic analyses show that procedural safety controls can minimize the chance of a misload but can not completely eliminate the possibility. Physical measurements of burnup with instrumentation in the surface facility are not necessary due to the conservative calculation methods used to produce the criticality loading curves. The reactor records assigned burnup of a commercial SNF assembly contains about two percent uncertainty, which is increased to five-percent to ensure conservatism. This five-percent uncertainty is accommodated by adjusting the criticality loading curve. Also, the record keeping methods of nuclear utilities are not uniform and the level of detail required by the NRC has varied over the last several decades. Thus, some SNF assemblies may have assigned burnups that are averages for a batch of assemblies with similar characteristics. Utilities typically have access to more detailed core-follow records that allow the batch average burnup to be changed to an assembly specific burnup. Alternatively, an additional safety margin is incorporated into the criticality loading curve to accommodate SNF assemblies with batch average burnups or greater uncertainties due to the methodology used by the nuclear utility. The utility records provide the assembly identifier

  11. About a fuel for burnup reactor of periodical pulsed nuclear pumped laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkov, A.I.; Lukin, A.V.; Magda, L.E.; Magda, E.P.; Pogrebov, I.S.; Putnikov, I.S.; Khmelnitsky, D.V.; Scherbakov, A.P.

    1998-01-01

    A physical scheme of burnup reactor for a Periodic Pulsed Nuclear Pumped Laser was supposed. Calculations of its neutron physical parameters were made. The general layout and construction of basic elements of the reactor are discussed. The requirements for the fuel and fuel elements are established. (author)

  12. Conservatism in the actinide-only burnup credit for PWR spent nuclear fuel packages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lancaster, D.B.; Rahimi, M.; Thornton, J.

    1996-01-01

    In May 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) submitted a topical report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to gain actinide-only burnup credit for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage, transportation, or disposal packages. After approval of this topical report, DOE intends further submittals to the NRC to acquire additional burnup credit (e.g., the topical does not use fission products and is limited to only the first 100 yr of disposal). The NRC has responded to the topical with its preliminary questions. To aid in evaluation of the method, a review of the conservatism in the actinide-only burnup credit methodology was performed. An overview of the actinide-only burnup credit methodology is presented followed by a summary of the conservatism

  13. Estimate of fuel burnup spatial a multipurpose reactor in computer simulation; Estimativa da queima espacial do combustivel de um reator multiproposito por simulacao computacional

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Nadia Rodrigues dos, E-mail: nadia.santos@ifrj.edu.br [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Paracambi, RJ (Brazil); Lima, Zelmo Rodrigues de; Moreira, Maria de Lourdes, E-mail: malu@ien.gov.br, E-mail: zrlima@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    In previous research, which aimed, through computer simulation, estimate the spatial fuel burnup for the research reactor benchmark, material test research - International Atomic Energy Agency (MTR/IAEA), it was found that the use of the code in FORTRAN language, based on the diffusion theory of neutrons and WIMSD-5B, which makes cell calculation, bespoke be valid to estimate the spatial burnup other nuclear research reactors. That said, this paper aims to present the results of computer simulation to estimate the space fuel burnup of a typical multipurpose reactor, plate type and dispersion. the results were considered satisfactory, being in line with those presented in the literature. for future work is suggested simulations with other core configurations. are also suggested comparisons of WIMSD-5B results with programs often employed in burnup calculations and also test different methods of interpolation values obtained by FORTRAN. Another proposal is to estimate the burning fuel, taking into account the thermohydraulics parameters and the appearance of xenon. (author)

  14. Analysis of high burnup fuel safety issues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Chan Bock; Kim, D. H.; Bang, J. G.; Kim, Y. M.; Yang, Y. S.; Jung, Y. H.; Jeong, Y. H.; Nam, C.; Baik, J. H.; Song, K. W.; Kim, K. S

    2000-12-01

    Safety issues in steady state and transient behavior of high burnup LWR fuel above 50 - 60 MWD/kgU were analyzed. Effects of burnup extension upon fuel performance parameters was reviewed, and validity of both the fuel safety criteria and the performance analysis models which were based upon the lower burnup fuel test results was analyzed. It was found that further tests would be necessary in such areas as fuel failure and dispersion for RIA, and high temperature cladding corrosion and mechanical deformation for LOCA. Since domestic fuels have been irradiated in PWR up to burnup higher than 55 MWD/kgU-rod. avg., it can be said that Korea is in the same situation as the other countries in the high burnup fuel safety issues. Therefore, necessary research areas to be performed in Korea were derived. Considering that post-irradiation examination(PIE) for the domestic fuel of burnup higher than 30 MWD/kgU has not been done so far at all, it is primarily necessary to perform PIE for high burnup fuel, and then simulation tests for RIA and LOCA could be performed by using high burnup fuel specimens. For the areas which can not be performed in Korea, international cooperation will be helpful to obtain the test results. With those data base, safety of high burnup domestic fuels will be confirmed, current fuel safety criteria will be re-evaluated, and finally transient high burnup fuel behavior analysis technology will be developed through the fuel performance analysis code development.

  15. Analysis of high burnup fuel safety issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Chan Bock; Kim, D. H.; Bang, J. G.; Kim, Y. M.; Yang, Y. S.; Jung, Y. H.; Jeong, Y. H.; Nam, C.; Baik, J. H.; Song, K. W.; Kim, K. S

    2000-12-01

    Safety issues in steady state and transient behavior of high burnup LWR fuel above 50 - 60 MWD/kgU were analyzed. Effects of burnup extension upon fuel performance parameters was reviewed, and validity of both the fuel safety criteria and the performance analysis models which were based upon the lower burnup fuel test results was analyzed. It was found that further tests would be necessary in such areas as fuel failure and dispersion for RIA, and high temperature cladding corrosion and mechanical deformation for LOCA. Since domestic fuels have been irradiated in PWR up to burnup higher than 55 MWD/kgU-rod. avg., it can be said that Korea is in the same situation as the other countries in the high burnup fuel safety issues. Therefore, necessary research areas to be performed in Korea were derived. Considering that post-irradiation examination(PIE) for the domestic fuel of burnup higher than 30 MWD/kgU has not been done so far at all, it is primarily necessary to perform PIE for high burnup fuel, and then simulation tests for RIA and LOCA could be performed by using high burnup fuel specimens. For the areas which can not be performed in Korea, international cooperation will be helpful to obtain the test results. With those data base, safety of high burnup domestic fuels will be confirmed, current fuel safety criteria will be re-evaluated, and finally transient high burnup fuel behavior analysis technology will be developed through the fuel performance analysis code development

  16. The impact of interface bonding efficiency on high-burnup spent nuclear fuel dynamic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Hao, E-mail: jiangh@ornl.gov; Wang, Jy-An John; Wang, Hong

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • To investigate the impact of interfacial bonding efficiency at pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces of high-burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) on its dynamic performance. • Flexural rigidity, EI = M/κ, estimated from FEA results were benchmarked with SNF dynamic experimental results, and used to evaluate interface bonding efficiency. • Interface bonding efficiency can significantly dictate the SNF system rigidity and the associated dynamic performance. • With consideration of interface bonding efficiency and fuel cracking, HBU SNF fuel property was estimated with SNF static and dynamic experimental data. - Abstract: Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to investigate the impact of interfacial bonding efficiency at pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces of high-burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) on system dynamic performance. Bending moments M were applied to FEA model to evaluate the system responses. From bending curvature, κ, flexural rigidity EI can be estimated as EI = M/κ. The FEA simulation results were benchmarked with experimental results from cyclic integrated reversal bending fatigue test (CIRFT) of HBR fuel rods. The consequence of interface debonding between fuel pellets and cladding is a redistribution of the loads carried by the fuel pellets to the clad, which results in a reduction in composite rod system flexural rigidity. Therefore, the interface bonding efficiency at the pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces can significantly dictate the SNF system dynamic performance. With the consideration of interface bonding efficiency, the HBU SNF fuel property was estimated with CIRFT test data.

  17. The Gd-isotopic fuel for high burnup in PWR's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dias, Marcio Soares; Mattos, João Roberto L. de; Andrade, Edison Pereira de

    2017-01-01

    Today, the discussion about the high burnup fuel is beyond the current fuel enrichment licensing and burnup limits. Licensing issues and material/design developments are again key features in further development of the LWR fuel design. Nevertheless, technological and economical solutions are already available or will be available in a short time. In order to prevent the growth of the technological gap, Brazil's nuclear sector needs to invest in the training of new human resources, in the access to international databases, and in the upgrading existing infrastructure. Experimental database and R&D infrastructure are essential components to support the autonomous development of Brazilian Nuclear Reactors, promoting the development of national technologies. The (U,Gd)O_2 isotopic fuel proposed by the CDTN's staff solve two main issues in the high burnup fuel, which are (1) the peak of reactivity resulting from the Gd-157 fast burnup, and (2) the peak of temperature in the (U,Gd)O_2 nuclear fuel resulting from detrimental effects in the thermal properties for gadolinia additions higher than 2%. A sustainable future can be envisaged for the nuclear energy. (author)

  18. Construction and tests of a gamma device for experimental measurements of burnup of nuclear reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandao Junior, F.A.

    1982-01-01

    The gamma-scanning method is an important tool for the measurement of burnup of nuclear reactor fuel. The adequate knowledge of burnup allows for a better inventory of 'sensitive' fissile materials, better fuel management and provides insight on fuel behaviour and safety margins. This paper is related to the description, construction and operation of a first gamma scanning device, tested by irradiation of prototype PWR fuel pins, 14 cm long, in a Triga Mark-I reactor at very low power. Despite the limitations imposed by the low burnup, the experiment permitted a good checking of the main physical concepts and devices involved in the method. (Author) [pt

  19. Regulatory status of burnup credit for dry storage and transport of spent nuclear fuel in the United States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, D.E.

    2001-01-01

    During 1999, the Spent Fuel Project Office of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) introduced technical guidance for allowing burnup credit in the criticality safety analysis of casks for transporting or storing spent fuel from pressurized water reactors. This paper presents the recommendations embodied by the current NRC guidance, discusses associated technical issues, and reviews information needs and industry priorities for expanding the scope and content of the guidance. Allowable analysis approaches for burnup credit must account for the fuel irradiation variables that affect spent fuel reactivity, including the axial and horizontal variation of burnup within fuel assemblies. Consistent with international transport regulations, the burnup of each fuel assembly must be verified by pre-loading measurements. The current guidance limits the credited burnup to no more than 40 GWd/MTU and the credited cooling time to five years, imposes a burnup offset for fuels with initial enrichments between 4 and 5 wt% 235U, does not include credit for fission products, and excludes burnup credit for damaged fuels and fuels that have used burnable absorbers. Burnup credit outside these limits may be considered when adequately supported by technical information beyond that reviewed to-date by the NRC staff. The guidance further recommends that residual subcritical margins from the neglect of fission products, and any other nuclides not credited in the licensing-basis analysis, be estimated for each cask design and compared against estimates of the maximum reactivity effects associated with remaining computational uncertainties and potentially nonconservative modeling assumptions. The NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research is conducting a research program to help develop the technical information needed for refining and expanding the evolving guidance. Cask vendors have announced plans to submit the first NRC license applications for burnup credit later this year

  20. Influence of prolonged nuclear fuel burnup on safety characteristics of advanced PWRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spasojevic, D.; Matausek, M.; Marinkovic, N.

    1989-01-01

    Prolonged nuclear fuel burnup in advanced NPP with four or more instead of three one-year cycles, and/or with 15- to 18-month instead of standard 12-month cycles, requires the fresh fuel to have increased enrichment combined with burnable poisons. This causes changes in axial and radial distribution of power generation during the particular fuel cycles, so that detailed analyses of thermal reliability of reactor core becomes necessary. This paper presents the results of the analysis of the departure from nuclear boiling ratio DNBR for an equilibrium cycle of an advanced PWR. (author)

  1. Physical models for high burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanyukova, V.; Khoruzhii, O.; Likhanskii, V.; Solodovnikov, G.; Sorokin, A.

    2003-01-01

    In this paper some models of processes in high burnup fuel developed in Src of Russia Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research are presented. The emphasis is on the description of the degradation of the fuel heat conductivity, radial profiles of the burnup and the plutonium accumulation, restructuring of the pellet rim, mechanical pellet-cladding interaction. The results demonstrate the possibility of rather accurate description of the behaviour of the fuel of high burnup on the base of simplified models in frame of the fuel performance code if the models are physically ground. The development of such models requires the performance of the detailed physical analysis to serve as a test for a correct choice of allowable simplifications. This approach was applied in the SRC of Russia TRINITI to develop a set of models for the WWER fuel resulting in high reliability of predictions in simulation of the high burnup fuel

  2. Burnup credit demands for spent fuel management in Ukraine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medun, V.

    2001-01-01

    In fact, till now, burnup credit has not be applied in Ukrainian nuclear power for spent fuel management systems (storage and transport). However, application of advanced fuel at VVER reactors, arising spent fuel amounts, represent burnup credit as an important resource to decrease spent fuel management costs. The paper describes spent fuel management status in Ukraine from viewpoint of subcriticality assurance under spent fuel storage and transport. It also considers: 1. Regulation basis concerning subcriticality assurance, 2. Basic spent fuel and transport casks characteristics, 3. Possibilities and demands for burnup credit application at spent fuel management systems in Ukraine. (author)

  3. A simple gamma spectrometry method for evaluating the burnup of MTR-type HEU fuel elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Makmal, T. [The Unit of Nuclear Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of The Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel); Nuclear Physics and Engineering Division, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 81800 (Israel); Aviv, O. [Radiation Safety Division, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne 81800 (Israel); Gilad, E., E-mail: gilade@bgu.ac.il [The Unit of Nuclear Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of The Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel)

    2016-10-21

    A simple method for the evaluation of the burnup of a materials testing reactor (MTR) fuel element by gamma spectrometry is presented. The method was applied to a highly enriched uranium MTR nuclear fuel element that was irradiated in a 5 MW pool-type research reactor for a total period of 34 years. The experimental approach is based on in-situ measurements of the MTR fuel element in the reactor pool by a portable high-purity germanium detector located in a gamma cell. To corroborate the method, analytical calculations (based on the irradiation history of the fuel element) and computer simulations using a dedicated fuel cycle burnup code ORIGEN2 were performed. The burnup of the MTR fuel element was found to be 52.4±8.8%, which is in good agreement with the analytical calculations and the computer simulations. The method presented here is suitable for research reactors with either a regular or an irregular irradiation regime and for reactors with limited infrastructure and/or resources. In addition, its simplicity and the enhanced safety it confers may render this method suitable for IAEA inspectors in fuel element burnup assessments during on-site inspections. - Highlights: • Simple, inexpensive, safe and flexible experimental setup that can be quickly deployed. • Experimental results are thoroughly corroborated against ORIGEN2 burnup code. • Experimental uncertainty of 9% and 5% deviation between measurements and simulations. • Very high burnup MTR fuel element is examined, with 60% depletion of {sup 235}U. • Impact of highly irregular irradiation regime on burnup evaluation is studied.

  4. Burnup Measurement of Spent Fuel Assembly by CZT-based Gamma-ray Spectroscopy for Input Nuclear Material Accountancy of Pyroprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Hee; Oh, Jong-Myeong; Shin, Hee-Sung; Kim, Ho-Dong; Lee, Seung-Kyu; Park, Se-Hwan

    2013-06-01

    Input nuclear material accountancy is crucial for a pyroprocessing facility safeguards. Until a direct Pu measurement technique is established, an indirect method based on code calculations with burnup measurement and neutron counting for 244 Cm could be a practical option. Burnup can be determined by destructive analysis (DA) for final dispositive accuracy or by nondestructive assay (NDA) for near-real time accountancy. In the present study, an underwater burnup measurement system based on gamma-ray spectroscopy with the CZT detector was developed and tested on a spent fuel assembly. Burnup was determined according to the 134 Cs/ 137 Cs activity ratio with efficiency correction by Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations. The activity ratio as a function of burnup was obtained by ORIGEN calculations. The measured burnup error was 8.6%, which was within the measurement uncertainty. It is expected that the underwater burnup measurement system could fulfill an important role as a means of near-real time accountancy at a future pyroprocessing facility. (authors)

  5. Technical Issues in the development of high burnup and long cycle fuel pellets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Dong Joo; Yang, Jae Ho; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Keon Sik; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Jong Hun; Nam, Ik Hui [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-10-15

    Over the last half century, a nuclear fuel cycle, a fuel discharged burnup and a uranium enrichment of the LWR (Light Water Reactor) fuel have continuously increased. It was the efforts to reduce the LWR fuel cycle cost, and to make reactor operation more efficiently. Improved fuel and reactor performance contribute further to the reduction and management efficiency of spent fuels. The primary incentive for operating nuclear reactor fuel to higher burnup and longer cycle is the economic benefits. The fuel cycle costs could be reduced by extending fuel discharged burnup and fuel cycle length. The higher discharged burnup can increase the energy production per unit fuel mass or fuel assembly. The longer fuel cycle can increase reactor operation flexibility and reduce the fuel changing operation and the spent fuel management burden. The margin to storage capacity limits would be also increased because high burnup and long cycle fuel reduces the mass of spent fuels. However, increment of fuel burnup and cycle length might result in the acceleration of material aging consisting fuel assembly. Then, the safety and integrity of nuclear fuel will be degraded. Therefore, to simultaneously enhance the safety and economics of the LWR fuel through the fuel burnup and cycle extension, it is indispensable to develop the innovative nuclear fuel material concepts and technologies which can overcome degradation of fuel safety. New fuel research project to extend fuel discharged burnup and cycle length has been launched in KAERI. Main subject is to develop innovative LWR fuel pellets which can provide required fuel performance and safety at extended fuel burnup and cycle length. In order to achieve the mission, we need to know that what the impediments are and how to break through current limit of fuel pellet properties. In this study, the technical issues related to fuel pellets at high burnup were surveyed and summarized. We have collected the technical issues in the literatures

  6. Technical Issues in the development of high burnup and long cycle fuel pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Joo; Yang, Jae Ho; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Keon Sik; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Jong Hun; Nam, Ik Hui

    2012-01-01

    Over the last half century, a nuclear fuel cycle, a fuel discharged burnup and a uranium enrichment of the LWR (Light Water Reactor) fuel have continuously increased. It was the efforts to reduce the LWR fuel cycle cost, and to make reactor operation more efficiently. Improved fuel and reactor performance contribute further to the reduction and management efficiency of spent fuels. The primary incentive for operating nuclear reactor fuel to higher burnup and longer cycle is the economic benefits. The fuel cycle costs could be reduced by extending fuel discharged burnup and fuel cycle length. The higher discharged burnup can increase the energy production per unit fuel mass or fuel assembly. The longer fuel cycle can increase reactor operation flexibility and reduce the fuel changing operation and the spent fuel management burden. The margin to storage capacity limits would be also increased because high burnup and long cycle fuel reduces the mass of spent fuels. However, increment of fuel burnup and cycle length might result in the acceleration of material aging consisting fuel assembly. Then, the safety and integrity of nuclear fuel will be degraded. Therefore, to simultaneously enhance the safety and economics of the LWR fuel through the fuel burnup and cycle extension, it is indispensable to develop the innovative nuclear fuel material concepts and technologies which can overcome degradation of fuel safety. New fuel research project to extend fuel discharged burnup and cycle length has been launched in KAERI. Main subject is to develop innovative LWR fuel pellets which can provide required fuel performance and safety at extended fuel burnup and cycle length. In order to achieve the mission, we need to know that what the impediments are and how to break through current limit of fuel pellet properties. In this study, the technical issues related to fuel pellets at high burnup were surveyed and summarized. We have collected the technical issues in the literatures

  7. Ultrasonic measurement of high burn-up fuel elastic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laux, D.; Despaux, G.; Augereau, F.; Attal, J.; Gatt, J.; Basini, V.

    2006-01-01

    The ultrasonic method developed for the evaluation of high burn-up fuel elastic properties is presented hereafter. The objective of the method is to provide data for fuel thermo-mechanical calculation codes in order to improve industrial nuclear fuel and materials or to design new reactor components. The need for data is especially crucial for high burn-up fuel modelling for which the fuel mechanical properties are essential and for which a wide range of experiments in MTR reactors and high burn-up commercial reactor fuel examinations have been included in programmes worldwide. To contribute to the acquisition of this knowledge the LAIN activity is developing in two directions. First one is development of an ultrasonic focused technique adapted to active materials study. This technique was used few years ago in the EdF laboratory in Chinon to assess the ageing of materials under irradiation. It is now used in a hot cell at ITU Karlsruhe to determine the elastic moduli of high burnup fuels from 0 to 110 GWd/tU. Some of this work is presented here. The second on going programme is related to the qualification of acoustic sensors in nuclear environments, which is of a great interest for all the methods, which work, in a hostile nuclear environment

  8. Modeling of PWR fuel at extended burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dias, Raphael Mejias

    2016-01-01

    This work studies the modifications implemented over successive versions in the empirical models of the computer program FRAPCON used to simulate the steady state irradiation performance of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel rods under high burnup condition. In the study, the empirical models present in FRAPCON official documentation were analyzed. A literature study was conducted on the effects of high burnup in nuclear fuels and to improve the understanding of the models used by FRAPCON program in these conditions. A steady state fuel performance analysis was conducted for a typical PWR fuel rod using FRAPCON program versions 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. The results presented by the different versions of the program were compared in order to verify the impact of model changes in the output parameters of the program. It was observed that the changes brought significant differences in the results of the fuel rod thermal and mechanical parameters, especially when they evolved from FRAPCON-3.3 version to FRAPCON-3.5 version. Lower temperatures, lower cladding stress and strain, lower cladding oxide layer thickness were obtained in the fuel rod analyzed with the FRAPCON-3.5 version. (author)

  9. TOPICAL REPORT ON ACTINIDE-ONLY BURNUP CREDIT FOR PWR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL PACKAGES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DOE

    1997-01-01

    A methodology for performing and applying nuclear criticality safety calculations, for PWR spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packages with actinide-only burnup credit, is described. The changes in the U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241 concentration with burnup are used in burnup credit criticality analyses. No credit for fission product neutron absorbers is taken. The methodology consists of five major steps. (1) Validate a computer code system to calculate isotopic concentrations of SNF created during burnup in the reactor core and subsequent decay. A set of chemical assay benchmarks is presented for this purpose as well as a method for assessing the calculational bias and uncertainty, and conservative correction factors for each isotope. (2) Validate a computer code system to predict the subcritical multiplication factor, k eff , of a spent nuclear fuel package. Fifty-seven UO 2 , UO 2 /Gd 2 O 3 , and UO 2 /PuO 2 critical experiments have been selected to cover anticipated conditions of SNF. The method uses an upper safety limit on k eff (which can be a function of the trending parameters) such that the biased k eff , when increased for the uncertainty is less than 0.95. (3) Establish bounding conditions for the isotopic concentration and criticality calculations. Three bounding axial profiles have been established to assure the ''end effect'' is accounted for conservatively. (4) Use the validated codes and bounding conditions to generate package loading criteria (burnup credit loading curves). Burnup credit loading curves show the minimum burnup required for a given initial enrichment. The utility burnup record is compared to this requirement after the utility accounts for the uncertainty in its record. Separate curves may be generated for each assembly design, various minimum cooling times and burnable absorber histories. (5) Verify that SNF assemblies meet the package loading criteria and confirm proper assembly selection

  10. Evaluation of burnup credit for accommodating PWR spent nuclear fuel in high-capacity cask designs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagner, John C.

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents an evaluation of the amount of burnup credit needed for high-density casks to transport the current U.S. inventory of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies. A prototypic 32-assembly cask and the current regulatory guidance were used as bases for this evaluation. By comparing actual pressurized-water-reactor (PWR) discharge data (i.e., fuel burnup and initial enrichment specifications for fuel assemblies discharged from U.S. PWRs) with actinide-only-based loading curves, this evaluation finds that additional negative reactivity (through either increased credit for fuel burnup or cask design/utilization modifications) is necessary to accommodate the majority of SNF assemblies in high-capacity storage and transportation casks. The impact of varying selected calculational assumptions is also investigated, and considerable improvement in effectiveness is shown with the inclusion of the principal fission products (FPs) and minor actinides and the use of a bounding best-estimate approach for isotopic validation. Given sufficient data for validation, the most significant component that would improve accuracy, and subsequently enhance the utilization of burnup credit, is the inclusion of FPs. (author)

  11. Impact of extended burnup on the nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-04-01

    The Advisory Group Meeting was held in Vienna from 2 to 5 December 1991, to review, analyse, and discuss the effects of burnup extension in both light and heavy water reactors on all aspects of the fuel cycle. Twenty experts from thirteen countries participated in this meeting. There was consensus that both economic and environmental benefits are driving forces toward the achievement of higher burnups and that the present trend of burnup extension may be expected to continue. The extended burnup has been considered for the three main stages of the fuel cycle: the front end, in-reactor issues and the back end. Thirteen papers were presented. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers. Refs, figs and tabs

  12. Modelling of some high burnup phenomena in nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Forsberg, K; Lindstroem, F; Massih, A R [ABB Atom AB, Vaesteraas (Sweden)

    1997-08-01

    In this paper the results of some modelling efforts carried out by ABB Atom to describe certain light water reactor fuel high burnup effects are presented. In particular the degradation of fuel thermal conductivity with burnup and its impact on fuel temperature is briefly discussed. The formation of a porous rim and its effect on a thermal fission gas release has been modelled and the model has been used to predict the release of pressurized water reactor fuel rods that were operated at low power densities. Furthermore, a mathematical model which combines the diffusion and re-solution controlled thermal release with grain boundary movement has been briefly described. The model is used to compare release with diffusion only and release caused by diffusion and grain boundary sweeping (due to grain growth). Finally, analytical expressions are obtained for the calculation of fuel stoichiometry as a function of burnup. (author). 20 refs, 10 figs, 1 tab.

  13. The Gd-isotopic fuel for high burnup in PWR's

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dias, Marcio Soares; Mattos, João Roberto L. de; Andrade, Edison Pereira de, E-mail: marciod@cdtn.br, E-mail: jrmattos@cdtn.br, E-mail: epa@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

    2017-07-01

    Today, the discussion about the high burnup fuel is beyond the current fuel enrichment licensing and burnup limits. Licensing issues and material/design developments are again key features in further development of the LWR fuel design. Nevertheless, technological and economical solutions are already available or will be available in a short time. In order to prevent the growth of the technological gap, Brazil's nuclear sector needs to invest in the training of new human resources, in the access to international databases, and in the upgrading existing infrastructure. Experimental database and R&D infrastructure are essential components to support the autonomous development of Brazilian Nuclear Reactors, promoting the development of national technologies. The (U,Gd)O{sub 2} isotopic fuel proposed by the CDTN's staff solve two main issues in the high burnup fuel, which are (1) the peak of reactivity resulting from the Gd-157 fast burnup, and (2) the peak of temperature in the (U,Gd)O{sub 2} nuclear fuel resulting from detrimental effects in the thermal properties for gadolinia additions higher than 2%. A sustainable future can be envisaged for the nuclear energy. (author)

  14. Extended burnup with SEU fuel in Atucha-1 NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, L.; Casario, J.; Fink, J.; Perez, R.; Higa, M.

    2002-01-01

    Atucha-1 is a Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor originally fuelled with natural uranium. Fuel Assemblies consist of 36 fuel rods and the active length is 5300 mm. The total length of the fuel assembly is about 6 m. The average discharge burnup of natural UO 2 fuel is 5900 MWd/tU. After the deregulation of the Argentine electricity market there was an important incentive to reduce the impact of fuel cost on the cost of generation. To keep the competitiveness of the nuclear energy against another sources of electricity it was necessary to reduce the cost of the nuclear fuel. With this objective a program to introduce SEU (0.85 % 235 U) fuel in Atucha-1 was launched in 1993. As a result of this program the average SEU fuel discharge burnup increased to more than 11000 MWd/tU. The first SEU fuels were introduced in Atucha-1 in 1995 and, in the present stage of the program, 71% of core positions are loaded with this type of fuel. This paper describes key aspects of Atucha-1 fuel design and their relevance limiting the burnup extension and shows relevant data regarding the SEU in-reactor performance. At the present time 125 SEU Fuel Assemblies have been irradiated without failures associated with the extended burnup or unfavorable influences on the operation of the power station. (author)

  15. High burn-up structure in nuclear fuel: impact on fuel behavior - 4005

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noirot, J.; Pontillon, Y.; Zacharie-Aubrun, I.; Hanifi, K.; Bienvenu, P.; Lamontagne, J.; Desgranges, L.

    2016-01-01

    When UO 2 and (U,Pu)O 2 fuels locally reach high burn-up, a major change in the microstructure takes place. The initial grains are replaced by thousands of much smaller grains, fission gases form micrometric bubbles and metallic fission products form precipitates. This occurs typically at the rim of the pellets and in heterogeneous MOX fuel Pu rich agglomerates. The high burn-up at the rim of the pellets is due to a high capture of epithermal neutrons by 238 U leading locally to a higher concentration of fissile Pu than in the rest of the pellet. In the heterogeneous MOX fuels, this rim effect is also active, but most of the high burn-up structure (HBS) formation is linked to the high local concentration of fissile Pu in the Pu agglomerates. This Pu distribution leads to sharp borders between HBS and non-HBS areas. It has been shown that the size of the new grains, of the bubbles and of the precipitates increase with the irradiation local temperatures. Other parameters have been shown to have an influence on the HBS initiation threshold, such as the irradiation density rate, the fuel composition with an effect of the Pu presence, but also of the Gd concentration in poisoned fuels, some of the studied additives, like Cr, and, maybe some of the impurities. It has been shown by indirect and direct approaches that HBS formation is not the main contributor to the increase of fission gas release at high burn-up and that the HBS areas are not the main source of the released gases. The impact of HBS on the fuel behavior during ramp on high burn-up fuels is still unclear. This short paper is followed by the slides of the presentation

  16. Application of reactivity method to MTR fuel burn-up measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuniga, A.; Ravnik, M.; Cuya, R.

    2001-01-01

    Fuel element burn-up has been measured for the first time by reactivity method in a MTR reactor. The measurement was performed in RP-10 reactor of Peruvian Institute for Nuclear Energy (IPEN) in Lima. It is a pool type 10MW material testing reactor using standard 20% enriched uranium plate type fuel elements. A fresh element and an element with well defined burn-up were selected as reference elements. Several elements in the core were selected for burn-up measurement. Each of them was replaced in its original position by both reference elements. Change in excess reactivity was measured using control rod calibration curve. The burn-up reactivity worth of fuel elements was plotted as a function of their calculated burnup. Corrected burn-up values of the measured fuel elements were calculated using the fitting function at experimental reactivity for all elements. Good agreement between measured and calculated burn-up values was observed indicating that the reactivity method can be successfully applied also to MTR fuel element burn-up determination.(author)

  17. Safety aspects related to burnup increase and mixed oxide fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, W.

    1992-01-01

    The dominant factor presently limiting the fuel burnup is the response of the cladding hulls. To maintain the excellent record of very low fuel failure rates for increased burnups further technical development is underway and necessary. In the nuclear fuel cycle increased burnups lead to a remarkable reduction of spent fuel arisings and corresponding economic savings. Thermal recycling of plutonium presently provides an opportunity to reduce the rising accumulation of plutunium in a situation where there is no demand for this fissile material in Fast Breeder Reactors. (orig.) [de

  18. Fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up: analysis of reactivity coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kryuchkov, E.F.; Shmelev, A.N.; Ternovykh, M.J.; Tikhomirov, G.V.; Jinhong, L.; Saito, M.

    2003-01-01

    Fuel cycles of light-water reactors (LWR) with high fuel burn-up (above 100 MWd/kg), as a rule, involve large amounts of fissionable materials. It leads to forming the neutron spectrum harder than that in traditional LWR. Change of neutron spectrum and significant amount of non-traditional isotopes (for example, 237 Np, 238 Pu, 231 Pa, 232 U) in such fuel compositions can alter substantially reactivity coefficients as compared with traditional uranium-based fuel. The present work addresses the fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up which are based on Th-Pa-U and U-Np-Pu fuel compositions. Numerical analyses are carried out to determine effective neutron multiplication factor and void reactivity coefficient (VRC) for different values of fuel burn-up and different lattice parameters. The algorithm is proposed for analysis of isotopes contribution to these coefficients. Various ways are considered to upgrade safety of nuclear fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up. So, the results obtained in this study have demonstrated that: -1) Non-traditional fuel compositions developed for achievement of high fuel burn-up in LWR can possess positive values of reactivity coefficients that is unacceptable from the reactor operation safety point of view; -2) The lattice pitch of traditional LWR is not optimal for non-traditional fuel compositions, the increased value of the lattice pitch leads to larger value of initial reactivity margin and provides negative VRC within sufficiently broad range of coolant density; -3) Fuel burn-up has an insignificant effect on VRC dependence on coolant density, so, the measures undertaken to suppress positive VRC of fresh fuel will be effective for partially burnt-up fuel compositions also and; -4) Increase of LWR core height and introduction of additional moderators into the fuel lattice can be used as the ways to reach negative VRC values for full range of possible coolant density variations

  19. Burn-up Credit Criticality Safety Benchmark Phase III-C. Nuclide Composition and Neutron Multiplication Factor of a Boiling Water Reactor Spent Fuel Assembly for Burn-up Credit and Criticality Control of Damaged Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suyama, K.; Uchida, Y.; Kashima, T.; Ito, T.; Miyaji, T.

    2016-01-01

    Criticality control of damaged nuclear fuel is one of the key issues in the decommissioning operation of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. The average isotopic composition of spent nuclear fuel as a function of burn-up is required in order to evaluate criticality parameters of the mixture of damaged nuclear fuel with other materials. The NEA Expert Group on Burn-up Credit Criticality (EGBUC) has organised several international benchmarks to assess the accuracy of burn-up calculation methodologies. For BWR fuel, the Phase III-B benchmark, published in 2002, was a remarkable landmark that provided general information on the burn-up properties of BWR spent fuel based on the 8x8 type fuel assembly. Since the publication of the Phase III-B benchmark, all major nuclear data libraries have been revised; in Japan from JENDL-3.2 to JENDL-4, in Europe from JEF-2.2 to JEFF-3.1 and in the US from ENDF/B-VI to ENDF/B-VII.1. Burn-up calculation methodologies have been improved by adopting continuous-energy Monte Carlo codes and modern neutronics calculation methods. Considering the importance of the criticality control of damaged fuel in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, a new international burn-up calculation benchmark for the 9 x 9 STEP-3 BWR fuel assemblies was organised to carry out the inter-comparison of the averaged isotopic composition in the interest of the burnup credit criticality safety community. Benchmark specifications were proposed and approved at the EGBUC meeting in September 2012 and distributed in October 2012. The deadline for submitting results was set at the end of February 2013. The basic model for the benchmark problem is an infinite two-dimensional array of BWR fuel assemblies consisting of a 9 x 9 fuel rod array with a water channel in the centre. The initial uranium enrichment of fuel rods without gadolinium is 4.9, 4.4, 3.9, 3.4 and 2.1 wt% and 3.4 wt% for the rods using gadolinium. The burn-up conditions are

  20. Procedure, algorithm and criterions of determination of a burnup of a irradiated nuclear fuel in process of overloading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilej, D.V.; Fridman, N.A.; Maslov, O.V.; Maksimov, M.V.

    2001-01-01

    The procedure, algorithm and criterions of determination of a burnup of the irradiated nuclear fuel in process of overloading are described. The feature of the procedure, algorithm and criterions consists in the account of initial enrichment and cooling time nuclear fuel after irradiation

  1. Conservative axial burnup distributions for actinide-only burnup credit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, C.; Lancaster, D.

    1997-11-01

    Unlike the fresh fuel approach, which assumes the initial isotopic compositions for criticality analyses, any burnup credit methodology must address the proper treatment of axial burnup distributions. A straightforward way of treating a given axial burnup distribution is to segment the fuel assembly into multiple meshes and to model each burnup mesh with the corresponding isotopic compositions. Although this approach represents a significant increase in modeling efforts compared to the uniform average burnup approach, it can adequately determine the reactivity effect of the axial burnup distribution. A major consideration is what axial burnup distributions are appropriate for use in light of many possible distributions depending on core operating conditions and histories. This paper summarizes criticality analyses performed to determine conservative axial burnup distributions. The conservative axial burnup distributions presented in this paper are included in the Topical Report on Actinide-Only Burnup Credit for Pressurized Water Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Packages, Revision 1 submitted in May 1997 by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). When approved by NRC, the conservative axial burnup distributions may be used to model PWR spent nuclear fuel for the purpose of gaining actinide only burnup credit

  2. Simulation of irradiation hardening of Zircaloy within plate-type dispersion nuclear fuel elements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yijie; Wang, Qiming; Cui, Yi; Huo, Yongzhong; Ding, Shurong

    2011-06-01

    Within plate-type dispersion nuclear fuel elements, the metal matrix and cladding attacked continuously by fast neutrons undergo irradiation hardening, which might have remarkable effects upon the mechanical behaviors within fuel elements. In this paper, with the irradiation hardening effect of metal materials mainly considered together with irradiation growth effect of the cladding, the three-dimensional large-deformation constitutive relations for the metal matrix and cladding are developed. The method of virtual temperature increase in the previous studies is further developed to model the irradiation swelling of fuel particles; the method of anisotropic thermal expansion is introduced to model irradiation growth of the cladding; and a method of multi-step-temperature loading is proposed to simulate the coupling features of irradiation-induced swelling of the fuel particles together with irradiation growth of the cladding. Above all, based on the developed relationship between irradiation growth at certain burnup and the loaded virtual temperatures, with considering that certain burnup corresponds to certain fast neutron fluence, the time-dependent constitutive relation due to irradiation hardening effect is replaced by the virtual-temperature-dependent one which is introduced into the commercial software to simulate the irradiation hardening effects of the matrix and cladding. Numerical simulations of the irradiation-induced mechanical behaviors are implemented with the finite element method in consideration of the micro-structure of the fuel meat. The obtained results indicate that when the irradiation hardening effects are introduced into the constitutive relations of the metal matrix and cladding: (1) higher maximum Mises stresses for certain burnup at the matrix exist with the equivalent plastic strains remaining almost the same at lower burnups; (2) the maximum Mises stresses for certain burnup at the cladding are enhanced while the maximum equivalent

  3. Simulation of irradiation hardening of Zircaloy within plate-type dispersion nuclear fuel elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang Yijie; Wang Qiming; Cui Yi; Huo Yongzhong [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Ding Shurong, E-mail: dsr1971@163.com [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

    2011-06-15

    Within plate-type dispersion nuclear fuel elements, the metal matrix and cladding attacked continuously by fast neutrons undergo irradiation hardening, which might have remarkable effects upon the mechanical behaviors within fuel elements. In this paper, with the irradiation hardening effect of metal materials mainly considered together with irradiation growth effect of the cladding, the three-dimensional large-deformation constitutive relations for the metal matrix and cladding are developed. The method of virtual temperature increase in the previous studies is further developed to model the irradiation swelling of fuel particles; the method of anisotropic thermal expansion is introduced to model irradiation growth of the cladding; and a method of multi-step-temperature loading is proposed to simulate the coupling features of irradiation-induced swelling of the fuel particles together with irradiation growth of the cladding. Above all, based on the developed relationship between irradiation growth at certain burnup and the loaded virtual temperatures, with considering that certain burnup corresponds to certain fast neutron fluence, the time-dependent constitutive relation due to irradiation hardening effect is replaced by the virtual-temperature-dependent one which is introduced into the commercial software to simulate the irradiation hardening effects of the matrix and cladding. Numerical simulations of the irradiation-induced mechanical behaviors are implemented with the finite element method in consideration of the micro-structure of the fuel meat. The obtained results indicate that when the irradiation hardening effects are introduced into the constitutive relations of the metal matrix and cladding: (1) higher maximum Mises stresses for certain burnup at the matrix exist with the equivalent plastic strains remaining almost the same at lower burnups; (2) the maximum Mises stresses for certain burnup at the cladding are enhanced while the maximum equivalent

  4. Analysis of high burnup pressurized water reactor fuel using uranium, plutonium, neodymium, and cesium isotope correlations with burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jung Suk; Jeon, Young Shin; Park, Soon Dal; Ha, Yeong Keong; Song, Kyu Seok

    2015-01-01

    The correlation of the isotopic composition of uranium, plutonium, neodymium, and cesium with the burnup for high burnup pressurized water reactor fuels irradiated in nuclear power reactors has been experimentally investigated. The total burnup was determined by Nd-148 and the fractional 235 U burnup was determined by U and Pu mass spectrometric methods. The isotopic compositions of U, Pu, Nd, and Cs after their separation from the irradiated fuel samples were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The contents of these elements in the irradiated fuel were determined through an isotope dilution mass spectrometric method using 233 U, 242 Pu, 150 Nd, and 133 Cs as spikes. The activity ratios of Cs isotopes in the fuel samples were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. The content of each element and its isotopic compositions in the irradiated fuel were expressed by their correlation with the total and fractional burnup, burnup parameters, and the isotopic compositions of different elements. The results obtained from the experimental methods were compared with those calculated using the ORIGEN-S code

  5. Features of fuel performance at high fuel burnups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Proselkov, V.N.; Scheglov, A.S.; Smirnov, A.V.; Smirnov, V.P.

    2001-01-01

    Some features of fuel behavior at high fuel burnups, in particular, initiation and development of rim-layer, increase in the rate of fission gas release from the fuel and increase in the inner gas pressure in the fuel rod are briefly described. Basing on the analysis of the data of post-irradiation examinations of fuel rods of WWER-440 working FA and CR fuel followers, that have been operated for five fuel cycles and got the average fuel burnup or varies as 50MW-day/kgU, a conclusion is made that the WWER-440 fuel burnup can be increased at least to average burnups of 55-58 MW-day/kgU per fuel assembly (Authors)

  6. A simulation of the temperature overshoot observed at high burnup in annular fuel pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baron, D.; Couty, J.C.

    1997-01-01

    Instrumented experiments have been carried out in recent years to calibrate and improve temperature calculations at high burnup in PWR nuclear fuel rods. The introduction of a thermocouple in the fuel stack allows the experiment to record the centre-line temperature all along the irradiation or re-irradiation. The results obtained on fresh fuel have not revealed any abnormal behavior as have observations done on high burnup rods. In this case, a sudden overshoot has been recorded on the thermocouple temperature above an average power threshold. Several hypotheses have been suggested. Only two seem to be acceptable: one in relation to an effect of grain decohesion, another based on a modification of fuel chemistry. The apparent reversibility of the phenomena when power decreases led us to prefer the first explanation. Indeed, the introduction of a thermocouple means that annular fuel pellets must be used. These are either initially manufactured with a central hole or drilled after base irradiation, using the ''RISOE'' technique. One must bear in mind that the use of such annular pellets drastically changes the crack pattern as irradiation proceeds. This is due to a different stress field which, combined with a weakening of the grain binding energy, leads to a partial grain decohesion on the inner face of the annular pellet. Modification of the grain binding energy is related to the presence of an increasing local population of gas bubbles and metallic precipitates at grain boundaries, as swelling creates intergranular local stresses which also could probably enhance the grain decohesion process. This grain decohesion concerns a 250 to 350 μm depth and shows a narrow cracks network through which released fission gas can flow, temporarily pushing the resident helium gas out. The low conductivity of these gaseous fission products and the numerous gas layers created this way could partly explain the unexpected temperatures measured in high burnup fuels. The purpose of

  7. Fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up: analysis of reactivity coefficients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kryuchkov, E.F.; Shmelev, A.N.; Ternovykh, M.J.; Tikhomirov, G.V.; Jinhong, L. [Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (State University) (Russian Federation); Saito, M. [Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan)

    2003-07-01

    Fuel cycles of light-water reactors (LWR) with high fuel burn-up (above 100 MWd/kg), as a rule, involve large amounts of fissionable materials. It leads to forming the neutron spectrum harder than that in traditional LWR. Change of neutron spectrum and significant amount of non-traditional isotopes (for example, {sup 237}Np, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 231}Pa, {sup 232}U) in such fuel compositions can alter substantially reactivity coefficients as compared with traditional uranium-based fuel. The present work addresses the fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up which are based on Th-Pa-U and U-Np-Pu fuel compositions. Numerical analyses are carried out to determine effective neutron multiplication factor and void reactivity coefficient (VRC) for different values of fuel burn-up and different lattice parameters. The algorithm is proposed for analysis of isotopes contribution to these coefficients. Various ways are considered to upgrade safety of nuclear fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up. So, the results obtained in this study have demonstrated that: -1) Non-traditional fuel compositions developed for achievement of high fuel burn-up in LWR can possess positive values of reactivity coefficients that is unacceptable from the reactor operation safety point of view; -2) The lattice pitch of traditional LWR is not optimal for non-traditional fuel compositions, the increased value of the lattice pitch leads to larger value of initial reactivity margin and provides negative VRC within sufficiently broad range of coolant density; -3) Fuel burn-up has an insignificant effect on VRC dependence on coolant density, so, the measures undertaken to suppress positive VRC of fresh fuel will be effective for partially burnt-up fuel compositions also and; -4) Increase of LWR core height and introduction of additional moderators into the fuel lattice can be used as the ways to reach negative VRC values for full range of possible coolant density variations.

  8. Topical report on actinide-only burnup credit for PWR spent nuclear fuel packages. Revision 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None, None

    1997-04-01

    A methodology for performing and applying nuclear criticality safety calculations, for PWR spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packages with actinide-only burnup credit, is described. The changes in the U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241 concentration with burnup are used in burnup credit criticality analyses. No credit for fission product neutron absorbers is taken. The methodology consists of five major steps. (1) Validate a computer code system to calculate isotopic concentrations of SNF created during burnup in the reactor core and subsequent decay. A set of chemical assay benchmarks is presented for this purpose as well as a method for assessing the calculational bias and uncertainty, and conservative correction factors for each isotope. (2) Validate a computer code system to predict the subcritical multiplication factor, k{sub eff}, of a spent nuclear fuel package. Fifty-seven UO{sub 2}, UO{sub 2}/Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and UO{sub 2}/PuO{sub 2} critical experiments have been selected to cover anticipated conditions of SNF. The method uses an upper safety limit on k{sub eff} (which can be a function of the trending parameters) such that the biased k{sub eff}, when increased for the uncertainty is less than 0.95. (3) Establish bounding conditions for the isotopic concentration and criticality calculations. Three bounding axial profiles have been established to assure the ''end effect'' is accounted for conservatively. (4) Use the validated codes and bounding conditions to generate package loading criteria (burnup credit loading curves). Burnup credit loading curves show the minimum burnup required for a given initial enrichment. The utility burnup record is compared to this requirement after the utility accounts for the uncertainty in its record. Separate curves may be generated for each assembly design, various minimum cooling times and burnable absorber histories. (5) Verify that SNF assemblies meet the package

  9. Burnup verification measurements on spent fuel assemblies at Arkansas Nuclear One

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.I.

    1995-01-01

    Burnup verification measurements have been performed using the Fork system at Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2, operated by Energy Operations, Inc. Passive neutron and gamma-ray measurements on individual spent fuel assemblies were correlated with the reactor records for burnup, cooling time, and initial enrichment. The correlation generates an internal calibration for the system in the form of a power law determined by a least squares fit to the neutron data. The values of the exponent in the power laws were 3.83 and 4.35 for Units 1 and 2, respectively. The average deviation of the reactor burnup records from the calibration determined from the measurements is a measure of the random error in the burnup records. The observed average deviations were 2.7% and 3.5% for assemblies at Units 1 and 2, respectively, indicating a high degree of consistency in the reactor records. Two non-standard assemblies containing neutron sources were studied at Unit 2. No anomalous measurements were observed among the standard assemblies at either Unit. The effectiveness of the Fork system for verification of reactor records is due to the sensitivity of the neutron yield to burnup, the self-calibration generated by a series of measurements, the redundancy provided by three independent detection systems, and the operational simplicity and flexibility of the design

  10. Cellular automata approach to investigation of high burn-up structures in nuclear reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akishina, E.P.; Ivanov, V.V.; Kostenko, B.F.

    2005-01-01

    Micrographs of uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) corresponding to exposure times in reactor during 323, 953, 971, 1266 and 1642 full power days were investigated. The micrographs were converted into digital files isomorphous to cellular automata (CA) checkerboards. Such a representation of the fuel structure provides efficient tools for its dynamics simulation in terms of primary 'entities' imprinted in the micrographs. Besides, it also ensures a possibility of very effective micrograph processing by CA means. Interconnection between the description of fuel burn-up development and some exactly soluble models is ascertained. Evidences for existence of self-organization in the fuel at high burn-ups were established. The fractal dimension of microstructures is found to be an important characteristic describing the degree of radiation destructions

  11. Technical Basis for Peak Reactivity Burnup Credit for BWR Spent Nuclear Fuel in Storage and Transportation Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marshall, William BJ J [ORNL; Ade, Brian J [ORNL; Bowman, Stephen M [ORNL; Gauld, Ian C [ORNL; Ilas, Germina [ORNL; Mertyurek, Ugur [ORNL; Radulescu, Georgeta [ORNL

    2015-01-01

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission have initiated a multiyear project to investigate application of burnup credit for boiling-water reactor (BWR) fuel in storage and transportation casks. This project includes two phases. The first phase (1) investigates applicability of peak reactivity methods currently used in spent fuel pools (SFPs) to storage and transportation systems and (2) evaluates validation of both reactivity (keff) calculations and burnup credit nuclide concentrations within these methods. The second phase will focus on extending burnup credit beyond peak reactivity. This paper documents the first phase, including an analysis of lattice design parameters and depletion effects, as well as both validation components. Initial efforts related to extended burnup credit are discussed in a companion paper. Peak reactivity analyses have been used in criticality analyses for licensing of BWR fuel in SFPs over the last 20 years. These analyses typically combine credit for the gadolinium burnable absorber present in the fuel with a modest amount of burnup credit. Gadolinium burnable absorbers are used in BWR assemblies to control core reactivity. The burnable absorber significantly reduces assembly reactivity at beginning of life, potentially leading to significant increases in assembly reactivity for burnups less than 15–20 GWd/MTU. The reactivity of each fuel lattice is dependent on gadolinium loading. The number of gadolinium-bearing fuel pins lowers initial lattice reactivity, but it has a small impact on the burnup and reactivity of the peak. The gadolinium concentration in each pin has a small impact on initial lattice reactivity but a significant effect on the reactivity of the peak and the burnup at which the peak occurs. The importance of the lattice parameters and depletion conditions are primarily determined by their impact on the gadolinium depletion. Criticality code validation for BWR burnup

  12. Monte Carlo burnup simulation of the TAKAHAMA-3 benchmark experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dalle, Hugo M.

    2009-01-01

    High burnup PWR fuel is currently being studied at CDTN/CNEN-MG. Monte Carlo burnup code system MONTEBURNS is used to characterize the neutronic behavior of the fuel. In order to validate the code system and calculation methodology to be used in this study the Japanese Takahama-3 Benchmark was chosen, as it is the single burnup benchmark experimental data set freely available that partially reproduces the conditions of the fuel under evaluation. The burnup of the three PWR fuel rods of the Takahama-3 burnup benchmark was calculated by MONTEBURNS using the simplest infinite fuel pin cell model and also a more complex representation of an infinite heterogeneous fuel pin cells lattice. Calculations results for the mass of most isotopes of Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium and some fission products, commonly used as burnup monitors, were compared with the Post Irradiation Examinations (PIE) values for all the three fuel rods. Results have shown some sensitivity to the MCNP neutron cross-section data libraries, particularly affected by the temperature in which the evaluated nuclear data files were processed. (author)

  13. High Burnup Fuel Performance and Safety Research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bang, Je Keun; Lee, Chan Bok; Kim, Dae Ho (and others)

    2007-03-15

    The worldwide trend of nuclear fuel development is to develop a high burnup and high performance nuclear fuel with high economies and safety. Because the fuel performance evaluation code, INFRA, has a patent, and the superiority for prediction of fuel performance was proven through the IAEA CRP FUMEX-II program, the INFRA code can be utilized with commercial purpose in the industry. The INFRA code was provided and utilized usefully in the universities and relevant institutes domesticallly and it has been used as a reference code in the industry for the development of the intrinsic fuel rod design code.

  14. Decay heat power of spent nuclear fuel of power reactors with high burnup at long-term storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ternovykh Mikhail

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Decay heat power of actinides and fission products from spent nuclear fuel of power VVER-1000 type reactors at long-term storage is calculated. Two modes of storage are considered: mode in which single portion of actinides or fission products is loaded in storage facility, and mode in which actinides or fission products from spent fuel of one VVER reactor are added every year in storage facility during 30 years and then accumulated nuclides are stored without addition new nuclides. Two values of fuel burnup 40 and 70 MW·d/kg are considered for the mode of storage of single fuel unloading. For the mode of accumulation of spent fuel with subsequent storage, one value of burnup of 70 MW·d/kg is considered. Very long time of storage 105 years accepted in calculations allows to simulate final geological disposal of radioactive wastes. Heat power of fission products decreases quickly after 50-100 years of storage. The power of actinides decreases very slow. In passing from 40 to 70 MW·d/kg, power of actinides increases due to accumulation of higher fraction of 244Cm. These data are important in the back end of fuel cycle when improved cooling system of the storage facility will be required along with stronger radiation protection during storage, transportation and processing.

  15. Decay heat power of spent nuclear fuel of power reactors with high burnup at long-term storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ternovykh, Mikhail; Tikhomirov, Georgy; Saldikov, Ivan; Gerasimov, Alexander

    2017-09-01

    Decay heat power of actinides and fission products from spent nuclear fuel of power VVER-1000 type reactors at long-term storage is calculated. Two modes of storage are considered: mode in which single portion of actinides or fission products is loaded in storage facility, and mode in which actinides or fission products from spent fuel of one VVER reactor are added every year in storage facility during 30 years and then accumulated nuclides are stored without addition new nuclides. Two values of fuel burnup 40 and 70 MW·d/kg are considered for the mode of storage of single fuel unloading. For the mode of accumulation of spent fuel with subsequent storage, one value of burnup of 70 MW·d/kg is considered. Very long time of storage 105 years accepted in calculations allows to simulate final geological disposal of radioactive wastes. Heat power of fission products decreases quickly after 50-100 years of storage. The power of actinides decreases very slow. In passing from 40 to 70 MW·d/kg, power of actinides increases due to accumulation of higher fraction of 244Cm. These data are important in the back end of fuel cycle when improved cooling system of the storage facility will be required along with stronger radiation protection during storage, transportation and processing.

  16. Determination of nuclear fuel burnup by non-destructive gamma spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soares, A.J.

    1979-01-01

    The determination of nuclear fuel burnup by the non-destructive gamma spectroscopy method is studied. A MTR (Materials Testing Reactor) -type fuel element is used in the measurement. The fuel element was removed from the reactor core in 1958 and, because of the long decay time, show only one peak in is gamma spectrum at 661.6 Kev. Corresponding to 137 Cs. Measurements are made at 330 points of the element using a Nal detector and the final result revealed that the quantity of 235 U consumed was 3.3 +- 0,8 milligram in the entire element. The effect of the migration of 137 Cs in the element is neglected in view of the fact that it occurs only when the temperature is above 1000 0 C, which is not the case in IEAR-1. (Author)

  17. Determination of burnup in irradiated nuclear fuels by the method of stable 148Nd fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza Sarkis, J.E. de.

    1982-01-01

    A method is described for the isotopic analysis and determination of burnup in irradiated nuclear fuel by mass spectrometric technique. The burnup is calculed from the determination of the concentration of uranium, plutonium and the fission product 148 Nd in the samples of UO 2 irradiated fuel from a P.W.R. type reactor. The method involves the separation of fractions of uranium, plutonium and neodimium from the dissolved irradiated fuel by ion exchange technique. The determination of uranium, plutonium and the fission product 148 Nd is carried out by isotope diluition mass spectrometry technique using as isotope tracers the nuclides 233 U, 242 Pu and 150 Nd. For the chemical processing and handling of the irradiated sample a Hot Chemistry Laboratory was mounted. It consists of glove boxes and equipments for radiation monitoring and protection. The results obtained indicate an atom percent burnup of 2.181 + - 0.035% wich corresponds an 20.937 + - 0.739 Gwd/ton of thermal energy produced. (Author) [pt

  18. Simulations of Failure via Three-Dimensional Cracking in Fuel Cladding for Advanced Nuclear Fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Hongbing; Bukkapatnam, Satish; Harimkar, Sandip; Singh, Raman; Bardenhagen, Scott

    2014-01-01

    Enhancing performance of fuel cladding and duct alloys is a key means of increasing fuel burnup. This project will address the failure of fuel cladding via three-dimensional cracking models. Researchers will develop a simulation code for the failure of the fuel cladding and validate the code through experiments. The objective is to develop an algorithm to determine the failure of fuel cladding in the form of three-dimensional cracking due to prolonged exposure under varying conditions of pressure, temperature, chemical environment, and irradiation. This project encompasses the following tasks: 1. Simulate 3D crack initiation and growth under instantaneous and/or fatigue loads using a new variant of the material point method (MPM); 2. Simulate debonding of the materials in the crack path using cohesive elements, considering normal and shear traction separation laws; 3. Determine the crack propagation path, considering damage of the materials incorporated in the cohesive elements to allow the energy release rate to be minimized; 4. Simulate the three-dimensional fatigue crack growth as a function of loading histories; 5. Verify the simulation code by comparing results to theoretical and numerical studies available in the literature; 6. Conduct experiments to observe the crack path and surface profile in unused fuel cladding and validate against simulation results; and 7. Expand the adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure parallel processing environment to allow adaptive mesh refinement at the 3D crack fronts and adaptive mesh merging in the wake of cracks. Fuel cladding is made of materials such as stainless steels and ferritic steels with added alloying elements, which increase stability and durability under irradiation. As fuel cladding is subjected to water, chemicals, fission gas, pressure, high temperatures, and irradiation while in service, understanding performance is essential. In the fast fuel used in advanced burner reactors, simulations of the nuclear

  19. Simulations of Failure via Three-Dimensional Cracking in Fuel Cladding for Advanced Nuclear Fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Hongbing [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Bukkapatnam, Satish; Harimkar, Sandip; Singh, Raman; Bardenhagen, Scott

    2014-01-09

    Enhancing performance of fuel cladding and duct alloys is a key means of increasing fuel burnup. This project will address the failure of fuel cladding via three-dimensional cracking models. Researchers will develop a simulation code for the failure of the fuel cladding and validate the code through experiments. The objective is to develop an algorithm to determine the failure of fuel cladding in the form of three-dimensional cracking due to prolonged exposure under varying conditions of pressure, temperature, chemical environment, and irradiation. This project encompasses the following tasks: 1. Simulate 3D crack initiation and growth under instantaneous and/or fatigue loads using a new variant of the material point method (MPM); 2. Simulate debonding of the materials in the crack path using cohesive elements, considering normal and shear traction separation laws; 3. Determine the crack propagation path, considering damage of the materials incorporated in the cohesive elements to allow the energy release rate to be minimized; 4. Simulate the three-dimensional fatigue crack growth as a function of loading histories; 5. Verify the simulation code by comparing results to theoretical and numerical studies available in the literature; 6. Conduct experiments to observe the crack path and surface profile in unused fuel cladding and validate against simulation results; and 7. Expand the adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure parallel processing environment to allow adaptive mesh refinement at the 3D crack fronts and adaptive mesh merging in the wake of cracks. Fuel cladding is made of materials such as stainless steels and ferritic steels with added alloying elements, which increase stability and durability under irradiation. As fuel cladding is subjected to water, chemicals, fission gas, pressure, high temperatures, and irradiation while in service, understanding performance is essential. In the fast fuel used in advanced burner reactors, simulations of the nuclear

  20. Investigation of Burnup Credit Issues in BWR Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broadhead, B.L.; DeHart, M.D.

    1999-01-01

    Calculations for long-term-disposal criticality safety of spent nuclear fuel requires the application of burnup credit because of the large mass of fissile material that will be present in the repository. Burnup credit calculations are based on depletion calculations that provide a conservative estimate of spent fuel contents, followed by criticality calculations to assess the value of keff for a spent fuel cask or a fuel configuration under a variety of probabilistically derived events. In order to ensure that the depletion calculation is conservative, it is necessary to both qualify and quantify assumptions that can be made in depletion models used to characterize spent fuel. Most effort in the United States this decade has focused on burnup issues related to pressurized-water reactors. However, requirements for the permanent disposal of fuel from boiling-water reactors has necessitated development of methods for prediction of spent fuel contents for such fuels. Concomitant with such analyses, validation is also necessary. This paper provides a summary of initial efforts at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to better understand and validate spent fuel analyses for boiling-water-reactor fuel

  1. Nuclear fuel and/or fertile material element suitable for non-destructive determination of burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muench, E.

    1976-01-01

    The invention refers to a nuclear fuel and/or fertile material element suitable for non-destructive burn-up analysis, where an isotope or a mixture of isotopes capable of being activated is provided for measuring the intensity of radiation emitted from radioactive nuclides, especially the intensity of gamma rays. The half-life of radioactive decay of the isotope or the mixture mentioned above after being activated is sufficiently large compared with the irradiation of the fuel and/or fertile material element in the nuclear reactor. (orig.) [de

  2. Influence of FIMA burnup on actinides concentrations in PWR reactors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oettingen Mikołaj

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In the paper we present the study on the dependence of actinides concentrations in the spent nuclear fuel on FIMA burnup. The concentrations of uranium, plutonium, americium and curium isotopes obtained in numerical simulation are compared with the result of the post irradiation assay of two spent fuel samples. The samples were cut from the fuel rod irradiated during two reactor cycles in the Japanese Ohi-2 Pressurized Water Reactor. The performed comparative analysis assesses the reliability of the developed numerical set-up, especially in terms of the system normalization to the measured FIMA burnup. The numerical simulations were preformed using the burnup and radiation transport mode of the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burnup Code – MCB, developed at the Department of Nuclear Energy, Faculty of Energy and Fuels of AGH University of Science and Technology.

  3. Numerical Tests for the Problem of U-Pu Fuel Burnup in Fuel Rod and Polycell Models Using the MCNP Code

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muratov, V. G.; Lopatkin, A. V.

    An important aspect in the verification of the engineering techniques used in the safety analysis of MOX-fuelled reactors, is the preparation of test calculations to determine nuclide composition variations under irradiation and analysis of burnup problem errors resulting from various factors, such as, for instance, the effect of nuclear data uncertainties on nuclide concentration calculations. So far, no universally recognized tests have been devised. A calculation technique has been developed for solving the problem using the up-to-date calculation tools and the latest versions of nuclear libraries. Initially, in 1997, a code was drawn up in an effort under ISTC Project No. 116 to calculate the burnup in one VVER-1000 fuel rod, using the MCNP Code. Later on, the authors developed a computation technique which allows calculating fuel burnup in models of a fuel rod, or a fuel assembly, or the whole reactor. It became possible to apply it to fuel burnup in all types of nuclear reactors and subcritical blankets.

  4. Simulation of High Burnup Structure in UO2 Using Potts Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jae Yong; Koo, Yang Hyun; Lee, Byung Ho

    2009-01-01

    The evolution of a high burnup structure (HBS) in a light water reactor (LWR) UO 2 fuel was simulated using the Potts model. A simulation system for the Potts model was defined as a two-dimensional triangular lattice, for which the stored energy was calculated from both the irradiation damage of the UO 2 matrix and the formation of a grain boundary in the newly recrystallized small HBS grains. In the simulation, the evolution probability of the HBS is calculated by the system energy difference between before and after the Monte Carlo simulation step. The simulated local threshold burnup for the HBS formation was 62 MWd/kgU, consistent with the observed threshold burnup range of 60-80 MWd/kgU. The simulation revealed that the HBS was heterogeneously nucleated on the intergranular bubbles in the proximity of the threshold burnup and then additionally on the intragranular bubbles for a burnup above 86 MWd/kgU. In addition, the simulation carried out under a condition of no bubbles indicated that the bubbles played an important role in lowering the threshold burnup for the HBS formation, thereby enabling the HBS to be observed in the burnup range of conventional high burnup fuels

  5. Fuel burnup analysis for the Moroccan TRIGA research reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Bakkari, B.; El Bardouni, T.; Nacir, B.; El Younoussi, C.; Boulaich, Y.; Boukhal, H.; Zoubair, M.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A fuel burnup analysis of the 2 MW TRIGA MARK II Moroccan research reactor was established. ► Burnup calculations were done by means of the in-house developed burnup code BUCAL1. ► BUCAL1 uses the MCNP tallies directly in the calculation of the isotopic inventories. ► The reactor life time was found to be 3360 MW h considering full power operating conditions. ► Power factors and fluxes of the in-core irradiation positions are strongly affected by burnup. -- Abstract: The fundamental advantage and main reason to use Monte Carlo methods for burnup calculations is the possibility to generate extremely accurate burnup dependent one group cross-sections and neutron fluxes for arbitrary core and fuel geometries. Yet, a set of values determined for a material at a given position and time remains accurate only in a local region, in which neutron spectrum and flux vary weakly — and only for a limited period of time, during which changes of the local isotopic composition are minor. This paper presents the approach of fuel burnup evaluation used at the Moroccan TRIGA MARK II research reactor. The approach is essentially based upon the utilization of BUCAL1, an in-house developed burnup code. BUCAL1 is a FORTRAN computer code designed to aid in analysis, prediction, and optimization of fuel burnup performance in nuclear reactors. The code was developed to incorporate the neutron absorption reaction tally information generated directly by MCNP5 code in the calculation of fissioned or neutron-transmuted isotopes for multi-fueled regions. The fuel cycle length and changes in several core parameters such as: core excess reactivity, control rods position, fluxes at the irradiation positions, axial and radial power factors and other parameters are estimated. Besides, this study gives valuable insight into the behavior of the reactor and will ensure better utilization and operation of the reactor during its life-time and it will allow the establishment of

  6. Multiphase Nanocrystalline Ceramic Concept for Nuclear Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mecartnery, Martha [Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States); Graeve, Olivia [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States); Patel, Maulik [Univ. of Liverpool (United Kingdom)

    2017-05-25

    The goal of this research is to help develop new fuels for higher efficiency, longer lifetimes (higher burn-up) and increased accident tolerance in future nuclear reactors. Multiphase nanocrystalline ceramics will be used in the design of simulated advanced inert matrix nuclear fuel to provide for enhanced plasticity, better radiation tolerance, and improved thermal conductivity

  7. Multiphase Nanocrystalline Ceramic Concept for Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mecartnery, Martha; Graeve, Olivia; Patel, Maulik

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this research is to help develop new fuels for higher efficiency, longer lifetimes (higher burn-up) and increased accident tolerance in future nuclear reactors. Multiphase nanocrystalline ceramics will be used in the design of simulated advanced inert matrix nuclear fuel to provide for enhanced plasticity, better radiation tolerance, and improved thermal conductivity

  8. Taking burnup credit for interim storage and transportation system for BWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshioka, Ken-ichi; Ando, Y.; Kumanomido, H.; Sasaki, T.; Mitsuhashi, I.; Ueda, M.

    2001-01-01

    In order to establish a realistic burnup credit design system, a calculation system has been developed for determining isotope compositions, burnup, and criticality. The calculation system consists of several modules such as TGBLA, ORIGEN, CITATION, MCNP, and KENO. The TGBLA code is a fuel design code for LWR fuels developed in TOSHIBA Corporation. A compact measurement system for a fuel assembly has been being developed to meet requirements for the burnup determination, the neutron emission-rate evaluation, and the nuclear materials management. For a spent MOX fuel, a neutron emission rate measurement method has been being developed. The system consists of Cd-Te detectors and / or fission chambers. Some model calculations were carried out for the latest design BWR fuels. The effect of taking burnup credit for a transportation cask is shown. (authors)

  9. High Burnup Fuel: Implications and Operational Experience. Proceedings of a Technical Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-08-01

    This publication reports on the outcome of a technical meeting on high burnup fuel experience and economics, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2013. The purpose of the meeting was to revisit and update the current operational experience and economic conditions associated with high burnup fuel. International experts with significant experience in experimental programmes on high burnup fuel discussed and evaluated physical limitations at pellet, cladding and structural component levels, with a wide focus including fabrication, core behaviour, transport and intermediate storage for most types of commercial nuclear power plants

  10. Development of destructive methods of burn-up determination and their application on WWER type nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermann, A.; Stephan, H.; Nebel, D.

    1984-03-01

    Results are described of a cooperation between the Central Institute of Nuclear Research Rossendorf and the Radium Institute 'V.G. Chlopin' Leningrad in the field of destructive burn-up determination. Laboratory methods of burn-up determination using the classical monitors 137 Cs, 106 Ru, 148 Nd and isotopes of heavy metals (U, Pu) as well as the usefulness of 90 Sr, stable isotopes of Ru and Mo as monitors are dealt with. The analysis of the fuel components uranium (spectrophotometry, potentiometric titration, mass-spectrometric isotope dilution) and plutonium (spectrophotometry, coulometric titration, mass- and alpha-spectrometric isotope dilution) is fully described. Possibilities of increasing the reproducibility (automatic adjusting of measurement conditions) and the sensibility (ion impuls counting) of mass-spectrometric measurements are proposed and applied to a precise determination of Am and Cm isotopic composition. The methods have been used for burn-up analysis of spent WWER (especially WWER-440) fuel. (author)

  11. Studies on the primary and secondary residues from the dissolution of high-burnup nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmid, M.

    1986-01-01

    To clarify the composition of residues from the dissolution of high-burnup nuclear fuels a sample with a burnup of 4.5 GWd and a two year cooling period was studied with the help of REM-EDX. In a parallel experiment an inactive simulator of a solution was subjected to a similar chemical treatment. The residues which resulted from this were analysed analogously. As a result of the results the chemistry of the following compounds in HNO 3 were studied: MoO 3 , ZrMo 2 O 5 (OH) 2 x2H 2 O, the oxide of antimony as well as Sb 4 O 4 (OH) 2 (NO 3 ) 2 , PdO.xH 2 O, Ag 2 Se, Ag 2 Te, and CsTcO 4 . Of special interest here were the solubility and precipitation formation of these compounds as well as the influence of a high (ca. 1 mol/l) concentration of uranium on these characteristics. With high radiation doses to the simulated solution a radiolytical reduction of Pd 2+ was established and was studied more closely with pure Pd(NO 3 ) 2 solutions. In primary dissolution residues the presence of the radionuclides Ru-106, Ag-110m, Sb-125, Cs-134, and Cs-137 was γ-spectrometrically proven. The residue was made up primarily of an element combination of Mo and Ru. As other components Rh, Pd and Tc appear in an alloy as the so-called ε phase, which already has to be present in the fuel, because this phase was not exhibited in the similarly handled simulator. Zirconium molybdate was not identified in the real feed slurries, but was definitely present in the precipitation of the simulated feed solution. The analysis of the primary residues also showed pure zirconium particles, presumably from the zirconium alloy of the fuel cans, as well as undissolved fuel particles. The precipitation from the fuel solution was made up of agglomerates of the smallest particles of the ε phase, upon which silver halogenides were crystallized. Radiochemically reduced Pd was also found. (orig./RB) [de

  12. Impact of nuclear data uncertainty on safety calculations for spent nuclear fuel geological disposal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herrero J.J.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the design of a spent nuclear fuel disposal system, one necessary condition is to show that the configuration remains subcritical at time of emplacement but also during long periods covering up to 1,000,000 years. In the context of criticality safety applying burn-up credit, k-eff eigenvalue calculations are affected by nuclear data uncertainty mainly in the burnup calculations simulating reactor operation and in the criticality calculation for the disposal canister loaded with the spent fuel assemblies. The impact of nuclear data uncertainty should be included in the k-eff value estimation to enforce safety. Estimations of the uncertainty in the discharge compositions from the CASMO5 burn-up calculation phase are employed in the final MCNP6 criticality computations for the intact canister configuration; in between, SERPENT2 is employed to get the spent fuel composition along the decay periods. In this paper, nuclear data uncertainty was propagated by Monte Carlo sampling in the burn-up, decay and criticality calculation phases and representative values for fuel operated in a Swiss PWR plant will be presented as an estimation of its impact.

  13. Thermochemistry of nuclear fuels in advanced reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarwal, Renu

    2015-01-01

    The presence of a large number of elements, accompanied with steep temperature gradient results in dynamic chemistry during nuclear fuel burn-up. Understanding this chemistry is very important for efficient and safe usage of nuclear fuels. The radioactive nature of these fuels puts lot of constraint on regulatory bodies to ensure their accident free operation in the reactors. One of the common aims of advanced fuels is to achieve high burn-up. As burn-up of the fuel increases, chemistry of fission-products becomes increasingly more important. To understand different phenomenon taking place in-pile, many out of-pile experiments are carried out. Extensive studies of thermodynamic properties, phase analysis, thermophysical property evaluation, fuel-fission product clad compatibility are carried out with relevant compounds and simulated fuels (SIMFUEL). All these data are compiled and jointly evaluated using different computational methods to predict fuel behaviour during burn-up. Only when this combined experimental and theoretical information confirms safe operation of the pin, a test pin is prepared and burnt in a test reactor. Every fuel has a different chemistry and different constraints associated with it. In this talk, various thermo-chemical aspects of some of the advanced fuels, mixed carbide, mixed nitride, 'Pu' rich MOX, 'Th' based AHWR fuels and metallic fuels will be discussed. (author)

  14. Burnup performance of rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel in small pebble bed reactor with accumulative fuel loading scheme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simanullang, Irwan Liapto; Obara, Toru

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Burnup performance using ROX fuel in PBR with accumulative fuel loading scheme was analyzed. • Initial excess reactivity was suppressed by reducing 235 U enrichment in the startup condition. • Negative temperature coefficient was achieved in all condition of PBR with accumulative fuel loading scheme using ROX fuel. • Core lifetime of PBR with accumulative fuel loading scheme using ROX fuel was shorter than with UO 2 fuel. • In PBR with accumulative fuel loading scheme using ROX fuel, achieved discharged burnup can be as high as that for UO 2 fuel. - Abstract: The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has proposed rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel as a new, once-through type fuel concept. Here, burnup performance using ROX fuel was simulated in a pebble bed reactor with an accumulative fuel loading scheme. The MVP-BURN code was used to simulate the burnup calculation. Fuel of 5 g-HM/pebble with 20% 235 U enrichment was selected as the optimum composition. Discharged burnup could reach up to 218 GWd/t, with a core lifetime of about 8.4 years. However, high excess reactivity occurred in the initial condition. Initial fuel enrichment was therefore reduced from 20% to 4.65% to counter the initial excess reactivity. The operation period was reduced by the decrease of initial fuel enrichment, but the maximum discharged burnup was 198 GWd/t. Burnup performance of ROX fuel in this reactor concept was compared with that of UO 2 fuel obtained previously. Discharged burnup for ROX fuel in the PBR with an accumulative fuel loading scheme was as high as UO 2 fuel. Maximum power density could be lowered by introducing ROX fuel compared to UO 2 fuel. However, PBR core lifetime was shorter with ROX fuel than with UO 2 fuel. A negative temperature coefficient was achieved for both UO 2 and ROX fuels throughout the operation period.

  15. Measuring device for the distribution of burn-up degree in fuel assembly irradiated in nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumanomido, Hironori

    1989-01-01

    The object of the invention is to measure the distribution of burn-up degree, of fuel assemblies irradiated in a nuclear reactor in a short time and exactly. That is, the device comprises a device main body having substantially the same length as that for the axial length of a fuel assembly and a detector container disposed axially slidably to the main body. A plurality of radiation detectors are arranged at an equi-axial pitch and contained in the container. The container is caused to slide at a pitch equal to the equi-axial distance of the detectors. In the device having thus been constituted, measurement is conducted at least for twice at an axial position on the side of a fuel assembly irradiated in the nuclear reactor and a position caused to slide therefrom by one pitch. Based on the result, the sensitivities between each of the detectors are compared and the relative sensitivity of the radiation detectors is calibrated. Accordingly, the sensitivity between each of the detectors can be calibrated rapidly and easily. As a result, the distribution of the burn-up degree, etc of irradiated fuel assembly can be measured exactly. (K.M.)

  16. Effects of pellet-to-cladding gap design parameters on the reliability of high burnup PWR fuel rods under steady state and transient conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tas, Fatma Burcu; Ergun, Sule

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Fuel performance of a typical Pressurized Water Reactor rod is analyzed. • Steady state fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • Transient fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • The optimum pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure values of the simulated fuel are determined. • The effects of pellet to cladding gap design parameters on nuclear fuel reliability are examined. - Abstract: As an important improvement in the light water nuclear reactor operations, the nuclear fuel burnup rate is increased in recent decades and this increase causes heavier duty for the nuclear fuel. Since the high burnup fuel is exposed to very high thermal and mechanical stresses and since it operates in an environment with high radiation for about 18 month cycles, it carries the risk of losing its integrity. In this study; it is aimed to determine the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on reliability of high burnup nuclear fuel in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) under steady state operation conditions and suggest optimum values for the examined parameters only and validate these suggestions for a transient condition. In the presented study, fuel performance was analyzed by examining the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on the integrity of high burnup fuels. This work is carried out for a typical Westinghouse type PWR fuel. The steady state conditions were modeled and simulated with FRAPCON-3.4a steady state fuel performance code and the FRAPTRAN-1.4 fuel transient code was used to calculate transient fuel behavior. The analysis included the changes in the important nuclear fuel design limitations such as the centerline temperature, cladding stress, strain and oxidation with the change in pellet–cladding gap thickness and initial pellet–cladding gap gas

  17. Extended burnup demonstration: reactor fuel program. Pre-irradiation characterization and summary of pre-program poolside examinations. Big Rock Point extended burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Exarhos, C.A.; Van Swam, L.F.; Wahlquist, F.P.

    1981-12-01

    This report is a resource document characterizing the 64 fuel rods being irradiated at the Big Rock Point reactor as part of the Extended Burnup Demonstration being sponsored jointly by the US Department of Energy, Consumers Power Company, Exxon Nuclear Company, and General Public Utilities. The program entails extending the exposure of standard BWR fuel to a discharge average of 38,000 MWD/MTU to demonstrate the feasibility of operating fuel of standard design to levels significantly above current limits. The fabrication characteristics of the Big Rock Point EBD fuel are presented along with measurement of rod length, rod diameter, pellet stack height, and fuel rod withdrawal force taken at poolside at burnups up to 26,200 MWD/MTU. A review of the fuel examination data indicates no performance characteristics which might restrict the continued irradiation of the fuel

  18. Increased burnup of fuel elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahlf, J.

    1983-01-01

    The specialists' group for fuel elements of the Kerntechnische Gesellschaft e.V. held a meeting on ''Increased Burnup of Fuel Elements'' on 9th and 10th of November 1982 at the GKSS Research Center Geesthacht. Most papers dealt with the problems of burnup increase of fuel elements for light water reactors with respect to fuel manufacturing, power plant operation and reprocessing. Review papers were given on the burnup limits for high temperature gas cooled reactors and sodium fast breeder reactors. The meeting ended with a presentation of the technical equipment of the hot laboratory of the GKSS and the programs which are in progress there. (orig.) [de

  19. Fission-gas release in fuel performing to extended burnups in Ontario Hydro nuclear generating stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floyd, M.R.; Novak, J.; Truant, P.T.

    1992-06-01

    The average discharge burnup of CANDU fuel is about 200 MWh/kgU. A significant number of 37-element bundles have achieved burnups in excess of 400 MWh/kgU. Some of these bundles have experienced failures related to their extended operation. To date, hot-cell examinations have been performed on fuel elements from nine 37-element bundles irradiated in Bruce NGS-A that have burnups in the range of 300-800 MWh/kgU. 1 Most of these have declining power histories from peak powers of up to 59 kW/m. Fission-gas releases of up to 26% have been observed and exhibit a strong dependence on fuel power. This obscures any dependence on burnup. The extent of fission-gas release at extended burnups was not predicted by low-burnup code extrapolations. This is attributed primarily to a reduction in fuel thermal conductivity which results in elevated operating temperatures. Reduced conductivity is due, at least in part, to the buildup of fission products in the fuel matrix. Some evidence of hyperstoichiometry exists, although this needs to be further investigated along with any possible relation to CANLUB graphite coating behaviour and sheath oxidation. Residual tensile sheath strains of up to 2% have been observed and can be correlated with fuel power/fission-gas release. SCC 2 -related defects have been observed in the sheath and endcaps of elements from bundles experiencing declining power histories to burnups in excess of 500 MWh/kgU. This indicates that the current recommended burnup limit of 450 MWh/kgU is justified. SCC-related defects have also been observed in ramped bundles having burnups < 450 MWh/kgU. Hence, additional guidelines are in place for power ramping extended-burnup fuel

  20. Experimental studies of spent fuel burn-up in WWR-SM reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alikulov, Sh. A.; Baytelesov, S.A.; Boltaboev, A.F.; Kungurov, F.R. [Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ulughbek township, 100214, Tashkent (Uzbekistan); Menlove, H.O.; O’Connor, W. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Osmanov, B.S., E-mail: bari_osmanov@yahoo.com [Research Institute of Applied Physics, Vuzgorodok, 100174 Tashkent (Uzbekistan); Salikhbaev, U.S. [Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ulughbek township, 100214, Tashkent (Uzbekistan)

    2014-10-01

    Highlights: • Uranium burn-up measurement from {sup 137}Cs activity in spent reactor fuel. • Comparison to reference sample with known burn-up value (ratio method). • Cross-check of the approach with neutron-based measurement technique. - Abstract: The article reports the results of {sup 235}U burn-up measurements using {sup 137}Cs activity technique for 12 nuclear fuel assemblies of WWR-SM research reactor after 3-year cooling time. The discrepancy between the measured and the calculated burn-up values was about 3%. To increase the reliability of the data and for cross-check purposes, neutron measurement approach was also used. Average discrepancy between two methods was around 12%.

  1. Burnup credit implementation in WWER spent fuel management systems: Status and future aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manolova, M.

    1998-01-01

    This paper describes the motivation for possible burnup credit implementation in WWER spent fuel management systems in Bulgaria. The activities being done are described, namely: the development and verification of a 3D few-group diffusion burnup model; the application of the KORIGEN code for evaluation of WWER fuel nuclear inventory during reactor core lifetime and after spent fuel discharge; using the SCALE modular system (PC Version 4.1) for criticality safety analyses of spent fuel storage facilities. Future plans involving such important tasks as validation and verification of computer systems and libraries for WWER burnup credit analysis are shown. (author)

  2. The relevance of axial burn-up profiles for the criticality safety analysis of spent nuclear fuel in a final repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kilger, R.; Gmal, B.; Moser, E.F.

    2008-01-01

    Due to inhomogeneous neutron flux and moderator density distributions in the reactor core, the burn-up of a nuclear fuel assembly is not homogeneous but shows an axial distribution, typically with lower partial burn-up and thus higher remaining reactivity at the fuel ends in particular at the assembly top end. Beyond a burn-up of about 15 to 20 GWd/tHM, the multiplication factor K of the whole assembly is dominated by this lower-burnt end regions, and is usually higher than for assuming a homogeneous uniform distribution of the averaged burn-up. This behaviour commonly referred to as positive ''end effect'' is well known in burn-up credit considerations for transportation and storage casks and is being investigated also in the context of criticality analyses for final disposition of spent nuclear fuel. Sign and value of the end effect depend on several parameters. Based on a generic model one may not conclude that criticality in a final repository is a likely or expected event, but nevertheless it draws the attention to the fact that criticality is not excluded per se but has to be considered in the analysis and probably has to be encountered by certain appropriate measures, maybe e.g. by limitation of the amount of fissile material inside one single cask, or a rigorous prove for prevention of water ingress. The authors also conclude that the higher partial reactivity of the fuel ends has to be accounted for carefully in more realistic analyses of post-closure scenarios with respect to criticality safety.

  3. Analysis on burnup step effect for evaluating reactor criticality and fuel breeding ratio

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saputra, Geby; Purnama, Aditya Rizki; Permana, Sidik; Suzuki, Mitsutoshi

    2014-01-01

    Criticality condition of the reactors is one of the important factors for evaluating reactor operation and nuclear fuel breeding ratio is another factor to show nuclear fuel sustainability. This study analyzes the effect of burnup steps and cycle operation step for evaluating the criticality condition of the reactor as well as the performance of nuclear fuel breeding or breeding ratio (BR). Burnup step is performed based on a day step analysis which is varied from 10 days up to 800 days and for cycle operation from 1 cycle up to 8 cycles reactor operations. In addition, calculation efficiency based on the variation of computer processors to run the analysis in term of time (time efficiency in the calculation) have been also investigated. Optimization method for reactor design analysis which is used a large fast breeder reactor type as a reference case was performed by adopting an established reactor design code of JOINT-FR. The results show a criticality condition becomes higher for smaller burnup step (day) and for breeding ratio becomes less for smaller burnup step (day). Some nuclides contribute to make better criticality when smaller burnup step due to individul nuclide half-live. Calculation time for different burnup step shows a correlation with the time consuming requirement for more details step calculation, although the consuming time is not directly equivalent with the how many time the burnup time step is divided

  4. Evaluation of burnup credit for fuel storage analysis -- Experience in Spain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conde, J.M.; Recio, M.

    1995-01-01

    Several Spanish light water reactor commercial nuclear power plants are close to maximum spent-fuel pool storage capacity. The utilities are working on the implementation of state-of-the-art methods to increase the storage capacity, including both changes in the pool design (recracking) and the implementation of new analysis approaches with reduced conservation (burnup credit). Burnup credit criticality safety analyses have been approved for two pressurized water reactor plants (four units) and one boiling water reactor (BWR); an other BWR storage analysis is being developed at this moment. The elimination of the ''fresh fuel assumption'' increases the complexity of the criticality analysis to be performed, sometimes putting into question the capability of the analytic tools to properly describe this new situation and increasing the scope of the scenarios to be analyzed. From a regulatory perspective, the reactivity reduction associated with burnup of the fuel can be given credit only if the exposure of each fuel bundle can be known with enough accuracy. Subcriticality of spent-fuel storage depends mainly on the initial fuel enrichment, storage geometry, fuel exposure history, and cooling time. The last two aspects introduced new uncertainties in the criticality analysis that should be quantified in an adequate way. In addition, each and every fuel bundle has its own specific exposure history, so that strong assumptions and simplified calculational schemes have to be developed to undertake the analysis. The Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN), Spanish regulatory authority on the matter of nuclear safety and radiation protection, plays an active role in the development of analysis methods to support burnup credit, making proposals that may be beneficial in terms of risk and cost while keeping the widest safety margins possible

  5. Re-evaluation of Assay Data of Spent Nuclear Fuel obtained at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute for validation of burnup calculation code systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suyama, Kenya, E-mail: suyama.kenya@jaea.go.jp [Office of International Relations, Nuclear Safety Division, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - Japan, 3-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8959 (Japan); Murazaki, Minoru; Ohkubo, Kiyoshi [Fuel Cycle Safety Research Group, Nuclear Safety Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Nakahara, Yoshinori [Research Group for Analytical Science, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Uchiyama, Gunzo [Fuel Cycle Safety Research Group, Nuclear Safety Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

    2011-05-15

    Highlights: > The specifications required for the analyses of the destructive assay data taken from irradiated fuel in Ohi-1 and Ohi-2 PWRs were documented in this paper. > These data were analyzed using the SWAT2.1 code, and the calculation results showed good agreement with experimental results. > These destructive assay data are suitable for the benchmarking of the burnup calculation code systems. - Abstract: The isotopic composition of spent nuclear fuels is vital data for studies on the nuclear fuel cycle and reactor physics. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been active in obtaining such data for pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) fuels, and some data has already been published. These data have been registered with the international Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Database (SFCOMPO) and widely used as international benchmarks for burnup calculation codes and libraries. In this paper, Assay Data of Spent Nuclear Fuel from two fuel assemblies irradiated in the Ohi-1 and Ohi-2 PWRs in Japan are shown. The destructive assay data from Ohi-2 have already been published. However, these data were not suitable for the benchmarking of calculation codes and libraries because several important specifications and data were not included. This paper summarizes the details of destructive assay data and specifications required for analyses of isotopic composition from Ohi-1 and Ohi-2. For precise burnup analyses, the burnup values of destructive assay samples were re-evaluated in this study. These destructive assay data were analyzed using the SWAT2.1 code, and the calculation results showed good agreement with experimental results. This indicates that the quality of destructive assay data from Ohi-1 and Ohi-2 PWRs is high, and that these destructive assay data are suitable for the benchmarking of burnup calculation code systems.

  6. Comparison of scale/triton and helios burnup calculations for high burnup LWR fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tittelbach, S.; Mispagel, T.; Phlippen, P.W. [WTI Wissenschaftlich-Technische Ingenieurberatung GmbH, Juelich (Germany)

    2009-07-01

    The presented analyses provide information about the suitability of the lattice burnup code HELIOS and the recently developed code SCALE/TRITON for the prediction of isotopic compositions of high burnup LWR fuel. The accurate prediction of the isotopic inventory of high burnt spent fuel is a prerequisite for safety analyses in and outside of the reactor core, safe loading of spent fuel into storage casks, design of next generation spent fuel casks and for any consideration of burnup credit. Depletion analyses are performed with both burnup codes for PWR and BWR fuel samples which were irradiated far beyond 50 GWd/t within the LWR-PROTEUS Phase II project. (orig.)

  7. Analysis of the behavior under irradiation of high burnup nuclear fuels with the computer programs FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reis, Regis; Silva, Antonio Teixeira e, E-mail: teixeira@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2017-11-01

    The objective of this paper is to verify the validity and accuracy of the results provided by computer programs FRAPCON-3.4a and FRAPTRAN-1.4, used in the simulation process of the irradiation behavior of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) fuel rods, in steady-state and transient operational conditions at high burnup. To achieve this goal, the results provided by these computer simulations are compared with experimental data available in the database FUMEX III. Through the results, it was found that the computer programs used have a good ability to predict the operational behavior of PWR fuel rods in high burnup steady-state conditions and under the influence of Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA). (author)

  8. Impacts of the use of spent nuclear fuel burnup credit on DOE advanced technology legal weight truck cask GA-4 fleet size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mobasheran, A.S.; Boshoven, J.; Lake, B.

    1995-01-01

    The object of this paper is to study the impact of full and partial spent fuel burnup credit on the capacity of the Legal Weight Truck Spent Fuel Shipping Cask (GA-4) and to determine the numbers of additional spent fuel assemblies which could be accommodated as a result. The scope of the study comprised performing nuclear criticality safety scoping calculations using the SCALE-PC software package and the 1993 spent fuel database to determine logistics for number of spent fuel assemblies to be shipped. The results of the study indicate that more capacity than 2 or 3 pressurized water reactor assemblies could be gained for GA-4 casks when burnup credit is considered. Reduction in GA-4 fleet size and number of shipments are expected to result from the acceptance of spent fuel burnup credit

  9. Technological and licensing challenges for high burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gross, H.; Urban, P.; Fenzlein, C.

    2002-01-01

    Deregulation of electricity markets is driving electricity prices downward as well in the U.S. as in Europe. As a consequence high burnup fuel will be demanded by utilities using either the storage or the reprocessing option. At a minimum, burnups consistent with the current political enrichment limit of 5 w/o will be required for both markets.Significant progress has been achieved in the past by Siemens in meeting the demands of utilities for increased fuel burnup. The technological challenges posed by the increased burnup are mainly related to the corrosion and hydrogen pickup of the clad, the high burnup properties of the fuel and the dimensional changes of the fuel assembly structure. Clad materials with increased corrosion resistance appropriate for high burnup have been developed. The high burnup behaviour of the fuel has been extensively investigated and the decrease of thermal conductivity with burnup, the rim effect of the pellet and the increase of fission gas release with burnup can be described, with good accuracy, in fuel rod computer codes. Advanced statistical design methods have been developed and introduced. Materials with increased corrosion resistance are also helpful controlling the dimensional changes of the fuel assembly structure. In summary, most of the questions about the fuel operational behaviour and reliability in the high burnup range have been solved - some of them are still in the process of verification - or the solutions are visible. This fact is largely acknowledged by regulators too. The main licensing challenges for high burnup fuel are currently seen for accident condition analyses, especially for RIA and LOCA. (author)

  10. Characterization of used nuclear fuel with multivariate analysis for process monitoring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dayman, Kenneth J., E-mail: kenneth.dayman@gmail.com [University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 (United States); Coble, Jamie B.; Orton, Christopher R.; Schwantes, Jon M. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA 99354 (United States)

    2014-01-21

    This paper presents initial development of a reactor-type classifier that is used to select a reactor-specific partial least squares model to predict used nuclear fuel burnup. Nuclide activities for prototypic used fuel samples were generated in ORIGEN-ARP and used to investigate techniques to characterize used nuclear fuel in terms of reactor type (pressurized or boiling water reactor) and burnup. A variety of reactor type classification algorithms, including k-nearest neighbors, linear and quadratic discriminant analyses, and support vector machines, were evaluated to differentiate used fuel from pressurized and boiling water reactors. Then, reactor type-specific partial least squares models were developed to predict the burnup of the fuel. Using these reactor type-specific models instead of a model trained for all light water reactors improved the accuracy of burnup predictions. The developed classification and prediction models were combined and applied to a large dataset that included eight fuel assembly designs, two of which were not used in training the models, and spanned the range of the initial {sup 235}U enrichment, cooling time, and burnup values expected of future commercial used fuel for reprocessing. Error rates were consistent across the range of considered enrichment, cooling time, and burnup values. Average absolute relative errors in burnup predictions for validation data both within and outside the training space were 0.0574% and 0.0597%, respectively. The errors seen in this work are artificially low, because the models were trained, optimized, and tested on simulated, noise-free data. However, these results indicate that the developed models may generalize well to new data and that the proposed approach constitutes a viable first step in developing a fuel characterization algorithm based on gamma spectra. -- Highlights: • We investigate characterization of used nuclear fuel with multivariate analysis. • PWR and BWR fuels expected in

  11. Fission gas release and fuel rod chemistry related to extended burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-04-01

    The purpose of the meeting was to review the state of the art in fission gas release and fuel rod chemistry related to extended burnup. The meeting was held in a time when national and international programmes on water reactor fuel irradiated in experimental reactors were still ongoing or had reached their conclusion, and when lead test assemblies had reached high burnup in power reactors and been examined. At the same time, several out-of-pile experiments on high burnup fuel or with simulated fuel were being carried out. As a result, significant progress has been registered since the last meeting, particularly in the evaluation of fuel temperature, the degradation of the global thermal conductivity with burnup and in the understanding of the impact on fission gas release. Fifty five participants from 16 countries and one international organization attended the meeting. 28 papers were presented. A separate abstract was prepared for each of the papers. Refs, figs, tabs and photos

  12. Fission gas release from fuel at high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, R.O.; Beyer, C.E.; Voglewede, J.C.

    1978-03-01

    The release of fission gas from fuel pellets at high burnup is reviewed in the context of the safety analysis performed for reactor license applications. Licensing actions are described that were taken to correct deficient gas release models used in these safety analyses. A correction function, which was developed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff and its consultants, is presented. Related information, which includes some previously unpublished data, is also summarized. The report thus provides guidance for the analysis of high burnup gas release in licensing situations

  13. High burnup (41 - 61 GWd/tU) BWR fuel behavior under reactivity initiated accident conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Takehiko; Kusagaya, Kazuyuki; Yoshinaga, Makio; Uetsuka, Hiroshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    2001-12-01

    High burnup boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel was pulse irradiated in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) to investigate fuel behavior under cold startup reactivity initiated accident (RIA) conditions. Temperature, deformation, failure, and fission gas release behavior under the simulated RIA condition was studied in the tests. Fuel failure due to pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) did not occur in the tests with typical domestic BWR fuel at burnups up to 56 GWd/tU, because they had limited cladding embrittlement due to hydrogen absorption of about 100 ppm or less. However, the cladding failure occurred in tests with fuel at a burnup of 61 GWd/tU, in which the peak hydrogen content in the cladding was above 150 ppm. This type of failure was observed for the first time in BWR fuels. The cladding failure occurred at fuel enthalpies of 260 to 360 J/g (62 to 86 cal/g), which were higher than the PCMI failure thresholds decided by the Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission. From post-test examinations of the failed fuel, it was found that the crack in the BWR cladding progressed in a manner different from the one in PWR cladding failed in earlier tests, owing to its more randomly oriented hydride distribution. Because of these differences, the BWR fuel was judged to have failed at hydrogen contents lower than those of the PWR fuel. Comparison of the test results with code calculations revealed that the PCMI failure was caused by thermal expansion of pellets, rather than by the fission gas expansion in the pellets. The gas expansion, however, was found to cause large cladding hoop deformation later after the cladding temperature escalated. (author)

  14. Models for fuel rod behaviour at high burnup

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jernkvist, Lars O.; Massih, Ali R. [Quantum Technologies AB, Uppsala Science Park, Uppsala (Sweden)

    2004-12-01

    This report deals with release of fission product gases and irradiation-induced restructuring in uranium dioxide nuclear fuel. Waterside corrosion of zirconium alloy clad tubes to light water reactor fuel rods is also discussed. Computational models, suitable for implementation in the FRAPCON-3.2 computer code, are proposed for these potentially life-limiting phenomena. Hence, an integrated model for the calculation or thermal fission gas release by intragranular diffusion, gas trapping in grain boundaries, irradiation-induced re-solution, grain boundary saturation, and grain boundary sweeping in UO{sub 2} fuel, under time varying temperature loads, is formulated. After a brief review of the status of thermal fission gas release modelling, we delineate the governing equations for the aforementioned processes. Grain growth kinetic modelling is briefly reviewed and pertinent data on grain growth of high burnup fuel obtained during power ramps in the Third Risoe Fission Gas Release Project are evaluated. Sample computations are performed, which clearly show the connection between fission gas release and gram growth as a function of time at different isotherms. Models are also proposed for the restructuring of uranium dioxide fuel at high burnup, the so-called rim formation, and its effect on fuel porosity build-up, fuel thermal conductivity and fission gas release. These models are assessed by use of recent experimental data from the High Burnup Rim Project, as well as from post irradiation examinations of high-burnup fuel, irradiated in power reactors. Moreover, models for clad oxide growth and hydrogen pickup in PWRs, applicable to Zircaloy-4, ZIRLO or M5 cladding, are formulated, based on recent in-reactor corrosion data for high-burnup fuel rods. Our evaluation of these data indicates that the oxidation rate of ZIRLO-type materials is about 20% lower than for standard Zircaloy-4 cladding under typical PWR conditions. Likewise, the oxidation rate of M5 seems to be

  15. Regulatory status of burnup credit for storage and transport of spent fuel in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neuber, J.C.; Schweer, H.H.; Johann, H.G.

    2001-01-01

    This paper describes the regulatory status of burnup credit applications to pond storage and dry-cask transport and storage of spent fuel in Germany. Burnup credit for wet storage of LWR fuel at nuclear power plants has to comply with the newly developed safety standard DIN 25471. This standard establishes the safety requirements for burnup credit criticality safety analysis of LWR fuel storage ponds and gives guidance on meeting these requirements. Licensing evaluations of dry transport systems are based on the application of the IAEA Safety Standards Series No.ST-1. However, because of the fact that burnup credit for dry-cask transport becomes more and more inevitable due to increasing initial enrichment of the fuel, and because of the increasing importance of dry-cask storage in Germany, the necessity of giving regulatory guidance on applying burnup credit to dry-cask transport and storage is seen. (author)

  16. Mass spectrometric study of vaporization of (U,Pu)O2 fuel simulating high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeda, Atsushi; Ohmichi, Toshihiko; Fukushima, Susumu; Handa, Muneo

    1985-08-01

    The vaporization behavior of (U,Pu)O 2 fuel simulatig high burnup was studied in the temperature range of 1,573 -- 2,173 K by high temperature mass spectrometry. The phases in the simulated fuel were examined by X-ray microprobe analysis. The relationship between chemical form and vaporization behavior of simulated fission product elements was discussed. Pd, Sr, Ba, Ce and actinide-bearing vapor species were observed, and it was clarified that Pd vapor originated from metallic inclusion and Sr and Ce vapors, from mixed oxide fuel matrix. The vaporization behavior of the actinide elements was somewhat similar to that of hypostoichiometric mixed oxide fuel. The behavior of Ba-bearing vapor species changed markedly over about 2,000 K. From the determination of BaO vapor pressures over simulated fuel and BaZrO 3 , it was revealed thermodynamically that the transformation of the chemical form of Ba about 2,000 K, i.e., dissolution of BaZrO 3 phase into fuel matrix, might be the reason of the observed vapor pressure change. (author)

  17. Plutonium isotopic composition of high burnup spent fuel discharged from light water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakano, Yoshihiro; Okubo, Tsutomu

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Pu isotopic composition of fuel affects FBR core nuclear characteristics very much. → Spent fuel compositions of next generation LWRs with burnup of 70 GWd/t were obtained. → Pu isotopic composition and amount in the spent fuel with 70 GWd/t were evaluated. → Spectral shift rods of high burnup BWR increases the fissile Pu fraction of spent fuel. → Wide fuel rod pitch of high burnup PWR lowers the fissile Pu fraction of spent fuel. - Abstract: The isotopic composition and amount of plutonium (Pu) in spent fuel from a high burnup boiling water reactor (HB-BWR) and a high burnup pressurized water reactor (HB-PWR), each with an average discharge burnup of 70 GWd/t, were estimated, in order to evaluate fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel composition in the transition period from LWRs to FBRs. The HB-BWR employs spectral shift rods and the neutron spectrum is shifted through the operation cycle. The weight fraction of fissile plutonium (Puf) isotopes to the total plutonium in HB-BWR spent fuel after 5 years cooling is 62%, which is larger than that of conventional BWRs with average burnup of 45 GWd/t, because of the spectral shift operation. The amount of Pu produced in the HB-BWR is also larger than that produced in a conventional BWR. The HB-PWR uses a wider pitch 17 x 17 fuel rod assembly to optimize neutron slowing down. The Puf fraction of HB-PWR spent fuel after 5 years cooling is 56%, which is smaller than that of conventional PWRs with average burnup of 49 GWd/t, mainly because of the wider pitch. The amount of Pu produced in the HB-PWR is also smaller than that in conventional PWRs.

  18. Burnup verification measurements at a US nuclear utility using the FORK measurement system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.I.; Bosler, G.E.; Walden, G.

    1993-01-01

    The FORK measurement system, designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards program, has been used to examine spent reactor fuel assemblies at Duke Power Company's Oconee Nuclear Station. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. These measurements can be correlated with burnup and cooling time, and can be used to verify the reactor site records. Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. By taking into account the reduced reactivity of spent fuel due to its burnup in the reactor, burnup credit results in more efficient and economic transport and storage. The objectives of these tests are to demonstrate the applicability of the FORK system to verify reactor records and to develop optimal procedures compatible with utility operations. The test program is a cooperative effort supported by Sandia National Laboratories, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Duke Power Company

  19. The use of burnup credit for spent fuel cask design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lake, W.H.

    1993-01-01

    A new generation of high capacity spent fuel transport casks is being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS). Burnup credit, which recognizes the reduced reactivity of spent fuel is being used for these casks. Two cask designs being developed for DOE by Babcock and Wilcox and General Atomics use burnup credit. The cask designs must be certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) if they are to be used in the FWMS. Certification of these casks by the NRC would not require any change in the NRC's transport regulations, and would be consistent with past practices. Furthermore, use of burnup credit casks appears to be consistent with current International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) rules and regulations. To support NRC certification, DOE has identified the technical issues related to burnup credit, and embarked on a development program to resolve them. (J.P.N.)

  20. Impact on burnup performance of coated particle fuel design in pebble bed reactor with ROX fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ho, Hai Quan; Obara, Toru

    2015-01-01

    The pebble bed reactor (PBR), a kind of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), is expected to be among the next generation of nuclear reactors as it has excellent passive safety features, as well as online refueling and high thermal efficiency. Rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel has been studied at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as a new once-through type fuel concept. Rock-like oxide used as fuel in a PBR can be expected to achieve high burnup and improve chemical stabilities. In the once-through fuel concept, the main challenge is to achieve as high a burnup as possible without failure of the spent fuel. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact on burnup performance of different coated fuel particle (CFP) designs in a PBR with ROX fuel. In the study, the AGR-1 Coated Particle design and Deep-Burn Coated Particle design were used to make the burnup performance comparison. Criticality and core burnup calculations were performed by MCPBR code using the JENDL-4.0 library. Results at equilibrium showed that the two reactors utilizing AGR-1 Coated Particle and Deep-Burn Coated Particle designs could be critical with almost the same multiplication factor k eff . However, the power peaking factor and maximum power per fuel ball in the AGR-1 coated particle design was lower than that of Deep-Burn coated particle design. The AGR-1 design also showed an advantage in fissions per initial fissile atoms (FIFA); the AGR-1 coated particle design produced a higher FIFA than the Deep-Burn coated particle design. These results suggest that the difference in coated particle fuel design can have an effect on the burnup performance in ROX fuel. (author)

  1. Development of high performance liquid chromatography for rapid determination of burn-up of nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, M.; Karunasagar, D.; Saha, B.

    1996-01-01

    Burn-up an important parameter during evaluation of the performance of any nuclear fuel. Among the various techniques available, the preferred one for its determination is based on accurate measurement of a suitable fission product monitor and the residual heavy elements. Since isotopes of rare earth elements are generally used as burn-up monitors, conditions were standardized for rapid separation (within 15 minutes) of light rare earths using high performance liquid chromatography based on either anion exchange (Partisil 10 SAX) in methanol-nitric acid medium or by cation exchange on a reverse phase column (Spherisorb 5-ODS-2 or Supelcosil LC-18) dynamically modified with 1-octane sulfonate or camphor-10-sulfonic acid (β). Both these methods were assessed for separation of individual fission product rare earths from their mixtures. A new approach has been examined in detail for rapid assay of neodymium, which appears promising for faster and accurate measurement of burn-up. (author)

  2. Fuel and fuel cycles with high burnup for WWER reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernushev, V.; Sokolov, F.

    2002-01-01

    The paper discusses the status and trends in development of nuclear fuel and fuel cycles for WWER reactors. Parameters and main stages of implementation of new fuel cycles will be presented. At present, these new fuel cycles are offered to NPPs. Development of new fuel and fuel cycles based on the following principles: profiling fuel enrichment in a cross section of fuel assemblies; increase of average fuel enrichment in fuel assemblies; use of refuelling schemes with lower neutron leakage ('in-in-out'); use of integrated fuel gadolinium-based burnable absorber (for a five-year fuel cycle); increase of fuel burnup in fuel assemblies; improving the neutron balance by using structural materials with low neutron absorption; use of zirconium alloy claddings which are highly resistant to irradiation and corrosion. The paper also presents the results of fuel operation. (author)

  3. Evaluation of Gap Conductance Approach for Mid-Burnup Fuel LOCA Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Joosuk; Woo, Swengwoong

    2013-01-01

    In this study, therefore, the applicability of gap conductance approach on the mid-burnup fuel in LOCA analysis was estimated in terms of the comparison of PCT distribution method means the fuel rod uncertainty is taken into account by the combination of overall uncertainty parameters of fuel rod altogether by use of a simple random sampling(SRS) technique. There are many uncertainty parameters of fuel rod that can change the PCT during LOCA analysis, and these have been identified by the authors' previous work already. But, for the 'best-estimate' LOCA safety analysis the methodology that dose not use the overall uncertainty parameters altogether but used the gap conductance uncertainty alone has been developed to simulate the overall fuel rod uncertainty, because it can represent many uncertainty parameters. Based on this approach, uncertainty range of gap conductance was prescribed as 0.67∼1.5 in audit calculation methodology on LBLOCA analysis. This uncertainty was derived from experimental data of fresh or low burnup fuel. Meanwhile, recent research work identify that the currently utilized uncertainty range seems to be not enough to encompass the uncertainty of mid-burnup fuel. Instead it has to be changed to 0.5∼2.4 for the mid-burnup fuel(30 MWd/kgU)

  4. Evaluation of Gap Conductance Approach for Mid-Burnup Fuel LOCA Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Joosuk; Woo, Swengwoong [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-10-15

    In this study, therefore, the applicability of gap conductance approach on the mid-burnup fuel in LOCA analysis was estimated in terms of the comparison of PCT distribution method means the fuel rod uncertainty is taken into account by the combination of overall uncertainty parameters of fuel rod altogether by use of a simple random sampling(SRS) technique. There are many uncertainty parameters of fuel rod that can change the PCT during LOCA analysis, and these have been identified by the authors' previous work already. But, for the 'best-estimate' LOCA safety analysis the methodology that dose not use the overall uncertainty parameters altogether but used the gap conductance uncertainty alone has been developed to simulate the overall fuel rod uncertainty, because it can represent many uncertainty parameters. Based on this approach, uncertainty range of gap conductance was prescribed as 0.67∼1.5 in audit calculation methodology on LBLOCA analysis. This uncertainty was derived from experimental data of fresh or low burnup fuel. Meanwhile, recent research work identify that the currently utilized uncertainty range seems to be not enough to encompass the uncertainty of mid-burnup fuel. Instead it has to be changed to 0.5∼2.4 for the mid-burnup fuel(30 MWd/kgU)

  5. A simulation of the temperature overshoot observed at high burnup in annular fuel pellets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baron, D [Electricite de France, Moret-sur-Loing (France); Couty, J C [Electricite de France (EDF), 69 - Villeurbanne (France)

    1997-08-01

    Instrumented experiments have been carried out in recent years to calibrate and improve temperature calculations at high burnup in PWR nuclear fuel rods. The introduction of a thermocouple in the fuel stack allows the experiment to record the centre-line temperature all along the irradiation or re-irradiation. The results obtained on fresh fuel have not revealed any abnormal behavior as have observations done on high burnup rods. In this case, a sudden overshoot has been recorded on the thermocouple temperature above an average power threshold. Several hypotheses have been suggested. Only two seem to be acceptable: one in relation to an effect of grain decohesion, another based on a modification of fuel chemistry. The apparent reversibility of the phenomena when power decreases led us to prefer the first explanation. Indeed, the introduction of a thermocouple means that annular fuel pellets must be used. These are either initially manufactured with a central hole or drilled after base irradiation, using the ``RISOE`` technique. One must bear in mind that the use of such annular pellets drastically changes the crack pattern as irradiation proceeds. This is due to a different stress field which, combined with a weakening of the grain binding energy, leads to a partial grain decohesion on the inner face of the annular pellet. Modification of the grain binding energy is related to the presence of an increasing local population of gas bubbles and metallic precipitates at grain boundaries, as swelling creates intergranular local stresses which also could probably enhance the grain decohesion process. This grain decohesion concerns a 250 to 350 {mu}m depth and shows a narrow cracks network through which released fission gas can flow, temporarily pushing the resident helium gas out. The low conductivity of these gaseous fission products and the numerous gas layers created this way could partly explain the unexpected temperatures measured in high burnup fuels. (Abstract

  6. High Burnup Fuel Behaviour under LOCA Conditions as Observed in Halden Reactor Experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolstad, E.; Wiesenack, W.; Oberlander, B.; Tverberg, T.

    2013-01-01

    In the context of assessing the validity of safety criteria for loss of coolant accidents with high burnup fuel, the OECD Halden Reactor Project has implemented an integral in-pile LOCA test series. In this series, fuel fragmentation and relocation, axial gas communication in high burnup rods as affected by gap closure and fuel- clad bonding, and secondary cladding oxidation and hydriding are of major interest. In addition, the data are being used for code validation as well as model development and verification. So far, nine tests with irradiated fuel segments (burnup 40-92 MW.d.kg -1 ) from PWR, BWR and VVER commercial nuclear power plants have been carried out. The in-pile measurements and the PIE results show a good repeatability of the experiments. The paper describes the experimental setup as well as the principal features and main results of these tests. Fuel fragmentation and relocation have occurred to varying degrees in these tests. The paper compares the conditions leading to the presence or absence of fuel fragmentation, e.g., burnup and loss of constraint. Axial gas flow is an important driving force for clad ballooning, fuel relocation and fuel expulsion. The experiments have provided evidence that such gas flow can be impeded in high burnup fuel with a potential impact on the ballooning and fuel dispersal. Although the results of the Halden LOCA tests are, to some extent, amplified by conditions and features deliberately introduced into the test series, the fuel behaviour identified in the Halden tests has an impact on the safety assessment of high burnup fuel and should give rise to improvements of the predictive capabilities of LOCA modelling codes. (author)

  7. Burnup credit study and application in spent fuel management in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruan Keqiang; Xue Xiaogang; Shen Leisheng

    2001-01-01

    This paper gives a brief of spent fuel situation of nuclear power plants in China, problems faced with, and measures to be taken. The main research items in this field in next five years are introduced. It is imperative to put burnup credit to use in spent fuel storage, transport and reprocessing. (author)

  8. Study on the application of CANDLE burnup strategy to several nuclear reactors. JAERI's nuclear research promotion program, H13-002 (Contract research)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunitomi, Kazuhiko

    2005-03-01

    The CANDLE burnup strategy is a new reactor burnup concept, where the distributions of fuel nuclide densities, neutron flux, and power density move with the same constant speed from bottom to top (or from top to bottom) of the core and without any change in their shapes. Therefore, any burnup control mechanisms are not required, and reactor characteristics do not change along burnup. The reactor is simple and safe. When this burnup scheme is applied to some neutron rich fast reactors, either natural or depleted uranium can be utilized as fresh fuel after second core and the burnup of discharged fuel is about 40%. It means that the nuclear energy can be utilized for many hundreds years without new mining, enrichment and reprocessing, and the amount of spent fuel can be reduced considerably. However, in order to perform such a high fuel burnup some innovative technologies should be developed. Though development of innovative fuel will take a lot of time, intermediate re-cladding may be easy to be employed. Compared to fast reactors, application of CANDLE burnup to prismatic fuel high-temperature gas cooled reactors is very easy. In this report the application of CANDLE burnup to both these types of reactors are studied. (author)

  9. Experience with nuclear fuel utilization in Bulgaria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harizanov, Y [Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes, Sofia (Bulgaria)

    1997-12-01

    The presentation on experience with nuclear fuel utilization in Bulgaria briefly reviews the situation with nuclear energy in Bulgaria and then discusses nuclear fuel performance (amount of fuel loaded, type of fuel, burnup, fuel failures, assemblies deformation). 2 tabs.

  10. High burnup MOX fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanpain, P.; Brunel, L.

    1999-01-01

    From the outset, the MOX product was required to have the same performance as UO 2 in terms of burnup and operational flexibility. In fact during the first years the UO 2 managements could not be applied to MOX. The changeover to an AFA 2G type fuel allowed an improvement in NPP operational flexibility. The move to the AFA 3G design fuel will enable an increase in the burnup of the MOX assemblies to the level of the UO 2 ones ('MOX Parity' project). But the FRAMATOME fuel development objective does not stop at the obtaining of parity between the current MOX and UO 2 products: this parity must remain guaranteed and the MOX managements must evolve in the same way as the UO 2 managements. The goal of the MOX product development programmes underway with COGEMA and the CEA is the demonstration over the next 10 years of a fuel capable of reaching burnups of 70 GWD/T. The research programmes focus on the fission gas release aspect, with three issues explored: optimization of pellet microstructures and validation in experimental reactor ; build-up of experience feedback from fission gas release at elevated burnups in commercial reactors, both for current and experimental products; adaptation and qualification of the design models and tools, over the ranges and for the products concerned. The product arising from these development programmes should be offered on the market around 2010. While meeting safety requirements, it will cater for the needs of the utilities in terms of product reliability, personnel dosimetry and kWh output costs (increase in burnup, NPP maneuverability and availability, minimization of process waste). (authors)

  11. New approach to derive linear power/burnup history input for CANDU fuel codes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lac Tang, T.; Richards, M.; Parent, G.

    2003-01-01

    The fuel element linear power / burnup history is a required input for the ELESTRES code in order to simulate CANDU fuel behavior during normal operating conditions and also to provide input for the accident analysis codes ELOCA and SOURCE. The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach to derive 'true', or at least more realistic linear power / burnup histories. Such an approach can be used to recreate any typical bundle power history if only a single pair of instantaneous values of bundle power and burnup, together with the position in the channel, are known. The histories obtained could be useful to perform more realistic simulations for safety analyses for cases where the reference (overpower) history is not appropriate. (author)

  12. EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Fuel Sister Rod Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saltzstein, Sylvia J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sorenson, Ken B. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hanson, B. D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Shimskey, R. W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Klymyshyn, N. A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Webster, R. A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jensen, P. J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); MacFarlan, P. J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Billone, Mike [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Scaglione, John [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Montgomery, Rose [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bevard, Bruce [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2017-09-15

    The EPRI/DOE High-Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the “Demo”) is a multi-year, multi-entity test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show if high-burnup fuel mechanical properties change in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, loading them in an NRC-licensed TN-32B cask, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened and the mechanical properties of the rods will be tested and analyzed.

  13. Validation of a new continuous Monte Carlo burnup code using a Mox fuel assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El bakkari, B.; El Bardouni, T.; Merroun, O.; El Younoussi, C.; Boulaich, Y.; Boukhal, H.; Chakir, E.

    2009-01-01

    The reactivity of nuclear fuel decreases with irradiation (or burnup) due to the transformation of heavy nuclides and the formation of fission products. Burnup credit studies aim at accounting for fuel irradiation in criticality studies of the nuclear fuel cycle (transport, storage, etc...). The principal objective of this study is to evaluate the potential capabilities of a newly developed burnup code called 'BUCAL1'. BUCAL1 differs in comparison with other burnup codes as it does not use the calculated neutron flux as input to other computer codes to generate the nuclide inventory for the next time step. Instead, BUCAL1 directly uses the neutron reaction tally information generated by MCNP for each nuclide of interest to determine the new nuclides inventory. This allows the full capabilities of MCNP to be incorporated into the calculation and a more accurate and robust analysis to be performed. Validation of BUCAL1 was processed by code-to-code comparisons using predictions of several codes from the NEA/OCED. Infinite multiplication factors (k ∞ ) and important fission product and actinide concentrations were compared for a MOX core benchmark exercise. Results of calculations are analysed and discussed.

  14. Modeling CANDU type fuel behaviour during extended burnup irradiations using a revised version of the ELESIM code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arimescu, V.I.; Richmond, W.R.

    1992-05-01

    The high-burnup database for CANDU fuel, with a variety of cases, offers a good opportunity to check models of fuel behaviour, and to identify areas for improvement. Good agreement of calculated values of fission-gas release, and sheath hoop strain, with experimental data indicates that the global behaviour of the fuel element is adequately simulated by a computer code. Using, the ELESIM computer code, the fission-gas release, swelling, and fuel pellet expansion models were analysed, and changes made for gaseous swelling, and diffusional release of fission-gas atoms to the grain boundaries. Using this revised version of ELESIM, satisfactory agreement between measured values of fission-gas release was found for most of the high-burnup database cases. It is concluded that the revised version of the ELESIM code is able to simulate with reasonable accuracy high-burnup as well as low-burnup CANDU fuel

  15. Proceedings of a workshop on the use of burnup credit in spent fuel transport casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, T.L.

    1989-10-01

    The Department of Energy sponsored a workshop on the use of burnup credit in the criticality design of spent fuel shipping casks on February 21 and 22, 1988. Twenty-five different presentations on many related topics were conducted, including the effects of burnup credit on the design and operation of spent fuel storage pools, casks and modules, and shipping casks; analysis and physics issues related to burnup credit; regulatory issues and criticality safety; economic incentives and risks associated with burnup credit; and methods for verifying spent fuel characteristics. An abbreviated version of the DOE workshop was repeated as a special session at the November 1988 American Nuclear Society Meeting in Washington, DC. Each of the invited speakers prepared detailed papers on his or her respective topic. The individual papers have been cataloged separately

  16. Incentives for the allowance of burnup credit in the design of spent nuclear fuel shipping casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, T.L.; Westfall, R.M.; Jones, R.H.

    1987-01-01

    An analysis has been completed which indicates that the consideration of spent fuel histories ('burnup credit') in the criticality design of spent fuel shipping casks could result in considerable public risk benefits and cost savings in the transport of spent nuclear fuel. Capacities of casks could be increased considerably in some cases. These capacity increases result in lower public and occupational exposures to ionizing radiation due to the reduced number of shipments necessary to transport a given amount of fuel. Additional safety benefits result from reduced non-radiological risks to both public and occupational sectors. In addition, economic benefits result from lower in-transit shipping costs, reduced transportation fleet capital costs, and fewer cask handling requirements at both shipping and receiving facilities

  17. ABB high burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, S.; Helmersson, S.; Nilsson, S.; Jourdain, P.; Karlsson, L.; Limback, M.; Garde, A.M.

    1999-01-01

    Fuel designed and fabricated by ABB is now operating in 40 PWRs and BWRs in Europe, the United States and Korea. An excellent fuel reliability track record has been established. High burnups are proven for both PWR and BWR. Thermal margin improving features and advanced burnable absorber concepts enable the utilities to adopt demanding duty cycles to meet new economic objectives. In particular we note the excellent reliability record of ABB PWR fuel equipped with Guardian TM debris filter proven to meet the 6 rod-cycles fuel failure goal, and the out-standing operating record of the SVEA 10 x 10 fuel, where ABB is the only vendor to date with batch experience to high burnup. ABB is dedicated to maintain high fuel reliability as well as continually improve and develop a broad line of PWR and BWR products. ABB's development and fuel follow-up activities are performed in close co-operation with its utility customers. This paper provides an overview of recent fuel performance and reliability experience at ABB. Selected development and validation activities for PWR and BWR fuel are presented, for which the ABB test facilities in Windsor (TF-2 loop, mechanical test laboratory) and Vaesteras (FRIGG, BURE) are essential. (authors)

  18. MTR fuel element burn-up measurements by the reactivity method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuniga, A.; Cuya, T.R.; Ravnik, M.

    2003-01-01

    Fuel element burn-up was measured by the reactivity method in the 10 MW Peruvian MTR reactor RP-10. The main purpose of the experiment was testing the reactivity method for an MTR reactor as the reactivity method was originally developed for TRIGA reactors. The reactivity worth of each measured fuel element was measured in its original core position in order to measure the burn-up of the fuel elements that were part of the experimental core. The burn-up of each measured fuel element was derived by interpolating its reactivity worth from the reactivity worth of two reference fuel elements of known burn-up, whose reactivity worth was measured in the position of the measured fuel element. The accuracy of the method was improved by separating the reactivity effect of burn-up from the effect of the position in the core. The results of the experiment showed that the modified reactivity method for fuel element burn-up determination could be applied also to MTR reactors. (orig.)

  19. Study on burnup credit evaluation method at JAERI towards securing criticality safety rationale for management of spent fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomura, Y.

    1998-01-01

    Lately, due to massive accumulation of spent fuel discharged from light water reactors in Japan, it is gradually demanded to introduce the so-called burnup credit methodology into criticality safety design for nuclear fuel cycle facilities, such as spent fuel storage pools and transport casks. In order to save space in the spent fuel storage pool of the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, the burnup credit design has been firstly implemented for its criticality safety evaluation. Here, its design conditions and operational control procedures are briefly shown and research using burned fuel at JAERI is explained to support its licensing safety review, focusing on the relevant content of the Nuclear Criticality Safety Handbook of Japan, which has been prepared so far and planned in the near future. Finally, international co-operation for study on burnup credit issues practiced by JAERI is addressed. (author)

  20. Measurement of burnup in FBR MOX fuel irradiated to high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koyama, Shin-ichi; Osaka, Masahiko; Sekine, Takashi; Morozumi, Katsufumi; Namekawa, Takashi; Itoh, Masahiko

    2003-01-01

    The burnup of fuel pins in the subassemblies irradiated at the range from 0.003 to 13.28% FIMA in the JOYO MK-II core were measured by the isotope dilution analysis. For the measurement, 75 and 51 specimens were taken from the fuel pins of driver fuel and irradiation test subassemblies, respectively. The data of burnup could be obtained within an experimental error of 4%, and were compared with the ones calculated by 3-dimensional neutron diffusion codes MAGI and ESPRIT-J, which are used for JOYO core management system. Both data of burnup almost agree with each other within an error of 5%. For the fuel pins loaded at the outer region of the subassembly in the 4th row, which was adjacent to reflectors, however, some of the calculation results were 15% less at most than the measured values. It is suggested from the calculation by a Monte Carlo code MCNP-4A that this difference between the calculated and the measured data attribute from the softening of neutron flux in the region adjacent to the reflector. (author)

  1. Fuel analysis code FAIR and its high burnup modelling capabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prasad, P.S.; Dutta, B.K.; Kushwaha, H.S.; Mahajan, S.C.; Kakodkar, A.

    1995-01-01

    A computer code FAIR has been developed for analysing performance of water cooled reactor fuel pins. It is capable of analysing high burnup fuels. This code has recently been used for analysing ten high burnup fuel rods irradiated at Halden reactor. In the present paper, the code FAIR and its various high burnup models are described. The performance of code FAIR in analysing high burnup fuels and its other applications are highlighted. (author). 21 refs., 12 figs

  2. Advanced fuel cycles and burnup increase of WWER-440 fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Proselkov, V.; Saprykin, V.; Scheglov, A.

    2003-01-01

    Analyses of operational experience of 4.4% enriched fuel in the 5-year fuel cycle at Kola NPP Unit 3 and fuel assemblies with Uranium-Gadolinium fuel at Kola NPP Unit 4 are made. The operability of WWER-440 fuel under high burnup is studied. The obtained results indicate that the fuel rods of WWER-440 assemblies intended for operation within six years of the reviewed fuel cycle totally preserve their operability. Performed analyses have demonstrated the possibility of the fuel rod operability during the fuel cycle. 12 assemblies were loaded into the reactor unit of Kola 3 in 2001. The predicted burnup in six assemblies was 59.2 MWd/kgU. Calculated values of the burnup after operation for working fuel assemblies were ∼57 MWd/kgU, for fuel rods - up to ∼61 MWd/kgU. Data on the coolant activity, specific activity of the benchmark iodine radionuclides of the reactor primary circuit, control of the integrity of fuel rods of the assemblies that were operated for six years indicate that not a single assembly has reached the criterion for the early discharge

  3. Benefits of cycle stretchout in pressurized water reactor extended-burnup fuel cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matzie, R.A.; Leung, D.C.; Liu, Y.; Beekmann, R.W.

    1981-01-01

    Nuclear reactors are inherently capable of operating for a substantial period beyond their nominal end of cycle (EOC) as a result of negative moderator and fuel temperature coefficients and the decrease in xenon poisoning with lower core power levels. This inherent capability can be used to advantage to reduce annual uranium makeup requirements and cycle energy costs by the use of planned EOC stretchout. This paper discusses the fuel utilization efficiency and economics of both the five-batch, extended-burnup cycle and the three-batch, standard-burnup cycle, which can be improved by employing planned EOC (end of cycle) stretchout. 11 refs

  4. IFPE/TRIBULATION R1, Fuel Rod Behaviour at High Burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turnbull, J.A.

    2002-01-01

    Description: The TRIBULATION (Tests Relative to High Burnup Limitations Arising Normally in LWRs) International Programme started in July 1980 and was organized jointly by BelgoNucleaire and the Nuclear Energy Centre at Mol (CEN/SCK) with the co-sponsorship of 14 participating organizations. The objectives of the programme were twofold. It was primarily a demonstration programme aimed at assessing the fuel rod behaviour at high burn-up, when an earlier transient had occurred in the power plant. The second objective was to investigate the behaviour of different fuel rod designs and manufacturers when subjected to a steady state irradiation history to high burn-up. The first objective was met by irradiating fuel rods under steady state conditions in the BR3 reactor and under transient conditions in BR2. The effect of the transient was determined by comparing data from 4 identical rods tested as follows: i) BR3 irradiation followed by PIE; ii) BR3 irradiation followed by BR2 transient then PIE; iii) BR3 irradiation followed by BR2 transient and re-irradiated in BR3 before PIE; iv) BR3 irradiation and continued BR3 irradiation to maximum burn-up before PIE. The Database contains data from 19 cases using rods fabricated by BelgoNucleaire (BN) (11) and Brown Boveri Reactor GmbH (BBR) (8)

  5. Technical and economic limits to fuel burnup extension. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-07-01

    For many years, the increase of efficiency in the production of nuclear electricity has been an economic challenge in many countries which have developed this kind of energy. The increase of fuel burnup leads to a reduction in the volume of spent fuel discharged to longer fuel cycles in the reactor, which means bigger availability and capacity factors. After having increased the authorized burnup in plants, developing new alloys capable of resisting high burnup, and having accumulated data on fuel evolution with burnup, it has become necessary to establish the limitations which could be imposed by the physical evolution of the fuel, influencing fuel management, neutron properties, reprocessing or, more generally, the management of waste and irradiated fuels. It is also necessary to verify whether the benefits of lower electricity costs would not be offset by an increase in fuel management costs. The main questions are: Are technical and economic limits to the increasing of fuel burnup in parallel? Can we envisage nowadays the hardest limitation in some of these areas? Which are the main points to be solved from the technical point of view? Is this effort worthwhile considering the economy of the cycle? To which extent? For these reasons, the IAEA, following a recommendation by the International Working Group on Fuel Performance and Technology, held a Technical Committee Meeting on Technical and Economic Limits to Fuel Burnup Extension. The purpose of this meeting was to provide an international forum to review the evolution of fuel properties at increased burnup in order to estimate the limitations both from a physical and an economic point of view. The meeting was therefore divided into two parts. The first part, focusing on technical limits, was devoted to the improvement of the fuel element, such as fission gas release (FGR), RIM effect, cladding, etc. and the fabrication, core management, spent fuel and reprocessing. Eighteen related papers were presented which

  6. Fuel rod behaviour at high burnup WWER fuel cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medvedev, A.; Bogatyr, S.; Kouznetsov, V.; Khvostov, G.; Lagovsky; Korystin, L.; Poudov, V.

    2003-01-01

    The modernisation of WWER fuel cycles is carried out on the base of complete modelling and experimental justification of fuel rods up to 70 MWd/kgU. The modelling justification of the reliability of fuel rod and fuel rod with gadolinium is carried out with the use of certified START-3 code. START-3 code has a continuous experimental support. The thermophysical and strength reliability of WWER-440 fuel is justified for fuel rod and pellet burnups 65 MWd/kgU and 74 MWd/U, accordingly. Results of analysis are demonstrated by the example of uranium-gadolinium fuel assemblies of second generation under 5-year cycle with a portion of 6-year assemblies and by the example of successfully completed pilot operation of 5-year cycle fuel assemblies during 6 years at unit 3 of Kolskaja NPP. The thermophysical and strength reliability of WWER-1000 fuel is justified for a fuel rod burnup 66 MWd/kgU by the example of fuel operation under 4-year cycles and 6-year test operation of fuel assemblies at unit 1 of Kalininskaya NPP. By the example of 5-year cycle at Dukovany NPP Unit 2 it was demonstrated that WWER fuel rod of a burnup 58 MWd/kgU ensure reliable operation under load following conditions. The analysis has confirmed sufficient reserves of Russian fuel to implement program of JSC 'TVEL' in order to improve technical and economical parameters of WWER fuel cycles

  7. A criticality analysis of the GBC-32 dry storage cask with Hanbit nuclear power plant unit 3 fuel assemblies from the viewpoint of burnup credit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yun, Hyung Ju; Kim, Do Yeon; Park, Kwang Heon; Hong, Ser Gi [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-06-15

    Nuclear criticality safety analyses (NCSAs) considering burnup credit were performed for the GBC-32 cask. The used nuclear fuel assemblies (UNFAs) discharged from Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Cycle 6 were loaded into the cask. Their axial burnup distributions and average discharge burnups were evaluated using the DeCART and Multi-purpose Analyzer for Static and Transient Effects of Reactors (MASTER) codes, and NCSAs were performed using SCALE 6.1/STandardized Analysis of Reactivity for Burnup Credit using SCALE (STARBUCS) and Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code, version 6 (MCNP 6). The axial burnup distributions were determined for 20 UNFAs with various initial enrichments and burnups, which were applied to the criticality analysis for the cask system. The UNFAs for 20- and 30-year cooling times were assumed to be stored in the cask. The criticality analyses indicated that keff values for UNFAs with nonuniform axial burnup distributions were larger than those with a uniform distribution, that is, the end effects were positive but much smaller than those with the reference distribution. The axial burnup distributions for 20 UNFAs had shapes that were more symmetrical with a less steep gradient in the upper region than the reference ones of the United States Department of Energy. These differences in the axial burnup distributions resulted in a significant reduction in end effects compared with the reference.

  8. Evaluation of fission product worth margins in PWR spent nuclear fuel burnup credit calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blomquist, R.N.; Finck, P.J.; Jammes, C.; Stenberg, C.G.

    1999-01-01

    Current criticality safety calculations for the transportation of irradiated LWR fuel make the very conservative assumption that the fuel is fresh. This results in a very substantial overprediction of the actual k eff of the transportation casks; in certain cases, this decreases the amount of spent fuel which can be loaded in a cask, and increases the cost of transporting the spent fuel to the repository. Accounting for the change of reactivity due to fuel depletion is usually referred to as ''burnup credit.'' The US DOE is currently funding a program aimed at establishing an actinide only burnup credit methodology (in this case, the calculated reactivity takes into account the buildup or depletion of a limited number of actinides). This work is undergoing NRC review. While this methodology is being validated on a significant experimental basis, it implicitly relies on additional margins: in particular, the absorption of neutrons by certain actinides and by all fission products is not taken into account. This provides an important additional margin and helps guarantee that the methodology is conservative provided these neglected absorption are known with reasonable accuracy. This report establishes the accuracy of fission product absorption rate calculations: (1) the analysis of European fission product worth experiments demonstrates that fission product cross-sections available in the US provide very good predictions of fission product worth; (2) this is confirmed by a direct comparison of European and US cross section evaluations; (3) accuracy of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) fission product content predictions is established in a recent ORNL report where several SNF isotopic assays are analyzed; and (4) these data are then combined to establish in a conservative manner the fraction of the predicted total fission product absorption which can be guaranteed based on available experimental data

  9. The effect of fuel burnup and dispersed water intrusion on the criticality of spent high-level nuclear fuel in a geologic repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Culbreth, W.G.; Zielinski, P.R.

    1994-01-01

    Studies of the spent fuel waste package have been conducted through the use of a Monte-Carlo neutron simulation program to determine the ability of the fuel to sustain a chain reaction. These studies have included fuel burnup and the effect of water mists on criticality. Results were compared with previous studies. In many criticality studies of spent fuel waste packages, fresh fuel with an enrichment as high as 4.5% is used as the conservative (worst) case. The actual spent fuel has a certain amount of burnup that decreases the concentration of fissile uranium and increases the amount of radionuclides present. The LWR Radiological Data Base from OCRWM has been used to determine the relative radionuclide ratios and KENO 5.1 was used to calculate values of the effective multiplication factor, k eff . Spent fuel is not capable of sustaining a chain reaction unless a suitable moderator, such as water, is present. A completely flooded container has been treated as the worst case for criticality. Results of a previous report that demonstrated that k eff actually peaked at a water-to-mixture ratio of 13% were analyzed for validity. In the present study, these results did not occur in the SCP waste package container

  10. Physical model of the nuclear fuel cycle simulation code SITON

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brolly, Á.; Halász, M.; Szieberth, M.; Nagy, L.; Fehér, S.

    2017-01-01

    Finding answers to main challenges of nuclear energy, like resource utilisation or waste minimisation, calls for transient fuel cycle modelling. This motivation led to the development of SITON v2.0 a dynamic, discrete facilities/discrete materials and also discrete events fuel cycle simulation code. The physical model of the code includes the most important fuel cycle facilities. Facilities can be connected flexibly; their number is not limited. Material transfer between facilities is tracked by taking into account 52 nuclides. Composition of discharged fuel is determined using burnup tables except for the 2400 MW thermal power design of the Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR2400). For the GFR2400 the FITXS method is used, which fits one-group microscopic cross-sections as polynomial functions of the fuel composition. This method is accurate and fast enough to be used in fuel cycle simulations. Operation of the fuel cycle, i.e. material requests and transfers, is described by discrete events. In advance of the simulation reactors and plants formulate their requests as events; triggered requests are tracked. After that, the events are simulated, i.e. the requests are fulfilled and composition of the material flow between facilities is calculated. To demonstrate capabilities of SITON v2.0, a hypothetical transient fuel cycle is presented in which a 4-unit VVER-440 reactor park was replaced by one GFR2400 that recycled its own spent fuel. It is found that the GFR2400 can be started if the cooling time of its spent fuel is 2 years. However, if the cooling time is 5 years it needs an additional plutonium feed, which can be covered from the spent fuel of a Generation III light water reactor.

  11. Depletion of gadolinium burnable poison in a PWR assembly with high burnup fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Refeat, Riham Mahmoud [Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (NRRA), Cairo (Egypt). Safety Engineering Dept.

    2015-12-15

    A tendency to increase the discharge burnup of nuclear fuel for Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) has been a characteristic of its operation for many years. It will be able to burn at very high burnup of about 70 GWd/t with UO{sub 2} fuels. The U-235 enrichment must be higher than 5 %, which leads to the necessity of using an extremely efficient burnable poison like Gadolinium oxide. Using gadolinium isotope is significant due to its particular depletion behavior (''Onion-Skin'' effect). In this paper, the MCNPX2.7 code is used to calculate the important neutronic parameters of the next generation fuels of PWR. K-infinity, local peaking factor and fission rate distributions are calculated for a PWR assembly which burn at very high burnup reaching 70 GWd/t. The calculations are performed using the recently released evaluated Gadolinium cross section data. The results obtained are close to those of a LWR next generation fuel benchmark problem. This demonstrates that the calculation scheme used is able to accurately model a PWR assembly that operates at high burnup values.

  12. Effect of burnup on the response of stainless steel-clad mixed-oxide fuels to simulated thermal transients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenske, G.R.; Badyopadhyay, G.

    1981-01-01

    Direct electrical heating experiments were performed on irradiated fuel to study the fuel and cladding response as a function of burnup during a slow thermal transient. The results indicated that the nature and extent of the fuel and cladding behavior depended on the quantity of fission gas retained in the fuel. Fission-gas-driven fuel ejection occurred as the molten cladding flowed down the stack exposing bare, radially unrestrained fuel. The fuel dispersion occurred in the absence of molten fuel and the amount of fuel ejected increased with increasing burnup. 31 refs

  13. Development of a method for xenon determination in the microstructure of high burn-up nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horvath, M. I.

    2008-01-01

    In nuclear fuel, in approximately one quarter of the fissions, one of the two formed fission products is gaseous. These are mainly the noble gases xenon and krypton with isotopes of xenon contributing up to 90% of the product gases. These noble fission gases do not combine with other species, and have a low solubility in the normally used uranium oxide matrix. They can be dissolved in the fuel matrix or precipitate in nanometer-sized bubbles within the fuel grain, in micrometer-sized bubbles at the grain boundaries, and a fraction also precipitates in fuel pores, coming from fuel fabrication. A fraction of the gas can also be released into the plenum of the fuel rod. With increasing fission, and therefore burn-up, the ceramic fuel material experiences a transformation of its structure in the 'cooler' rim region of the fuel. A subdivision occurs of the original fuel grains of few microns size into thousands of small grains of sub-micron sizes. Additionally, larger pores are formed, which also leads into an increasing porosity in the fuel rim, called high burn-up structure. In this structure, only a small fraction of the fission gas remains in the matrix, the major quantity is said to accumulate in these pores. Because of this accumulation, the knowledge of the quantities of gas within these pores is of major interest in consideration to burn-up, fuel performance and especially for safety issues. In case of design based accidents, i.e. rapidly increasing temperature transients, the behavior of the fuel has to be estimated. Various analytical techniques have been used to determine the Xe concentration in nuclear fuel samples. The capabilities of EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyser) and SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) have been studied and provided some qualitative information, which has been used for determining Xe-matrix concentrations. First approaches combining these two techniques to estimate pore pressures have been recently reported. However, relevant Xe

  14. K-infinite trends with burnup, enrichment, and cooling time for BWR fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broadhead, B.L.

    1998-08-01

    This report documents the work performed by ORNL for the Yucca Mountain project (YMP) M and O contractor, Framatome Cogema Fuels. The goal of this work was to obtain k inf values for infinite arrays of flooded boiling-water-reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies as a function of various burnup/enrichment and cooling-time combinations. These scenarios simulate expected limiting criticality loading conditions (for a given assembly type) for drift emplacements in a repository. Upon consultation with the YMP staff, a Quad Cities BWR fuel assembly was selected as a baseline assembly. This design consists of seven axial enrichment zones, three of which contain natural uranium oxide. No attempt was made to find a bounding or even typical assembly design due to the wide variety in fuel assembly designs necessary for consideration. The current work concentrates on establishing a baseline analysis, along with a small number of sensitivity studies which can be expected later if desired. As a result of similar studies of this nature, several effects are known to be important in the determination of the final k inf for spent fuel in a cask-like geometry. For a given enrichment there is an optimal burnup: for lower burnups, excess energy (and corresponding excess reactivity) is present in the fuel assembly; for larger burnups, the assembly is overburned and essentially driven by neighboring fuel assemblies. The majority of the burnup/enrichment scenarios included in this study were for some near-optimum burnup/enrichment combinations as determined from Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Several calculations were performed for under- and over-burned fuel to show these effects

  15. Nuclear fuel activities in Canada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cox, D S [Fuel Development Branch, Chalk River Labs., AECL (Canada)

    1997-12-01

    Nuclear fuel activities in Canada are considered in the presentation on the following directions: Canadian utility fuel performance; CANDU owner`s group fuel programs; AECL advanced fuel program (high burnup fuel behaviour and development); Pu dispositioning (MOX) activities. 1 tab.

  16. Development of base technology for high burnup PWR fuel improvement Volume 1 and 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yang Eun; Lee, Sang Hee; Bae, Seong Man [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center; Chung, Jin Gon; Chung, Sun Kyo; Kim, Sun Du [Korea Atomic Energy Research Inst., Daeduk (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jae Won; Chung, Sun Kyo; Kim, Sun Du [Korea Nuclear Fuel Development Inst., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1995-12-31

    Development of base technology for high burnup nuclear fuel -Development of UO{sub 2} pellet manufacturing technology -Improvement of fuel rod performance code -Improvement of plenum spring design -Study on the mechanical characteristics of fuel cladding -Organization of fuel failure mechanism Establishment of next stage R and D program (author). 226 refs., 100 figs.

  17. Light a CANDLE. An innovative burnup strategy of nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sekimoto, Hiroshi

    2005-11-01

    CANDLE is a new burnup strategy for nuclear reactors, which stands for Constant Axial Shape of Neutron Flux, Nuclide Densities and Power Shape During Life of Energy Production. When this candle-like burnup strategy is adopted, although the fuel is fixed in a reactor core, the burning region moves, at a speed proportionate to the power output, along the direction of the core axis without changing the spatial distribution of the number density of the nuclides, neutron flux, and power density. Excess reactivity is not necessary for burnup and the shape of the power distribution and core characteristics do not change with the progress of burnup. It is not necessary to use control rods for the control of the burnup. This booklet described the concept of the CANDLE burnup strategy with basic explanations of excess neutrons and its specific application to a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor and a fast reactor with excellent neutron economy. Supplementary issues concerning the initial core and high burnup were also referred. (T. Tanaka)

  18. Nuclear fuel cycle simulation system (VISTA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-02-01

    The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (VISTA) is a simulation system which estimates long term nuclear fuel cycle material and service requirements as well as the material arising from the operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and nuclear power reactors. The VISTA model needs isotopic composition of spent nuclear fuel in order to make estimations of the material arisings from the nuclear reactor operation. For this purpose, in accordance with the requirements of the VISTA code, a new module called Calculating Actinide Inventory (CAIN) was developed. CAIN is a simple fuel depletion model which requires a small number of input parameters and gives results in a very short time. VISTA has been used internally by the IAEA for the estimation of: spent fuel discharge from the reactors worldwide, Pu accumulation in the discharged spent fuel, minor actinides (MA) accumulation in the spent fuel, and in the high level waste (HLW) since its development. The IAEA decided to disseminate the VISTA tool to Member States using internet capabilities in 2003. The improvement and expansion of the simulation code and the development of the internet version was started in 2004. A website was developed to introduce the simulation system to the visitors providing a simple nuclear material flow calculation tool. This website has been made available to Member States in 2005. The development work for the full internet version is expected to be fully available to the interested parties from IAEA Member States in 2007 on its website. This publication is the accompanying text which gives details of the modelling and an example scenario

  19. U.S. Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly Characteristics - 1968-2013

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Jianwei [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Peterson, Joshua L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Gauld, Ian C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bowman, Stephen M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-09-01

    Activities related to management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) are increasing in the US and many other countries. Over 240,000 SNF assemblies have been discharged from US commercial reactors since the late 1960s. The enrichment and burnup of SNF have changed significantly over the past 40 years, and fuel assembly designs have also evolved. Understanding the general characteristics of SNF helps regulators and other stakeholders form overall strategies towards the final disposal of US SNF. This report documents a survey of all US commercial SNF assemblies in the GC-859 database and provides reference SNF source terms (e.g., nuclide inventories, decay heat, and neutron/photon emission) at various cooling times up to 200 years after fuel discharge. This study reviews the distribution and evolution of fuel parameters of all SNF assemblies discharged over the past 40 years. Assemblies were categorized into three groups based on discharge year, and the median burnups and enrichments of each group were used to establish representative cases. An extended burnup case was created for boiling water reactor (BWR) fuels, and another was created for the pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuels. Two additional cases were developed to represent the eight mixed oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies in the database. Burnup calculations were performed for each representative case. Realistic parameters for fuel design and operations were used to model the SNF and to provide reference fuel characteristics representative of the current inventory. Burnup calculations were performed using the ORIGEN code, which is part of the SCALE nuclear modeling and simulation code system. Results include total activity, decay heat, photon emission, neutron flux, gamma heat, and plutonium content, as well as concentrations for 115 significant nuclides. These quantities are important in the design, regulation, and operations of SNF storage, transportation, and disposal systems.

  20. Burnup simulations and spent fuel characteristics of ZrO{sub 2} based inert matrix fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schneider, E.A. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Deinert, M.R. [Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States)]. E-mail: mrd6@cornell.edu; Herring, S.T. [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cady, K.B. [Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States)

    2007-03-31

    Reducing the inventory of long lived isotopes that are contained in spent nuclear fuel is essential for maximizing repository capacity and extending the lifetime of related storage. Because of their non-fertile matrices, inert matrix fuels (IMF's) could be an ideal vehicle for using light-water reactors to help decrease the inventory of plutonium and other transuranics (neptunium, americium, curium) that are contained within spent uranium oxide fuel (UOX). Quantifying the characteristics of spent IMF is therefore of fundamental importance to determining its effect on repository design and capacity. We consider six ZrO{sub 2} based IMF formulations with different transuranic loadings in a 1-8 IMF to UOX pin-cell arrangement. Burnup calculations are performed using a collision probability model where transport of neutrons through space is modeled using fuel to moderator transport and escape probabilities. The lethargy dependent neutron flux is treated with a high resolution multigroup thermalization method. The results of the reactor physics model are compared to a benchmark case performed with Montebruns and indicate that the approach yields reliable results applicable to high-level analyses of spent fuel isotopics. The data generated show that a fourfold reduction in the radiological and integrated thermal output is achievable in single recycle using IMF, as compared to direct disposal of an energy equivalent spent UOX.

  1. Research on the interfacial behaviors of plate-type dispersion nuclear fuel elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Qiming; Yan Xiaoqing [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Ding Shurong, E-mail: dsr1971@163.co [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Huo Yongzhong [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

    2010-04-01

    The three-dimensional constitutive relations are constructed, respectively, for the fuel particles, the metal matrix and the cladding of dispersion nuclear fuel elements, allowing for the effects of large deformation and thermal-elastoplasticity. According to the constitutive relations, the method of modeling their irradiation behaviors in ABAQUS is developed and validated. Numerical simulations of the interfacial performances between the fuel meat and the cladding are implemented with the developed finite element models for different micro-structures of the fuel meat. The research results indicate that: (1) the interfacial tensile stresses and shear stresses for some cases will increase with burnup, but the relative stresses will decrease with burnup for some micro-structures; (2) at the lower burnups, the interfacial stresses increase with the particle sizes and the particle volume fractions; however, it is not the case at the higher burnups; (3) the particle distribution characteristics distinctly affect the interfacial stresses, and the face-centered cubic case has the best interfacial performance of the three considered cases.

  2. Modeling of burnup express-estimation for UO{sub 2}-fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Likhanskii, Vladimir V.; Tokarev, Sergey A.; Vilkhivskaya, Olga V., E-mail: vilhivskaya_olga@mail.ru

    2017-03-15

    Highlights: • Proposed engineering model estimates fuel burnup by {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs activity ratio. • Buildup of cesium isotopes relies on changing neutron spectrum in the core cycle. • {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs activity ratios in FAs with Gd-doped fuel rods are analyzed. • Comparison of the model calculations with the NPPs spike measurements is presented. - Abstract: The paper presents the developed engineering model of cesium isotopes production as function of UO{sub 2}-fuel burnup and an assessment of their activity ratios. The model considers the evolution of linear power of gadolinium-doped fuel rods and fuel rods surrounding them in fuel assemblies with high enrichment fuel, harder neutron spectrum, and the changes in cross-sections of neutron reactions in thermal and epithermal energy areas. Parametrical dependences in the model are based on the fuel operation data for nuclear power plants and on the detailed neutronic-physical calculations of the core. Presented are the results of the model calculations for the {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs activity ratios in fuel taking into account the parameter of hardness of the neutron spectrum during the first irradiation cycle for fuel with enrichment ranging from 3.6 wt% in {sup 235}U.

  3. Parallel GPU implementation of PWR reactor burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heimlich, A.; Silva, F.C.; Martinez, A.S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Three GPU algorithms used to evaluate the burn-up in a PWR reactor. • Exhibit speed improvement exceeding 200 times over the sequential. • The C++ container is expansible to accept new nuclides chains. - Abstract: This paper surveys three methods, implemented for multi-core CPU and graphic processor unit (GPU), to evaluate the fuel burn-up in a pressurized light water nuclear reactor (PWR) using the solutions of a large system of coupled ordinary differential equations. The reactor physics simulation of a PWR reactor spends a long execution time with burnup calculations, so performance improvement using GPU can imply in better core design and thus extended fuel life cycle. The results of this study exhibit speed improvement exceeding 200 times over the sequential solver, within 1% accuracy.

  4. Disposal criticality analysis methodology's principal isotope burnup credit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doering, T.W.; Thomas, D.A.

    2001-01-01

    This paper presents the burnup credit aspects of the United States Department of Energy Yucca Mountain Project's methodology for performing criticality analyses for commercial light-water-reactor fuel. The disposal burnup credit methodology uses a 'principal isotope' model, which takes credit for the reduced reactivity associated with the build-up of the primary principal actinides and fission products in irradiated fuel. Burnup credit is important to the disposal criticality analysis methodology and to the design of commercial fuel waste packages. The burnup credit methodology developed for disposal of irradiated commercial nuclear fuel can also be applied to storage and transportation of irradiated commercial nuclear fuel. For all applications a series of loading curves are developed using a best estimate methodology and depending on the application, an additional administrative safety margin may be applied. The burnup credit methodology better represents the 'true' reactivity of the irradiated fuel configuration, and hence the real safety margin, than do evaluations using the 'fresh fuel' assumption. (author)

  5. Nuclear Energy Research Initiative. Development of a Stabilized Light Water Reactor Fuel Matrix for Extended Burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BD Hanson; J Abrefah; SC Marschman; SG Prussin

    2000-01-01

    The main objective of this project is to develop an advanced fuel matrix capable of achieving extended burnup while improving safety margins and reliability for present operations. In the course of this project, the authors improve understanding of the mechanism for high burnup structure (HBS) formation and attempt to design a fuel to minimize its formation. The use of soluble dopants in the UO 2 matrix to stabilize the matrix and minimize fuel-side corrosion of the cladding is the main focus

  6. Sensibility analysis of fuel depletion using different nuclear fuel depletion codes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martins, F.; Velasquez, C.E.; Castro, V.F.; Pereira, C.; Silva, C. A. Mello da, E-mail: felipmartins94@gmail.com, E-mail: carlosvelcab@hotmail.com, E-mail: victorfariascastro@gmail.com, E-mail: claubia@nuclear.ufmg.br, E-mail: clarysson@nuclear.ufmg.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear

    2017-07-01

    Nowadays, the utilization of different nuclear codes to perform the depletion and criticality calculations has been used to simulated nuclear reactors problems. Therefore, the goal is to analyze the sensibility of the fuel depletion of a PWR assembly using three different nuclear fuel depletion codes. The burnup calculations are performed using the codes MCNP5/ORIGEN2.1 (MONTEBURNS), KENO-VI/ORIGEN-S (TRITONSCALE6.0) and MCNPX (MCNPX/CINDER90). Each nuclear code performs the burnup using different depletion codes. Each depletion code works with collapsed energies from a master library in 1, 3 and 63 groups, respectively. Besides, each code uses different ways to obtain neutron flux that influences the depletions calculation. The results present a comparison of the neutronic parameters and isotopes composition such as criticality and nuclides build-up, the deviation in results are going to be assigned to features of the depletion code in use, such as the different radioactive decay internal libraries and the numerical method involved in solving the coupled differential depletion equations. It is also seen that the longer the period is and the more time steps are chosen, the larger the deviation become. (author)

  7. Sensibility analysis of fuel depletion using different nuclear fuel depletion codes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martins, F.; Velasquez, C.E.; Castro, V.F.; Pereira, C.; Silva, C. A. Mello da

    2017-01-01

    Nowadays, the utilization of different nuclear codes to perform the depletion and criticality calculations has been used to simulated nuclear reactors problems. Therefore, the goal is to analyze the sensibility of the fuel depletion of a PWR assembly using three different nuclear fuel depletion codes. The burnup calculations are performed using the codes MCNP5/ORIGEN2.1 (MONTEBURNS), KENO-VI/ORIGEN-S (TRITONSCALE6.0) and MCNPX (MCNPX/CINDER90). Each nuclear code performs the burnup using different depletion codes. Each depletion code works with collapsed energies from a master library in 1, 3 and 63 groups, respectively. Besides, each code uses different ways to obtain neutron flux that influences the depletions calculation. The results present a comparison of the neutronic parameters and isotopes composition such as criticality and nuclides build-up, the deviation in results are going to be assigned to features of the depletion code in use, such as the different radioactive decay internal libraries and the numerical method involved in solving the coupled differential depletion equations. It is also seen that the longer the period is and the more time steps are chosen, the larger the deviation become. (author)

  8. Dissolution studies of spent nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-02-01

    To obtain quantitative data on the dissolution of high burnup spent nuclear fuel, dissolution study have been carried out at the Department of Chemistry, JAERI, from 1984 under the contract with STA entitled 'Reprocessing Test Study of High Burnup Fuel'. In this study PWR spent fuels of 8,400 to 36,100 MWd/t in averaged burnup were dissolved and the chemical composition and distribution of radioactive nuclides were measured for insoluble residue, cladding material (hull), off-gas and dissolved solution. With these analyses basic data concerning the dissolution and clarification process in the reprocessing plant were accumulated. (author)

  9. Burn-up calculation of different thorium-based fuel matrixes in a thermal research reactor using MCNPX 2.6 code

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholamzadeh Zohreh

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Decrease of the economically accessible uranium resources and the inherent proliferation resistance of thorium fuel motivate its application in nuclear power systems. Estimation of the nuclear reactor’s neutronic parameters during different operational situations is of key importance for the safe operation of nuclear reactors. In the present research, thorium oxide fuel burn-up calculations for a demonstrative model of a heavy water- -cooled reactor have been performed using MCNPX 2.6 code. Neutronic parameters for three different thorium fuel matrices loaded separately in the modelled thermal core have been investigated. 233U, 235U and 239Pu isotopes have been used as fissile element in the thorium oxide fuel, separately. Burn-up of three different fuels has been calculated at 1 MW constant power. 135X and 149Sm concentration variations have been studied in the modelled core during 165 days burn-up. Burn-up of thorium oxide enriched with 233U resulted in the least 149Sm and 135Xe productions and net fissile production of 233U after 165 days. The negative fuel, coolant and void reactivity of the used fuel assures safe operation of the modelled thermal core containing (233U-Th O2 matrix. Furthermore, utilisation of thorium breeder fuel demonstrates several advantages, such as good neutronic economy, 233U production and less production of long-lived α emitter high radiotoxic wastes in biological internal exposure point of view

  10. Impacts of burnup-dependent swelling of metallic fuel on the performance of a compact breed-and-burn fast reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hartanto, Donny; Heo, Woong; Kim, Chi Hyung; Kim, Yong Hee [Dept. of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-15

    The U-Zr or U-TRU-Zr cylindrical metallic fuel slug used in fast reactors is known to swell significantly and to grow during irradiation. In neutronics simulations of metallic-fueled fast reactors, it is assumed that the slug has swollen and contacted cladding, and the bonding sodium has been removed from the fuel region. In this research, a realistic burnup-dependent fuel-swelling simulation was performed using Monte Carlo code McCARD for a single-batch compact sodium-cooled breed-and-burn reactor by considering the fuel-swelling behavior reported from the irradiation test results in EBR-II. The impacts of the realistic burnup-dependent fuel swelling are identified in terms of the reactor neutronics performance, such as core lifetime, conversion ratio, axial power distribution, and local burnup distributions. It was found that axial fuel growth significantly deteriorated the neutron economy of a breed-and-burn reactor and consequently impaired its neutronics performance. The bonding sodium also impaired neutron economy, because it stayed longer in the blanket region until the fuel slug reached 2% burnup.

  11. Thermal behaviour of high burnup PWR fuel under different fill gas conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tverberg, T.

    2001-01-01

    During its more than 40 years of existence, a large number of experiments have been carried out at the Halden Reactor Project focusing on different aspects related to nuclear reactor fuel. During recent years, the fuels testing program has mainly been focusing on aspects related to high burnup, in particular in terms of fuel thermal performance and fission gas release, and often involving reinstrumentation of commercially irradiated fuel. The paper describes such an experiment where a PWR rod, previously irradiated in a commercial reactor to a burnup of ∼50 MWd/kgUO 2 , was reinstrumented with a fuel central oxide thermocouple and a cladding extensometer together with a high pressure gas flow line, allowing for different fill gas compositions and pressures to be applied. The paper focuses on the thermal behaviour of such LWR rods with emphasis on how different fill gas conditions influence the fuel temperatures and gap conductance. Rod growth rate was also monitored during the irradiation in the Halden reactor. (author)

  12. Framatome-ANP extended burnup experience and views on LWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esteve, B.; Gueldner, R.; Hoffman, R.; Watteau, M.

    2002-01-01

    In every sense of the term, nuclear fuel forms the core of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Although there are many equipment items important for their safety function or for their participation in NPP availability, the fuel, in essence renewable, is one of the key elements which have to be acted upon if utilities are to be helped to fulfil their mission of generating power in total safety and supplying the kWh to their customers at the best price. Nuclear fuel is also the core business of the Framatome-ANP Fuel Business Group: pooling and rationalising the available skills - technical, cultural and human - supplied by each of the partners forms a challenge which it is up to each and every one to meet in a cooperative spirit. This paper gives an outline of the company's extended burnup experience, current R and D, and its plans for the future. (author)

  13. A complete NUHOMS {sup registered} solution for storage and transport of high burnup spent fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bondre, J. [Transnuclear, Inc. (AREVA Group), Fremont, CA (United States)

    2004-07-01

    The discharge burnups of spent fuel from nuclear power plants keep increasing with plants discharging or planning to discharge fuel with burnups in excess of 60,000 MWD/MTU. Due to limited capacity of spent fuel pools, transfer of older cooler spent fuel from fuel pool to dry storage, and very limited options for transport of spent fuel, there is a critical need for dry storage of high burnup, higher heat load spent fuel so that plants could maintain their full core offload reserve capability. A typical NUHOMS {sup registered} solution for dry spent fuel storage is shown in the Figure 1. Transnuclear, Inc. offers two advanced NUHOMS {sup registered} solutions for the storage and transportation of high burnup fuel. One includes the NUHOMS {sup registered} 24PTH system for plants with 90.7 Metric Ton (MT) crane capacity; the other offers the higher capacity NUHOMS {sup registered} 32PTH system for higher crane capacity. These systems include NUHOMS {sup registered} - 24PTH and -32PTH Transportable Canisters stored in a concrete storage overpack (HSM-H). These canisters are designed to meet all the requirements of both storage and transport regulations. They are designed to be transported off-site either directly from the spent fuel pool or from the storage overpack in a suitable transport cask.

  14. iBEST: a program for burnup history estimation of spent fuels based on ORIGEN-S

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Do Yeon; Hong, Ser Gi; Ahn, Gil Hoon

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we describe a computer program, iBEST (inverse Burnup ESTimator), that we developed to accurately estimate the burnup histories of spent nuclear fuels based on sample measurement data. The burnup history parameters include initial uranium enrichment, burnup, cooling time after discharge from reactor, and reactor type. The program uses algebraic equations derived using the simplified burnup chains of major actinides for initial estimations of burnup and uranium enrichment, and it uses the ORIGEN-S code to correct its initial estimations for improved accuracy. In addition, we newly developed a stable bisection method coupled with ORIGEN-S to correct burnup and enrichment values and implemented it in iBEST in order to fully take advantage of the new capabilities of ORIGEN-S for improving accuracy. The iBEST program was tested using several problems for verification and well-known realistic problems with measurement data from spent fuel samples from the Mihama-3 reactor for validation. The test results show that iBEST accurately estimates the burnup history parameters for the test problems and gives an acceptable level of accuracy for the realistic Mihama-3 problems

  15. Burnup verification tests with the FORK measurement system-implementation for burnup credit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.I.

    1994-01-01

    Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. It was designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards program and is well suited to verify burnup and cooling time records at commercial Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) sites. This report deals with the application of the FORK system to burnup credit operations

  16. Effects of Burnable Absorbers on PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Leary, P.M.; Pitts, M.L.

    2000-01-01

    Burnup credit is an ongoing issue in designing and licensing transportation and storage casks for spent nuclear fuel (SNF). To address this issue, in July 1999, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Spent Fuel Project Office, issued Interim Staff Guidance-8 (ISG-8), Revision 1 allowing limited burnup credit for pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to be used in transport and storage casks. However, one of the key limitations for a licensing basis analysis as stipulated in ISG-8, Revision 1 is that ''burnup credit is restricted to intact fuel assemblies that have not used burnable absorbers''. Because many PWR fuel designs have incorporated burnable-absorber rods for more than twenty years, this restriction places an unnecessary burden on the commercial nuclear power industry. This paper summarizes the effects of in-reactor irradiation on the isotopic inventory of PWR fuels containing different types of integral burnable absorbers (BAs). The work presented is illustrative and intended to represent typical magnitudes of the reactivity effects from depleting PWR fuel with different types of burnable absorbers

  17. Probabilistic assessment of dry transport with burnup credit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lake, W.H.

    2003-01-01

    The general concept of probabilistic analysis and its application to the use of burnup credit in spent fuel transport is explored. Discussion of the probabilistic analysis method is presented. The concepts of risk and its perception are introduced, and models are suggested for performing probability and risk estimates. The general probabilistic models are used for evaluating the application of burnup credit for dry spent nuclear fuel transport. Two basic cases are considered. The first addresses the question of the relative likelihood of exceeding an established criticality safety limit with and without burnup credit. The second examines the effect of using burnup credit on the overall risk for dry spent fuel transport. Using reasoned arguments and related failure probability and consequence data analysis is performed to estimate the risks of using burnup credit for dry transport of spent nuclear fuel. (author)

  18. Advances in Metallic Fuels for High Burnup and Actinide Transmutation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayes, S. L.; Harp, J. M.; Chichester, H. J. M.; Fielding, R. S.; Mariani, R. D.; Carmack, W. J.

    2016-10-01

    Research and development activities on metallic fuels in the US are focused on their potential use for actinide transmutation in future sodium fast reactors. As part of this application, there is a desire to demonstrate a multifold increase in burnup potential. A number of metallic fuel design innovations are under investigation with a view toward significantly increasing the burnup potential of metallic fuels, since higher discharge burnups equate to lower potential actinide losses during recycle. Promising innovations under investigation include: 1) lowering the fuel smeared density in order to accommodate the additional swelling expected as burnups increase, 2) utilizing an annular fuel geometry for better geometrical stability at low smeared densities, as well as the potential to eliminate the need for a sodium bond, and 3) minor alloy additions to immobilize lanthanide fission products inside the metallic fuel matrix and prevent their transport to the cladding resulting in fuel-cladding chemical interaction. This paper presents results from these efforts to advance metallic fuel technology in support of high burnup and actinide transmutation objectives. Highlights include examples of fabrication of low smeared density annular metallic fuels, experiments to identify alloy additions effective in immobilizing lanthanide fission products, and early postirradiation examinations of annular metallic fuels having low smeared densities and palladium additions for fission product immobilization.

  19. On the thermal conductivity of UO2 nuclear fuel at a high burn-up of around 100 MWd/kgHM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walker, C.T.; Staicu, D.; Sheindlin, M.; Papaioannou, D.; Goll, W.; Sontheimer, F.

    2006-01-01

    A study of the thermal conductivity of a commercial PWR fuel with an average pellet burn-up of 102 MWd/kgHM is described. The thermal conductivity data reported were derived from the thermal diffusivity measured by the laser flash method. The factors determining the fuel thermal conductivity at high burn-up were elucidated by investigating the recovery that occurred during thermal annealing. It was found that the thermal conductivity in the outer region of the fuel was much higher than it would have been if the high burn-up structure were not present. The increase in thermal conductivity is a consequence of the removal of fission products and radiation defects from the fuel lattice during recrystallisation of the fuel grains (an integral part of the formation process of the high burn-up structure). The gas porosity in the high burn-up structure lowers the increase in thermal conductivity caused by recrystallisation

  20. Analysis of burnup of Angra 2 PWR nuclear with addition of thorium dioxide fuel using ORIGEN-ARP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goncalves, Isadora C.; Wichrowski, Caio C.; Oliveira, Claudio L. de; Vellozo, Sergio O.; Baptista, Camila O., E-mail: isadora.goncalves@ime.eb.br, E-mail: wichrowski@ime.eb.br, E-mail: d7luiz@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: vellozo@ime.eb.br, E-mail: camila.oliv.baptista@gmail.com [Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Secao de Engenharia Nuclear

    2017-11-01

    It is known that isotope {sup 232}thorium is a fertile nuclide with the ability to convert into {sup 233}uranium, a potentially fissile isotope, after absorbing a neutron. As there is a large stock of available thorium in the world, this element shows great promise in mitigate the world energy crisis, more particularly in the problem of uranium scarcity, besides being an alternative nuclear fuel for those currently used in reactors, and yet presenting advantages as an option for the non-proliferation movement, among others. In this study, the analysis of the remaining nuclides of burnup was carried out for the core configuration of a PWR (pressurized water reactor) reactor, specifically the Angra 2 reactor, using only uranium dioxide, its current configuration, and in different configurations including a mixed oxide of uranium and thorium in three concentrations, allowing a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of the modification of the fuel, the resulting production of {sup 233}uranium, the emergence of {sup 231}protactinium (an isotope that only occurs as a fission product of {sup 232}Th) resulting from burning. The study was carried out using data obtained from FSAR (Final Safety Analysis Report) of Angra 2, using the SCALE 6.1, a modeling and simulation nuclear code, especially its ORIGEN-ARP module, which analyzes the depletion of isotopes presents in a reactor. (author)

  1. Analysis of burnup of Angra 2 PWR nuclear with addition of thorium dioxide fuel using ORIGEN-ARP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goncalves, Isadora C.; Wichrowski, Caio C.; Oliveira, Claudio L. de; Vellozo, Sergio O.; Baptista, Camila O.

    2017-01-01

    It is known that isotope "2"3"2thorium is a fertile nuclide with the ability to convert into "2"3"3uranium, a potentially fissile isotope, after absorbing a neutron. As there is a large stock of available thorium in the world, this element shows great promise in mitigate the world energy crisis, more particularly in the problem of uranium scarcity, besides being an alternative nuclear fuel for those currently used in reactors, and yet presenting advantages as an option for the non-proliferation movement, among others. In this study, the analysis of the remaining nuclides of burnup was carried out for the core configuration of a PWR (pressurized water reactor) reactor, specifically the Angra 2 reactor, using only uranium dioxide, its current configuration, and in different configurations including a mixed oxide of uranium and thorium in three concentrations, allowing a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of the modification of the fuel, the resulting production of "2"3"3uranium, the emergence of "2"3"1protactinium (an isotope that only occurs as a fission product of "2"3"2Th) resulting from burning. The study was carried out using data obtained from FSAR (Final Safety Analysis Report) of Angra 2, using the SCALE 6.1, a modeling and simulation nuclear code, especially its ORIGEN-ARP module, which analyzes the depletion of isotopes presents in a reactor. (author)

  2. Burnup credit feasibility for BWR spent fuel shipments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broadhead, B.L.

    1990-01-01

    Considerable interest in the allowance of reactivity credit for the exposure history of power reactor fuel currently exists. This ''burnup credit'' issue has the potential to greatly reduce risk and cost when applied to the design and certification of spent of fuel casks used for transportation and storage. Analyses 1 have shown the feasibility estimated the risk and economic incentives for allowing burnup credit in pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel shipping cask applications. This paper summarizes the extension of the previous PWR feasibility assessments to boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel. As with the PWR analysis, the purpose was not verification of burnup credit (see ref. 2 for ongoing work in this area) but a reasonable assessment of the feasibility and potential gains from its use in BWR applications. This feasibility analysis aims to apply simple methods that adequately characterize the time-dependent isotopic compositions of typical BWR fuel. An initial analysis objective was to identify a simple and reliable method for characterizing BWR spent fuel. The method includes characterization of a typical pin-cell spectrum, using a one-dimensional (1-D) model of a BWR assembly. The calculated spectrum allows burnup-dependent few-group material constants to be generated. Point depletion methods were then used to obtain the time-varying characteristics of the fuel. These simple methods were validated, where practical, with multidimensional methods. 6 refs., 1 tab

  3. BNFL assessment of methods of attaining high burnup MOX fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, C.; Hesketh, K.W.; Palmer, I.D.

    1998-01-01

    It is clear that in order to maintain competitiveness with UO 2 fuel, the burnups achievable in MOX fuel must be enhanced beyond the levels attainable today. There are two aspects which require attention when studying methods of increased burnups - cladding integrity and fuel performance. Current irradiation experience indicates that one of the main performance issues for MOX fuel is fission gas retention. MOX, with its lower thermal conductivity, runs at higher temperatures than UO 2 fuel; this can result in enhanced fission gas release. This paper explores methods of effectively reducing gas release and thereby improving MOX burnup potential. (author)

  4. Comparative study on plutonium and MA recycling in equilibrium burnup and standard burnup of PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waris, Abdul; Kurniadi, Rizal; Su'ud, Zaki; Permana, Sidik

    2005-01-01

    The equilibrium burnup model is a powerful method since its can handle all possible generated nuclides in any nuclear system. Moreover, this method is a simple time independent method. Hence the equilibrium burnup method could be very useful for evaluating and forecasting the characteristics of any nuclear fuel cycle, even the strange one, e.g. all nuclides are confined in the reactor. However, this method needs to be verified since the method is not a standard tool. The present study aimed to compare the characteristics of plutonium recycling and plutonium and minor actinides (MA) recycling in PWR with the equilibrium burnup and the standard burnup. In order to become more comprehensive study, an influence of moderator-to-fuel volume ratio (MFR) changes by changing the pin-pitch of fuel cell has been evaluated. The MFR ranges from 0.5 to 4.0. For the equilibrium burnup we used equilibrium cell-burnup code. We have employed 1368 nuclides in the equilibrium calculation with 129 of them are heavy metals (HMs). For standard burnup, SRAC2002 code has been utilized with 26 HMs and 66 fission products (FPs). The JENDL 3.2 library has been employed for both burnup schemes. The uranium, plutonium and MA vector, which resulted from the equilibrium burnup are directly used as fuel input composition for the standard burnup calculation. Both burnup results demonstrate that plutonium recycling and plutonium and MA recycling can be conducted safer in tight lattice core. They are also show the similar trend in neutron spectrum, which become harder with the increasing number of recycled heavy nuclides as well as the decreasing of the MFR values. However, there are some discrepancy on the effective multiplication factor and the conversion ratio, especially for the reactor core for MFR ≥ 2.0. (author)

  5. Discharge Burnup Evaluation of Natural Uranium Loaded CANFLEX-43 Fuel Bundle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roh, Gyu Hong; Kim, Yong Hee; Kim, Won Young; Park, Joo Hwan

    2009-11-01

    Using WIMS-AECL code, which is 2-dimensional lattice core used in CANDU physics calculation, the discharge burnup of the natural uranium loaded CANFLEX-43 fuel bundle was evaluated by comparing the discharge burnup of standard 37 element fuel bundle. When the discharge burnup of the standard 37 element fuel is 7,200 MWd/MTU, that of the CANFLEX 43 fuel bundle was evaluated as 7,077 MWd/MTU, by applying the same lattice conditions for both fuel bundles

  6. Method of fueling for a nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igarashi, Takao.

    1983-01-01

    Purpose: To enable the monitoring of reactor power with sufficient accuracy, upon starting even without existence of neutron source in case of a low average burnup degree in the reactor core. Constitution: Each of fuel assemblies is charged such that neutron source region monitors for the start-up system in a reactor core neutron instrumentation system having nuclear fuel assemblies and a neutron instrumentation system are surrounded with 4 or 16 fuel assemblies of a low burnup degree. Then, the average burnup degree of the fuel assemblies surrounding the neutron source region monitors are increased than the reactor core burnup degree, whereby neutrons released from the peripheral fuels are increased, sufficient number of neutron counts can be obtained even with no neutron sources upon start-up and the reactor power can be monitored at a sufficient accuracy. (Sekiya, K.)

  7. Technical Development on Burn-up Credit for Spent LWR Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gauld, I.C.

    2001-12-26

    Technical development on burn-up credit for spent LWR fuels had been performed at JAERI since 1990 under the contract with Science and Technology Agency of Japan entitled ''Technical Development on Criticality Safety Management for Spent LWR Fuels.'' Main purposes of this work are to obtain the experimental data on criticality properties and isotopic compositions of spent LWR fuels and to verify burnup and criticality calculation codes. In this work three major experiments of exponential experiments for spent fuel assemblies to obtain criticality data, non-destructive gamma-ray measurement of spent fuel rods for evaluating axial burn-up profiles, and destructive analyses of spent fuel samples for determining precise burn-up and isotopic compositions were carried out. The measured data obtained were used for validating calculation codes as well as an examination of criticality safety analyses. Details of the work are described in this report.

  8. Technical development on burn-up credit for spent LWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakahara, Yoshinori; Suyama, Kenya; Suzaki, Takenori

    2000-10-01

    Technical development on burn-up credit for spent LWR fuels had been performed at JAERI since 1990 under the contract with Science and Technology Agency of Japan entitled 'Technical Development on Criticality Safety Management for Spent LWR Fuels'. Main purposes of this work are to obtain the experimental data on criticality properties and isotopic compositions of spent LWR fuels and to verify burn-up and criticality calculation codes. In this work three major experiments of exponential experiments for spent fuel assemblies to obtain criticality data, non-destructive gamma-ray measurement of spent fuel rods for evaluating axial burn-up profiles, and destructive analyses of spent fuel samples for determining precise burn-up and isotopic compositions were carried out. The measured data obtained were used for validating calculation codes as well as an examination of criticality safety analyses. Details of the work are described in this report. (author)

  9. Technical development on burn-up credit for spent LWR fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakahara, Yoshinori; Suyama, Kenya; Suzaki, Takenori [eds.] [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    2000-10-01

    Technical development on burn-up credit for spent LWR fuels had been performed at JAERI since 1990 under the contract with Science and Technology Agency of Japan entitled 'Technical Development on Criticality Safety Management for Spent LWR Fuels'. Main purposes of this work are to obtain the experimental data on criticality properties and isotopic compositions of spent LWR fuels and to verify burn-up and criticality calculation codes. In this work three major experiments of exponential experiments for spent fuel assemblies to obtain criticality data, non-destructive gamma-ray measurement of spent fuel rods for evaluating axial burn-up profiles, and destructive analyses of spent fuel samples for determining precise burn-up and isotopic compositions were carried out. The measured data obtained were used for validating calculation codes as well as an examination of criticality safety analyses. Details of the work are described in this report. (author)

  10. Implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dyck, H.P.

    2001-01-01

    Improved calculational methods allow one to take credit for the reactivity reduction associated with fuel burnup. This means reducing the analysis conservatism while maintaining an adequate safety margin. The motivation for using burnup credit in criticality safety applications is based on economic considerations and additional benefits contributing to public health and safety and resource conservation. Interest in the implementation of burnup credit has been shown by many countries. In 1997, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started a task to monitor the implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems, to provide a forum to exchange information, to discuss the matter and to gather and disseminate information on the status of national practices of burnup credit implementation in the Member States. The task addresses current and future aspects of burnup credit. This task was continued during the following years. (author)

  11. Burnup verification using the FORK measurement system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.I.

    1994-01-01

    Verification measurements may be used to help ensure nuclear criticality safety when burnup credit is applied to spent fuel transport and storage systems. The FORK measurement system, designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards program, has been used to verify reactor site records for burnup and cooling time for many years. The FORK system measures the passive neutron and gamma-ray emission from spent fuel assemblies while in the storage pool. This report deals with the application of the FORK system to burnup credit operations based on measurements performed on spent fuel assemblies at the Oconee Nuclear Station of Duke Power Company

  12. Fuel cycle cost considerations of increased discharge burnups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scherpereel, L.R.; Frank, F.J.

    1982-01-01

    Evaluations are presented that indicate the attainment of increased discharge burnups in light water reactors will depend on economic factors particular to individual operators. In addition to pure resource conserving effects and assuming continued reliable fuel performance, a substantial economic incentive must exist to justify the longer operating times necessary to achieve higher burnups. Whether such incentive will exist or not will depend on relative price levels of all fuel cycle cost components, utility operating practices, and resolution of uncertainties associated with the back-end of the fuel cycle. It is concluded that implementation of increased burnups will continue at a graduated pace similar to past experience, rather than finding universal acceptance of particular increased levels at any particular time

  13. ANTQ evolutionary algorithm applied to nuclear fuel reload problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machado, Liana; Schirru, Roberto

    2000-01-01

    Nuclear fuel reload optimization is a NP-complete combinatorial optimization problem where the aim is to find fuel rods' configuration that maximizes burnup or minimizes the power peak factor. For decades this problem was solved exclusively using an expert's knowledge. From the eighties, however, there have been efforts to automatize fuel reload. The first relevant effort used Simulated Annealing, but more recent publications show Genetic Algorithm's (GA) efficiency on this problem's solution. Following this direction, our aim is to optimize nuclear fuel reload using Ant-Q, a reinforcement learning algorithm based on the Cellular Computing paradigm. Ant-Q's results on the Travelling Salesmen Problem, which is conceptually similar to fuel reload, are better than the GA's ones. Ant-Q was tested on fuel reload by the simulation of the first cycle in-out reload of Bibils, a 193 fuel element PWR. Comparing An-Q's result with the GA's ones, it can b seen that even without a local heuristics, the former evolutionary algorithm can be used to solve the nuclear fuel reload problem. (author)

  14. Fission Gas Release in LWR Fuel Rods Exhibiting Very High Burn-Up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlsen, H.

    1980-01-01

    Two UO2Zr BWR type test fuel rods were irradiated to a burn-up of about 38000 MWd/tUO2. After non-destructive characterization, the fission gas released to the internal free volume was extracted and analysed. The irradiation was simulated by means of the Danish fuel performance code WAFER-2, which...

  15. Modelling of phenomena associated with high burnup fuel behaviour during overpower transients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sills, H.E.; Langman, V.J.; Iglesias, F.C.

    1995-01-01

    Phenomena of importance to the behaviour of high burnup fuel subjected to conditions of rapid overpower (i.e., LWR RIAs) include the change in cladding material properties due to irradiation, pellet-clad interaction (PCI) and 'rim' effects associated with the periphery of high burnup fuel. 'Rim' effects are postulated to be caused by changes in fuel morphology at high burnup. Typical discharge burnups for CANDU fuel are low compared to LWRs. Maximum linear ratings for CANDU fuel are higher than those for LWRs. However, under normal operating conditions, the Zircaloy-4 clad of the CANDU fuel is collapsed onto the fuel stack. Thus, the CANDU fuel performance codes model the transient behaviour of the fuel-to-clad interface and are capable of assessing the potential for pellet-clad mechanical interaction (PCMI) failures for a wide range of overpower conditions. This report provides a discussion of the modelling of the phenomena of importance to high burnup fuel behaviour during rapid overpower transients. (author)

  16. Investigation of very high burnup UO{sub 2} fuels in Light Water Reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cappia, Fabiola

    2017-03-27

    Historically, the average discharge burnup of Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel has increased almost continuously. On one side, increase in the average discharge burnup is attractive because it contributes to decrease part of the fuel cycle costs. On the other side, it raises the practical problem of predicting the performance, longevity and properties of reactor fuel elements upon accumulation of irradiation damage and fission products both during in-reactor operation and after discharge. Performance of the fuel and structural components of the core is one of the critical areas on which the economic viability and public acceptance of nuclear energy production hinges. Along the pellet radius, the fuel matrix is subjected to extremely heterogeneous alteration and damage, as a result of temperature and burnup gradients. In particular, in the peripheral region of LWR UO{sub 2} fuel pellets, when the local burnup exceeds 50-70 GWd/tHM, a microstructural transformation starts to take place, as a consequence of enhanced accumulation of radiation damage, fission products and limited thermal recovery. The newly formed structure is commonly named High Burnup Structure (HBS). The HBS is characterised by three main features: (a) formation of submicrometric grains from the original grains, (b) depletion of fission gas from the fuel matrix, (c) steep increase in the porosity, which retains most of the gas depleted from the fuel matrix. The last two aspects rose significant attention because of the important impact of the fission gas behaviour on integral fuel performance. The porosity increase controls the gas-driven swelling, worsening the cladding loading once the fuel-cladding gap is closed. Another concern is that the large retention of fission gas within the HBS could lead to significant release at high burnups through the degradation of thermal conductivity or contribute to fuel pulverisation during accidental conditions. Need of more experimental investigations about the

  17. TRIGA fuel element burnup determination by measurement and calculation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zagar, T.; Ravnik, M.; Persic, A.; Jeraj, R.

    2000-01-01

    To estimate the accuracy of the fuel element burnup calculation different factors influencing the calculation were studied. To cover different aspects of burnup calculations, two in-house developed computer codes were used in calculations. The first (TRIGAP) is based on a one-dimensional two-group diffusion approximation, and the second (TRIGLAV) is based on a two-dimensional four-group diffusion equation. Both codes use WIMSD program with different libraries forunit-cell cross section data calculation. The burnup accumulated during the operating history of the TRIGA reactor at Josef Stefan Institute was calculated for all fuel elements. Elements used in the core during this period were standard SS 8.5% fuel elements, standard SS 12% fuel elements and highly enriched FLIP fuel elements. During the considerable period of operational history, FLIP and standard fuel elements were used simultaneously in mixed cores. (authors)

  18. Development and preliminary analyses of material balance evaluation model in nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumura, Tetsuo

    1994-01-01

    Material balance evaluation model in nuclear fuel cycle has been developed using ORIGEN-2 code as basic engine. This model has feature of: It can treat more than 1000 nuclides including minor actinides and fission products. It has flexibility of modeling and graph output using a engineering work station. I made preliminary calculation of LWR fuel high burnup effect (reloading fuel average burnup of 60 GWd/t) on nuclear fuel cycle. The preliminary calculation shows LWR fuel high burnup has much effect on Japanese Pu balance problem. (author)

  19. Fuel element burnup measurements for the equilibrium LEU silicide RSG GAS (MPR-30) core under a new fuel management strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinem, Surian; Liem, Peng Hong; Sembiring, Tagor Malem; Surbakti, Tukiran

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Burnup measurement of fuel elements comprising the new equilibrium LEU silicide core of RSG GAS. • The burnup measurement method is based on a linear relationship between reactivity and burnup. • Burnup verification was conducted using an in-house, in-core fuel management code BATAN-FUEL. • A good agreement between the measured and calculated burnup was confirmed. • The new fuel management strategy was confirmed and validated. - Abstract: After the equilibrium LEU silicide core of RSG GAS was achieved, there was a strong need to validate the new fuel management strategy by measuring burnup of fuel elements comprising the core. Since the regulatory body had a great concern on the safety limit of the silicide fuel element burnup, amongst the 35 burnt fuel elements we selected 22 fuel elements with high burnup classes i.e. from 20 to 53% loss of U-235 (declared values) for the present measurements. The burnup measurement method was based on a linear relationship between reactivity and burnup where the measurements were conducted under subcritical conditions using two fission counters of the reactor startup channel. The measurement results were compared with the declared burnup evaluated by an in-house in-core fuel management code, BATAN-FUEL. A good agreement between the measured burnup values and the calculated ones was found within 8% uncertainties. Possible major sources of differences were identified, i.e. large statistical errors (i.e. low fission counters’ count rates), variation of initial U-235 loading per fuel element and accuracy of control rod indicators. The measured burnup of the 22 fuel elements provided the confirmation of the core burnup distribution planned for the equilibrium LEU silicide core under the new fuel management strategy.

  20. Investigation and basic evaluation for ultra-high burnup fuel cladding material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ioka, Ikuo; Nagase, Fumihisa; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

    2001-03-01

    In ultra-high burnup of the power reactor, it is an essential problem to develop the cladding with excellent durability. First, development history and approach of the safety assessment of Zircaloy for the high burnup fuel were summarized in the report. Second, the basic evaluation and investigation were carried out on the material with high practicability in order to select the candidate materials for the ultra-high burnup fuel. In addition, the basic research on modification technology of the cladding surface was carried out from the viewpoint of the addition of safety margin as a cladding. From the development history of the zirconium alloy including the Zircaloy, it is hard to estimate the results of in-pile test from those of the conventional corrosion test (out-pile test). Therefore, the development of the new testing technology that can simulate the actual environment and the elucidation of the corrosion-controlling factor of the cladding are desired. In cases of RIA (Reactivity Initiated Accident) and LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident), it seems that the loss of ductility in zirconium alloys under heavy irradiation and boiling of high temperature water restricts the extension of fuel burnup. From preliminary evaluation on the high corrosion-resistance materials (austenitic stainless steel, iron or nickel base superalloys, titanium alloy, niobium alloy, vanadium alloy and ferritic stainless steel), stabilized austenitic stainless steels with a capability of future improvement and high-purity niobium alloys with a expectation of the good corrosion resistance were selected as candidate materials of ultra-high burnup cladding. (author)

  1. UO2 fuel behaviour at rod burn-ups up to 105 MWd/kgHM. A review of 10 years of high burn-up examinations commissioned by AREVA NP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goll, W.; Hoffmann, P.B.; Hellwig, C.; Sauser, W.; Spino, J.; Walker, C.T.

    2007-01-01

    Irradiation experience gained on fuel rods with burn-ups greater than 60 MWd/kgHM irradiated in the Nuclear Power Plant Goesgen, Switzerland, is described. Emphasis is placed on the fuel behaviour, which has been analysed by hot cell examinations at the Institute for Transuranium Elements and the Paul-Scherrer-Institute. Above 60 MWd/kgHM, the so-called high burn-up structure (HBS) forms and the fission gas release increases with burn-up and rod power. Examinations performed in the outer region of the fuel revealed that most if not all of the fission gas created was retained in the HBS, even at 25% porosity. Furthermore, the HBS has a relatively low swelling rate, greatly increased plasticity, and its thermal conductivity is higher than expected from the porosity. The post-irradiation examinations showed that the HBS has no detrimental effects on the performance of stationary irradiated PWR fuel irradiated to the high burn-ups that can be achieved with 5 wt% U-235 enrichment. On the contrary, the HBS results in fuel performance that is generally better than it would have been if the HBS had not formed. (orig.)

  2. Needs of reliable nuclear data and covariance matrices for Burnup Credit in JEFF-3 library

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chambon, A.; Santamarina, A.; Riffard, C.; Lavaud, F.; Lecarpentier, D.

    2013-01-01

    Burnup Credit (BUC) is the concept which consists in taking into account credit for the reduction of nuclear spent fuel reactivity due to its burnup. In the case of PWR-MOx spent fuel, studies pointed out that the contribution of the 15 most absorbing, stable and non-volatile fission products selected to the credit is as important as the one of the actinides. In order to get a 'best estimate' value of the keff, biases of their inventory calculation and individual reactivity worth should be considered in criticality safety studies. This paper enhances the most penalizing bias towards criticality and highlights possible improvements of nuclear data for the 15 fission products (FPs) of PWR-MOx BUC. Concerning the fuel inventory, trends in function of the burnup can be derived from experimental validation of the DARWIN-2.3 package (using the JEFF- 3.1.1/SHEM library). Thanks to the BUC oscillation programme of separated FPs in the MINERVE reactor and fully validated scheme PIMS, calculation over experiment ratios can be accurately transposed to tendencies on the FPs integral cross sections. (authors)

  3. Future trends in nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guitierrez, J.E.

    2006-01-01

    This series of transparencies presents: the fuel management cycle and key areas (security of supplies, strategies and core management, reliability, spent fuel management), the world nuclear generating capacity, concentrate capacity, enrichment capacity, and manufacturing capacity forecasts, the fuel cycle strategies and core management (longer cycles, higher burnups, power up-rates, higher enrichments), the Spanish nuclear generation cost, the fuel reliability (no defects, robust designs, operational margins, integrated fuel and core design), spent fuel storage (design and safety criteria, fuel performance and integrity). (J.S.)

  4. Development of a method for xenon determination in the microstructure of high burn-up nuclear fuel[Dissertation 17527

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Horvath, M. I

    2008-07-01

    In nuclear fuel, in approximately one quarter of the fissions, one of the two formed fission products is gaseous. These are mainly the noble gases xenon and krypton with isotopes of xenon contributing up to 90% of the product gases. These noble fission gases do not combine with other species, and have a low solubility in the normally used uranium oxide matrix. They can be dissolved in the fuel matrix or precipitate in nanometer-sized bubbles within the fuel grain, in micrometer-sized bubbles at the grain boundaries, and a fraction also precipitates in fuel pores, coming from fuel fabrication. A fraction of the gas can also be released into the plenum of the fuel rod. With increasing fission, and therefore burn-up, the ceramic fuel material experiences a transformation of its structure in the 'cooler' rim region of the fuel. A subdivision occurs of the original fuel grains of few microns size into thousands of small grains of sub-micron sizes. Additionally, larger pores are formed, which also leads into an increasing porosity in the fuel rim, called high burn-up structure. In this structure, only a small fraction of the fission gas remains in the matrix, the major quantity is said to accumulate in these pores. Because of this accumulation, the knowledge of the quantities of gas within these pores is of major interest in consideration to burn-up, fuel performance and especially for safety issues. In case of design based accidents, i.e. rapidly increasing temperature transients, the behavior of the fuel has to be estimated. Various analytical techniques have been used to determine the Xe concentration in nuclear fuel samples. The capabilities of EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyser) and SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) have been studied and provided some qualitative information, which has been used for determining Xe-matrix concentrations. First approaches combining these two techniques to estimate pore pressures have been recently reported. However

  5. Micrographic study on distribution of fission products in high burn-up metallic alloy fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolay, S.; Basu, M.; Das, D.

    2012-01-01

    One of the important mandates in the three-stage nuclear power generation programme of India is to utilize uranium-plutonium based alloy fuels in enabling shorter doubling time for breeding of the fissile isotopes ( 239 Pu and 233 U ) to be used in thorium based driver fuel in the third stage. Reported information shows the successful performance of alloy fuel with somewhat porous matrix in achieving 10-15 atom% burnup. The porosity and microstructure of these alloys are strongly dependent on their composition and phases present. Porosity also influences the extent of fuel swelling and gas release. So to assess fuel performance and fuel integrity under high burn-up condition it is essential to have knowledge about the new phases formed and their redistribution that occurs as a result of inter-diffusion and temperature gradient. This study addresses these issues taking the base alloy U-10 wt %Zr

  6. Review of the IAEA nuclear fuel cycle and material section activities connected with nuclear fuel including WWER fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sokolov, F.

    2001-01-01

    Program activities on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials cover the areas of: 1) raw materials (B.1.01); 2) fuel performance and technology (B.1.02); 3) pent fuel (B.1.03); 4) fuel cycle issues and information system (B.1.04); 5) support to technical cooperation activities (B.1.05). The IAEA activities in fuel performance and technology in 2001 include organization of the fuel experts meetings and completion of the Co-ordinate Research Projects (CRP). The special attention is given to the advanced post-irradiation examination techniques for water reactor fuel and fuel behavior under transients and LOCA conditions. An international research program on modeling of activity transfer in primary circuit of NPP is finalized in 2001. A new CRP on fuel modeling at extended burnup (FUMEX II) has planed to be carried out during the period 2002-2006. In the area of spent fuel management the implementation of burnup credit (BUC) in spent fuel management systems has motivated to be used in criticality safety applications, based on economic consideration. An overview of spent fuel storage policy accounting new fuel features as higher enrichment and final burnup, usage of MOX fuel and prolongation of the term of spent fuel storage is also given

  7. Fuel element burnup determination in HEU-LEU mixed TRIGA research reactor core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zagar, Tomaz; Ravnik, Matjaz

    2000-01-01

    This paper presents the results of a burnup calculations and burnup measurements for TRIGA FLIP HEU fuel elements and standard TRIGA LEU fuel elements used simultaneously in small TRIGA Mark II research reactor in Ljubljana, Slovenija. The fuel element burnup for approximately 15 years of operation was calculated with two different in house computer codes TRIGAP and TRIGLAV (both codes are available at OECD NEA Data Bank). The calculation is performed in one-dimensional radial geometry in TRIGAP and in two-dimensional (r,φ) geometry in TRIGLAV. Inter-comparison of results shows important influence of in-core water gaps, irradiation channels and mixed rings on burnup calculation accuracy. Burnup of 5 HEU and 27 LEU fuel elements was also measured with reactivity method. Measured and calculated burnup values are inter-compared for these elements (author)

  8. SFCOMPO: A new database of isotopic compositions of spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michel-Sendis, Franco; Gauld, Ian

    2014-01-01

    The numerous applications of nuclear fuel depletion simulations impact all areas related to nuclear safety. They are at the basis of, inter alia, spent fuel criticality safety analyses, reactor physics calculations, burn-up credit methodologies, decay heat thermal analyses, radiation shielding, reprocessing, waste management, deep geological repository safety studies and safeguards. Experimentally determined nuclide compositions of well-characterised spent nuclear fuel (SNF) samples are used to validate the accuracy of depletion code predictions for a given burn-up. At the same time, the measured nuclide composition of the sample is used to determine the burn-up of the fuel. It is therefore essential to have a reliable and well-qualified database of measured nuclide concentrations and relevant reactor operational data that can be used as experimental benchmark data for depletion codes and associated nuclear data. The Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Database (SFCOMPO) has been hosted by the NEA since 2001. In 2012, a collaborative effort led by the NEA Data Bank and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the United States, under the guidance of the NEA Expert Group on Assay Data of Spent Nuclear Fuel (EGADSNF) of the Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS), has resulted in the creation of an enhanced relational database structure and a significant expansion of the SFCOMPO database, which now contains experimental assay data for a wider selection of international reactor designs. The new database was released online in 2014. This new SFCOMPO database aims to provide access to open experimental SNF assay data to ensure their preservation and to facilitate their qualification as evaluated assay data suitable for the validation of methodologies used to predict the composition of irradiated nuclear fuel. Having a centralised, internationally reviewed database that makes these data openly available for a large selection of international reactor designs is of

  9. Burnup measurements of leader fuel elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henriquez, C; Navarro, G; Pereda, C

    2000-01-01

    Some time ago the CCHEN authorities decided to produce a set of 50 low enrichment fuel elements. These elements were produced in the PEC (Fuel Elements Plant), located at CCHEN offices in Lo Aguirre. These new fuel elements have basically the same geometrical characteristics of previous ones, which were British and made with raw material from the U.S. The principal differences between our fuel elements and the British ones is the density of fissile material, U-235, which was increased to compensate the reduction in enrichment. Last year, the Fuel Elements Plant (PEC) delivered the shipment's first four (4) fuel elements, called leaders, to the RECH1. A test element was delivered too, and the complete set was introduced into the reactor's nucleus, following the normal routine, but performing a special follow-up on their behavior inside the nucleus. This experimental element has only one outside fuel plate, and the remaining (15) structural plates are aluminum. In order to study the burnup, the test element was taken out of the nucleus, in mid- November 1999, and left to decay until June 2000, when it was moved to the laboratory (High Activity Cell), to start the burnup measurements, with a gamma spectroscopy system. This work aims to show the results of these measurements and in addition to meet the following objectives: (a) Visual test of the plate's general condition; (b) Sipping test of fission products; (c) Study of burn-up distribution in the plate; (d) Check and improve the calculus algorithm; (e) Comparison of the results obtained from the spectroscopy with the ones from neutron calculus

  10. PIE and separate effect test of high burnup UO2 fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yong Sik; Kim, S.K.; Kim, D.H.

    2005-01-01

    To investigate the performance of a high burnup UO 2 fuel, the highest burnup fuel assembly in KOREA was transported to the PIE facility in KAERI. It was a 17·17 fuel assembly irradiated at the Ulchin Unit 2 PWR. The peak fuel rod average burnup was about 57MWd/kgU and locally 65MWd/kgU. The general PIE was performed to investigate the fuel rod irradiation performance. Fission gas release, burnup, oxide thickness, hydrogen pickup, CRUD, and density change were measured by destructive of non-destructive test. Microstructure change, bubble and pore size distributions were observed by optical microscopy, SEM and EPMA. All generated and available PIE results were used to verify high burnup fuel performance code INFRA. Several rods were cut for additional separate effect test. For the high burnup fission gas release behaviour analysis, annealing apparatus were developed and installed in hot cell and preliminary test was performed. In addition to current apparatus new induction furnace will be installed in hot cell to investigate the high temperature and transient fission gas release behaviour. Ring tensile test was performed to analyze the material property degradation which caused by the oxidation and hydride, and additional mechanical tests will be performed. (Author)

  11. Criticality reference benchmark calculations for burnup credit using spent fuel isotopics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowman, S.M.

    1991-04-01

    To date, criticality analyses performed in support of the certification of spent fuel casks in the United States do not take credit for the reactivity reduction that results from burnup. By taking credit for the fuel burnup, commonly referred to as ''burnup credit,'' the fuel loading capacity of these casks can be increased. One of the difficulties in implementing burnup credit in criticality analyses is that there have been no critical experiments performed with spent fuel which can be used for computer code validation. In lieu of that, a reference problem set of fresh fuel critical experiments which model various conditions typical of light water reactor (LWR) transportation and storage casks has been identified and used in the validation of SCALE-4. This report documents the use of this same problem set to perform spent fuel criticality benchmark calculations by replacing the actual fresh fuel isotopics from the experiments with six different sets of calculated spent fuel isotopics. The SCALE-4 modules SAS2H and CSAS4 were used to perform the analyses. These calculations do not model actual critical experiments. The calculated k-effectives are not supposed to equal unity and will vary depending on the initial enrichment and burnup of the calculated spent fuel isotopics. 12 refs., 11 tabs

  12. Determination of enrichment of recycle uranium fuels for different burnup values

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zabunoglu, Okan H.

    2008-01-01

    Uranium (U) recovered from spent LWR fuels by reprocessing, which contains small amounts of U-236, is to be enriched before being re-irradiated as the recycle U. During the enrichment of recovered U in U-235, the mass fraction of U-236 also increases. Since the existence of U-236 in the recycle U has a negative effect on neutron economy, a greater enrichment of U-235 in the recycle U is required for reaching the same burnup as can be reached by the fresh U fuel. Two burnup values play the most important role in determining the enrichment of recycle U: (1) discharge burnup of spent fuel from which the recycle U is obtained and (2) desired discharge burnup of the recycle U fuel. A step-by-step procedure for calculating the enrichment of the recycle U as a function of these two burnup values is introduced. The computer codes MONTEBURNS and ORIGEN-S are made use of and a three-component (U-235, U-236, U-238) enrichment scheme is applied for calculating the amount of U-236 in producing the recycle U from the recovered U. As was aimed, the resulting expression is simple enough for quick/hand calculations of the enrichment of the recycle U for any given discharge burnup of spent fuel and for any desired discharge burnup of the recycle U fuel, most accurately within the range of 33,000-50,000 MWd/tonU

  13. A relative risk comparison of criticality control strategies based on fresh fuel and burnup credit design bases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, T.L.

    1989-01-01

    The fresh fuel design basis provides some margin of safety, i.e., criticality safety is almost independent of loading operations if fuel designs do not change significantly over the next 40 years. However, the design basis enrichment for future nuclear fuel will most likely vary with time. As a result, it cannot be guaranteed that the perceived passivity of the concept will be maintained over the life cycle of a future cask system. Several options are available to ensure that the reliability of a burnup credit system is comparable to or greater than that of a system based on a fresh fuel assumption. Criticality safety and control reliability could increase with burnup credit implementation. The safety of a burnup credit system could be comparable to that for a system based on the fresh fuel assumption. A burnup credit philosophy could be implemented without any cost-benefit tradeoff. A burnup credit design basis could result in a significant reduction in total system risk as well as economic benefits. These reductions occur primarily as a result of increased cask capacities and, thus, fewer shipments. Fewer shipments also result in fewer operations over the useful life of a cask, and opportunities for error decrease. The system concept can be designed such that only benefits occur. These benefits could include enhanced criticality safety and the overall reliability of cask operations, as well as system risk and economic benefits. Thus, burnup credit should be available as an alternative for the criticality design of spent fuel shipping casks

  14. Evaluation of burnup characteristics and energy deposition during NSRR pulse irradiation tests on irradiated BWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Takehiko; Yoshinaga, Makio

    2000-11-01

    Pulse irradiation tests of irradiated fuel are performed in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) to investigate the fuel behavior under Reactivity Initiated Accident Conditions (RIA). The severity of the RIA is represented by energy deposition or peak fuel enthalpy during the power excursion. In case of the irradiated fuel tests, the energy deposition varies depending both on the amounts and distribution of residual fissile and neutron absorbing fission products generated during the base irradiation. Thus, proper fuel burnup characterization, especially for low enriched commercial fuels, is important, because plutonium (Pu) takes a large part of fissile and its generation depends on the neutron spectrum during the base irradiation. Fuel burnup calculations were conducted with ORIGEN2, RODBURN and SWAT codes for the BWR fuels tested in the NSRR. The calculation results were compared with the measured isotope concentrations and used for the NSRR neutron calculations to evaluate energy depositions of the test fuel. The comparison of the code calculations and the measurements revealed that the neutron spectrum change due to difference in void fraction altered Pu generation and energy deposition in the NSRR tests considerably. With the properly evaluated neutron spectrum, the combined burnup and NSRR neutron calculation gave reasonably good evaluation of the energy deposition. The calculations provided radial distributions of the fission product accumulation during the base irradiation and power distribution during the NSRR pulse irradiation, which were important for the evaluation of both burnup characteristics and fission gas release behavior. (author)

  15. Achieving High Burnup Targets With Mox Fuels: Techno Economic Implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clement Ravi Chandar, S.; Sivayya, D.N.; Puthiyavinayagam, P.; Chellapandi, P.

    2013-01-01

    For a typical MOX fuelled SFR of power reactor size, Implications due to higher burnup have been quantified. Advantages: – Improvement in the economy is seen upto 200 GWd/ t; Disadvantages: – Design changes > 150 GWd/ t bu; – Need for 8/ 16 more fuel SA at 150/ 200 GWd/ t bu; – Higher enrichment of B 4 C in CSR/ DSR at higher bu; – Reduction in LHR may be required at higher bu; – Structural material changes beyond 150 GWd/ t bu; – Reprocessing point of view-Sp Activity & Decay heat increase. Need for R & D is a must before increasing burnup. bu- refers burnup. Efforts to increase MOX fuel burnup beyond 200 GWd/ t may not be highly lucrative; • MOX fuelled FBR would be restricted to two or four further reactors; • Imported MOX fuelled FBRs may be considered; • India looks towards launching metal fuel FBRs in the future. – Due to high Breeding Ratio; – High burnup capability

  16. Thermal conductivity evaluation of high burnup mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel pellet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amaya, Masaki; Nakamura, Jinichi; Nagase, Fumihisa; Fuketa, Toyoshi

    2011-01-01

    The thermal conductivity formula of fuel pellet which contains the effects of burnup and plutonium (Pu) addition was proposed based on the Klemens' theory and reported thermal conductivities of unirradiated (U, Pu) O 2 and irradiated UO 2 pellets. The thermal conductivity of high burnup MOX pellet was formulated by applying a summation rule between phonon scattering parameters which show the effects of plutonium addition and burnup. Temperature of high burnup MOX fuel was evaluated based on the thermal conductivity integral which was calculated from the above-mentioned thermal conductivity formula. Calculated fuel temperatures were plotted against the linear heat rates of the fuel rods, and were compared with the fuel temperatures measured in a test reactor. Since both values agreed well, it was confirmed that the proposed thermal conductivity formula of MOX pellets is adequate.

  17. Application of burnup credit in spent fuel management at Russian NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koulikov, V.I.; Makarchuk, T.F.; Tikhonov, N.S.

    1998-01-01

    The article concerns implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel storage and transportation. Some of the problems with increased enrichment fuel can be resolved by use of modified transport methodology. Such as shipping in gas-filled casks only, reduced number of assemblies in casks, etc. However, the use of modified schemes of transportation results in essential financial losses. An actinide-only burnup credit is taken into account in most part of criticality calculations, and a parameter limiting loading of spent fuel in the cask or the repository is the avenge value of burnup on an assembly. The main method of burnup depth definition is its defect measurement. A short description of devices for measurement as well as some technical results of suing burnup credit approach in storage and transport are given. (author)

  18. Burnup credit activities being conducted in the United States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lake, W.

    1998-01-01

    The paper describes burnup credit activities being conducted in the U.S. where burnup credit is either being used or being planned to be used for storage, transport, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Currently approved uses of burnup credit are for wet storage of PWR fuel. For dry storage of spent PWR fuel, burnup credit is used to supplement a principle of moderator exclusion. These storage applications have been pursued by the private sector. The Department of Energy (DOE) which is an organization of the U.S. Federal government is seeking approval for burnup credit for transport and disposal applications. For transport of spent fuel, regulatory review of an actinide-only PWR burnup credit method is now being conducted. A request by DOE for regulatory review of actinide and fission product burnup credit for disposal of spent BWR and PWR fuel is scheduled to occur in 1998. (author)

  19. Nuclear fuel behaviour modelling at high burnup and its experimental support. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-07-01

    The Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) included separate sessions on the specific topics of fuel thermal performance and fission product retention. On thermal performance, it is apparent that the capability exists to measure conductivity in high burnup fuel either by out-of-pile measurement or by instrumentation of test reactor rods. State-of-the-art modelling codes contain models for the conductivity degradation process, and hence adequate predictions of fuel temperature are achievable. Concerning fission product release, it is clear that many groups around the world are actively investigating the subject, with experimental and modelling programmes being pursued. However, a general consensus on the exact mechanisms of gas release and related gas bubble swelling has yet to emerge, even at medium burnup levels. Fission gas phenomena, not only the release to open volumes, but the whole sequence of processes taking place prior to this, need to be modelled in any modern fuel performance code. The presence of gaseous fission products may generate rapid fuel swelling during power transients, and this can cause PCI and rod failure. At high burnups, the quantity of released gases could give rise to pressures exceeding the safe limits. Modelling of pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) effects during transient operation is also an active area of study for many groups. In some situations a purely empirical approach to failure modelling can be justified, while for other applications a more detailed mechanistic approach is required. Another aspect of cladding modelling which was featured at the TCM concerned corrosion and hydriding. Although this issue can be the main life-limiting factor on fuel duty, it is apparent that modelling methods, and the experimental measurement techniques that underpin them, are adequate. A session was included on MOX fuel modelling. Substantial programmes of work, especially by the MOX vendors, appear to be underway to bring the level of understanding

  20. Oxide thickness measurement for monitoring fuel performance at high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaeger, M.A.; Van Swam, L.F.P.; Brueck-Neufeld, K.

    1991-01-01

    For on-site monitoring of the fuel performance at high burnup, Advanced Nuclear Fuels uses the linear scan eddy current method to determine the oxide thickness of irradiated Zircaloy fuel cans. Direct digital data acquisition methods are employed to collect the data on magnetic storage media. This field-proven methodology allows oxide thickness measurements and rapid interpretation of the data during the reactor outages and makes it possible to immediately reinsert the assemblies for the next operating cycle. The accuracy of the poolside measurements and data acquisition/interpretation techniques have been verified through hot cell metallographic measurements of rods previously measured in the fuel pool. The accumulated data provide a valuable database against which oxide growth models have been benchmarked and allow for effective monitoring of fuel performance. (orig.) [de

  1. Nuclear data needs for the analysis of generation and burn-up of actinide isotopes in nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuesters, H.

    1980-04-01

    A reliable prediction of the in-pile and out-of-pile physics characteristics of nuclear fuel is one of the objectives of present-day reactor physics. The paper describes the main production paths of important actinides for light water and fast breeder reactors. The accuracy of recent nuclear data is examined by comparisons of theoretical predictions with the results from post-irradiation analysis of nuclear fuel from power reactors, and partly with results obtained in zero-power facilities. A world-wide comparison of nuclear data to be used in large fast power reactor burn-up and long term considerations is presented. The needs for further improvement of nuclear data are discussed. (orig.) [de

  2. The evolving nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gale, J.D.; Hanson, G.E.; Coleman, T.A.

    1993-01-01

    Various economics and political pressures have shaped the evolution of nuclear fuel cycles over the past 10 to 15 yr. Future trends will no doubt be similarly driven. This paper discusses the influences that long cycles, high discharge burnups, fuel reliability, and costs will have on the future nuclear cycle. Maintaining the economic viability of nuclear generation is a key issue facing many utilities. Nuclear fuel has been a tremendous bargain for utilities, helping to offset major increases in operation and maintenance (O ampersand M) expenses. An important factor in reducing O ampersand M costs is increasing capacity factor by eliminating outages

  3. Mechanical Fatigue Testing of High Burnup Fuel for Transportation Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Jy-An John [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wang, Hong [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2015-05-01

    This report describes testing designed to determine the ability of high burnup (HBU) (>45 GWd/MTU) spent fuel to maintain its integrity under normal conditions of transportation. An innovative system, Cyclic Integrated Reversible-bending Fatigue Tester (CIRFT), has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to test and evaluate the mechanical behavior of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under conditions relevant to storage and transportation. The CIRFT system is composed of a U-frame equipped with load cells for imposing the pure bending loads on the SNF rod test specimen and measuring the in-situ curvature of the fuel rod during bending using a set up with three linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs).

  4. Mechanical Fatigue Testing of High-Burnup Fuel for Transportation Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Jy-An John [ORNL; Wang, Hong [ORNL

    2015-05-01

    This report describes testing designed to determine the ability of high burnup (HBU) (>45 GWd/MTU) spent fuel to maintain its integrity under normal conditions of transportation. An innovative system, Cyclic Integrated Reversible-bending Fatigue Tester (CIRFT), has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to test and evaluate the mechanical behavior of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under conditions relevant to storage and transportation. The CIRFT system is composed of a U-frame equipped with load cells for imposing the pure bending loads on the SNF rod test specimen and measuring the in-situ curvature of the fuel rod during bending using a set up with three linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs).

  5. Fission gas release from fuels at high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kauffmann, Yves; Pointud, M.L.; Vignesoult, Nicole; Atabek, Rosemarie; Baron, Daniel.

    1982-04-01

    Determinations of residual gas concentrations by heating and by X microanalysis were respectively carried out on particles (TANGO program) and on sections of fuel rods, perfectly characterized as to fabrication and irradiation history. A threshold release temperature of 1250 0 C+-100 0 C was determined irrespective of the type of oxide and the irradiation history in the 18,000-45,000 MWdt -1 (U) specific burnup field. The overall analyses of gas released from the fuel rods show that, in the PWR operating conditions, the fraction released remains less than 1% up to a mean specific burnup of 35000 MWdt -1 (U). The release of gases should not be a limiting factor in the increase of specific burnups [fr

  6. EPRI/DOE High Burnup Fuel Sister Pin Test Plan Simplification and Visualization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saltzstein, Sylvia J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sorenson, Ken B. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hanson, Brady [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Billone, Mike [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Scaglione, John [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Montgomery, Rose [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bevard, Bruce [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2017-07-01

    The EPRI/DOE High Burnup Confirmatory Data Project (herein called the "Demo") is a multi-year, multi-entity confirmation demonstration test with the purpose of providing quantitative and qualitative data to show how high-burnup fuel ages in dry storage over a ten-year period. The Demo involves obtaining 32 assemblies of high-burnup PWR fuel of four common cladding alloys from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, drying them according to standard plant procedures, and then storing them in an NRC-licensed TN-3 2B cask on the North Anna dry storage pad for ten years. After the ten-year storage time, the cask will be opened and the rods will be examined for signs of aging. Twenty-five rods from assemblies of similar claddings, in-reactor placement, and burnup histories (herein called "sister rods") have been shipped from the North Anna Nuclear Power Plant and are currently being nondestructively tested at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After the non-destructive testing has been completed for each of the twenty-five rods, destructive analysis will be performed at ORNL, PNNL, and ANL to obtain mechanical data. Opinions gathered from the expert interviews, ORNL and PNNL Sister Rod Test Plans, and numerous meetings has resulted in the Simplified Test Plan described in this document. Some of the opinions and discussions leading to the simplified test plan are included here. Detailed descriptions and background are in the ORNL and PNNL plans in the appendices . After the testing described in this simplified test plan h as been completed , the community will review all the collected data and determine if additional testing is needed.

  7. Reliability analysis of dispersion nuclear fuel elements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Shurong; Jiang, Xin; Huo, Yongzhong; Li, Lin an

    2008-03-01

    Taking a dispersion fuel element as a special particle composite, the representative volume element is chosen to act as the research object. The fuel swelling is simulated through temperature increase. The large strain elastoplastic analysis is carried out for the mechanical behaviors using FEM. The results indicate that the fission swelling is simulated successfully; the thickness increments grow linearly with burnup; with increasing of burnup: (1) the first principal stresses at fuel particles change from tensile ones to compression ones, (2) the maximum Mises stresses at the particles transfer from the centers of fuel particles to the location close to the interfaces between the matrix and the particles, their values increase with burnup; the maximum Mises stresses at the matrix exist in the middle location between the two particles near the mid-plane along the length (or width) direction, and the maximum plastic strains are also at the above region.

  8. Reliability analysis of dispersion nuclear fuel elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding Shurong [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)], E-mail: dsr1971@163.com; Jiang Xin [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Huo Yongzhong [Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)], E-mail: yzhuo@fudan.edu.cn; Li Linan [Department of Mechanics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2008-03-15

    Taking a dispersion fuel element as a special particle composite, the representative volume element is chosen to act as the research object. The fuel swelling is simulated through temperature increase. The large strain elastoplastic analysis is carried out for the mechanical behaviors using FEM. The results indicate that the fission swelling is simulated successfully; the thickness increments grow linearly with burnup; with increasing of burnup: (1) the first principal stresses at fuel particles change from tensile ones to compression ones, (2) the maximum Mises stresses at the particles transfer from the centers of fuel particles to the location close to the interfaces between the matrix and the particles, their values increase with burnup; the maximum Mises stresses at the matrix exist in the middle location between the two particles near the mid-plane along the length (or width) direction, and the maximum plastic strains are also at the above region.

  9. Dependence of heavy metal burnup on nuclear data libraries for fast reactors

    CERN Document Server

    Ohki, S

    2003-01-01

    Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) is considering the highly burnt fuel as well as the recycling of minor actinide (MA) in the development of commercialized fast reactor cycle systems. Higher accuracy in burnup calculation is going to be required for higher mass plutonium isotopes ( sup 2 sup 4 sup 0 Pu, etc.) and MA nuclides. In the framework of research and development aiming at the validation and necessary improvements of fast reactor burnup calculation, we investigated the differences among the burnup calculation results with the major nuclear data libraries: JEF-2.2, ENDF/B-VI Release 5, JENDL-3.2, and JENDL-3.3. We focused on the heavy metal nuclides such as plutonium and MA in the central core region of a conventional sodium-cooled fast reactor. For main heavy metal nuclides ( sup 2 sup 3 sup 5 U, sup 2 sup 3 sup 8 U, sup 2 sup 3 sup 9 Pu, sup 2 sup 4 sup 0 Pu, and sup 2 sup 4 sup 1 Pu), number densities after 1-cycle burnup did not change over one or two percent. Library dependence was re...

  10. Value of burnup credit beyond actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lancaster, D.; Fuentes, E.; Kang, Chi.

    1997-01-01

    DOE has submitted a topical report to the NRC justifying burnup credit based only on actinide isotopes (U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, and Am-241). When this topical report is approved, it will allow a great deal of the commercial spent nuclear fuel to be transported in significantly higher capacity casks. A cost savings estimate for shipping fuel in 32 assembly (burnup credit) casks as opposed to 24 assembly (non-burnup credit) casks was previously presented. Since that time, more detailed calculations have been performed using the methodology presented in the Actinide-Only Burnup Credit Topical Report. Loading curves for derated casks have been generated using actinide-only burnup credit and are presented in this paper. The estimates of cost savings due to burnup credit for shipping fuel utilizing 32, 30, 28, and 24 assembly casks where only the 24 assembly cask does not burnup credit have been created and are discussed. 4 refs., 2 figs

  11. OECD/NEA burnup credit criticality benchmarks phase IIIB: Burnup calculations of BWR fuel assemblies for storage and transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuno, Hiroshi; Naito, Yoshitaka; Suyama, Kenya

    2002-02-01

    The report describes the final results of the Phase IIIB Benchmark conducted by the Expert Group on Burnup Credit Criticality Safety under the auspices of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Benchmark was intended to compare the predictability of current computer code and data library combinations for the atomic number densities of an irradiated PWR fuel assembly model. The fuel assembly was irradiated under specific power of 25.6 MW/tHM up to 40 GWd/tHM and cooled for five years. The void fraction was assumed to be uniform throughout the channel box and constant, at 0, 40 and 70%, during burnup. In total, 16 results were submitted from 13 institutes of 7 countries. The calculated atomic number densities of 12 actinides and 20 fission product nuclides were found to be for the most part within a range of ±10% relative to the average, although some results, esp. 155 Eu and gadolinium isotopes, exceeded the band, which will require further investigation. Pin-wise burnup results agreed well among the participants. The results in the infinite neutron multiplication factor k ∞ also accorded well with each other for void fractions of 0 and 40%; however some results deviated from the averaged value noticeably for the void fraction of 70%. (author)

  12. OECD/NEA burnup credit criticality benchmarks phase IIIB. Burnup calculations of BWR fuel assemblies for storage and transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Okuno, Hiroshi; Naito, Yoshitaka; Suyama, Kenya [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    2002-02-01

    The report describes the final results of the Phase IIIB Benchmark conducted by the Expert Group on Burnup Credit Criticality Safety under the auspices of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Benchmark was intended to compare the predictability of current computer code and data library combinations for the atomic number densities of an irradiated PWR fuel assembly model. The fuel assembly was irradiated under specific power of 25.6 MW/tHM up to 40 GWd/tHM and cooled for five years. The void fraction was assumed to be uniform throughout the channel box and constant, at 0, 40 and 70%, during burnup. In total, 16 results were submitted from 13 institutes of 7 countries. The calculated atomic number densities of 12 actinides and 20 fission product nuclides were found to be for the most part within a range of {+-}10% relative to the average, although some results, esp. {sup 155}Eu and gadolinium isotopes, exceeded the band, which will require further investigation. Pin-wise burnup results agreed well among the participants. The results in the infinite neutron multiplication factor k{sub {infinity}} also accorded well with each other for void fractions of 0 and 40%; however some results deviated from the averaged value noticeably for the void fraction of 70%. (author)

  13. Burn-up credit criticality safety benchmark phase VII - UO2 fuel: study of spent fuel compositions for long-term disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    After spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is discharged from a nuclear reactor, fuel composition and reactivity continue to vary as a function of time due to the decay of unstable nuclides. Accurate predictions of the concentrations of long-lived radionuclides in SNF, which represent a significant potential hazard to human beings and to the environment over a very long period, are particularly necessary for radiological dose assessments. This report assesses the ability of existing computer codes and associated nuclear data to predict isotopic compositions and their corresponding neutron multiplication factor (k eff ) values for pressurised-water-reactor (PWR) UO 2 fuel at 50 GWd/MTU burn-up in a generic spent fuel cask configuration. Fuel decay compositions and k eff values have been calculated for 30 post-irradiation time steps out to one million years

  14. The build-up and characterization of nuclear burn-up wave in a fast ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    K V Anoop

    2018-02-07

    Feb 7, 2018 ... evaluating the quality of the wave by the researchers working in the field of nuclear burn-up wave build-up and propagation. Keywords. ... However, there are concerns relating to the nuclear safety, ... Simulation studies have.

  15. Actinides burnup in a sodium fast reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ramirez S, J. R.; Pineda A, R.; Martinez C, E.; Alonso, G., E-mail: ramon.ramirez@inin.gob.mx [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

    2017-09-15

    The burnup of actinides in a nuclear reactor is been proposed as part of an advanced nuclear fuel cycle, this process would close the fuel cycle recycling some of the radioactive material produced in the open nuclear fuel cycle. These actinides are found in the spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power reactors at the end of their burnup in the reactor. Previous studies of actinides recycling in thermal reactors show that would be possible reduce the amounts of actinides at least in 50% of the recycled amounts. in this work, the amounts of actinides that can be burned in a fast reactor is calculated, very interesting results surge from the calculations, first, the amounts of actinides generated by the fuel is higher than for thermal fuel and the composition of the actinides vector is different as in fuel for thermal reactor the main isotope is the {sup 237}Np in the fuel for fast reactor the main isotope is the {sup 241}Am, finally it is concluded that the fast reactor, also generates important amounts of waste. (Author)

  16. Assessment of US NRC fuel rod behavior codes to extended burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laats, E.T.; Croucher, D.W.; Haggag, F.M.

    1982-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to report the status of assessing the capabilities of the NRC fuel rod performance codes for calculating extended burnup rod behavior. As part of this effort, a large spectrum of fuel rod behavior phenomena was examined, and the phenomena deemed as being influential during extended burnup operation were identified. Then, the experiment data base addressing these identified phenomena was examined for availability and completeness at extended burnups. Calculational capabilities of the NRC's steady state FRAPCON-2 and transient FRAP-T6 fuel rod behavior codes were examined for each of the identified phenomenon. Parameters calculated by the codes were compared with the available data base, and judgments were made regarding model performance. Overall, the FRAPCON-2 code was found to be moderately well assessed to extended burnups, but the FRAP-T6 code cannot be adequately assessed until more transient high burnup data are available

  17. OREST, LWR Burnup Simulation Using Program HAMMER and ORIGEN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hesse, Ulrich; Sieberer, Johann

    2006-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: In OREST, the 1-dimensional lattice code HAMMER and the isotope generation and depletion code ORIGEN are directly coupled for burnup simulation in light-water reactor fuels (GRS recommended). Additionally heavy water and graphite moderated systems can be calculated. New version differs from the previous version in the following features: An 84-group-library LIB84 for up to 200 isotopes is used to update the 3-group -POISON-XS. LIB84 uses the same energy boundaries as THERMOS and HAMLET in . In this way, high flexibility is achieved in very different reactor models. The coupling factor between THERMOS and HAMLET is now directly transferred from HAMMER to THERES and omits the equation 4 (see page 6 of the manual). Sandwich-reactor fuel reactivity and burnup calculations can be started with NGEOM = 1. Thorium graphite reactivity and burnup calculations can be started with NLIBE = 1. High enriched U-235 heavy water moderated reactivity and burnup calculations can be started. HAMLET libraries in for U-235, U-236, U-238, Np-237, Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-242, Am-241, Am-243 and Zirconium are updated using resonance parameters. NEA-1324/04: A new version of the module hamme97.f has replaced the old one. 2 - Method of solution: For the user-defined irradiation history, an input data processor generates program loops over small burnup steps for the main codes HAMMER and ORIGEN. The user defined assembly description is transformed to an equivalent HAMMER fuel cell. HAMMER solves the integral neutron transport equation in a four-region cylindrical or sandwiched model with reflecting boundaries and runs with fuel power calculated rod temperatures. ORIGEN runs with HAMMER-calculated cross sections and neutron spectra and calculates isotope concentrations during burnup by solving the buildup-, depletion- and decay-chain equations. An output data processor samples the outputs of the program modules and generates tabular works for the

  18. Modeling of WWER-440 Fuel Pin Behavior at Extended Burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Koliel, M.S.; Abou-Zaid, A.A.; El-Kafas, A.A.

    2004-01-01

    Currently, there is an ongoing effort to increase fuel discharge burn-up of all LWRs fuel including WWER's as much as possible in order to decrease power production cost. Therefore, burn-up is expected to be increased to 60 to 70 Mwd/kg U. The change in the fuel radial power distribution as a function of fuel burn up can affect the radial fuel temperature distribution as well as the fuel microstructure in the fuel pellet rim. In this paper, the radial burn-up and fissile products distributions of WWER-440 UO 2 fuel pin were evaluated using MCNP 4B and ORIGEN2 codes. The impact of the thermal conductivity on predicted fission gas release calculations is needed. For the analysis, a typical WWER-440 fuel pin and surrounding water moderator are considered in a hexagonal pin cell well. The thermal release and the athermal release from the pellet rim were modeled separately. The fraction of the rim structure and the excessive porosity in the rim structure in isothermal irradiation as a function of the fuel burn-up was predicted. a computer program; RIMSC-01, is developed to perform the required FGR calculations. Finally, the relevant phenomena and the corresponding models together with their validation are presented

  19. Burn-up measurements on nuclear reactor fuels using high performance liquid chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sivaraman, N.; Subramaniam, S.; Srinivasan, T.G.; Vasudeva Rao, P.R.

    2002-01-01

    Burn-up measurements on thermal as well as fast reactor fuels were carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A column chromatographic technique using di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP) coated column was employed for the isolation of lanthanides from uranium, plutonium and other fission products. Ion-pair HPLC was used for the separation of individual lanthanides. The atom percent fissions were calculated from the concentrations of the lanthanide (neodymium in the case of thermal reactor and lanthanum for the fast reactor fuels) and from uranium and plutonium contents of the dissolver solutions. The HPLC method was also used for determining the fractional fissions from uranium and plutonium for the thermal reactor fuel. (author)

  20. Performance of Bruce natural UO2 fuel irradiated to extended burnups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Y.N.; Floyd, M.R.; Ryz, M.A.

    1995-11-01

    Bruce-type bundles XY, AAH and GF were successfully irradiated in the NRU reactor at Chalk River Laboratories to outer-element burnups of 570-900 MWh/kgU. These bundles were of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station (NGS)-A 'first-charge' design that contained gas plenums in the outer elements. The maximum outer-element linear powers were 33-37 kW/m. Post-irradiation examination of these bundles confirmed that all the elements were intact. Bundles XY and AAH, irradiated to outer-element burnups of 570-700 MWh/kgU, experienced low fission-gas release (FGR) ( 500 MWh/kgU (equivalent to bundle-average 450 MWh/kgU) when maximum outer-element linear powers are > 50 kW/m. The analysis in this paper suggests that CANDU 37-element fuel can be successfully irradiated (low-FGR/defect-free) to burnups of at least 700 MWh/kgU, provided maximum power do not exceed 40 kW/m. (author). 5 refs., 1 tab., 8 figs

  1. ABB PWR fuel design for high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nilsson, S.; Jourdain, P.; Limback, M.; Garde, A.M.

    1998-01-01

    Corrosion, hydriding and irradiation induced growth of a based materials are important factors for the high burnup performance of PWR fuel. ABB has developed a number of Zr based alloys to meet the need for fuel that enables operation to elevated burnups. The materials include composition and processing optimised Zircaloy 4 (OPTIN TM ) and Zircaloy 2 (Zircaloy 2P), as well as advanced Zr based alloys with chemical compositions outside the composition specified for Zircaloy. The advanced alloys are either used as Duplex or as single component claddings. The Duplex claddings have an inner component of Zircaloy and an outer layer of Zr with small additions of alloying elements. ABB has furthermore improved the dimensional stability of the fuel assembly by developing stiffer and more bow resistant guide tubes while debris related fuel failures have been eliminated from ABB fuel by introducing the Guardian TM grid. Intermediate flow mixers that improve the thermal hydraulic performance and the dimensional stability of the fuel has also been developed within ABB. (author)

  2. Reactivity effect of spent fuel depending on burn-up history

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Takafumi; Suyama, Kenya; Nomura, Yasushi

    2001-06-01

    It is well known that a composition of spent fuel depends on various parameter changes throughout a burn-up period. In this study we aimed at the boron concentration and its change, the coolant temperature and its spatial distribution, the specific power, the operation mode, and the duration of inspection, because the effects due to these parameters have not been analyzed in detail. The composition changes of spent fuel were calculated by using the burn-up code SWAT, when the parameters mentioned above varied in the range of actual variations. Moreover, to estimate the reactivity effect caused by the composition changes, the criticality calculations for an infinite array of spent fuel were carried out with computer codes SRAC95 or MVP. In this report the reactivity effects were arranged from the viewpoint of what parameters gave more positive reactivity effect. The results obtained through this study are useful to choose the burn-up calculation model when we take account of the burn-up credit in the spent fuel management. (author)

  3. Simulation of differential die-away instrument’s response to asymmetrically burned spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinik, Tomas; Henzl, Vladimir; Grape, Sophie; Svärd, Staffan Jacobsson; Jansson, Peter; Swinhoe, Martyn T.; Tobin, Stephen J.

    2015-01-01

    Previous simulation studies of Differential Die‐Away (DDA) instrument’s response to active interrogation of spent nuclear fuel from a pressurized water reactor (PWR) yielded promising results in terms of its capability to accurately measure or estimate basic spent fuel assembly (SFA) characteristics, such as multiplication, initial enrichment (IE) and burn-up (BU) as well as the total plutonium content. These studies were however performed only for a subset of idealized SFAs with a symmetric BU with respect to its longitudinal axis. Therefore, to complement the previous results, additional simulations have been performed of the DDA instrument’s response to interrogation of asymmetrically burned spent nuclear fuel in order to determine whether detailed assay of SFAs from all 4 sides will be necessary in real life applications or whether a cost and time saving single sided assay could be used to achieve results of similar quality as previously reported in case of symmetrically burned SFAs. The results of this study suggest that DDA instrument response depends on the position of the individual neutron detectors and in fact can be split in two modes. The first mode, measured by the back detectors, is not significantly sensitive to the spatial distribution of fissile isotopes and neutron absorbers, but rather reflects the total amount of both contributors as in the cases of symmetrically burned SFAs. In contrary, the second mode, measured by the front detectors, yields certain sensitivity to the orientation of the asymmetrically burned SFA inside the assaying instrument. This study thus provides evidence that the DDA instrument can potentially be utilized as necessary in both ways, i.e. a quick determination of the average SFA characteristics in a single assay, as well as a more detailed characterization involving several DDA observables through assay of the SFA from all of its four sides that can possibly map the burn-up distribution and/or identify diversion or

  4. Simulation of differential die-away instrument’s response to asymmetrically burned spent nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinik, Tomas, E-mail: tomas.martinik@physics.uu.se [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516 Sweden, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545 (United States); Henzl, Vladimir [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545 (United States); Grape, Sophie; Svärd, Staffan Jacobsson; Jansson, Peter [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516 Sweden, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Swinhoe, Martyn T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545 (United States); Tobin, Stephen J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516 Sweden, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM, 87545 (United States); Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Blekholmstorget 30, Box 250, SE-101 24 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2015-07-11

    Previous simulation studies of Differential Die‐Away (DDA) instrument’s response to active interrogation of spent nuclear fuel from a pressurized water reactor (PWR) yielded promising results in terms of its capability to accurately measure or estimate basic spent fuel assembly (SFA) characteristics, such as multiplication, initial enrichment (IE) and burn-up (BU) as well as the total plutonium content. These studies were however performed only for a subset of idealized SFAs with a symmetric BU with respect to its longitudinal axis. Therefore, to complement the previous results, additional simulations have been performed of the DDA instrument’s response to interrogation of asymmetrically burned spent nuclear fuel in order to determine whether detailed assay of SFAs from all 4 sides will be necessary in real life applications or whether a cost and time saving single sided assay could be used to achieve results of similar quality as previously reported in case of symmetrically burned SFAs. The results of this study suggest that DDA instrument response depends on the position of the individual neutron detectors and in fact can be split in two modes. The first mode, measured by the back detectors, is not significantly sensitive to the spatial distribution of fissile isotopes and neutron absorbers, but rather reflects the total amount of both contributors as in the cases of symmetrically burned SFAs. In contrary, the second mode, measured by the front detectors, yields certain sensitivity to the orientation of the asymmetrically burned SFA inside the assaying instrument. This study thus provides evidence that the DDA instrument can potentially be utilized as necessary in both ways, i.e. a quick determination of the average SFA characteristics in a single assay, as well as a more detailed characterization involving several DDA observables through assay of the SFA from all of its four sides that can possibly map the burn-up distribution and/or identify diversion or

  5. Method of manufacturing nuclear fuel pellet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oguma, Masaomi; Masuda, Hiroshi; Hirai, Mutsumi; Tanabe, Isami; Yuda, Ryoichi.

    1989-01-01

    In a method of manufacturing nuclear fuel pellets by compression molding an oxide powder of nuclear fuel material followed by sintering, a metal nuclear material is mixed with an oxide powder of the nuclear fuel material. As the metal nuclear fuel material, whisker or wire-like fine wire or granules of metal uranium can be used effectively. As a result, a fuel pellet in which the metal nuclear fuel is disposed in a network-like manner can be obtained. The pellet shows a great effect of preventing thermal stress destruction of pellets upon increase of fuel rod power as compared with conventional pellets. Further, the metal nuclear fuel material acts as an oxygen getter to suppress the increase of O/M ratio of the pellets. Further, it is possible to reduce the swelling of pellet at high burn-up degree. (T.M.)

  6. Burn-up credit in criticality safety of PWR spent fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahmoud, Rowayda F., E-mail: Rowayda_mahmoud@yahoo.com [Metallurgy Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority (Egypt); Shaat, Mohamed K. [Nuclear Engineering, Reactors Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority (Egypt); Nagy, M.E.; Agamy, S.A. [Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear and Radiation Department, Alexandria University (Egypt); Abdelrahman, Adel A. [Metallurgy Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority (Egypt)

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • Designing spent fuel wet storage using WIMS-5D and MCNP-5 code. • Studying fresh and burned fuel with/out absorber like “B{sub 4}C and Ag–In–Cd” in racks. • Sub-criticality was confirmed for fresh and burned fuel under specific cases. • Studies for BU credit recommend increasing fuel burn-up to 60.0 GWD/MTU. • Those studies require new core structure materials, fuel composition and cladding. - Abstract: The criticality safety calculations were performed for a proposed design of a wet spent fuel storage pool. This pool will be used for the storage of spent fuel discharged from a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR). The mathematical model based on the international validated codes, WIMS-5 and MCNP-5 were used for calculating the effective multiplication factor, k{sub eff}, for the spent fuel stored in the pool. The data library for the multi-group neutron microscopic cross-sections was used for the cell calculations. The k{sub eff} was calculated for several changes in water density, water level, assembly pitch and burn-up with different initial fuel enrichment and new types and amounts of fixed absorbers. Also, k{sub eff} was calculated for the conservative fresh fuel case. The results of the calculations confirmed that the effective multiplication factor for the spent fuel storage is sub-critical for all normal and abnormal states. The future strategy for the burn-up credit recommends increasing the fuel burn-up to a value >60.0 GWD/MTU, which requires new fuel composition and new fuel cladding material with the assessment of the effects of negative reactivity build up.

  7. Operational Experience of Nuclear Fuel in Finnish Nuclear Power Plants (with Emphasis on WWER Fuel)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teraesvirta, R.

    2009-01-01

    The four operating nuclear reactors in Finland, Loviisa-1 and -2 and Olkiluoto-1 and -2 have now operated approximately 30 years. The overall operational experience has been excellent. Load factors of all units have been for years among the highest in the world. The development of the fuel designs during the years has enabled remarkable improvement in the fuel performance in terms of burnup. Average discharge burnup has increased more than 30 percent in all Finnish reactor units. A systematic inspection of spent fuel assemblies, and especially all failed fuel assemblies, is a good and useful practise employed in Finland. A possibility to inspect the fuel on site using a pool side inspection facility is a relatively economic way to find out root causes of fuel failures and thereby facilitate developing remedies to prevent similar failures in the future

  8. High Frequency Acoustic Microscopy for the Determination of Porosity and Young's Modulus in High Burnup Uranium Dioxide Nuclear Fuel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchetti, Mara; Laux, Didier; Cappia, Fabiola; Laurie, M.; Van Uffelen, P.; Rondinella, V. V.; Wiss, T.; Despaux, G.

    2016-06-01

    During irradiation UO2 nuclear fuel experiences the development of a non-uniform distribution of porosity which contributes to establish varying mechanical properties along the radius of the pellet. Radial variations of both porosity and elastic properties in high burnup UO2 pellet can be investigated via high frequency acoustic microscopy. For this purpose ultrasound waves are generated by a piezoelectric transducer and focused on the sample, after having travelled through a coupling liquid. The elastic properties of the material are related to the velocity of the generated Rayleigh surface wave (VR). A UO2 pellet with a burnup of 67 GWd/tU was characterized using the acoustic microscope installed in the hot cells of the JRC-ITU at a 90 MHz frequency, with methanol as coupling liquid. VR was measured at different radial positions. A good agreement was found, when comparing the porosity values obtained via acoustic microscopy with those determined using SEM image analysis, especially in the areas close to the centre. In addition, Young's modulus was calculated and its radial profile was correlated to the corresponding burnup profile and to the hardness radial profile data obtained by Vickers micro-indentation.

  9. Consequences of the increase of burnup on the fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melin, P.; Lavoine, O.; Houdaille, B.

    1986-04-01

    The examinations carried out on the FRAGEMA fuel of EDF reactors show its good behavior in service. The results of research and development programs developed by EDF, FGA and the CEA show that this fuel can be irradiated up to a high burnup, and allow to point out the axies of research to improve still the performance of the product in a more and more soliciting environment (increase of power and burnup coupled with load following). Among the solutions considered, there are the design and fabrication adjustments (geometry, initial pressurization), more fundamental changes concerning fuel cans and fuel pellets, which need still research and development programs [fr

  10. Economic incentives and recommended development for commercial use of high burnup fuels in the once-through LWR fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stout, R.B.; Merckx, K.R.; Holm, J.S.

    1981-01-01

    This study calculates the reduced uranium requirements and the economic incentives for increasing the burnup of current design LWR fuels from the current range of 25 to 35 MWD/Kg to a range of 45 to 55 MWD/Kg. The changes in fuel management strategies which may be required to accommodate these high burnup fuels and longer fuel cycles are discussed. The material behavior problems which may present obstacles to achieving high burnup or to license fuel are identified and discussed. These problems are presented in terms of integral fuel response and the informational needs for commercial and licensing acceptance. Research and development programs are outlined which are aimed at achieving a licensing position and commercial acceptance of high burnup fuels

  11. Preferential removal of Sm by evaporation from Nd-Sm mixture and its application in direct burn-up determination of spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajimol, R.; Bera, S.; Nalini, S.; Sivaraman, N.; Joseph, M.; Kumar, T.

    2016-01-01

    Rate of evaporation of Sm and Nd from their mixture was studied based on their ion intensities using thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Because of the comparatively larger evaporation rate of Sm, it was found possible to get the isotopic composition of Nd (fission product monitor) free from isobaric interference of Sm isotopes. The decrease in ion intensity of Sm was studied as a function of time and filament temperature. Based on this study, an easy and time effective method for the determination of burn-up of spent nuclear fuel was examined and the results are compared with that obtained by the conventional method. Typical burn-up value obtained for a pressurized heavy water reactor fuel dissolver solution using the direct method by preferential evaporation of Sm is: 0.84 at.%, whereas the one obtained by the use of conventional method is 0.82 at.%. In both the cases, Nd was employed as the fission product monitor. (author)

  12. Use of burnup credit for transportation and storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, T.L.; Ewing, R.I.; Lake, W.H.

    1991-01-01

    Burnup credit is the application of the effects of fuel burnup to nuclear criticality design. When burnup credit is considered in the design of storage facilities and transportation casks for spent fuel, the objectives are to reduce the requirements for storage space and to increase the payload of casks with acceptable nuclear criticality safety margins. The spent-fuel carrying capacities of previous-generation transport casks have been limited primarily by requirements to remove heat and/or to provide shielding. Shielding and heat transfer requirements for casks designed to transport older spent fuel with longer decay times are reduced significantly. Thus a considerable weight margin is available to the designer for increasing the payload capacity. One method to achieve an increase in capacity is to reduce fuel assembly spacing. The amount of reduction in assembly spacing is limited by criticality and fuel support structural concerns. The optimum fuel assembly spacing provides the maximum cask loading within a basket that has adequate criticality control and sufficient structural integrity for regulatory accident scenarios. The incorporation of burnup credit in cask designs could result in considerable benefits in the transport of spent fuel. The acceptance of burnup credit for the design of transport casks depends on the resolution of system safety issues and the uncertainties that affect the determination of criticality safety margins. The remainder of this report will examine these issues and the integrated approach under way to resolve them. 20 refs., 2 figs

  13. Threshold burnup for recrystallization and model for rim porosity in the high burnup UO2 fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Byung Ho; Koo, Yang Hyun; Sohn, Dong Seong

    1998-01-01

    Applicability of the threshold burnup for rim formation was investigated as a function of temperature by Rest's model. The threshold burnup was the lowest in the intermediate temperature region, while on the other temperature regions the threshold burnup is higher. The rim porosity was predicted by the van der Waals equation based of the rim pore radius of 0.75μm and the overpressurization model on rim pores. The calculated centerline temperature is in good agreement with the measured temperature. However, more efforts seem to be necessary for the mechanistic model of the rim effect including rim growth with the fuel burnup

  14. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ko, Won Il; Kwon, Eun Ha; Kim, Ho Dong

    2005-06-15

    This paper describes the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Analysis and Simulation Tool (FAST) which has been developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Categorizing various mix of nuclear reactors and fuel cycles into 11 scenario groups, the FAST calculates all the required quantities for each nuclear fuel cycle component, such as mining, conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication for each scenario. A major advantage of the FAST is that the code employs a MS Excel spread sheet with the Visual Basic Application, allowing users to manipulate it with ease. The speed of the calculation is also quick enough to make comparisons among different options in a considerably short time. This user-friendly simulation code is expected to be beneficial to further studies on the nuclear fuel cycle to find best options for the future all proliferation risk, environmental impact and economic costs considered.

  15. Changes of the inventory of radioactive materials in reactor fuel from uranium in changing to higher burn-up and determining the important effects of this

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirchner, G.; Schaefer, R.

    1985-01-01

    The knowledge of the nuclide composition during and after use in the reactor is an essential, in order to be able to determine the effects associated with the operation of nuclear plants. The missing reliable data on the inventory of radioactive materials resulting from the expected change to higher burn-ups of uranium fuels in West Germany are calculated. The reliability of the program system used for this, which permits a one-dimensional account taken of the fuel rod cell and measurement of the changes of specific sets of nuclear data depending on burn-up, is confirmed by the comparison with experimentally found concentrations of important nuclides in fuel samples at Obrigheim nuclear power station. Realistic conditions of use are defined for a range of burn-up of 33 GWd/t to 55 GWd/t and the effects of changes of the number of cycles and the use of types of fuel elements being developed on the composition of the inventory are determined. The plutonium compositions during use in the reactor are given and are tabulated with the inventory for decay times up to 30 years. Effects during change to higher burn-ups are examined and discussed for the maximum inventories during use of fuel and for heat generation during final storage. (orig./HP) [de

  16. State of fuel rods spent in the VVER-1000 reactor up to a fuel burnup of 75 MW·Day/KgU

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markov, D.; Zvir, E.; Polenok, V.; Zhitelev, V.; Strozhuk, A.; Volkova, I.

    2011-01-01

    The presented material contains the data on change in form, corrosion state and mechanical properties of fuel rod claddings, change in fuel structure and release of gaseous fission products (GFP) under the cladding. The results of PIEs of the VVER-1000 fuel rods with the high burnup of fuel (average value is 72.3 MW·day/kgU and maximum is 75 MW·day/kgU) carried out in JSC 'SSC RIAR' show that by the basic operational characteristics the lifetime of fuel rods with such burnup of fuel is not exhausted. The state of fuel rods is characterized by following key parameters. The fuel-to-cladding gap on the most part of the fuel meat is absent. With the burnup growth, diameter of the fuel rod increases due to fuel meat swelling. In so doing, the reverse strain achieves the values of 0.40-0.47 %. Ridges on the cladding are formed practically along the entire length of the fuel meat, average height of ridges makes up 25 μm, maximum - 40 μm. At burnups exceeding 55 MW·day/kgU, the rate of the fuel rod elongation is less than at low and average burnups. So if within a burnup range of 20-55 MW·day/kgU, the rate of the fuel rod elongation makes up about 0.330mm per 1 MW·day/kgU, at burnups exceeding 55 MW·day/kgU it is only 0.085mm per 1 MW·day/kgU. Corrosion state of the claddings of fuel rods with high burnup of fuel is satisfactory. The oxide film, as a rule, is uniform, dense, without cracks and exfoliation, its thickness on the external surface does not exceed 13 μm, while on the internal surface - 15 μm. Hydrogenation is insignificant, mass fraction of hydrogen does not exceed 0.01 %. Interaction of fuel rods with spacer grids does not result in significant fretting-corrosion. Based of the results of tests, short-term mechanical properties of the claddings of fuel rods with high burnup of fuel remain at high level. The state of fuel is characterized by absence of the fuel-to-cladding gap on the most part of the fuel meat, fuel is tightly fixed to the cladding

  17. Characterisation of high-burnup LWR fuel rods through gamma tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caruso, S.

    2007-01-01

    Current fuel management strategies for light water reactors (LWRs), in countries with high back-end costs, progressively extend the discharge burnup at the expense of increasing the 235 U enrichment of the fresh UO 2 fuel loaded. In this perspective, standard non-destructive assay techniques, which are very attractive because they are fast, cheap, and preserve the fuel integrity, in contrast to destructive approaches, require further validation when burnup values become higher than 50 GWd/t. This doctoral work has been devoted to the development and optimisation of non-destructive assay techniques based on gamma-ray emissions from irradiated fuel. It represents an important extension of the unique, high-burnup related database, generated in the framework of the LWR PROTEUS Phase II experiments. A novel tomographic measurement station has been designed and developed for the investigation of irradiated fuel rod segments. A unique feature of the station is that it allows both gamma-ray transmission and emission computerised tomography to be performed on single fuel rods. Four burnt UO 2 fuel rod segments of 400 mm length have been investigated, two with very high (52 GWd/t and 71 GWd/t) and two with ultra-high (91 GWd/t and 126 GWd/t) burnup. Several research areas have been addressed, as described below. The application of transmission tomography to spent fuel rods has been a major task, because of difficulties of implementation and the uniqueness of the experiments. The main achievements, in this context, have been the determination of fuel rod average material density (a linear relationship between density and burnup was established), fuel rod linear attenuation coefficient distribution (for use in emission tomography), and fuel rod material density distribution. The non-destructive technique of emission computerised tomography (CT) has been applied to the very high and ultra-high burnup fuel rod samples for determining their within-rod distributions of caesium and

  18. Reactivity management and burn-up management on JRR-3 silicide-fuel-core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Tomoaki; Araki, Masaaki; Izumo, Hironobu; Kinase, Masami; Torii, Yoshiya; Murayama, Yoji

    2007-08-01

    On the conversion from uranium-aluminum-dispersion-type fuel (aluminide fuel) to uranium-silicon-aluminum-dispersion-type fuel (silicide fuel), uranium density was increased from 2.2 to 4.8 g/cm 3 with keeping uranium-235 enrichment of 20%. So, burnable absorbers (cadmium wire) were introduced for decreasing excess reactivity caused by the increasing of uranium density. The burnable absorbers influence reactivity during reactor operation. So, the burning of the burnable absorbers was studied and the influence on reactor operation was made cleared. Furthermore, necessary excess reactivity on beginning of operation cycle and the time limit for restart after unplanned reactor shutdown was calculated. On the conversion, limit of fuel burn-up was increased from 50% to 60%. And the fuel exchange procedure was changed from the six-batch dispersion procedure to the fuel burn-up management procedure. The previous estimation of fuel burn-up was required for the planning of fuel exchange, so that the estimation was carried out by means of past operation data. Finally, a new fuel exchange procedure was proposed for effective use of fuel elements. On the procedure, burn-up of spent fuel was defined for each loading position. The average length of fuel's staying in the core can be increased by two percent on the procedure. (author)

  19. Oxygen stoichiometry shift of irradiated LWR-fuels at high burn-ups: Review of data and alternative interpretation of recently published results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spino, J.; Peerani, P.

    2008-01-01

    The available oxygen potential data of LWR-fuels by the EFM-method have been reviewed and compared with thermodynamic data of equivalent simulated fuels and mixed oxide systems, combined with the analysis of lattice parameter data. Up to burn-ups of 70-80 GWd/tM the comparison confirmed traditional predictions anticipating the fuels to remain quasi stoichiometric along irradiation. However, recent predictions of a fuel with average burn-up around 100 GWd/tM becoming definitely hypostoichiometric were not confirmed. At average burn-ups around 80 GWd/tM and above, it is shown that the fuels tend to acquire progressively slightly hyperstoichiometric O/M ratios. The maximum derived O/M ratio for an average burn-up of 100 GWd/tM lies around 2.001 and 2.002. Though slight, the stoichiometry shift may have a measurable accelerating impact on fission gas diffusion and release

  20. Design and analytic evaluation of a rim effect reduction type LWR fuel for extending burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumura, Tetsuo; Kameyama, Takanori; Kinoshita, Motoyasu

    1991-01-01

    We have designed a new concept fuel design 'Rim effect reduction type fuel' which has thin natural UO 2 layer on surface of a UO2 pellet. Our neutronic analyses with ANRB code show this fuel design can reduce rim effect (burnup at plelet rim) by about 30 GWd/t comparing a normal fuel. It is known that a high burnup fuel has different microstructure from as-fabricated one at fuel rim (which is called as rim region) due to rim effect. Therefore this fuel design can expect smaller rim region than a normal fuel. Our fuel performance analyses with EIMUS code show this fuel design can reduce fuel center temperature at high burnup if thermal conductivity of fuel pellet decreases with burnup in inverse proportion. However, this fuel design increases fuel center temperature at low and middle burnup than a normal fuel due to increase of thermal power density at pellet center. Additionally Irradiation experiment of this fuel design can be considered to offer important data which make clear the relation between rim effect and fuel performance. (author)

  1. Burnup performance of OTTO cycle pebble bed reactors with ROX fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ho, Hai Quan; Obara, Toru

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A 300 MW t Small Pebble Bed Reactor with Rock-like oxide fuel is proposed. • Using ROX fuel can achieve high discharged burnup of spent fuel. • High geological stability can be expected in direct disposal of the spent ROX fuel. • The Pebble Bed Reactor with ROX fuel can be critical at steady state operation. • All the reactor designs have a negative temperature coefficient. - Abstract: A pebble bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (PBR) with rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel was designed to achieve high discharged burnup and improve the integrity of the spent fuel in geological disposal. The MCPBR code with a JENDL-4.0 library, which developed the analysis of the Once-Through-Then-Out (OTTO) cycle in PBR, was used to perform the criticality and burnup analysis. Burnup calculations for eight cases were carried out for both ROX fuel and a UO 2 fuel reactor with different heavy-metal loading conditions. The effective multiplication factor of all cases approximately equalled unity in the equilibrium condition. The ROX fuel reactor showed lower FIFA than the UO 2 fuel reactor at the same heavy-metal loading, about 5–15%. However, the power peaking factor and maximum power per fuel ball in the ROX fuel core were lower than that of UO 2 fuel core. This effect makes it possible to compensate for the lower-FIFA disadvantage in a ROX fuel core. All reactor designs had a negative temperature coefficient that is needed for the passive safety features of a pebble bed reactor

  2. Burn-up measurements of spent fuel using gamma spectrometry technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereda, C.; Henriquez, C.; Klein, J.; Medel, J.

    2005-01-01

    Burn-up results obtained for HEU (45% of 235 U) fuel assemblies of the RECH-1 Research Reactor using gamma spectrometry technique are presented. The spectra were got from an in-pool facility built in the reactor to be mainly used to measure the burnup of irradiated fuel assemblies with short cooling time, where 95 Zr is being evaluated as possible fission monitor. A program to measure all spent fuel assemblies of the RECH-1 reactor was initiated in the frame of the Regional Project RLA/4/018: 'Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors'. The results presented here were obtained from HEU spent fuel assemblies with cooling time greater than 100 days and 137 Cs was used as fission monitor. The efficiency of the in-pool system was determined using a slightly burnt experimental fuel assembly, which has one fuel plate (one of the outer plates) and the rest are dummy plates. An average burn-up of 2.8% of 235 U was previously measured for the experimental fuel assembly utilizing a facility installed in a hot cell and 137 Cs was used as monitor. (author)

  3. Development of a numerical experimentation method for thermal hydraulics design and evaluation of high burn-up and innovative fuel pins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ninokata, Hisashi; Misawa, Takeharu; Baglietto, Emilio; Sorokin, A.P.; Maekawa, Isamu; Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Akira

    2003-03-01

    A method of large scale direct numerical simulation of turbulent flows in a high burn-up fuel pin bundle is proposed to evaluate wall shear stress and temperature distributions on the pin surfaces as well as detailed coolant velocity and temperature distributions inside subchannels under various thermal hydraulic conditions. This simulation is aimed at providing a tool to confirm margins to thermal hydraulics design limits of the nuclear fuels and at the same time to be used in design-by-analysis approaches. The method will facilitate thermal hydraulic design of high performance LMFR core fuels characterized by high burn-up, ultra long life, high reliable and safe performances, easiness of operation and maintenance, minimization of radio active wastes, without much relying on such empirical approach as hot spot factor and sub-factors, and above all the high cost mock up experiments. A pseudo direct numerical simulation of turbulence (DNS) code is developed, first on the Cartesian coordinates and then on the curvilinear boundary fit coordinates that enables us to reproduce thermal hydraulics phenomena in such a complicated flow channel as subchannels in a nuclear fuel pin assembly. The coordinate transformation is evaluated and demonstrated to yield correct physical quantities by carrying out computations and comparisons with experimental data with respect to the distributions of various physical quantities and turbulence statistics for fluid flow and heat transfers in various kinds of simple flow channel geometry. Then the boundary fitted pseudo DNS for flows inside an infinite pin array configuration is carried out and compared with available detailed experimental data. In parallel similar calculations are carried out using a commercial code STAR-CD to cross-check the DNS performances. As a results, the pseudo DNS showed reasonable comparisons with experiments as well as the STAR-CD results. Importance of the secondary flow influences is emphasized on the momentum

  4. Improvement of burnup analysis for pebble bed reactors with an accumulative fuel loading scheme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simanullang, Irwan Liapto; Obara, Toru

    2015-01-01

    Given the limitations of natural uranium resources, innovative nuclear power plant concepts that increase the efficiency of nuclear fuel utilization are needed. The Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) shows some potential to achieve high efficiency in natural uranium utilization. To simplify the PBR concept, PBR with an accumulation fuel loading scheme was introduced and the Fuel Handling System (FHS) removed. In this concept, the pebble balls are added little by little into the reactor core until the pebble balls reach the top of the reactor core, and all pebble balls are discharged from the core at the end of the operation period. A code based on the MVP/MVP-BURN method has been developed to perform an analysis of a PBR with the accumulative fuel loading scheme. The optimum fuel composition was found using the code for high burnup performance. Previous efforts provided several motivations to improve the burnup performance: First, some errors in the input code were corrected. This correction, and an overall simplification of the input code, was implemented for easier analysis of a PBR with the accumulative fuel loading scheme. Second, the optimum fuel design had been obtained in the infinite geometry. To improve the optimum fuel composition, a parametric survey was obtained by varying the amount of Heavy Metal (HM) uranium per pebble and the degree of uranium enrichment. Moreover, an entire analysis of the parametric survey was obtained in the finite geometry. The results show that improvements in the fuel composition can lead to more accurate analysis with the code. (author)

  5. Numerical simulations of waste forms from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schneider, Stephan

    2014-01-01

    The usage of fissile material for nuclear fuel causes that alongside radioactive wastes are produced. These waste materials are created during all handling or usage operations within the nuclear fuel cycle. The main source of radiotoxicity is produced during the usage of nuclear fuel within the reactor. Energy is released by neutron induced fission reactions in heavy isotopes. Parts of the created fission products have large radiotoxicities. Due to neutron capture within the nuclear fuel the radiotoxicity is furthermore increased. These waste streams from the nuclear fuel cycle must be stored in a safe way to prevent any contamination of the biosphere and any harm to the civilization or the environment. The waste packages must be treated and conditioned for the final disposal. These created packages are subject to an independent product control to ensure there acceptability for transport, interim and final storage. The independent product control is a significant component of an effective waste management system. The aim of this work is the development of a software system used for the assessment of radioactive waste packages. The software shall permit the auditor to perform scenario analysis to forecast the product properties of a certain waste stream and therefore optimize the needed inspection scope in preparation of a new campaign. The software is designed as a modular library this permits the most flexible use of the software components and a high reusability of written analysis software. The software system is used for coupling of established and well-known simulation programs used for nuclear systems. The results of Monte-Carlo simulations and burn-up calculations are automatically imported and prepared for user interaction. The usage of simulation programs cause different challenges to the computing infrastructure. The scenario analyses need a large number of parameter variations which are bound to the computing time. For this reason additional to the

  6. ZZ CANDULIB-AECL, Burnup-Dependent ORIGEN-S Cross-Section Libraries for Candu Reactor Fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    1 - Historical background and information: - 28-element fuel cross-section library: Format: Designed for use with the ORIGEN-S isotope generation and depletion code. Materials: Co, Ge, As, Se, Br, Kr, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, I, Xe, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Lu, Ta, W, Re, Au, Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm. Origin: ENDSF, ENDF/B-IV, -V and -VI Weighting spectrum: determined using WIMS-AECL transport code. - 37-element fuel cross-section library: Format: Designed for use with the ORIGEN-S isotope generation and depletion code. Materials: Co, Ge, As, Se, Br, Kr, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, I, Xe, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Lu, Ta, W, Re, Au, Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm. Origin: ENDSF, ENDF/B-IV, -V and -VI Weighting spectrum: determined using WIMS-AECL transport code. In 1995, updated ORIGEN-S cross-section libraries were created as part of a program to upgrade and standardize the computer codes and nuclear data employed for used fuel characterization. This effort was funded through collaboration between Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and the Canadian Nuclear Power Utilities, under the Candu Owners Group (COG). The updated cross sections were generated using the WIMS-AECL lattice code and ENDF/B-V and -VI based data to provide cross section consistency with reactor physics codes. 2 - Application of the data: The libraries in this data collection are designed for characterising used fuel from Candu pressurized heavy water reactors. Two libraries are provided: one for the standard 28-element fuel bundle design, the other for the 37-element fuel bundle design. The libraries were generated for typical reactor operating conditions. The libraries are designed for use with the ORIGEN-S isotope generation and depletion code. 3 - Source and scope of data: The Candu libraries are updated with cross sections from a variety of different sources. Capture

  7. IAEA activities in the back-end area of nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukuda, Kosaku

    1999-01-01

    This paper concerns recent outcomes from the IAEA's activities in the area of the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly focusing on the back-end of the fuel cycle. It includes spent fuel management, plutonium utilization and burnup credit. In the area of spent fuel management, worldwide prospects and status of the spent fuel arising, storage and reprocessing are presented. In the area of plutonium utilization worldwide, only MOX fuel fabrication is described. Finally, the worldwide status of the burnup credit implementation is described. (author)

  8. Efficiency improvement of nuclear power plant operation: the significant role of advanced nuclear fuel technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Velde Van de, A.; Burtak, F.

    2001-01-01

    Due to the increased liberalisation of the power markets, nuclear power generation is being exposed to high cost reduction pressure. In this paper we highlight the role of advanced nuclear fuel technologies to reduce the fuel cycle costs and therefore increase the efficiency of nuclear power plant operation. The key factor is a more efficient utilisation of the fuel and present developments at Siemens are consequently directed at (i) further increase of batch average burnup, (ii) improvement of fuel reliability, (iii) enlargement of fuel operation margins and (iv) improvement of methods for fuel design and core analysis. As a result, the nuclear fuel cycle costs for a typical LWR have been reduced during the past decades by about US$ 35 million per year. The estimated impact of further burnup increases on the fuel cycle costs is expected to be an additional saving of US$10 - 15 million per year. Due to the fact that the fuel will operate closer to design limits, a careful approach is required when introducing advanced fuel features in reload quantities. Trust and co-operation between the fuel vendors and the utilities is a prerequisite for the common success. (authors)

  9. The Width of High Burnup Structure in LWR UO2 Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koo, Yang-Hyun; Lee, Byung-Ho; Oh, Jae-Yong; Sohn, Dong-Seong

    2007-01-01

    The measured data available in the open literature on the width of high burnup structure (HBS) in LWR UO 2 fuel were analyzed in terms of pellet average burnup, enrichment, and grain size. Dependence of the HBS width on pellet average burnup was shown to be divided into three regions; while the HBS width is governed by accumulation of fission damage (i.e., burnup) for burnup below 60 GWd/tU, it seems to be restricted to some limiting value of around 1.5 mm for burnup above 75 GWd/tU due to high temperature which might have caused extensive annealing of irradiation damage. As for intermediate burnup between 60 and 75 GWd/tU, although temperature would not have been so high as to induce extensive annealing, the microstructural damage could have been partly annealed, resulting in the reduction of the HBS width. It was found that both enrichment and grain size also affects the HBS width. However, as long as the pellet average burnup is lower than about 75 GWd/tU, the effect does not appear to be significant for the enrichment and grain size that are typically used in current LWR fuel. (authors)

  10. Calculation study of the WWER-440 fuel performance for extended burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kujal, J.; Pazdera, F.; Barta, O.

    1984-01-01

    The results of preliminary calculational study of extended burnup cycling schemes impact on WWER-440 fuel performance are presented. Two high burnup schemes were proposed with three and four cycles, resp. Comparison was made with three cycle reference case. The thermal mechanical analysis was performed with PIN and RELA codes. The values of rod internal pressure, fuel centerline temperatures and fuel-cladding gap are expressed as function of power history. (author)

  11. Isotopic validation for PWR actinide-only burnup credit using Yankee Rowe data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-11-01

    Safety analyses of criticality control systems for transportation packages include an assumption that the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) loaded into the package is fresh or unirradiated. In other words, the spent fuel is assumed to have its original, as-manufactured U-235 isotopic content. The ''fresh fuel'' assumption is very conservative since the potential reactivity of the nuclear fuel is substantially reduced after being irradiated in the reactor core. The concept of taking credit for this reduction in nuclear fuel reactivity due to burnup of the fuel, instead of using the fresh fuel assumption in the criticality safety analysis, is referred to as ''Burnup Credit.'' Burnup credit uses the actual physical composition of the fuel and accounts for the net reduction of fissile material and the buildup of neutron absorbers in the fuel as it is irradiated. Neutron absorbers include actinides and other isotopes generated as a result of the fission process. Using only the change in actinide isotopes in the burnup credit criticality analysis is referred to as ''Actinide-Only Burnup Credit.'' The use of burnup credit in the design of criticality control systems enables more spent fuel to be placed in a package. Increased package capacity results in a reduced number of storage, shipping and disposal containers for a given number of SNF assemblies. Fewer shipments result in a lower risk of accidents associated with the handling and transportation of spent fuel, thus reducing both radiological and nonradiological risk to the public. This paper describes the modeling and the results of comparison between measured and calculated isotopic inventories for a selected number of samples taken from a Yankee Rowe spent fuel assembly

  12. Consequences of Fuel Failure on Criticality Safety of Used Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marshall, William J.; Wagner, John C.

    2012-09-01

    This report documents work performed for the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOENE) Fuel Cycle Technologies Used Fuel Disposition Campaign to assess the impact of fuel reconfiguration due to fuel failure on the criticality safety of used nuclear fuel (UNF) in storage and transportation casks. This work was motivated by concerns related to the potential for fuel degradation during extended storage (ES) periods and transportation following ES, but has relevance to other potential causes of fuel reconfiguration. Commercial UNF in the United States is expected to remain in storage for longer periods than originally intended. Extended storage time and irradiation of nuclear fuel to high-burnup values (>45 GWd/t) may increase the potential for fuel failure during normal and accident conditions involving storage and transportation. Fuel failure, depending on the severity, can result in changes to the geometric configuration of the fuel, which has safety and regulatory implications for virtually all aspects of a UNF storage and transport system's performance. The potential impact of fuel reconfiguration on the safety of UNF in storage and transportation is dependent on the likelihood and extent of the fuel reconfiguration, which is not well understood and is currently an active area of research. The objective of this work is to assess and quantify the impact of postulated failed fuel configurations on the criticality safety of UNF in storage and transportation casks. Although this work is motivated by the potential for fuel degradation during ES periods and transportation following ES, it has relevance to fuel reconfiguration due to the effects of high burnup. Regardless of the ultimate disposition path, UNF will need to be transported at some point in the future. To investigate and quantify the impact of fuel reconfiguration on criticality safety limits, which are given in terms of the effective neutron multiplication factor, a set of failed fuel

  13. IAEA activities on nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basak, U.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper a brief description and the main objectives of IAEA Programme B on Nuclear fuel cycle are given. The following Coordinated Research Projects: 1) FUel performance at high burn-up and in ageing plant by management and optimisation of WAter Chemistry Technologies (FUWAC ); 2) Near Term and Promising Long Term Options for Deployment of Thorium Based Nuclear Energy; 3) Fuel Modelling (FUMEX-III) are shortly described. The data collected by the IAEA Expert Group of Fuel Failures in Water Cooled Reactors including information about fuel failure cause for PWR (1994-2006) and failure mechanisms for BWR fuel (1994-2006) are shown. The just published Fuel Failure Handbook as well as preparation of a Monograph on Zirconium including an overview of Zirconium for nuclear applications are presented. The current projects in Sub-programme B2 - Power Reactor Fuel Engineering are also listed

  14. Instant release of fission products in leaching experiments with high burn-up nuclear fuels in the framework of the Euratom project FIRST- Nuclides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lemmens, K., E-mail: klemmens@sckcen.be [Waste and Disposal Expert Group, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK-CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); González-Robles, E.; Kienzler, B. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), PO Box 3640, D-76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Curti, E. [Laboratory for Waste Management, Nuclear Energy and Safety Dept., Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Serrano-Purroy, D. [European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre - JRC, Directorate G - Nuclear Safety & Security, Department G.III, PO Box 2340, D-76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Sureda, R.; Martínez-Torrents, A. [CTM Centre Tecnològic, Plaça de la Ciència 2, 08243 Manresa (Spain); Roth, O. [Studsvik, Nuclear AB, 611 82 Nyköping (Sweden); Slonszki, E. [Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Energiatudományi Kutatóközpont (MTA EK), PO Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Mennecart, T. [Waste and Disposal Expert Group, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK-CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); Günther-Leopold, I. [Laboratory for Waste Management, Nuclear Energy and Safety Dept., Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Hózer, Z. [Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Energiatudományi Kutatóközpont (MTA EK), PO Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)

    2017-02-15

    The instant release of fission products from high burn-up UO{sub 2} fuels and one MOX fuel was investigated by means of leach tests. The samples covered PWR and BWR fuels at average rod burn-up in the range of 45–63 GWd/t{sub HM} and included clad fuel segments, fuel segments with opened cladding, fuel fragments and fuel powder. The tests were performed with sodium chloride – bicarbonate solutions under oxidizing conditions and, for one test, in reducing Ar/H{sub 2} atmosphere. The iodine and cesium release could be partially explained by the differences in sample preparation, leading to different sizes and properties of the exposed surface areas. Iodine and cesium releases tend to correlate with FGR and linear power rating, but the scatter of the data is significant. Although the gap between the fuel and the cladding was closed in some high burn-up samples, fissures still provide possible preferential transport pathways. - Highlights: • Leach tests were performed to study the instant release of fission products from high burn-up UO{sub 2} fuels and one MOX fuel. • In these tests, the fission gas release given by the operator was a pessimistic estimator of the iodine and cesium release. • Iodine and cesium release is proportional to linear power rating beyond 200 W cm{sup −1}. • Closure of the fuel-cladding gap at high burn-up slows down the release. • The release rate decreases following an exponential equation.

  15. Nuclear fuel for WWER reactors. Current status and prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molchanov, V.

    2006-01-01

    In this paper the following results from the JSC TVEL post-irradiation studies of full-scale fuel assemblies are discussed: 1) Oxide layer on fuel rod (FR) cladding does not exceed 15 μm; 2) Fission Gas Release does not exceed 3%; 3) Satisfactory condition of cladding. Concerning the operating experience it is noticed that: 1) Design criteria are fulfilled; 2) 5 TVSA are stayed at Kalinin-1 for 6 years up to burnup of 59 MWxdays/kgU; 3) 12 working assemblies (WA) are operated at Kola-3 for 6 years up to burnup of 57 MWxdays/kgU. At the end the following conclusions are made: 1) The main task of further development of nuclear fuel for WWER-1000 reactors is the increasing fuel rod burnup up to 72 MWxdays/kgU and operating life up to 6 years through the increase in uranium load in FA and maximum use of potential built-in in the designs of TVSA and TVS-2; 2) In the nearest future R and D in the field of nuclear fuel for WWER will be directed at justification of maneuvering fuel characteristics as well as at introducing of optimized zirconium alloys

  16. Application of Genetic Algorithm methodologies in fuel bundle burnup optimization of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayalal, M.L.; Ramachandran, Suja; Rathakrishnan, S.; Satya Murty, S.A.V.; Sai Baba, M.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We study and compare Genetic Algorithms (GA) in the fuel bundle burnup optimization of an Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) of 220 MWe. • Two Genetic Algorithm methodologies namely, Penalty Functions based GA and Multi Objective GA are considered. • For the selected problem, Multi Objective GA performs better than Penalty Functions based GA. • In the present study, Multi Objective GA outperforms Penalty Functions based GA in convergence speed and better diversity in solutions. - Abstract: The work carried out as a part of application and comparison of GA techniques in nuclear reactor environment is presented in the study. The nuclear fuel management optimization problem selected for the study aims at arriving appropriate reference discharge burnup values for the two burnup zones of 220 MWe Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) core. Two Genetic Algorithm methodologies namely, Penalty Functions based GA and Multi Objective GA are applied in this study. The study reveals, for the selected problem of PHWR fuel bundle burnup optimization, Multi Objective GA is more suitable than Penalty Functions based GA in the two aspects considered: by way of producing diverse feasible solutions and the convergence speed being better, i.e. it is capable of generating more number of feasible solutions, from earlier generations. It is observed that for the selected problem, the Multi Objective GA is 25.0% faster than Penalty Functions based GA with respect to CPU time, for generating 80% of the population with feasible solutions. When average computational time of fixed generations are considered, Penalty Functions based GA is 44.5% faster than Multi Objective GA. In the overall performance, the convergence speed of Multi Objective GA surpasses the computational time advantage of Penalty Functions based GA. The ability of Multi Objective GA in producing more diverse feasible solutions is a desired feature of the problem selected, that helps the

  17. Steady-state irradiation testing of U-Pu-Zr fuel to >18% burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pahl, R.G.; Wisner, R.S.; Billone, M.C.; Hofman, G.L.

    1990-01-01

    Tests of austenitic stainless steel clad U-xP-10Zr fuel (x=o, 8, 19 wt. %) to peak burnups as high as 18.4 at. % have been completed in the EBR-II. Fuel swelling and fractional fission gas release are slowly increasing functions of burnup beyond 2 at. % burnup. Increasing plutonium content in the fuel reduces swelling and decreases the amount of fission gas which diffuses from fuel to plenum. LIFE-METAL code modelling of cladding strains is consistent with creep by fission gas loading and irradiation-induced swelling mechanisms. Fuel/cladding chemical interaction involves the ingress of rare-earth fission products. Constituent redistribution in the fuel had not limited steady-state performance. Cladding breach behavior at closure welds, in the gas plenum, and in the fuel column region have been benign events. 3 refs., 5 figs

  18. A technique of melting temperature measurement and its application for irradiated high-burnup MOX fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namekawa, Takashi; Hirosawa, Takashi

    1999-01-01

    A melting temperature measurement technique for irradiated oxide fuels is described. In this technique, the melting temperature was determined from a thermal arrest on a heating curve of the specimen which was enclosed in a tungsten capsule to maintain constant chemical composition of the specimen during measurement. The measurement apparatus was installed in an alpha-tight steel box within a gamma-shielding cell and operated by remote handling. The temperature of the specimen was measured with a two-color pyrometer sighted on a black-body well at the bottom of the tungsten capsule. The diameter of the black-body well was optimized so that the uncertainties of measurement were reduced. To calibrate the measured temperature, two reference melting temperature materials, tantalum and molybdenum, were encapsulated and run before and after every oxide fuel test. The melting temperature data on fast reactor mixed oxide fuels irradiated up to 124 GWd/t were obtained. In addition, simulated high-burnup mixed oxide fuel up to 250 GWd/t by adding non-radioactive soluble fission products was examined. These data shows that the melting temperature decrease with increasing burnup and saturated at high burnup region. (author)

  19. PWR AXIAL BURNUP PROFILE ANALYSIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    J.M. Acaglione

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this activity is to develop a representative ''limiting'' axial burnup profile for pressurized water reactors (PWRs), which would encompass the isotopic axial variations caused by different assembly irradiation histories, and produce conservative isotopics with respect to criticality. The effect that the low burnup regions near the ends of spent fuel have on system reactivity is termed the ''end-effect''. This calculation will quantify the end-effects associated with Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies emplaced in a hypothetical 21 PWR waste package. The scope of this calculation covers an initial enrichment range of 3.0 through 5.0 wt% U-235 and a burnup range of 10 through 50 GWd/MTU. This activity supports the validation of the process for ensuring conservative generation of spent fuel isotopics with respect to criticality safety applications, and the use of burnup credit for commercial spent nuclear fuel. The intended use of these results will be in the development of PWR waste package loading curves, and applications involving burnup credit. Limitations of this evaluation are that the limiting profiles are only confirmed for use with the B andW 15 x 15 fuel assembly design. However, this assembly design is considered bounding of all other typical commercial PWR fuel assembly designs. This calculation is subject to the Quality Assurance Requirements and Description (QARD) because this activity supports investigations of items or barriers on the Q-list (YMP 2001)

  20. Microstructural change and its influence on fission gas release in high burnup UO 2 fuel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Une, K.; Nogita, K.; Kashibe, S.; Imamura, M.

    1992-06-01

    The microstructural change of UO 2 fuel pellets (burnup: 6-83 GWd/t), base irradiated under LWR conditions, has been studied by detailed postirradiation examinations. The lattice parameter near the fuel rim in the irradiated UO 2 increased with burnup and appeared to become constant beyond about 50 GWd/t. This lattice dilation was mainly due to the accumulation of radiation induced point defects. Moreover, the dislocation density in the UO 2 matrix developed progressively with burnup, and eventually the tangled dislocations organized many sub-grain boundaries in the highest burnup fuel of 83 GWd/t. This sub-grain structure induced by accumulated radiation damage was compatible in appearance with SEM fractography results which revealed sub-divided grains of sub-micron size in as-fabricated grains. The influence of burnup on 85Kr release from the UO 2 fuels has been examined by means of a postirradiation annealing technique. The higher fractional release of high burnup fuels was mainly due to the burnup dependence of the fractional burst release evolved on temperature ramp. The fractional burst release was represented in terms of the square root of burnup from 6 to 83 GWd/t.

  1. Experimental support of WWER-440 fuel reliability and serviceability at high burnup

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smirnov, A; Ivanov, V; Pnyushkin, A [Nauchno-Issledovatel` skij Inst. Atomnykh Reaktorov, Dimitrovgrad (Russian Federation); Tzibulya, V [AO Mashinostroitelnij Zavod Electrostal (Russian Federation); Kolosovsky, V; Bibilashvili, Yu [Vsesoyuznyj Nauchno-Issledovatel` skij Inst. Neorganicheskikh Materialov, Moscow (Russian Federation); Dubrovin, K [Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation)

    1994-12-31

    Results from post-reactor examination of two WWER-440 fuel assemblies spent at the Kola NPP Unit 3 during 4 and 5 fuel cycles are presented. The fuel assembly states and their serviceability allowance are estimated experimentally at the RIAR hot laboratory and studied by non-destructive and destructive methods. The following parameters are examined: fuel assembly overall dimensions change; fuel element diameter change; fuel element cladding corrosion and hydriding; fuel element cladding mechanical properties; fission gas release from fuel and gas pressure; fuel macro- and microstructure. it has been found that the maximum fuel burnup of fuel assemblies No. 1 and No.2 achieved is 58.3 and 64.0 MWd/kg, respectively. The mechanical fuel pellets-cladding interaction has been observed at the average fuel burnup above 45 MWd/kg that occurred with increasing the local cladding diameter at the areas of pellets end arrangement (bamboo stick). The gas release linearly increases at the range 2.7% per 10 MWd/kg within burnup of 43-60 MWd/kg. 9 figs., 3 refs.

  2. CARA design criteria for HWR fuel burnup extension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Florido, P.C.; Cirimello, R.O.; Bergallo, J.E.; Marino, A.C.; Delmastro, D.F.; Brasnarof, D.O.; Gonzalez, J.H.; Juanico, L.A.

    2002-01-01

    A new concept for HWR fuel bundles, namely CARA, is presented. The CARA design allows to improve all the major performances in the PHWR fuel technology. Among others, it reaches higher burnup and thermohydraulic safety margins, together with lower fuel pellet temperatures and Zry/HM mass ratio. Moreover, it keeps the fuel mass content per unit length and the channel pressure drop by using a single diameter of fuel rods. (author)

  3. Preliminary neutronic design of high burnup OTTO cycle pebble bed reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setiadipura, T.; Zuhair; Irwanto, D.

    2015-01-01

    The pebble bed type High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is among the interesting nuclear reactor designs in terms of safety and flexibility for co-generation applications. In addition, the strong inherent safety characteristics of the pebble bed reactor (PBR) which is based on natural mechanisms improve the simplicity of the PBR design, in particular for the Once-Through-Then-Out (OTTO) cycle PBR design. One of the important challenges of the OTTO cycle PBR design, and nuclear reactor design in general, is improving the nuclear fuel utilization which is shown by attaining a higher burnup value. This study performed a preliminary neutronic design study of a 200 MWt OTTO cycle PBR with high burnup while fulfilling the safety criteria of the PBR design.The safety criteria of the design was represented by the per-fuel-pebble maximum power generation of 4.5 kW/pebble. The maximum burnup value was also limited by the tested maximum burnup value which maintained the integrity of the pebble fuel. Parametric surveys were performed to obtain the optimized parameters used in this study, which are the fuel enrichment, per-pebble heavy metal (HM) loading, and the average axial speed of the fuel. An optimum design with burnup value of 131.1 MWd/Kg-HM was achieved in this study which is much higher compare to the burnup of the reference design HTR-MODUL and a previously proposed OTTO-cycle PBR design. This optimum design uses 17% U-235 enrichment with 4 g HM-loading per fuel pebble. (author)

  4. Preliminary Neutronic Design of High Burnup OTTO Cycle Pebble Bed Reactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Setiadipura

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The pebble bed type High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR is among the interesting nuclear reactor designs in terms of safety and flexibility for co-generation applications. In addition, the strong inherent safety characteristics of the pebble bed reactor (PBR which is based on natural mechanisms improve the simplicity of the PBR design, in particular for the Once-Through-Then-Out (OTTO cycle PBR design. One of the important challenges of the OTTO cycle PBR design, and nuclear reactor design in general, is improving the nuclear fuel utilization which is shown by attaining a higher burnup value. This study performed a preliminary neutronic design study of a 200 MWt OTTO cycle PBR with high burnup while fulfilling the safety criteria of the PBR design.The safety criteria of the design was represented by the per-fuel-pebble maximum power generation of 4.5 kW/pebble. The maximum burnup value was also limited by the tested maximum burnup value which maintained the integrity of the pebble fuel. Parametric surveys were performed to obtain the optimized parameters used in this study, which are the fuel enrichment, per-pebble heavy metal (HM loading, and the average axial speed of the fuel. An optimum design with burnup value of 131.1 MWd/Kg-HM was achieved in this study which is much higher compare to the burnup of the reference design HTR-MODUL and a previously proposed OTTO-cycle PBR design. This optimum design uses 17% U-235 enrichment with 4 g HM-loading per fuel pebble

  5. An investigation into fuel pulverization with specific reference to high burn-up LOCA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yagnik, Suresh; Turnbull, James; Noirot, Jean; Walker, Clive; Hallstadius, Lars; Waeckel, N.; Blanpain, P.

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the phenomenon of high burn-up fuel pellet material potentially disintegrating into powder under a rapid temperature transient, such as in a LOCA-type accident scenario, two independent scoping studies were commissioned. The first was to investigate the effect of hydrostatic restraint pressure on Fission Gas Release (FGR) from small samples of highly irradiated fuel (71 MWd/kgU) during a series of rapid temperature ramps. Experimentally, when the FGR increased rapidly during the temperature transients, the fuel was assumed to be 'pulverized', i.e., fragmented into powder. In the second series of experiments, laser heating of small samples was used to investigate the temperature at which fuel pulverization was initiated. Subsequent to fuel disintegration, there was always a spectrum of particle sizes present. The significance of this observation was recognized in the context of extended burn-up operation in commercial reactors. Based on the observation from these investigations, a fuel fragmentation threshold has been discussed and developed. We conclude that fuel disintegration could be of potential importance in limiting the performance and productive lifetime of nuclear fuel. However, since only fuel closely adjacent to ballooned or ruptured cladding would be released in a LOCA-type transient, expulsion of pulverized fuel from the ruptured fuel rod is not considered a safety issue; cooling of the defected assembly remains possible and there is no issue with respect to local criticality. (author)

  6. Operation of Nuclear Fuel Based on Reprocessed Uranium for VVER-type Reactors in Competitive Nuclear Fuel Cycles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Troyanov, V.; Molchanov, V.; Tuzov, A. [TVEL Corporation, 49 Kashirskoe shosse, Moscow 115409 (Russian Federation); Semchenkov, Yu.; Lizorkin, M. [RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' (Russian Federation); Vasilchenko, I.; Lushin, V. [OKB ' Gidropress' (Russian Federation)

    2009-06-15

    Current nuclear fuel cycle of Russian nuclear power involves reprocessed low-enriched uranium in nuclear fuel production for some NPP units with VVER-type LWR. This paper discusses design and performance characteristics of commercial nuclear fuel based on natural and reprocessed uranium. It presents the review of results of commercial operation of nuclear fuel based on reprocessed uranium on Russian NPPs-unit No.2 of Kola NPP and unit No.2 of Kalinin NPP. The results of calculation and experimental validation of safe fuel operation including necessary isotope composition conformed to regulation requirements and results of pilot fuel operation are also considered. Meeting the customer requirements the possibility of high burn-up achieving was demonstrated. In addition the paper compares the characteristics of nuclear fuel cycles with maximum length based on reprocessed and natural uranium considering relevant 5% enrichment limitation and necessity of {sup 236}U compensation. The expedience of uranium-235 enrichment increasing over 5% is discussed with the aim to implement longer fuel cycles. (authors)

  7. Analysis of burnup and isotopic compositions of BWR 9 x 9 UO2 fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, M.; Yamamoto, T.; Ando, Y.; Nakajima, T.

    2012-01-01

    In order to extend isotopic composition data focusing on fission product nuclides, measurements are progressing using facilities of JAEA for five samples taken from high burnup BWR 9 x 9 UO 2 fuel assemblies. Neutronics analysis with an infinite assembly model was applied to the preliminary measurement data using a continuous-energy Monte Carlo burnup calculation code MVP-BURN with nuclear libraries based on JENDL-3.3 and JENDL-4.0. The burnups of the samples were determined to be 28.0, 39.3, 56.6, 68.1, and 64.0 GWd/t by the Nd-148 method. They were compared with those calculated using node-average irradiation histories of power and in-channel void fractions which were taken from the plant data. The comparison results showed that the deviations of the calculated burnups from the measurements were -4 to 3%. It was confirmed that adopting the nuclear data library based on JENDL-4.0 reduced the deviations of the calculated isotopic compositions from the measurements for 238 Pu, 144 Nd, 145 Nd, 146 Nd, 148 Nd, 134 Cs, 154 Eu, 152 Sm, 154 Gd, and 157 Gd. On the other hand, the effect of the revision in the nuclear. data library on the neutronics analysis was not significant for major U and Pu isotopes. (authors)

  8. First steps towards modelling high burnup effect in UO{sub 2} fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O` Carroll, C; Lassmann, K; Laar, J Van De; Walker, C T [CEC Joint Research Centre, Karlsruhe (Germany)

    1997-08-01

    High burnup initiates a process that can lead to major microstructural changes near the edge of the fuel: formation of subgrains, the loss of matrix fission gas and an increase in porosity. A consequence of this, is a decrease of thermal conductivity near the edge of the fuel which may be major implications for the performance of LWR fuels at higher burnup. The mechanism for the changes in grain structure, the apparent depletion of Xe and increase in porosity is associated with the high fission density at the fuel periphery. This is in turn due to the preferential capture of epithermal neutrons in the resonances of {sup 238}U. The new model TUBRNP predicts the radial burnup profile as a function of time together with the radial profile of plutonium. The model has been validated with data from LWR UO{sub 2} fuels with enrichments in the range 2 to 8.25% and burnups between 21 to 75 Gwd/t. It has been reported that at high burnup EPMA measures a sharp decrease in the concentration of Xe near the fuel surface. This loss of Xe is interpreted as a signal that the gas has been swept out of the original grains into pores: this ``missing`` Xe has been measured by XRF. It has been noted experimentally that the restructuring (Xe depletion and changes in grain structure) have an onset threshold local burnup in the region of 70 to 80 GWd/t: a specific value was taken for use in the model. For a given fuel TUBRNP predicts the local burnup profile, and the depth corresponding to the threshold value is taken to be the thickness of the Xe depleted region. The theoretical predictions have been compared with experimental data. The results are presented and should be seen as a first step in the development of a more detailed model of this phenomenon. (author). 22 refs, 9 figs, 2 tabs.

  9. Model for evolution of grain size in the rim region of high burnup UO{sub 2} fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Hongxing, E-mail: xiaohongxing2003@163.com; Long, Chongsheng; Chen, Hongsheng

    2016-04-01

    The restructuring process of the high burnup structure (HBS) formation in UO{sub 2} fuel results in sub-micron size grains that accelerate the fission gas swelling, which will raise some concern over the safety of extended the nuclear fuel operation life in the reactor. A mechanistic and engineering model for evolution of grain size in the rim region of high burnup UO{sub 2} fuel based on the experimental observations of the HBS in the literature is presented. The model takes into account dislocations evolution under irradiation and the grain subdivision occur successively at increasing local burnup. It is assumed that the original driving force for subdivision of grain in the HBS of UO{sub 2} fuel is the production and accumulation of dislocation loops during irradiation. The dislocation loops can also be annealed through thermal diffusion when the temperature is high enough. The capability of this model is validated by the comparison with the experimental data of temperature threshold of subdivision, dislocation density and sub-grain size as a function of local burnup. It is shown that the calculated results of the dislocation density and subdivided grain size as a function of local burnup are in good agreement with the experimental results. - Highlights: • A model for evolution of dislocation density and grain size in HBS is proposed. • The dislocation can also be annealed when the temperature is high enough. • Original driving force for subdivision is mostly accumulation of dislocation loops. • The temperature threshold of the subdivision is predicted at 1300–1400 K.

  10. Investigation of research and development subjects for the Very High Burnup Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Kimio; Amano, Hidetoshi; Suzuki, Yasufumi; Furuta, Teruo; Nagase, Fumihisa; Suzuki, Masahide

    1993-06-01

    A concept of the Very High Burnup Fuel aiming at a maximum fuel assembly burnup of 100 GWd/t has been proposed in terms of burnup extension, utilization of Pu and transmutation of transuranium elements (TRU: Np, Am and Cm). The authors have investigated research and development (R and D) subjects of the fuel pellet and the cladding material of the Fuel. The present report describes the results on the fuel pellet. First, the chemical state of the Fuel and fission products (FP) was inferred through an FP-inventory and an equilibrium-thermodynamics calculations. Besides, knowledge obtained from post-irradiation examinations was surveyed. Next, an investigation was made on irradiation behavior of U/Pu mixed oxide (MOX) fuel with high enrichment of Pu, as well as on fission-gas release and swelling behavior of high burnup fuels. Reprocessibility of the Fuel, particularly solubility of the spent fuel, was also examined. As for the TRU-added fuel, material property data on TRU oxides were surveyed and summarized as a database. And the subjects on the production and the irradiation behavior were examined on the basis of experiences of MOX fuel production and TRU-added fuel irradiation. As a whole, the present study revealed the necessity of accumulating fundamental data and knowledge required for design and assessment of the fuel pellet, including the information on properties and irradiation performance of the TRU-added fuel. Finally, the R and D subjects were summarized, and a proposal was made on the way of development of the fuel pellet and cladding materials. (author)

  11. Corrosion studies with high burnup light water reactor fuel. Release of nuclides into simulated groundwater during accumulated contact time of up to two years

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zwicky, Hans-Urs (Zwicky Consulting GmbH, Remigen (Switzerland)); Low, Jeanett; Ekeroth, Ella (Studsvik Nuclear AB, Nykoeping (Sweden))

    2011-03-15

    In the framework of comprehensive research work supporting the development of a Swedish concept for the disposal of highly radioactive waste and spent fuel, Studsvik has performed a significant number of spent fuel corrosion studies under a variety of different conditions. These experiments, performed between 1990 and 2002, covered a burnup range from 27 to 49 MWd/kgU, which was typical for fuel to be disposed at that time. As part of this work, the so called Series 11 tests were performed under oxidising conditions in synthetic groundwater with fuel samples from a rod irradiated in the Ringhals 1 Boiling Water Reactor (BWR). In the meantime, Swedish utilities tend to increase the discharge burnup of fuel operated in their reactors. This means that knowledge of spent fuel corrosion performance has to be extended to higher burnup as well. Therefore, a series of experiments has been started at Studsvik, aiming at extending the data base acquired in the Series 11 corrosion tests to higher burnup fuel. Fuel burnup leads to complex and significant changes in the composition and properties of the fuel. The transformed microstructure, which is referred to as the high burnup structure or rim structure in the outer region of the fuel, consists of small grains of submicron size and a high concentration of pores of typical diameter 1 to 2 mum. This structure forms in UO{sub 2} fuel at a local burnup above 50 MWd/kgU, as long as the temperature is below 1,000-1,100 deg C. The high burnup at the pellet periphery is the consequence of plutonium build-up by neutron capture in 238U followed by fission of the formed plutonium. The amount of fission products in the fuel increases more or less linearly with burnup, in contrast to alpha emitting actinides that increase above average. As burnup across a spent fuel pellet is not uniform, but increases towards the periphery, the radiation field is also larger at the pellet surface. At the same time, it is easier for water to access the

  12. Corrosion studies with high burnup light water reactor fuel. Release of nuclides into simulated groundwater during accumulated contact time of up to two years

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zwicky, Hans-Urs; Low, Jeanett; Ekeroth, Ella

    2011-03-01

    In the framework of comprehensive research work supporting the development of a Swedish concept for the disposal of highly radioactive waste and spent fuel, Studsvik has performed a significant number of spent fuel corrosion studies under a variety of different conditions. These experiments, performed between 1990 and 2002, covered a burnup range from 27 to 49 MWd/kgU, which was typical for fuel to be disposed at that time. As part of this work, the so called Series 11 tests were performed under oxidising conditions in synthetic groundwater with fuel samples from a rod irradiated in the Ringhals 1 Boiling Water Reactor (BWR). In the meantime, Swedish utilities tend to increase the discharge burnup of fuel operated in their reactors. This means that knowledge of spent fuel corrosion performance has to be extended to higher burnup as well. Therefore, a series of experiments has been started at Studsvik, aiming at extending the data base acquired in the Series 11 corrosion tests to higher burnup fuel. Fuel burnup leads to complex and significant changes in the composition and properties of the fuel. The transformed microstructure, which is referred to as the high burnup structure or rim structure in the outer region of the fuel, consists of small grains of submicron size and a high concentration of pores of typical diameter 1 to 2 μm. This structure forms in UO 2 fuel at a local burnup above 50 MWd/kgU, as long as the temperature is below 1,000-1,100 deg C. The high burnup at the pellet periphery is the consequence of plutonium build-up by neutron capture in 238 U followed by fission of the formed plutonium. The amount of fission products in the fuel increases more or less linearly with burnup, in contrast to alpha emitting actinides that increase above average. As burnup across a spent fuel pellet is not uniform, but increases towards the periphery, the radiation field is also larger at the pellet surface. At the same time, it is easier for water to access the

  13. Development and Experimental Benchmark of Simulations to Predict Used Nuclear Fuel Cladding Temperatures during Drying and Transfer Operations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greiner, Miles [Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)

    2017-03-31

    Radial hydride formation in high-burnup used fuel cladding has the potential to radically reduce its ductility and suitability for long-term storage and eventual transport. To avoid this formation, the maximum post-reactor temperature must remain sufficiently low to limit the cladding hoop stress, and so that hydrogen from the existing circumferential hydrides will not dissolve and become available to re-precipitate into radial hydrides under the slow cooling conditions during drying, transfer and early dry-cask storage. The objective of this research is to develop and experimentallybenchmark computational fluid dynamics simulations of heat transfer in post-pool-storage drying operations, when high-burnup fuel cladding is likely to experience its highest temperature. These benchmarked tools can play a key role in evaluating dry cask storage systems for extended storage of high-burnup fuels and post-storage transportation, including fuel retrievability. The benchmarked tools will be used to aid the design of efficient drying processes, as well as estimate variations of surface temperatures as a means of inferring helium integrity inside the canister or cask. This work will be conducted effectively because the principal investigator has experience developing these types of simulations, and has constructed a test facility that can be used to benchmark them.

  14. Issues of high-burnup fuel for advanced nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belac, J.; Milisdoerfer, L.

    2004-12-01

    A brief description is given of nuclear fuels for Generation III+ and IV reactors, and the major steps needed for a successful implementation of new fuels in prospective types of newly designed power reactors are outlined. The following reactor types are discussed: gas cooled fast reactors, heavy metal (lead) cooled fast reactors, molten salt cooled reactors, sodium cooled fast reactors, supercritical water cooled reactors, and very high temperature reactors. The following are regarded as priority areas for future investigations: (i) spent fuel radiotoxicity; (ii) proliferation volatility; (iii) neutron physics characteristics and inherent safety element assessment; technical and economic analysis of the manufacture of advanced fuels; technical and economic analysis of the fuel cycle back end, possibilities of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, storage and disposal. In parallel, work should be done on the validation and verification of analytical tools using existing and/or newly acquired experimental data. (P.A.)

  15. Fuel element concept for long life high power nuclear reactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcdonald, G. E.; Rom, F. E.

    1969-01-01

    Nuclear reactor fuel elements have burnups that are an order of magnitude higher than can currently be achieved by conventional design practice. Elements have greater time integrated power producing capacity per unit volume. Element design concept capitalizes on known design principles and observed behavior of nuclear fuel.

  16. Technical limitations of nuclear fuel materials and structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hansson, L.; Planman, T.; Vitikainen, E.

    1993-05-01

    This report gives a summary of the tasks carried out within the project 'Technical limitations of nuclear fuel materials and structures' which belongs to the Finnish national research programme called 'Systems behaviour and operational aspects of safety'. The duration of the project was three years from 1990 to 1992. Most western LWR utilities, including the two Finnish ones have an incentive to implement extended burnup fuel cycles in their nuclear power plants. The aim of this project has been authorities to support them in the assessment and licensing of new fuel designs and materials. The research work of the project was focused on collecting and qualifying fuel performance data and on performing laboratory tests on fresh and irradiated cladding and structural materials. Moreover, knowledge of the high burnup phenomena was obtained through participation in international research projects such as OECD Halden Project and several Studsvik projects. Experimental work within the framework of the VVER fuel cooperative effort was also continued. (orig.)

  17. Neutron albedo effects of underground nuclear explosion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Bo; Ying Yangjun; Li Jinhong; Bai Yun

    2013-01-01

    The neutron field distribution is affected by the surrounding medium in the underground nuclear explosion. It will influence the radiation chemical diagnosis. By Monte Carlo simulation, the fuel burnup induced by device and neutron albedo was calculated. The analysis method of albedo effect on radiation chemical diagnosis result under special environment was proposed. Neutron albedo should be considered when capture reaction burnup fraction is used, and then correct analysis can be carried out on the nuclear device.The neutron field distribution is affected by the surrounding medium in the underground nuclear explosion. It will influence the radiation chemical diagnosis. By Monte Carlo simulation, the fuel burnup induced by device and neutron albedo was calculated. The analysis method of albedo effect on radiation chemical diagnosis result under special environment was proposed. Neutron albedo should be considered when capture reaction burnup fraction is used, and then correct analysis can be carried out on the nuclear device. (authors)

  18. Implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems. Proceedings of an advisory group meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-04-01

    The criticality safety analysis of spent fuel systems has traditionally assumed that the fuel is fresh. This results in significant conservatism in the calculated value of the system's reactivity. Improved calculational methods allows one to take credit for the reactivity reduction associated with fuel burnup, hence reducing the analysis conservatism while maintaining an adequate criticality safety margin. Motivation for using burnup credit in criticality safety applications is generally based on economic considerations. Although economics may be a primary factor in deciding to use burnup credit, other benefits may be realized. Many of the additional benefits of burnup credit that are not strictly economic, may be considered to contribute to public health and safety, and resource conservation and environmental quality. Interest in the implementation of burnup credit has been shown by many countries. A summary of the information gathered by the IAEA about ongoing activities and regulatory status of burnup credit in different countries is included. Burnup credit implementation introduces new parameters and effects that should be addressed in the criticality analysis (e.g., axial and radial burnup shapes, fuel irradiation history, and others). Analysis of these parameters introduces new variations as well as the uncertainties, that should be considered in the safety assessment of the system. Also, the need arises to validate the isotopic composition that results from a depletion calculation, as well as to extend the current validation range of criticality codes to cover spent fuel. The use of burnup credit implies a verification of the fuel burnup before loading for transport, storage, disposal, or reprocessing each assembly, to make sure that the burnup level achieved complies with the criteria established. Methods and procedures used in different countries are described in this report

  19. Implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems. Proceedings of an advisory group meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-04-01

    The criticality safety analysis of spent fuel systems has traditionally assumed that the fuel is fresh. This results in significant conservatism in the calculated value of the system`s reactivity. Improved calculational methods allows one to take credit for the reactivity reduction associated with fuel burnup, hence reducing the analysis conservatism while maintaining an adequate criticality safety margin. Motivation for using burnup credit in criticality safety applications is generally based on economic considerations. Although economics may be a primary factor in deciding to use burnup credit, other benefits may be realized. Many of the additional benefits of burnup credit that are not strictly economic, may be considered to contribute to public health and safety, and resource conservation and environmental quality. Interest in the implementation of burnup credit has been shown by many countries. A summary of the information gathered by the IAEA about ongoing activities and regulatory status of burnup credit in different countries is included. Burnup credit implementation introduces new parameters and effects that should be addressed in the criticality analysis (e.g., axial and radial burnup shapes, fuel irradiation history, and others). Analysis of these parameters introduces new variations as well as the uncertainties, that should be considered in the safety assessment of the system. Also, the need arises to validate the isotopic composition that results from a depletion calculation, as well as to extend the current validation range of criticality codes to cover spent fuel. The use of burnup credit implies a verification of the fuel burnup before loading for transport, storage, disposal, or reprocessing each assembly, to make sure that the burnup level achieved complies with the criteria established. Methods and procedures used in different countries are described in this report. Refs, figs, tabs.

  20. Reactivity loss validation of high burn-up PWR fuels with pile-oscillation experiments in MINERVE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leconte, P.; Vaglio-Gaudard, C.; Eschbach, R.; Di-Salvo, J.; Antony, M.; Pepino, A. [CEA, DEN, DER, Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France)

    2012-07-01

    The ALIX experimental program relies on the experimental validation of the spent fuel inventory, by chemical analysis of samples irradiated in a PWR between 5 and 7 cycles, and also on the experimental validation of the spent fuel reactivity loss with bum-up, obtained by pile-oscillation measurements in the MINERVE reactor. These latter experiments provide an overall validation of both the fuel inventory and of the nuclear data responsible for the reactivity loss. This program offers also unique experimental data for fuels with a burn-up reaching 85 GWd/t, as spent fuels in French PWRs never exceeds 70 GWd/t up to now. The analysis of these experiments is done in two steps with the APOLLO2/SHEM-MOC/CEA2005v4 package. In the first one, the fuel inventory of each sample is obtained by assembly calculations. The calculation route consists in the self-shielding of cross sections on the 281 energy group SHEM mesh, followed by the flux calculation by the Method Of Characteristics in a 2D-exact heterogeneous geometry of the assembly, and finally a depletion calculation by an iterative resolution of the Bateman equations. In the second step, the fuel inventory is used in the analysis of pile-oscillation experiments in which the reactivity of the ALIX spent fuel samples is compared to the reactivity of fresh fuel samples. The comparison between Experiment and Calculation shows satisfactory results with the JEFF3.1.1 library which predicts the reactivity loss within 2% for burn-up of {approx}75 GWd/t and within 4% for burn-up of {approx}85 GWd/t. (authors)

  1. Fission gas release and pellet microstructure change of high burnup BWR fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itagaki, N.; Ohira, K.; Tsuda, K.; Fischer, G.; Ota, T.

    1998-01-01

    UO 2 fuel, with and without Gadolinium, irradiated for three, five, and six irradiation cycles up to about 60 GWd/t pellet burnup in a commercial BWR were studied. The fission gas release and the rim effect were investigated by the puncture test and gas analysis method, OM (optical microscope), SEM (scanning electron microscope), and EPMA (electron probe microanalyzer). The fission gas release rate of the fuel rods irradiated up to six cycles was below a few percent; there was no tendency for the fission gas release to increase abruptly with burnup. On the other hand, microstructure changes were revealed by OM and SEM examination at the rim position with burnup increase. Fission gas was found depleted at both the rim position and the pellet center region using EPMA. There was no correlation between the fission gas release measured by the puncture test and the fission gas depletion at the rim position using EPMA. However, the depletion of fission gas in the center region had good correlation with the fission gas release rate determined by the puncture test. In addition, because the burnup is very large at the rim position of high burnup fuel and also due to the fission rate of the produced Pu, the Xe/Kr ratio at the rim position of high burnup fuel is close to the value of the fission yield of Pu. The Xe/Kr ratio determined by the gas analysis after the puncture test was equivalent to the fuel average but not to the pellet rim position. From the results, it was concluded that fission gas at the rim position was released from the UO 2 matrix in high burnup, however, most of this released fission gas was held in the porous structure and not released from the pellet to the free volume. (author)

  2. Burnup code for fuel assembly by Monte Carlo code. MKENO-BURN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naito, Yoshitaka; Suyama, Kenya; Masukawa, Fumihiro; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Kurosawa, Masayoshi; Kaneko, Toshiyuki.

    1996-12-01

    The evaluation of neutron spectrum is so important for burnup calculation of the heterogeneous geometry like recent BWR fuel assembly. MKENO-BURN is a multi dimensional burnup code that based on the three dimensional monte carlo neutron transport code 'MULTI-KENO' and the routine for the burnup calculation of the one dimensional burnup code 'UNITBURN'. MKENO-BURN analyzes the burnup problem of arbitrary regions after evaluating the neutron spectrum and making one group cross section in three dimensional geometry with MULTI-KENO. It enables us to do three dimensional burnup calculation. This report consists of general description of MKENO-BURN and the input data. (author)

  3. Burnup code for fuel assembly by Monte Carlo code. MKENO-BURN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naito, Yoshitaka; Suyama, Kenya; Masukawa, Fumihiro; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Kurosawa, Masayoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Kaneko, Toshiyuki

    1996-12-01

    The evaluation of neutron spectrum is so important for burnup calculation of the heterogeneous geometry like recent BWR fuel assembly. MKENO-BURN is a multi dimensional burnup code that based on the three dimensional monte carlo neutron transport code `MULTI-KENO` and the routine for the burnup calculation of the one dimensional burnup code `UNITBURN`. MKENO-BURN analyzes the burnup problem of arbitrary regions after evaluating the neutron spectrum and making one group cross section in three dimensional geometry with MULTI-KENO. It enables us to do three dimensional burnup calculation. This report consists of general description of MKENO-BURN and the input data. (author)

  4. Past experience and future needs for the use of burnup credit in LWR fuel storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyd, W.A.; Wrights, G.N.

    1987-01-01

    To achieve improved fuel economics and reduce the amount of fuel discharged annually, utilities are engaging in fuel management strategies that will achieve higher discharge burnups for their fuel assemblies. Although burnup credit methodologies have been developed and spent-fuel racks have been licensed, burnup credit fuel storage racks are not the answer for all utilities. Off-site and out-of-pool spent-fuel storage may be more appropriate. This is leading to the development of dry spent-fuel storage and shipping casks. Cask designs with spent-fuel storage capability between 20 and 32 assemblies are being developed by several vendors. The US Dept. of Energy is also funding work by VEPCO. Westinghouse is currently licensing its dry storage cask, developing a shipping cask for the domestic market, and is involved in a joint venture to develop a cask for the international market. Although methods of taking credit for fuel burnup in spent-fuel storage racks have been developed and licensed, use of these methods on dry spent-fuel storage and shipping casks can lead to new issues. These issues arise because the excess reactivity margin that is inherent in a burnup credit spent-fuel storage rack criticality analysis will not be available in a dry cask analysis

  5. Application of burnup credit for PWR spent fuel storage pool

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Hee Sung; Ro, Seung-Gy; Bae, Kang Mok; Kim, Ik Soo; Shin, Young Joon

    1999-01-01

    A study on the application of burnup credit for a PWR spent fuel storage pool has been investigated using a computer code system such as CSAS6 module of SCALE 4.3 in association with 44-group SCALE cross-section library. The calculation bias of the code system at a 95% probability with a 95% confidence level seems to be 0.00951 by benchmarking the system for forty six experimental data. With the aid of this computer code system, criticality analysis has been performed for the PWR spent fuel storage pool. Uncertainties due to postulated abnormal and accidental conditions, and manufacturing tolerance such as stainless steel thickness of storage rack, fuel enrichment, fuel density and box size have statistically been combined and resulted in 0.00674. Also, isotopic correction factor which was based on the calculated and measured concentration of 43 isotopes for both selected actinides and fission products important in burnup credit application has been taken into account in the criticality analysis. It is revealed that the minimum burnup with the corrected isotopic concentrations as required for the safe storage is 5,730 MWd/tU in enriched fuel of 5.0 wt%. (author)

  6. MCB. A continuous energy Monte Carlo burnup simulation code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cetnar, J.; Wallenius, J.; Gudowski, W.

    1999-01-01

    A code for integrated simulation of neutrinos and burnup based upon continuous energy Monte Carlo techniques and transmutation trajectory analysis has been developed. Being especially well suited for studies of nuclear waste transmutation systems, the code is an extension of the well validated MCNP transport program of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Among the advantages of the code (named MCB) is a fully integrated data treatment combined with a time-stepping routine that automatically corrects for burnup dependent changes in reaction rates, neutron multiplication, material composition and self-shielding. Fission product yields are treated as continuous functions of incident neutron energy, using a non-equilibrium thermodynamical model of the fission process. In the present paper a brief description of the code and applied methods are given. (author)

  7. The applicability of detailed process for neutron resonance absorption to neutronics analyses in LWR next generation fuels to extend burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kameyama, Takanori; Nauchi, Yasushi

    2004-01-01

    Neutronics analyses with detail processing for neutron resonance absorption in LWR next generation UOX and MOX fuels to extend burnup were performed based on the neutronic transport and burnup calculation. In the detailed processing, ultra-fine energy nuclear library and collision probabilities between neutron and U, Pu nuclides (actinide nuclides) are utilized for two-dimension geometry. In the usual simple processing (narrow resonance approximation), shielding factors and compensation equations for neutron resonance absorption are utilized. The results with detailed and simple processing were compared to clarify where the detailed processing is needed. The two processing caused difference of neutron multiplication factor by 0.5% at the beginning of irradiation, while the difference became smaller as burnup increased and was not significant at high burnup. The nuclide compositions of the fuel rods for main actinide nuclides were little different besides Cm isotopes by the processing, since the neutron absorption rate of 244 Cm became different. The detail processing is needed to evaluate the neutron emission rate in spent fuels. In the fuel assemblies, the distributions of rod power rates were not different within 0.5%, and the peak rates of fuel rod were almost the same by the two processing at the beginning of irradiation when the peak rate is the largest during the irradiation. The simple processing is also satisfied for safety evaluation based on the peak rate of rod power. The difference of local power densities in fuel pellets became larger as burnup increased, since the neutron absorption rate of 238 U in the peripheral region of pellets were significantly different by the two processing. The detail processing is needed to evaluate the fuel behavior at high burnup. (author)

  8. Characterization of the non-uniqueness of used nuclear fuel burnup signatures through a Mesh-Adaptive Direct Search

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skutnik, Steven E., E-mail: sskutnik@utk.edu; Davis, David R.

    2016-05-01

    The use of passive gamma and neutron signatures from fission indicators is a common means of estimating used fuel burnup, enrichment, and cooling time. However, while characteristic fission product signatures such as {sup 134}Cs, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 154}Eu, and others are generally reliable estimators for used fuel burnup within the context where the assembly initial enrichment and the discharge time are known, in the absence of initial enrichment and/or cooling time information (such as when applying NDA measurements in a safeguards/verification context), these fission product indicators no longer yield a unique solution for assembly enrichment, burnup, and cooling time after discharge. Through the use of a new Mesh-Adaptive Direct Search (MADS) algorithm, it is possible to directly probe the shape of this “degeneracy space” characteristic of individual nuclides (and combinations thereof), both as a function of constrained parameters (such as the assembly irradiation history) and unconstrained parameters (e.g., the cooling time before measurement and the measurement precision for particular indicator nuclides). In doing so, this affords the identification of potential means of narrowing the uncertainty space of potential assembly enrichment, burnup, and cooling time combinations, thereby bounding estimates of assembly plutonium content. In particular, combinations of gamma-emitting nuclides with distinct half-lives (e.g., {sup 134}Cs with {sup 137}Cs and {sup 154}Eu) in conjunction with gross neutron counting (via {sup 244}Cm) are able to reasonably constrain the degeneracy space of possible solutions to a space small enough to perform useful discrimination and verification of fuel assemblies based on their irradiation history.

  9. Method for accounting for macroscopic heterogeneities in reactor material balance generation in fuel cycle simulations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bagdatlioglu, Cem, E-mail: cemb@utexas.edu; Schneider, Erich

    2016-06-15

    Highlights: • Describes addition of spatially dependent power sharing to a previous methodology. • The methodology is used for calculating the input and output isotopics and burnup. • Generalizes to simulate reactors with strong spatial and flux heterogeneities. • Presents cases where the old approach would not have been sufficient. - Abstract: This paper describes the addition of spatially dependent power sharing to a methodology used for calculating the input and output isotopics and burnup of nuclear reactors within a nuclear fuel cycle simulator. Neutron balance and depletion calculations are carried out using pre-calculated fluence-based libraries. These libraries track the transmutation and neutron economy evolution of unit masses of nuclides available in input fuel. The work presented in the paper generalizes the method to simulate reactors that contain more than one type of fuel as well as strong spatial and flux heterogeneities, for instance breeders with a driver–blanket configuration. To achieve this, spatial flux calculations are used to determine the fluence-dependent relative average fluxes inside macroscopic spatial regions. These fluxes are then used to determine the average power of macroscopic spatial regions as well as to more accurately calculate region-specific transmutation rates. The paper presents several cases where the fluence based approach alone would not have been sufficient to determine results.

  10. Simulation-based Investigation of Electric Power Generation by Using Gamma Radiation from Spent Nuclear Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Haneol; Yim, Mansung [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    This study investigates the feasibility of using gamma radiation energy from spent nuclear fuels to produce electricity as emergency power source. The proposed electric power system includes electricity generation and storage. Electricity generation was based on conversion of gamma energy to light energy using a scintillator and then to electric energy using a solar cell. Generated electricity was to be stored in a battery as a power source. The efficiency of energy conversion and the extent of the resulting electric power source capability were examined by computer model-based simulation. Main factors which affect to total electric power generated include thermal power of nuclear power plant, average burn-up period for fuel rod, battery charging time, and scintillator thickness. The estimated total power generation and its possible application is discussed. Although the output power increases as scintillator becomes thicker, thick scintillator can be problem because of its high price. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first one is to use thin scintillator to whole fuel assembly area. The second one is to use thick scintillator to limited region. But the current per fuel assembly for the first case for 4000MWth, 72 month burnup is about several to tens of microampere scale, which is too small to charge. Because of this the system is supposed to have thick scintillator system with limited region. Based on the results, the generated electricity is expected to be insufficient to operate the safety injection pumps even at the maximum power output. This may be important for security purposes. Based on the current design, the solar cell efficiency is estimated to be around 1.5-4%. As the efficiency is a strong function of scintillation wavelength, improving the efficiency may be possible by broadening the wavelength through the use of multiple scintillators. Future work will also include validation of the results through experiments, and material reliability

  11. Simulation-based Investigation of Electric Power Generation by Using Gamma Radiation from Spent Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Haneol; Yim, Mansung

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the feasibility of using gamma radiation energy from spent nuclear fuels to produce electricity as emergency power source. The proposed electric power system includes electricity generation and storage. Electricity generation was based on conversion of gamma energy to light energy using a scintillator and then to electric energy using a solar cell. Generated electricity was to be stored in a battery as a power source. The efficiency of energy conversion and the extent of the resulting electric power source capability were examined by computer model-based simulation. Main factors which affect to total electric power generated include thermal power of nuclear power plant, average burn-up period for fuel rod, battery charging time, and scintillator thickness. The estimated total power generation and its possible application is discussed. Although the output power increases as scintillator becomes thicker, thick scintillator can be problem because of its high price. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first one is to use thin scintillator to whole fuel assembly area. The second one is to use thick scintillator to limited region. But the current per fuel assembly for the first case for 4000MWth, 72 month burnup is about several to tens of microampere scale, which is too small to charge. Because of this the system is supposed to have thick scintillator system with limited region. Based on the results, the generated electricity is expected to be insufficient to operate the safety injection pumps even at the maximum power output. This may be important for security purposes. Based on the current design, the solar cell efficiency is estimated to be around 1.5-4%. As the efficiency is a strong function of scintillation wavelength, improving the efficiency may be possible by broadening the wavelength through the use of multiple scintillators. Future work will also include validation of the results through experiments, and material reliability

  12. Nondestructive assay methods for irradiated nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsue, S.T.; Crane, T.W.; Talbert, W.L. Jr.; Lee, J.C.

    1978-01-01

    This report is a review of the status of nondestructive assay (NDA) methods used to determine burnup and fissile content of irradiated nuclear fuels. The gamma-spectroscopy method measures gamma activities of certain fission products that are proportional to the burnup. Problems associated with this method are migration of the fission products and gamma-ray attenuation through the relatively dense fuel material. The attenuation correction is complicated by generally unknown activity distributions within the assemblies. The neutron methods, which usually involve active interrogation and prompt or delayed signal counting, are designed to assay the fissile content of the spent-fuel elements. Systems to assay highly enriched spent-fuel assemblies have been tested extensively. Feasibility studies have been reported of systems to assay light-water reactor spent-fuel assemblies. The slowing-down spectrometer and neutron resonance absorption methods can distinguish between the uranium and plutonium fissile contents, but they are limited to the assay of individual rods. We have summarized the status of NDA techniques for spent-fuel assay and present some subjects in need of further investigation. Accuracy of the burnup calculations for power reactors is also reviewed

  13. Burnup measurements at the RECH-1 research reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henriquez, C.; Navarro, G.; Pereda, C.; Torres, H.; Pena, L.; Klein, J.; Calderon, D.; Kestelman, A.J.

    2002-01-01

    The Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission has decided to produce LEU fuel elements for the RECH-1 research reactor. During December 1998, the Fuel Fabrication Plant delivered the first four fuel elements, called leaders, to the RECH-1 reactor. The set was introduced into the reactor's core, following the normal routine, but performing a special follow-up on their behavior inside and outside the core. In order to measure the burn-up of the leader fuel elements, it was decided to develop a burn-up measurements system to be installed into the RECH-1 reactor pool, and to decline the use of a similar system, which operates in a hot cell. The main reason to build this facility was to have the capability to measure the burn-up of fuel elements without waiting for long decay period. This paper gives a brief description of the facility to measure the burn-up of spent fuel elements installed into the reactor pool, showing the preliminary obtained spectra and briefly discussing them. (author)

  14. Modeling of PWR fuel at extended burnup; Estudo de modelos para o comportamento a altas queimas de varetas combustiveis de reatores a agua leve pressurizada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dias, Raphael Mejias

    2016-11-01

    This work studies the modifications implemented over successive versions in the empirical models of the computer program FRAPCON used to simulate the steady state irradiation performance of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel rods under high burnup condition. In the study, the empirical models present in FRAPCON official documentation were analyzed. A literature study was conducted on the effects of high burnup in nuclear fuels and to improve the understanding of the models used by FRAPCON program in these conditions. A steady state fuel performance analysis was conducted for a typical PWR fuel rod using FRAPCON program versions 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. The results presented by the different versions of the program were compared in order to verify the impact of model changes in the output parameters of the program. It was observed that the changes brought significant differences in the results of the fuel rod thermal and mechanical parameters, especially when they evolved from FRAPCON-3.3 version to FRAPCON-3.5 version. Lower temperatures, lower cladding stress and strain, lower cladding oxide layer thickness were obtained in the fuel rod analyzed with the FRAPCON-3.5 version. (author)

  15. Burnup measurements on spent fuel elements of the RP-10 research reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vela Mora, Mariano; Gallardo Padilla, Alberto; Palomino, Jose Luis Castro, E-mail: mvela@ipen.gob.p [Instituto Peruano de Energia Nuclear (IPEN/Peru), Lima (Peru). Grupo de Calculo, Analisis y Seguridad de Reactores; Terremoto, Luis Antonio Albiac, E-mail: laaterre@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    This work describes the measurement, using nondestructive gamma-ray spectroscopy, of the average burnup attained by Material Testing Reactor (MTR) fuel elements irradiated in the RP-10 research reactor. Measurements were performed at the reactor storage pool area using {sup 137}Cs as the only burnup monitor, even for spent fuel elements with cooling times much shorter than two years. The experimental apparatus was previously calibrated in efficiency to obtain absolute average burnup values, which were compared against corresponding ones furnished by reactor physics calculations. The mean deviation between both values amounts to 6%. (author)

  16. Burnup measurements on spent fuel elements of the RP-10 research reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vela Mora, Mariano; Gallardo Padilla, Alberto; Palomino, Jose Luis Castro

    2011-01-01

    This work describes the measurement, using nondestructive gamma-ray spectroscopy, of the average burnup attained by Material Testing Reactor (MTR) fuel elements irradiated in the RP-10 research reactor. Measurements were performed at the reactor storage pool area using 137 Cs as the only burnup monitor, even for spent fuel elements with cooling times much shorter than two years. The experimental apparatus was previously calibrated in efficiency to obtain absolute average burnup values, which were compared against corresponding ones furnished by reactor physics calculations. The mean deviation between both values amounts to 6%. (author)

  17. Evaluation of Isotopic Measurements and Burn-up Value of Sample GU3 of ARIANE Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tore, C.; Rodriguez Rivada, A.

    2014-07-01

    Estimation of the burn-up value of irradiated fuel and its isotopic composition are important for criticality analysis, spent fuel management and source term estimation. The practical way to estimate the irradiated fuel composition and burn.up value is calculation with validated code and nuclear data. Such validation of the neutronic codes and nuclear data requires the benchmarking with measured values. (Author)

  18. Calculation of burn-up data for spent LWR-fuels with respect to the design of spent fuel reprocessing plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gasteiger, R.

    1976-11-01

    The design of spent fuel reprocessing plants makes necessary a detailed knowledge of the composition of the incoming fuels as a function of burn-up. This report gives a broad review on the composition of radionuclides in fuels (fission products, actinides) and structural materials for different burn-up data. (orig.) [de

  19. Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Waste Package Misload Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    J.K. Knudson

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this calculation is to estimate the probability of misloading a commercial spent nuclear fuel waste package with a fuel assembly(s) that has a reactivity (i.e., enrichment and/or burnup) outside the waste package design. The waste package designs are based on the expected commercial spent nuclear fuel assemblies and previous analyses (Macheret, P. 2001, Section 4.1 and Table 1). For this calculation, a misloaded waste package is defined as a waste package that has a fuel assembly(s) loaded into it with an enrichment and/or burnup outside the waste package design. An example of this type of misload is a fuel assembly designated for the 21-PWR Control Rod waste package being incorrectly loaded into a 21-PWR Absorber Plate waste package. This constitutes a misloaded 21-PWR Absorber Plate waste package, because the reactivity (i.e., enrichment and/or burnup) of a 21-PWR Control Rod waste package fuel assembly is outside the design of a 21-PWR Absorber Plate waste package. These types of misloads (i.e., fuel assembly with enrichment and/or burnup outside waste package design) are the only types that are evaluated in this calculation. This calculation utilizes information from ''Frequency of SNF Misload for Uncanistered Fuel Waste Package'' (CRWMS M and O 1998) as the starting point. The scope of this calculation is limited to the information available. The information is based on the whole population of fuel assemblies and the whole population of waste packages, because there is no information about the arrival of the waste stream at this time. The scope of this calculation deviates from that specified in ''Technical Work Plan for: Risk and Criticality Department'' (BSC 2002a, Section 2.1.30) in that only waste package misload is evaluated. The remaining issues identified (i.e., flooding and geometry reconfiguration) will be addressed elsewhere. The intended use of the calculation is to provide information and inputs to the Preclosure Safety Analysis

  20. Implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-08-01

    The purpose of this Technical Committee Meeting was to explore the status of international activities related to the use of burnup credit for spent fuel applications. This was the second major meeting on the issues of burnup credit for spent fuel management systems held since the IAEA began to monitor the uses of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems in 1997. Burnup credit for wet and dry storage systems is needed in many Member States to allow for increased initial fuel enrichment, and to increase the storage capacity and thus to avoid the need for extensive modifications of the spent fuel management systems involved. This document contains 31 individual papers presented at the Meeting; each of the papers was indexed separately.

  1. Implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-08-01

    The purpose of this Technical Committee Meeting was to explore the status of international activities related to the use of burnup credit for spent fuel applications. This was the second major meeting on the issues of burnup credit for spent fuel management systems held since the IAEA began to monitor the uses of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems in 1997. Burnup credit for wet and dry storage systems is needed in many Member States to allow for increased initial fuel enrichment, and to increase the storage capacity and thus to avoid the need for extensive modifications of the spent fuel management systems involved. This document contains 31 individual papers presented at the Meeting; each of the papers was indexed separately

  2. Coupled thermochemical, isotopic evolution and heat transfer simulations in highly irradiated UO{sub 2} nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piro, M.H.A., E-mail: markuspiro@gmail.com [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Banfield, J. [Nuclear Engineering Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Clarno, K.T., E-mail: clarnokt@ornl.gov [Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Simunovic, S. [Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Besmann, T.M. [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lewis, B.J.; Thompson, W.T. [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON (Canada)

    2013-10-15

    Predictive capabilities for simulating irradiated nuclear fuel behavior are enhanced in the current work by coupling thermochemistry, isotopic evolution and heat transfer. Thermodynamic models that are incorporated into this framework not only predict the departure from stoichiometry of UO{sub 2}, but also consider dissolved fission and activation products in the fluorite oxide phase, noble metal inclusions, secondary oxides including uranates, zirconates, molybdates and the gas phase. Thermochemical computations utilize the spatial and temporal evolution of the fission and activation product inventory in the pellet, which is typically neglected in nuclear fuel performance simulations. Isotopic computations encompass the depletion, decay and transmutation of more than 2000 isotopes that are calculated at every point in space and time. These computations take into consideration neutron flux depression and the increased production of fissile plutonium near the fuel pellet periphery (i.e., the so-called “rim effect”). Thermochemical and isotopic predictions are in very good agreement with reported experimental measurements of highly irradiated UO{sub 2} fuel with an average burnup of 102 GW d t(U){sup −1}. Simulation results demonstrate that predictions are considerably enhanced when coupling thermochemical and isotopic computations in comparison to empirical correlations. Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.

  3. Burnup studies of the subcritical fusion-driven in-zinerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Persson, C. M.; Gudowski, W.; Venneri, F.

    2007-01-01

    A fusion-driven subcritical core, 'In-Zinerator', has been proposed for nuclear waste transmutation [1]. In this concept, a powerful Z-pinch neutron source will produce pulses of 14 MeV neutrons that multiply in a surrounding subcritical core consisting of spent fuel from the LWR fuel cycle or from deep burn high temperature reactors. The proposed design has pulse frequency 0.1 Hz and a thermal power of 3 GWth. The Z-pinch fusion experiment is located at Sandia Laboratories, USA, and can today fire once a day. However, investigations have been made how to increase the frequency to several fires per minute. Each fire yields 300 MJ corresponding to 1020 neutrons per pulse. The source chamber will in the In-Zinerator concept be surrounded by spent fuel to reach an effective multiplication factor, k e ff, of 0.97. The core will be cooled by liquid lead. In this paper, the burnup of different fuel compositions in the In-Zinerator will be studied as function of initial k e ff. The Monte Carlo based continuous energy burnup code MCB [2][3]will be used. References: [1] B.B. Cipiti, Fusion Transmutation of Waste and the Role of the In-Zinerator in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Sandia Report SAND2006-3522, Sandia National Laboratories, USA, 2006. [2] J. Cetnar, J Wallenius and W Gudowski, MCB: A continuous energy Monte-Carlo burnup simulation code, Actinide and fission product partitioning and transmutation, Proc. of the Fifth Int. Information Exchange Meeting, Mol, Belgium, 25-27 November 1998, 523, OECD/NEA, 1998. [3] http://www.nea.fr/abs/html/nea-1643.html

  4. Comparison of measured and calculated burn-up of AVR-Fuel-Elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wagemann, R.

    1974-03-15

    Burn-up comparisons are made for small batches of three types of AVR fuel elements using a coupled EREBUS-MUPO neutronic analysis compared against test results from both nondestructive gamma-ray measurements of cesium-137 activity and destructive mass spectrometry measurements of the ratio of U-233 to U-235. The comparisons are relatively good for average burn-up and reasonably good for burn-up distributions.

  5. Development of methods for burn-up calculations for LWR's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaschik, W.

    1978-01-01

    This method is based on all burn-up depending data, namely particle densities and neutron spectra, being available in a burn-up library. This one is created by means of a small number of cell burn-up calculations which can easily be carried out and in which the heterogeneous cell structure and self-shielding effects can explicitly be accounted for. Then the cluster burn-up is simulated by adequate correlation of the burn-up data. The advantage of this method is given by - an exact determination of the real spectrum distribution in the individual fuel element clusters; - an exact determination of the burn-up related spectrum variations for each fuel rod and for each burn-up value obtained; - accounting for heterogeneity of the fuel rod cells and the self-shielding in the fuel; high accuracy of the results of a comparably low effort and - simple handling by largely automating the process of computation. Programed realization was achieved by establishing the RSYST modules ABRAJA, MITHOM, and SIMABB and their implementation within the code system. (orig./HP) [de

  6. Specific application of burnup credit for MOX PWR fuels in the rotary dissolver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caplin, Gregory; Coulaud, Alexandre; Klenov, Pavel; Toubon, Herve

    2003-01-01

    In prospect of a Mixed OXide spent fuels processing in the rotary dissolver in COGEMA/La Hague plant, it is interesting to quantify the criticality-safety margins from the burnup credit. Using the current production computer codes and considering a minimal fuel irradiation of 3 200 megawatt-day per ton, this paper shows the impact of burnup credit on industrial parameters such as the permissible concentration in the dissolution solution or the permissible oxide mass in the rotary dissolver. Moreover, the burnup credit is broken down into five sequences in order to quantify the contribution of fissile nuclides decrease and of minor actinides and fission products formation. The implementation of the burnup credit in the criticality-safety analysis of the rotary dissolver may lead to workable industrial conditions for the particular MOX fuel studied. It can eventually be noticed that minor actinides contribution is negligible and that considering only the six major fission products is sufficient, owing to the weak fuel irradiation contemplated. (author)

  7. A guide to introducing burnup credit, preliminary version (English translation)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuno, Hiroshi; Suyama, Kenya; Ryufuku, Susumu

    2017-06-01

    There is an ongoing discussion on the application of burnup credit to the criticality safety controls of facilities that treat spent fuels. With regard to such application of burnup credit in Japan, this document summarizes the current technical status of the prediction of the isotopic composition and criticality of spent fuels, as well as safety evaluation concerns and the current status of legal affairs. This report is an English translation of A Guide to Introducing Burnup Credit, Preliminary Version, originally published in Japanese as JAERI-Tech 2001-055 by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facility Safety Research Committee. (author)

  8. Autonomous dynamic decision making in a nuclear fuel cycle simulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pelakauskas, Martynas; Auzans, Aris; Schneider, Erich A.; Tkaczyk, Alan H.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Objective criteria based decision making in a nuclear fuel cycle simulator. • Simulation driven by an evolving performance metric. • Implementation of the model in a nuclear fuel cycle simulator. • Verification of dynamic decision making based on uranium price evolution. -- Abstract: Growing energy demand and the push to move toward carbon-free ways of electricity generation have renewed the world's interest in nuclear energy. Due to the high technical and economic uncertainties related to nuclear energy, simulation tools have become a necessity in order to plan and evaluate possible nuclear fuel cycles (NFCs). Most of the NFC simulators today work by running the simulation with a user-defined set of facility build orders and preferences. While this allows for a simple way to change the simulation conditions, it may not always lead to optimal results and strongly relies on the user defining the correct parameters. This study looks into the possibility of using the expected cost of electricity (CoE) as the driving build decision variable instead of relying on user-defined build orders. This is a first step toward a more general decision making strategy in dynamic fuel cycle simulation. For this purpose, additional modules were implemented in an NFC simulator, VEGAS, with the consumption dependent price of uranium as a time-varying NFC cost component that drives the cost competitiveness of available NFC options. The model was demonstrated to verify the correct operation of a CoE-driven NFC simulator

  9. Nuclear Fuel Design Considerations for the 1990s

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stucker, David L.

    1993-01-01

    Nuclear fuel for many of today's operating Ness's was designed based on the expectation of annual fuel cycles, plutonium recycle, low cost uranium commodities, and discharge burnups of about 33 GW D/Mtu. The original PWR Ness designers envisioned equilibrium annual cycles with negative moderator feedback at all times. The annual cycle and low discharge burnup could be easily achieved without the use of burnable absorbers in all but the first fuel cycle using classical out-in core loading techniques. Fuel assembly insert burnable absorbers were developed to maintain negative moderator feedback for first cycles but were not optimized for use in reload cycles due to their perceived limited application. The plutonium recycle assumption has proven to be one with major design implications. Low discharge burnups to maximize the fissile content of the total plutonium generated, relatively low H/U ratios to promote plutonium breeding, spent fuel storage capacity sized by cooling requirements not plant lifetime, and less importance placed upon the use of parasitic materials within the reactor volume are all outcomes of the plutonium recycle design assumption. Historically, the plutonium recycle assumption has proven to be an unfortunate one in that fuel arrays and Ness hardware were designed and compromised to accommodate a fuel cycle alternative that has seen little economic or political success. Utility customers in the 1990s require ever-increasing fuel discharge burnup and hot residence time, continuing thermal margin improvement, efficient burnable absorbers, continued reductions in fuel cycle, operation and maintenance costs, and reductions in worker radiation exposure. In addition, because the costs associated with fuel rod defects are extremely high, both in currency and worker exposure, all of these competitive pressures come with the foremost requirement of defect-free operation. Fuel assembly vendors have responded to these competitive pressures with advanced

  10. Study on the Standard Establishment for the Integrity Assessment of Nuclear Fuel Cladding Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, S-S; Kim, S-H; Jung, Y-K; Yang, C-Y; Kim, I-G; Choi, Y-H; Kim, H-J; Kim, M-W; Rho, B-H [KINS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-02-15

    Fuel cladding material plays important role as a primary structure under the high temperature, high pressure and neutron environment of nuclear power plant. According to this environment, cladding material can be experienced several type aging phenomena including the neutron irradiation embrittlement. On the other hand, although the early nuclear power plant was designed to fitting into the 40MWd/KgU burn-up, the currently power plant intends to go to the high burn-up range. In this case, the safety criteria which was established at low burn-up needs to conform the applicability at the high burn-up. In this study, the safety criteria of fuel cladding material was reviewed to assess the cladding material integrity, and the material characteristics of cladding were reviewed. The current LOCA criterial was also reviewed, and the basic study for re-establishment of LOCA criteria was performed. The time concept safety criteria was also discussed to prevent the breakaway oxidation. Through the this study, safety issues will be produced and be helpful for integrity insurance of nuclear fuel cladding material. This report is the final report.

  11. Irradiation performance of PFBR MOX fuel after 112 GWd/t burn-up

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Venkiteswaran, C.N., E-mail: cnv@igcar.gov.in; Jayaraj, V.V.; Ojha, B.K.; Anandaraj, V.; Padalakshmi, M.; Vinodkumar, S.; Karthik, V.; Vijaykumar, Ran; Vijayaraghavan, A.; Divakar, R.; Johny, T.; Joseph, Jojo; Thirunavakkarasu, S.; Saravanan, T.; Philip, John; Rao, B.P.C.; Kasiviswanathan, K.V.; Jayakumar, T.

    2014-06-01

    The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) which is in advanced stage of construction at Kalpakkam, India, will use mixed oxide (MOX) fuel with a target burnup of 100 GWd/t. The fuel pellet is of annular design to enable operation at a peak linear power of 450 W/cm with the requirement of minimum duration of pre-conditioning. The performance of the MOX fuel and the D9 clad and wrapper material was assessed through Post Irradiation Examinations (PIE) after test irradiation of 37 fuel pin subassembly in Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to a burn-up of 112 GWd/t. Fission product distribution, swelling and fuel–clad gap evolution, central hole diameter variation, restructuring, fission gas release and clad wastage due to fuel–clad chemical interaction were evaluated through non-destructive and destructive examinations. The examinations have indicated that the MOX fuel can safely attain the desired target burn-up in PFBR.

  12. A microcomputer program for coupled cycle burnup calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Driscoll, M.J.; Downar, T.J.; Taylor, E.L.

    1986-01-01

    A program, designated BRACC (Burnup, Reactivity, And Cycle Coupling), has been developed for fuel management scoping calculations, and coded in the BASIC language in an interactive format for use with microcomputers. BRACC estimates batch and cycle burnups for sequential reloads for a variety of initial core conditions, and permits the user to specify either reload batch properties (enrichment, burnable poison reactivity) or the target cycle burnup. Most important fuel management tactics (out-in or low-leakage loading, coastdown, variation in number of assemblies charged) can be simulated

  13. Role of measurement systems in burnup credit operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, R.I.; Sanders, T.L.

    1991-01-01

    Spent fuel transport casks designed using burnup credit have increased payloads that may greatly reduce the number of shipments required to transport spent fuel from reactor sites to repositories. Burnup credit is obtained by applying the reduced reactivity of spent fuel to considerations of nuclear criticality in the design of transport casks. Although it does not appear to be possible to directly measure the criticality of spent fuel assemblies, measurements can be employed to ensure that the only assemblies loaded into a cask have the characteristics appropriate to that cask design. An effective on-site measurement system must be matched to the characteristics of the spent fuel cask design and to the inventory of spent fuel. For operation reasons the system should be simple, accurate, efficient, and easily calibrated. This paper is part of a study to examine the effects of the spent fuel inventory in the U.S. on the selection of measurement systems useful in burnup credit operations

  14. Experimental programmes related to high burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasudeva Rao, P.R.; Vidhya, R.; Ananthasivan, K.; Srinivasan, T.G.; Nagarajan, K.

    2002-01-01

    The experimental programmes undertaken at IGCAR with regard to high burn-up fuels fall under the following categories: a) studies on fuel behaviour, b) development of extractants for aqueous reprocessing and c) development of non-aqueous reprocessing techniques. An experimental programme to measure the carbon potential in U/Pu-FP-C systems by methane-hydrogen gas equilibration technique has been initiated at IGCAR in order to understand the evolution of fuel and fission product phases in carbide fuel at high burn-up. The carbon potentials in U-Mo-C system have been measured by this technique. The free energies and enthalpies of formation of LaC 2 , NdC 2 and SmC 2 have been measured by measuring the vapor pressures of CO over the region Ln 2 O 3 -LnC 2 -C during the carbothermic reduction of Ln 2 O 3 by C. The decontamination from fission products achieved in fuel reprocessing depends strongly on the actinide loading of the extractant phase. Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP), presently used as the extractant, does not allow high loadings due to its propensity for third phase formation in the extraction of Pu(IV). A detailed study of the allowable Pu loadings in TBP and other extractants has been undertaken in IGCAR, the results of which are presented in this paper. The paper also describes the status of our programme to develop a non-aqueous route for the reprocessing of fast reactor fuels. (author)

  15. Dry Refabrication Technology Development of Spent Nuclear Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jung Won; Park, G. I.; Park, C. J.

    2010-04-01

    Key technical data on advanced nuclear fuel cycle technology development for the spent fuel recycling have been produced in this study. In the frame work of DUPIC, dry process oxide products fabrication, hot cell experimental data for decladding, powdering and oxide product fabrication from low and high burnup spent fuel have been produced, basic technology for fabrication of spent fuel standard material has been developed, and remote modulated welding equipment has been designed and fabricated. In the area of advanced pre-treatment process development, a rotary-type oxidizer and spherical particle fabrication process were developed by using SIMFUEL and off-gas treatment technology and zircalloy tube treatment technology were studied. In the area of the property characteristics of dry process products, fabrication technology of simulated dry process products was established and property models were developed based on reproducible property measurement data

  16. Fuel assemblies for nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishi, Akihito.

    1987-01-01

    Purpose: To control power-up rate at the initial burning stage of new fuel assemblies due to fuel exchange in a pressure tube type power reactor. Constitution: Burnable poisons are disposed to a most portion of fuel pellets in a fuel assembly to such a low concentration as the burn-up rate changes with time at the initial stage of the burning. The most portion means substantially more than one-half part of the pellets and gadolinia is used as burn-up poisons to be dispersed and the concentration is set to less than about 0.2 %. Upon elapse of about 15 days after the charging, the burnable poisons are eliminated and the infinite multiplication factors are about at 1.2 to attain a predetermined power state. Since the power-up rate of the nuclear reactor fuel assembly is about 0.1 % power/hour and the power-up rate of the fuel assembly around the exchanged channel is lower than that, it can be lowered sufficiently than the limit for the power-up rate practiced upon reactor start-up thereby enabling to replace fuels during power operation. (Horiuchi, T.)

  17. Sequestration of radioactive iodine in silver-palladium phases in commercial spent nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Buck, Edgar C., E-mail: edgar.buck@pnnl.gov; Mausolf, Edward J.; McNamara, Bruce K.; Soderquist, Chuck Z.; Schwantes, Jon M.

    2016-12-15

    Radioactive iodine is the Achilles' heel in the design for the safe geological disposal of spent uranium oxide (UO{sub 2}) nuclear fuel. Furthermore, iodine's high volatility and aqueous solubility were mainly responsible for the high early doses released during the accident at Fukushima Daiichi in 2011. Studies Kienzler et al., however, have indicated that the instant release fraction (IRF) of radioiodine ({sup 131/129}I) does not correlate directly with increasing fuel burn-up. In fact, there is a peak in the release of iodine at around 50–60 MW d/kgU, and with increasing burn-up, the IRF of {sup 131/129}I decreases. The reasons for this decrease have not fully been understood. We have performed microscopic analysis of chemically processed high burn-up UO{sub 2} fuel (80 MW d/kgU) and have found recalcitrant nano-particles containing, Pd, Ag, I, and Br, possibly consistent with a high pressure phase of silver iodide in the undissolved residue. It is likely that increased levels of Ag and Pd from {sup 239}Pu fission in high burnup fuels leads to the formation of these metal halides. The occurrence of these phases in UO{sub 2} nuclear fuels may reduce the impact of long-lived {sup 129}I on the repository performance assessment calculations. - Highlights: • A Pd-Ag halide phase has been observed in a high burn-up UO{sub 2} reactor fuel. • The phases contains iodine and bromine. • Iodine release in high burnup fuels may be reduced through the formation of recalcitrant phases.

  18. New burnup calculation of TRIGA IPR-R1 reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meireles, Sincler P. de; Campolina, Daniel de A.M.; Santos, Andre A. Campagnole dos; Menezes, Maria A.B.C.; Mesquita, Amir Z.

    2015-01-01

    The IPR-R1 TRIGA Mark I research reactor, located at the Nuclear Technology Development Center - CDTN, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, operates since 1960.The reactor is operating for more than fifty years and has a long history of operation. Determining the current composition of the fuel is very important to calculate various parameters. The reactor burnup calculation has been performed before, however, new techniques, methods, software and increase of the processing capacity of the new computers motivates new investigations to be performed. This work presents the evolution of effective multiplication constant and the results of burnup. This new model has a more detailed geometry with the introduction of the new devices, like the control rods and the samarium discs. This increase of materials in the simulation in burnup calculation was very important for results. For these series of simulations a more recently cross section library, ENDF/B-VII, was used. To perform the calculations two Monte Carlo particle transport code were used: Serpent and MCNPX. The results obtained from two codes are presented and compared with previous studies in the literature. (author)

  19. Dry refabrication technology development of spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Geun Il; Lee, J. W.; Song, K. C.

    2012-04-01

    Key technologies highly applicable to the development of advanced nuclear fuel cycle for the spent fuel recycling were developed using spent fuel and simulated spent fuel (SIMFUEL). In the frame work of dry process oxide products fabrication and the property characteristics of dry process products, hot cell experimental data for decladding, powdering and oxide product fabrication from low and high burnup spent fuel have been produced, basic technology for fabrication of spent fuel standard material has been developed, and remotely modulated welding equipment has been designed and fabricated. Also, fabrication technology of simulated dry process products was established and property models were developed based on reproducible property measurement data. In the development of head-end technology for dry refabrication of spent nuclear fuel and key technologies for volume reduction of head-end process waste which are essential in back-end fuel cycle field including pyro-processing, advanced head-end unit process technology development includes the establishment of experimental conditions for synthesis of porous fuel particles using a granulating furnace and for preparation of UO2 pellets, and fabrication and performance demonstration of engineering scale equipment for off-gas treatment of semi-volatile nuclides, and development of phosphate ceramic technology for immobilization of used filters. Radioactivation characterization and treatment equipment design of metal wastes from pretreatment process was conducted, and preliminary experiments of chlorination/electrorefining techniques for the treatment of hull wastes were performed. Based on the verification of the key technologies for head-end process via the hot-cell tests using spent nuclear fuel, pre-conceptual design for the head-end equipments was performed

  20. Dry refabrication technology development of spent nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Geun Il; Lee, J. W.; Song, K. C.; and others

    2012-04-15

    Key technologies highly applicable to the development of advanced nuclear fuel cycle for the spent fuel recycling were developed using spent fuel and simulated spent fuel (SIMFUEL). In the frame work of dry process oxide products fabrication and the property characteristics of dry process products, hot cell experimental data for decladding, powdering and oxide product fabrication from low and high burnup spent fuel have been produced, basic technology for fabrication of spent fuel standard material has been developed, and remotely modulated welding equipment has been designed and fabricated. Also, fabrication technology of simulated dry process products was established and property models were developed based on reproducible property measurement data. In the development of head-end technology for dry refabrication of spent nuclear fuel and key technologies for volume reduction of head-end process waste which are essential in back-end fuel cycle field including pyro-processing, advanced head-end unit process technology development includes the establishment of experimental conditions for synthesis of porous fuel particles using a granulating furnace and for preparation of UO2 pellets, and fabrication and performance demonstration of engineering scale equipment for off-gas treatment of semi-volatile nuclides, and development of phosphate ceramic technology for immobilization of used filters. Radioactivation characterization and treatment equipment design of metal wastes from pretreatment process was conducted, and preliminary experiments of chlorination/electrorefining techniques for the treatment of hull wastes were performed. Based on the verification of the key technologies for head-end process via the hot-cell tests using spent nuclear fuel, pre-conceptual design for the head-end equipments was performed.

  1. Determination of nuclear fuel burn-up using mass spectrometric techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, B.; Bagyalakshmi, R.; Periaswami, G.; Kavimandan, V.D.; Chitambar, S.A.; Jain, H.C.; Mathews, C.K.

    1977-01-01

    Determination of burn-up using a stable fission product monitor such as 148 Nd and heavy elements, determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry gives the most accurate data. This report describes the work carried out to standardise the conditions for burn-up determination. Some typical results are given. (author)

  2. Effect of fuel burnup on the mechanical safety coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plyashkevich, V.Ju.; Sidorenko, V.D.; Shishkov, L.K.

    2001-01-01

    )In the paper the results of studies of changes in the process of campaign 'disturbances' of local heat flux and local fuel burnup, resulting from the 'mechanical' deviations in the composition and geometrical characteristics of fuel rods from the nominal are given. As example, the WWER-440 fuel assembly with burnable poisons used in the five-year fuel cycle is considered. The effect of deviations in fuel enrichment, fuel content, gadolinium content and geometrical size was studied (Authors)

  3. Establishment of THERPRO Database and Estimation of the Effect of Fuel Burn-up on the Thermal Conductivity of Uranium Dioxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hyun Seon

    2005-02-01

    Materials property data are an essential part of major disciplines in many engineering fields. To nuclear engineering, fundamental understanding of thermo-physical chemical mechanical properties of nuclear materials is very important. THERPRO data base that is re-designed and re-constructed through this study is a web-based on-line nuclear materials properties data base. For the future upgrade of the data base contemporary information technologies have been incorporated during the construction. Basically THERPRO data base has a hierarchical structure consisting of several levels: home page, element, compound, property, author, report, and bibliography level. All of data sets in each level are interconnected using network structure and thus every data can be easily retrieved including the bibliographical information by an appropriate query action. As a part of THERPRO DB utilization, the effect of fuel burn-up on the thermal conductivity of irradiated uranium dioxide is analyzed with the data contained in the data base as well as recent data published in the relevant journals. Their data are comparatively studied and the effect is estimated using FRAPCON-3 code with two in-pile data sets, BR-3 111i5 and Oconee rod 15309. The results show that the fuel center line temperature can differ 200 .deg. C∼400 .deg. C from thermal conductivity models depending on burn-up, which can significantly influence high burn-up fuel performance. In conclusion, it is demonstrated through this study that THERPRO data base can be a great utility for nuclear engineers and researchers, if appropriately utilized

  4. Burn-up measurements coupling gamma spectrometry and neutron measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toubon, H.; Pin, P. [AREVA/CANBERRA, 1 rue des Herons, 78182 St Quentin-en-Yvelines Cedex (France); Lebrun, A. [IAEA, Wagramer Strasse 5, PO Box 100, Vienna (Austria); Oriol, L.; Saurel, N. [CEA Cadarache, 13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Gain, T. [AREVA/COGEMA Reprocessing Business Unit, La Hague, 50444 Beaumont Hague Cedex (France)

    2006-07-01

    The need to apply for burn-up credit arises with the increase of the initial enrichment of nuclear fuel. When burn-up credit is used in criticality safety studies, it is often necessary to confirm it by measurement. For the last 10 years, CANBERRA has manufactured the PYTHON system for such measurements. However, the method used in the PYTHON itself uses certain reactor data to arrive at burn-up estimates. Based on R and D led by CEA and COGEMA in the framework of burn-up measurement for burn-up credit and safeguards applications, CANBERRA is developing the next generation of burn-up measurement device. This new product, named SMOPY, is able to measure burn-up of any kind of irradiated fuel assembly with a combination of gamma spectrometry and passive neutron measurements. The measurement data is used as input to the CESAR depletion code, which has been developed and qualified by CEA and COGEMA for burn-up credit determinations. In this paper, we explain the complementary nature of the gamma and neutron measurements. In addition, we draw on our previous experience from PYTHON system and from COGEMA La Hague to show what types of evaluations are required to qualify the SMOPY system, to estimate its uncertainties, and to detect discrepancies in the fuel data given by the reactor plant to characterize the irradiated fuel assembly. (authors)

  5. Burn-up measurements coupling gamma spectrometry and neutron measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toubon, H.; Pin, P.; Lebrun, A.; Oriol, L.; Saurel, N.; Gain, T.

    2006-01-01

    The need to apply for burn-up credit arises with the increase of the initial enrichment of nuclear fuel. When burn-up credit is used in criticality safety studies, it is often necessary to confirm it by measurement. For the last 10 years, CANBERRA has manufactured the PYTHON system for such measurements. However, the method used in the PYTHON itself uses certain reactor data to arrive at burn-up estimates. Based on R and D led by CEA and COGEMA in the framework of burn-up measurement for burn-up credit and safeguards applications, CANBERRA is developing the next generation of burn-up measurement device. This new product, named SMOPY, is able to measure burn-up of any kind of irradiated fuel assembly with a combination of gamma spectrometry and passive neutron measurements. The measurement data is used as input to the CESAR depletion code, which has been developed and qualified by CEA and COGEMA for burn-up credit determinations. In this paper, we explain the complementary nature of the gamma and neutron measurements. In addition, we draw on our previous experience from PYTHON system and from COGEMA La Hague to show what types of evaluations are required to qualify the SMOPY system, to estimate its uncertainties, and to detect discrepancies in the fuel data given by the reactor plant to characterize the irradiated fuel assembly. (authors)

  6. Kr-85m activity as burnup measurement indicator in a pebble bed reactor based on ORIGEN2.1 Computer Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husnayani, I.; Udiyani, P. M.; Bakhri, S.; Sunaryo, G. R.

    2018-02-01

    Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) is a high temperature gas-cooled reactor which employs graphite as a moderator and helium as a coolant. In a multi-pass PBR, burnup of the fuel pebble must be measured in each cycle by online measurement in order to determine whether the fuel pebble should be reloaded into the core for another cycle or moved out of the core into spent fuel storage. One of the well-known methods for measuring burnup is based on the activity of radionuclide decay inside the fuel pebble. In this work, the activity and gamma emission of Kr-85m were studied in order to investigate the feasibility of Kr-85m as burnup measurement indicator in a PBR. The activity and gamma emission of Kr-85 were estimated using ORIGEN2.1 computer code. The parameters of HTR-10 were taken as a case study in performing ORIGEN2.1 simulation. The results show that the activity revolution of Kr-85m has a good relationship with the burnup of the pebble fuel in each cycle. The Kr-85m activity reduction in each burnup step,in the range of 12% to 4%, is considered sufficient to show the burnup level in each cycle. The gamma emission of Kr-85m is also sufficiently high which is in the order of 1010 photon/second. From these results, it can be concluded that Kr-85m is suitable to be used as burnup measurement indicator in a pebble bed reactor.

  7. Development of a data-mining methodology for spent nuclear fuel forensics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanghwa Lee; Kyungho Jin; Gyunyoung Heo; Jaekwang Kim

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to categorize the type of spent nuclear fuels using simulation data-based classification methods. Considering the practical conditions making the full analysis of radioactive nuclides difficult, the classification methods were designed to be robust to noise and missing information. The strength and weakness of three classifiers, linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis and support vector classification were compared, which is developed by the history information such as burnup, enrichment, and cooling type generated from ORIGEN-ARP upon fuel assembly types. Auto-Associative Kernel Regression improved outlier management as a pre-processing technique. (author)

  8. Analyzing the BWR rod drop accident in high-burnup cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, D.J.; Neymotin, L.; Kohut, P.

    1995-01-01

    This study was undertaken for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to determine the fuel enthalpy during a rod drop accident (RDA) for cores with high burnup fuel. The calculations were done with the RAMONA-4B code which models the core with 3-dimensional neutron kinetics and multiple parallel coolant channels. The calculations were done with a model for a BWR/4 with fuel bundles having burnups up to 30 GWd/t and also with a model with bundle burnups to 60 GWd/t. This paper also discusses potential sources of uncertainty in calculations with high burnup fuel. One source is the ''rim'' effect which is the extra large peaking of the power distribution at the surface of the pellet. This increases the uncertainty in reactor physics and heat conduction models that assume that the energy deposition has a less peaked spatial distribution. Two other sources of uncertainty are the result of the delayed neutron fraction decreasing with burnup and the positive moderator temperature feedback increasing with burnup. Since these effects tend to increase the severity of the event, an RDA calculation for high burnup fuel will underpredict the fuel enthalpy if the effects are not properly taken into account. Other sources of uncertainty that are important come from the initial conditions chosen for the RDA. This includes the initial control rod pattern as well as the initial thermal-hydraulic conditions

  9. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Activity on Technical Influence of High Burnup UOX and MOX Water Reactor Fuel on Spent Fuel Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lovasic, Z.; Einziger, R.

    2009-01-01

    This paper briefly reviews the results of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project investigating the influence of high burnup and mixed-oxide (MOX) fuels, from water power reactors, on spent fuel management. These data will provide information on the impacts, regarding spent fuel management, for those countries operating light-water reactors (LWR)s and heavy-water reactors (HWR)s with zirconium alloy-clad uranium dioxide (UOX) fuels, that are considering the use of higher burnup UOX or the introduction of reprocessing and MOX fuels. The mechanical designs of lower burnup UOX and higher burnup UOX or MOX fuel are very similar, but some of the properties (e.g., higher fuel rod internal pressures; higher decay heat; higher specific activity; and degraded cladding mechanical properties of higher burnup UOX and MOX spent fuels) may potentially significantly affect the behavior of the fuel after irradiation. These properties are reviewed. The effects of these property changes on wet and dry storage, transportation, reprocessing, re-fabrication of fuel, and final disposal were evaluated, based on regulatory, safety, and operational considerations. Political and strategic considerations were not taken into account since relative importance of technical, economic and strategic considerations vary from country to country. There will also be an impact of these fuels on issues like non-proliferation, safeguards, and sustainability, but because of the complexity of factors affecting those issues, they are only briefly discussed. Data gaps were also identified during this investigation. The pros and cons of using high burnup UOX or MOX, for each applicable issue in each stage of the back end of the fuel cycle, were evaluated and are discussed.. Although, in theory, higher burnup fuel and MOX fuels mean a smaller quantity of spent fuel, the potential need for some changes in design of spent fuel storage, transportation, handling, reprocessing, re-fabrication, and

  10. Temperature and Burnup Correlated FCCI in U-10Zr Metallic Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    William J. Carmack

    2012-05-01

    Metallic fuels are proposed for use in advanced sodium cooled fast reactors. The experience basis for metallic fuels is extensive and includes development and qualification of fuels for the Experimental Breeder Reactor I, the Experimental Breeder Reactor II, FERMI-I, and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactors. Metallic fuels provide a number of advantages over other fuel types in terms of fabricability, performance, recyclability, and safety. Key to the performance of all nuclear fuel systems is the resistance to “breach” and subsequent release of fission products and fuel constituents to the primary coolant system of the nuclear power plant. In metallic fuel, the experience is that significant fuel-cladding chemical (FCCI) interaction occurs and becomes prevalent at high power-high temperature operation and ultimately leads to fuel pin breach and failure. Empirical relationships for metallic fuel pin failure have been developed from a large body of in-pile and out of pile research, development, and experimentation. It has been found that significant in-pile acceleration of the FCCI rate is experienced over similar condition out-of-pile experiments. The study of FCCI in metallic fuels has led to the quantification of in-pile failure rates to establish an empirical time and temperature dependent failure limit for fuel elements. Up until now the understanding of FCCI layer formation has been limited to data generated in EBR-II experiments. This dissertation provides new FCCI data extracted from the MFF-series of metallic fuel irradiations performed in the FFTF. These fuel assemblies contain valuable information on the formation of FCCI in metallic fuels at a variety of temperature and burnup conditions and in fuel with axial fuel height three times longer than EBR-II experiments. The longer fuel column in the FFTF and the fuel pins examined have significantly different flux, power, temperature, and FCCI profiles than that found in similar tests conducted in

  11. High-burnup/low-cooling-time fuel carrying capacity of the GA-4 and GA-9 spent fuel shipping casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boshoven, J.K.; Hopf, J.E.

    1994-01-01

    In response to utilities' projected needs to ship higher burnup spent fuel, General Atomics (GA) has performed shielding and thermal analysis for the GA-4 and GA-9 legal weight shipping casks to determine the minimum cooling times for various burnup levels for fully loaded GA-4 and GA-9 casks and reduced payloads for the casks. Tables are provided in the paper which show the minimum cooling time for a given burnup and payload for each of the casks. The analyses show that the GA-4 and GA-9 casks can carry at least as many high-burnup and/or short-cooling-time spent fuel assemblies as present day shipping casks. In addition, the GA casks are able to carry at least twice as many assemblies as the present day shipping casks if the spent fuel burnup levels and/or cooling times are open-quotes coolerclose quotes or open-quotes as coolclose quotes as their design basis fuels. The increased shipping capacity for these more common open-quotes coolerclose quotes assemblies allows fewer shipments and therefore increases the efficiency and lowers predicted risks of the transport system

  12. FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS OF CORROSION OF ADVANCED LIGHT WATER REACTOR FUEL CLADDING ALLOYS AT HIGH BURNUP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lott, Randy G.

    2003-01-01

    OAK (B204) The corrosion behavior of nuclear fuel cladding is a key factor limiting the performance of nuclear fuel elements, improved cladding alloys, which resist corrosion and radiation damage, will facilitate higher burnup core designs. The objective of this project is to understand the mechanisms by which alloy composition, heat treatment and microstructure affect corrosion rate. This knowledge can be used to predict the behavior of existing alloys outside the current experience base (for example, at high burn-up) and predict the effects of changes in operation conditions on zirconium alloy behavior. Zirconium alloys corrode by the formation f a highly adherent protective oxide layer. The working hypothesis of this project is that alloy composition, microstructure and heat treatment affect corrosion rates through their effect on the protective oxide structure and ion transport properties. The experimental task in this project is to identify these differences and understand how they affect corrosion behavior. To do this, several microstructural examination techniques including transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and a selection of fluorescence and diffraction techniques using synchrotron radiation at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) were employed

  13. Halden fuel and material experiments beyond operational and safety limits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkov, Boris; Wiesenack, Wolfgang; McGrath, M.; Tverberg, T.

    2014-01-01

    One of the main tasks of any research reactor is to investigate the behavior of nuclear fuel and materials prior to their introduction into the market. For commercial NPPs, it is important both to test nuclear fuels at a fuel burn-up exceeding current limits and to investigate reactor materials for higher irradiation dose. For fuel vendors such tests enable verification of fuel reliability or for the safety limits to be found under different operational conditions and accident situations. For the latter, in-pile experiments have to be performed beyond some normal limits. The program of fuel tests performed in the Halden reactor is aimed mainly at determining: The thermal FGR threshold, which may limit fuel operational power with burn-up increase, the “lift-off effect” when rod internal pressure exceeds coolant pressure, the effects of high burn-up on fuel behavior under power ramps, fuel relocation under LOCA simulation at higher burn-up, the effect of dry-out on high burn-up fuel rod integrity. This paper reviews some of the experiments performed in the Halden reactor for understanding some of the limits for standard fuel utilization with the aim of contributing to the development of innovative fuels and cladding materials that could be used beyond these limits. (author)

  14. LWR high burn-up operation and MOX introduction. Fuel cycle performance from the viewpoint of waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inagaki, Yaohiro; Iwasaki, Tomohiko; Niibori, Yuichi; Sato, Seichi; Ohe, Toshiaki; Kato, Kazuyuki; Torikai, Seishi; Nagasaki, Shinya; Kitayama, Kazumi

    2009-01-01

    From the viewpoint of waste management, a quantitative evaluation of LWR nuclear fuel cycle system performance was carried out, considering both higher burn-up operation of UO 2 fuel coupled with the introduction of MOX fuel. A major parameter to quantify this performance is the number of high-level waste (HLW) glass units generated per GWd (gigawatt-day based on reactor thermal power generation before electrical conversion). This parameter was evaluated for each system up to a maximum burn-up of 70GWd/THM (gigawatt-day per ton of heavy metal) assuming current conventional reprocessing and vitrification conditions where the waste loading of glass is restricted by the heat generation rate, the MoO 3 content, or the noble metal content. The results showed that higher burn-up operation has no significant influence on the number of glass units generated per GWd for UO 2 fuel, though the number of glass units per THM increases linearly with burn-up and is restricted by the heat generation rate. On the other hand, the introduction of MOX fuel causes the number of glass units per GWd to double owing to the increase in the heat generation rate. An extended cooling period of the spent fuel prior to reprocessing effectively reduces the heat generation rate for UO 2 fuel, while a separation of minor actinides (Np, Am, and Cm) from the high-level waste provides additional reduction for MOX fuel. However, neither of these leads to a substantial reduction in the number of glass units, since the MoO 3 content or the noble metal content restricts the number of glass units rather than the heat generation rate. These results suggest that both the MoO 3 content and the noble metal content provide the key to reducing the amount of waste glass that is generated, leading to an overall improvement in fuel cycle system performance. (author)

  15. Determination of fissile fraction in MOX (mixed U + Pu oxides) fuels for different burnup values

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozdemir, Levent; Acar, Banu Bulut; Zabunoglu, Okan H.

    2011-01-01

    When spent Light Water Reactor fuels are processed by the standard Purex method of reprocessing, plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) in spent fuel are obtained as pure and separate streams. The recovered Pu has a fissile content (consisting of 239 Pu and 241 Pu) greater than 60% typically (although it mainly depends on discharge burnup of spent fuel). The recovered Pu can be recycled as mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel after being blended with a fertile U makeup in a MOX fabrication plant. The burnup that can be obtained from MOX fuel depends on: (1) isotopic composition of Pu, which is closely related to the discharge burnup of spent fuel from which Pu is recovered; (2) the type of fertile U makeup material used (depleted U, natural U, or recovered U); and (3) fraction of makeup material in the mix (blending ratio), which in turn determines the total fissile fraction of MOX. Using the Non-linear Reactivity Model and the code MONTEBURNS, a step-by-step procedure for computing the total fissile content of MOX is introduced. As was intended, the resulting expression is simple enough for quick/hand calculations of total fissile content of MOX required to reach a desired burnup for a given discharge burnup of spent fuel and for a specified fertile U makeup. In any case, due to non-fissile (parasitic) content of recovered Pu, a greater fissile fraction in MOX than that in fresh U is required to obtain the same burnup as can be obtained by the fresh U fuel.

  16. Fuel fabrication and reprocessing for nuclear fuel cycle with inherent safety demands

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shadrin, Andrey Yurevich; Dvoeglazov, Konstantin Nikolaevich; Ivanov, Valentine Borisovich; Volk, Vladimir Ivanovich; Skupov, Mikhail Vladimirovich; Glushenkov, Alexey Evgenevich [Joint Stock Company ' ' The High Technological Research Institute of Inorganic Materials' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Troyanov, Vladimir Mihaylovich; Zherebtsov, Alexander Anatolievich [Innovation and Technology Center of Project ' ' PRORYV' ' , State Atomic Energy Corporation ' ' Rosatom' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2015-06-01

    The strategies adopted in Russia for a closed nuclear fuel cycle with fast reactors (FR), selection of fuel type and recycling technologies of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) are discussed. It is shown that one of the possible technological solutions for the closing of a fuel cycle could be the combination of pyroelectrochemical and hydrometallurgical methods of recycling of SNF. This combined scheme allows: recycling of SNF from FR with high burn-up and short cooling time; decreasing the volume of stored SNF and the amount of plutonium in a closed fuel cycle in FR; recycling of any type of SNF from FR; obtaining the high pure end uranium-plutonium-neptunium end-product for fuel refabrication using pellet technology.

  17. Kinetic Monte Carlo Potts Model for Simulating a High Burnup Structure in UO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jae-Yong; Koo, Yang-Hyun; Lee, Byung-Ho

    2008-01-01

    A Potts model, based on the kinetic Monte Carlo method, was originally developed for magnetic domain evolutions, but it was also proposed as a model for a grain growth in polycrystals due to similarities between Potts domain structures and grain structures. It has modeled various microstructural phenomena such as grain growths, a recrystallization, a sintering, and so on. A high burnup structure (HBS) is observed in the periphery of a high burnup UO 2 fuel. Although its formation mechanism is not clearly understood yet, its characteristics are well recognized: The HBS microstructure consists of very small grains and large bubbles instead of original as-sintered grains. A threshold burnup for the HBS is observed at a local burnup 60-80 Gwd/tM, and the threshold temperature is 1000-1200 .deg. C. Concerning a energy stability, the HBS can be created if the system energy of the HBS is lower than that of the original structure in an irradiated UO 2 . In this paper, a Potts model was implemented for simulating the HBS by calculating system energies, and the simulation results were compared with the HBS characteristics mentioned above

  18. Water reactor fuel element modelling at high burnup and its experimental support. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-08-01

    The Technical Committee Meeting on Fuel Element Modelling at High Burnup and its Experimental Support was recommended by the International Working Group on Fuel Performance and Technology (IWGFPT). Its subject had been touched on in many of the IAEA's activities; however for the first time modellers and experimentalists were brought together to have an exchange of views on the research under way and to identify areas where new knowledge is necessary to improve the safety, reliability and/or economics of nuclear fuel. The timely organization of this meeting in conjunction with the second meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Programme on Fuel Modelling at Extended Burnup, in short ''FUMEX'', allowed fruitful participation of representatives of developing countries which are only rarely exposed to such a scientific event. The thirty-nine papers presented covered the status of codes and experimental facilities and the main phenomena affecting the fuel during irradiation, namely: thermal fuel performance, clad corrosion and pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) and fission gas release (FGR). Refs, figs, tabs

  19. Water reactor fuel element modelling at high burnup and its experimental support. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-08-01

    The Technical Committee Meeting on Fuel Element Modelling at High Burnup and its Experimental Support was recommended by the International Working Group on Fuel Performance and Technology (IWGFPT). Its subject had been touched on in many of the IAEA`s activities; however for the first time modellers and experimentalists were brought together to have an exchange of views on the research under way and to identify areas where new knowledge is necessary to improve the safety, reliability and/or economics of nuclear fuel. The timely organization of this meeting in conjunction with the second meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Programme on Fuel Modelling at Extended Burnup, in short ``FUMEX``, allowed fruitful participation of representatives of developing countries which are only rarely exposed to such a scientific event. The thirty-nine papers presented covered the status of codes and experimental facilities and the main phenomena affecting the fuel during irradiation, namely: thermal fuel performance, clad corrosion and pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) and fission gas release (FGR). Refs, figs, tabs.

  20. Detailed description and user`s manual of high burnup fuel analysis code EXBURN-I

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Motoe [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Saitou, Hiroaki

    1997-11-01

    EXBURN-I has been developed for the analysis of LWR high burnup fuel behavior in normal operation and power transient conditions. In the high burnup region, phenomena occur which are different in quality from those expected for the extension of behaviors in the mid-burnup region. To analyze these phenomena, EXBURN-I has been formed by the incorporation of such new models as pellet thermal conductivity change, burnup-dependent FP gas release rate, and cladding oxide layer growth to the basic structure of low- and mid-burnup fuel analysis code FEMAXI-IV. The present report describes in detail the whole structure of the code, models, and materials properties. Also, it includes a detailed input manual and sample output, etc. (author). 55 refs.

  1. Some implications of batch average burnup calculations on predicted spent fuel compositions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, C.W.; Croff, A.G.

    1984-01-01

    The accuracy of using batch-averaged burnups to determine spent fuel characteristics (such as isotopic composition, activity, etc.) was examined for a typical pressurized-water reactor (PWR) fuel discharge batch by comparing characteristics computed by (a) performing a single depletion calculation using the average burnup of the spent fuel and (b) performing separate depletion calculations based on the relative amounts of spent fuel in each of twelve burnup ranges and summing the results. The computations were done using ORIGEN 2. Procedure (b) showed a significant shift toward a greater quantity of the heavier transuranics, which derive from multiple neutron captures, and a corresponding decrease in the amounts of lower transuranics. Those characteristics which derive primarily from fission products, such as total radioactivity and total thermal power, are essentially identical for the two procedures. Those characteristics that derive primarily from the heavier transuranics, such as spontaneous fission neutrons, are underestimated by procedure (a)

  2. Burnup credit implementation plan and preparation work at JAERI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomura, Y.; Itahara, K.

    2001-01-01

    Application of the burnup credit concept is considered to be very effective to the design of spent fuel transport and storage facilities. This technology is all the more important when considering construction of the intermediate spent fuel storage facility, which is to be commissioned by 2010 due to increasing amount of accumulated spent fuel in Japan. Until reprocessing and recycling all the spent fuel arising, they will be stored as an energy stockpile until such time as they can be reprocessed. On the other hand, the burnup credit has been partly taken into account for the spent fuel management at Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, which is to be commissioned in 2005. They have just finished the calibration tests for their burnup monitor with initially accepted several spent fuel assemblies. Because this monitoring system is employed with highly conservative safety margin, it is considered necessary to develop the more rational and simplified method to confirm burnup of spent fuel. A research program has been instituted to improve the present method employed at the spent fuel management system for the Spent Fuel Receiving and Storage Pool of Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant. This program is jointly performed by Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) and JAERI.This presentation describes the current status of spent fuel accumulation discharged from PWR and BWR in Japan and the recent incentive to introduce burnup credit into design of spent fuel storage and transport facilities. This also includes the content of the joint research program initiated by JNFL and JAERI. The relevant study has been continued at JAERI. The results by these research programs will be included in the Burnup Credit Guide Original Version compiled by JAERI. (author)

  3. Radiometric characterisation supports, burnup credit, safeguards and radionuclide inventory determination for spent fuel transport, storage and disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chesterman, A.S.; Clapham, M.J.; Gardner, N.

    1999-01-01

    Spent nuclear fuel characterisation measurements play an essential role in a range of fuel handling activities. In particular, they are necessary to support the application of burnup credit to the transport of spent fuel, to detect diversion of safeguarded nuclear material and to determine the radionuclide inventory of materials destined for final disposal. To apply measurements to these activities the measurement procedures need to be approved by the relevant regulatory bodies. Often key to the measurement procedures is the method of instrument system calibration and what a priori data is acceptable to aid the measurement process. Discussion of these, pertinent to the three areas of application mentioned above, is presented with suggestions of alternative approaches where considered appropriate. (author)

  4. Nuclear analysis of the experimental VHTR fuel lattice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doi, Takeshi; Shindo, Ryuiti; Hirano, Mitsumasa; Takano, Makoto

    1984-11-01

    Nuclear properties of a fuel lattice in the experimental VHTR core were analyzed with DELIGHT-6 and SRAC codes. Analytical results by both codes were compared by using various calculational model. The nuclear parameters were analyzed, such as a multiplication factor of a fuel lattice and it's variation with burnup, a temperature effect on reactivity, an effect of double-heterogeniety in a resonance absorption calculation, a resonance integral of 238 U and a reactivity worth of burnable poison. From these analyses, following results were obtained. Firstly, on calculational models, 1) Effect of double-heterogeniety in the resonance absorption calculation for Mark-III fuel element, causing a decrease of about 5.5 barns in the resonance integral and an increase of about 2.6 %ΔK in the infinite multiplication factor, 2) The heterogeneous calculation with the collision probability method resulted in about 0.6 %ΔK higher the multiplication factor of fuel lattice than that with the point model, 3) The reactivity worth of burnable poison rod by a multi-region model is about 20 % less than that by a 2-region model at an initial state of burnup and it's variation with burnup are fairly different, Secondly, on comparison between the results by DELIGHT-6 and SRAC, 4) The nuclear parameters obtained with both codes agreed well, Lastly, on the improvement in DELIGHT-6, 5) Consideration of the neutron spectrum shielding effect in the resonance effective cross section calculation caused a decrease of about 2.4 %ΔK in the multiplication factor of fuel lattice, 6) The lattice multiplication factor increased about 0.5 %ΔK by introducing lambda-parameters for the non-resonant nuclie. (J.P.N.)

  5. Fluid elastic vibration of nuclear fuel assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, S. N.; Jung, S. Y.

    1998-01-01

    Since utilities and fuel venders have adopted the fuel design of high burn-up and improved thermal margin flow mixing vane, several PWR nuclear power plants have in recent years experienced fretting wear fuel rod failure due to flow induced vibration. Flow induced vibration can be resulted from fluidelastic instability, periodic shedding, turbulence-induced excitation, and acoustic resonance (1). Among these mechanisms found in the core of nuclear power plant, the governing mechanism that is fluidelastic instability, could be inferred from the analysis of fuel failure patterns. Therefore, to simulate the fuel failure in nuclear power plants, Tanaka's model (2) was chosen as most suitable one, which is well explaining the damage pattern, in particular it's second row damage characteristics. In the model, unsteady fluid dynamic forces acting on the vibrating cyclinders were included which consists of the inertia forces due to the added mass of fluid, damping forces of fluid in phase to the cylinder vibrating velocity, and stiffness forces proportional to cylinder displacements. However, the model did not account for radiation effect-spring forces deflection. So, the model was modified to account for the spring force relaxation due to radiation exposure. The stiffness of spring was fitted with experimental data. Finally the critical velocities were calculated with the modified spring force at beginning and end of cycle

  6. Sensitivity and parametric evaluations of significant aspects of burnup credit for PWR spent fuel packages

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeHart, M.D.

    1996-05-01

    Spent fuel transportation and storage cask designs based on a burnup credit approach must consider issues that are not relevant in casks designed under a fresh-fuel loading assumption. For example, the spent fuel composition must be adequately characterized and the criticality analysis model can be complicated by the need to consider axial burnup variations. Parametric analyses are needed to characterize the importance of fuel assembly and fuel cycle parameters on spent fuel composition and reactivity. Numerical models must be evaluated to determine the sensitivity of criticality safety calculations to modeling assumptions. The purpose of this report is to describe analyses and evaluations performed in order to demonstrate the effect physical parameters and modeling assumptions have on the criticality analysis of spent fuel. The analyses in this report include determination and ranking of the most important actinides and fission products; study of the effect of various depletion scenarios on subsequent criticality calculations; establishment of trends in neutron multiplication as a function of fuel enrichment, burnup, cooling time- and a parametric and modeling evaluation of three-dimensional effects (e.g., axially varying burnup and temperature/density effects) in a conceptual cask design. The sensitivity and parametric evaluations were performed with the consideration of two different burnup credit approaches: (1) only actinides in the fuel are considered in the criticality analysis, and (2) both actinides and fission products are considered. Calculations described in this report were performed using the criticality and depletion sequences available in the SCALE code system and the SCALE 27-group burnup library. Although the results described herein do not constitute a validation of SCALE for use in spent fuel analysis, independent validation efforts have been completed and are described in other reports.

  7. Sensitivity and parametric evaluations of significant aspects of burnup credit for PWR spent fuel packages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeHart, M.D.

    1996-05-01

    Spent fuel transportation and storage cask designs based on a burnup credit approach must consider issues that are not relevant in casks designed under a fresh-fuel loading assumption. For example, the spent fuel composition must be adequately characterized and the criticality analysis model can be complicated by the need to consider axial burnup variations. Parametric analyses are needed to characterize the importance of fuel assembly and fuel cycle parameters on spent fuel composition and reactivity. Numerical models must be evaluated to determine the sensitivity of criticality safety calculations to modeling assumptions. The purpose of this report is to describe analyses and evaluations performed in order to demonstrate the effect physical parameters and modeling assumptions have on the criticality analysis of spent fuel. The analyses in this report include determination and ranking of the most important actinides and fission products; study of the effect of various depletion scenarios on subsequent criticality calculations; establishment of trends in neutron multiplication as a function of fuel enrichment, burnup, cooling time- and a parametric and modeling evaluation of three-dimensional effects (e.g., axially varying burnup and temperature/density effects) in a conceptual cask design. The sensitivity and parametric evaluations were performed with the consideration of two different burnup credit approaches: (1) only actinides in the fuel are considered in the criticality analysis, and (2) both actinides and fission products are considered. Calculations described in this report were performed using the criticality and depletion sequences available in the SCALE code system and the SCALE 27-group burnup library. Although the results described herein do not constitute a validation of SCALE for use in spent fuel analysis, independent validation efforts have been completed and are described in other reports

  8. World nuclear fuel cycle requirements 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    This analysis report presents the projected requirements for uranium concentrate and uranium enrichment services to fuel the nuclear power plants expected to be operating under two nuclear supply scenarios. These two scenarios, the Lower Reference and Upper Reference cases, apply to the United States, Canada, Europe, the Far East, and other countries in the World Outside Centrally Planned Economic Areas (WOCA). A No New Orders scenarios is also presented for the Unites States. This report contains an analysis of the sensitivities of the nuclear fuel cycle projections to different levels and types of projected nuclear capacity, different enrichment tails assays, higher and lower capacity factors, changes in nuclear fuel burnup levels, and other exogenous assumptions. The projections for the United States generally extend through the year 2020, and the WOCA projections, which include the United States, are provided through 2010. The report also presents annual projections of spent nuclear fuel; discharges and inventories of spent fuel. Appendix D includes domestic spent fuel projections through the year 2020 for the Lower and Upper Reference cases and through 2036, the last year in which spent fuel is discharged, for the No New Orders case

  9. Study on the standard establishment for the integrity assessment of nuclear fuel cladding Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, S. S.; Kim, S. H.; Jung, Y. K.; Yang, C. Y.; Kim, I. G.; Choi, Y. H.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, M. W.; Rho, B. H. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-02-15

    Fuel cladding material plays important role as a primary structure under the high temperature, high pressure and neutron environment of nuclear power plant. According to this environment, cladding material can be experienced several type aging phenomena including the neutron irradiation embrittlement. On the other hand, although the early nuclear power plant was designed to fitting into the 40MWd/KgU burn-up, the currently power plant intends to go to the high burn-up range. In this case, the safety criteria which was established at low burn-up needs to conform the applicability at the high burn-up. In this study, the safety criteria of fuel cladding material was reviewed to assess the cladding material integrity, and the material characteristics of cladding were reviewed. The current LOCA criterial was also reviewed, and the basic study for re-establishment of LOCA criteria was performed. The time concept safety criteria was also discussed to prevent the breakaway oxidation. Through the this study, safety issues will be produced and be helpful for integrity insurance of nuclear fuel cladding material. This report is 2nd term report.

  10. Burnup credit applications in a high-capacity truck cask

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boshoven, J.K.

    1992-09-01

    General Atomics (GA) has designed two legal weight truck (LWT) casks, the GA-4 and GA-9, to carry four pressurized-water-reactor (PWR) and nine boiling-water-reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies, respectively. GA plans to submit applications for certification to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the two casks in mid-1993. GA will include burnup credit analysis in the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) for the GA-4 Cask. By including burnup credit in the criticality safety analysis for PWR fuels with initial enrichments above 3% U-235, public and occupation risks are reduced and cost savings are realized. The GA approach to burnup credit analysis incorporates the information produced in the US Department of Energy Burnup Credit Program. This paper describes the application of burnup credit to the criticality control design of the GA-4 Cask

  11. Calculation of effect of burnup history on spent fuel reactivity based on CASMO5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xiaobo; Xia Zhaodong; Zhu Qingfu

    2015-01-01

    Based on the burnup credit of actinides + fission products (APU-2) which are usually considered in spent fuel package, the effect of power density and operating history on k_∞ was studied. All the burnup calculations are based on the two-dimensional fuel assembly burnup program CASMO5. The results show that taking the core average power density of specified power plus a bounding margin of 0.0023 to k_∞, and taking the operating history of specified power without shutdown during cycle and between cycles plus a bounding margin of 0.0045 to k_∞ can meet the bounding principle of burnup credit. (authors)

  12. Axial gas transport and loss of pressure after ballooning rupture of high burn-up fuel rods subjected to LOCA conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiesenack, Wolfgang; Oberlaender, Barbara; Kekkonen, Laura

    2008-01-01

    The OECD Halden Reactor Project has implemented integral in-pile tests on issues related to fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions. In this test series, the interaction of bonded fuel and cladding, the behaviour of fragmented fuel around the ballooning area, and the axial gas communication in high burn-up rods as affected by gap closure and fuel-clad bonding are of major interest for the investigations. In the Halden reactor tests, the decay heat is simulated by a low level of nuclear heating, in contrast to the heating conditions implemented in hot laboratory set-ups, and the thermal expansion of fuel and cladding relative to each other is more similar to the real event. The paper deals with observations regarding the loss of rod pressure following the rupture of the cladding. In the majority of the tests conducted so far, the rod pressure dropped practically instantaneously as a consequence of ballooning rupture, while one test showed a remarkably slow pressure loss. The slow loss of pressure in this test was analysed, showing that the 'hydraulic diameter' of the rod over an un-distended upper part was about 30 - 35 μm which is typical of high burn-up fuel at hot-standby conditions. The 'plug' of fuel restricts the gas flow from the plenum through the fuel column and thus limits the availability of high pressure gas for driving the ballooning. This observation is relevant for the analysis of the behaviour of a full length fuel rod under LOCA conditions since restricted gas flow may influence bundle blockage and the number of failures. (authors)

  13. Nuclear fuel cycle scenarios at CGNPC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, Min; Zhou, Zhou; Nie, Li Hong; Mao, Guo Ping; Hao, Si Xiong; Shen, Kang

    2008-01-01

    Established in 1994, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co. (CGNPC) now owns two power stations GNPS and LNPS Phase I, with approximate 4000 MWe of installed capacity. With plant upgrades, advanced fuel management has been introduced into the two plants to improve the plant economical behavior with the high burnup fuel implemented. For the purpose of sustainable development, some preliminary studies on nuclear fuel cycle, especially on the back-end, have been carried out at CGNPC. According to the nuclear power development plan of China, the timing for operation and the capacity of the reprocessing facility are studied based on the amount of the spent fuel forecast in the future. Furthermore, scenarios of the fuel cycles in the future in China with the next generation of nuclear power were considered. Based on the international experiences on the spent fuel management, several options of spent fuel reprocessing strategies are investigated in detail, for example, MOX fuel recycling in light water reactor, especially in the current reactors of CGNPC, spent fuel intermediated storage, etc. All the investigations help us to draw an overall scheme of the nuclear fuel cycle, and to find a suitable road-map to achieve the sustainable development of nuclear power. (authors)

  14. Burnup credit effect on proposed cask payloads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, I.K.

    1989-01-01

    The purpose of the Cask Systems Development Program (CSDP) is to develop a variety of cask systems which will allow safe and economical movement of commercial spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste from the generator to the Federal repository or Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility. Program schedule objectives for the initial phase of the CSDP include the development of certified spent fuel cask systems by 1995 to support Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management shipments from the utilities beginning in the late 1990s. Forty-nine proposals for developing a family of spent fuel casks were received and comparisons made. General conclusions that can be drawn from the comparisons are that (1) the new generation of casks will have substantially increased payloads in comparison to current casks, and (2) an even greater payload increase may be achievable with burnup credit. The ranges in the payload estimates do not allow a precise separation of the payload increase attributable to the proposed allowance of fuel burnup credit, as compared wilt the no-burnup-credit case. The beneficial effects of cask payload increases on overall costs and risks of transporting spent fuel are significant; therefore further work aimed toward taking advantage of burnup credit is warranted

  15. REFLOS, Fuel Loading and Cost from Burnup and Heavy Atomic Mass Flow Calculation in HWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boettcher, W.; Schmidt, E.

    1969-01-01

    1 - Nature of physical problem solved: REFLOS is a programme for the evaluation of fuel-loading schemes in heavy water moderated reactors. The problems involved in this study are: a) Burn-up calculation for the reactor cell. b) Determination of reactivity behaviour, power distribution, attainable burn-up for both the running-in period and the equilibrium of a 3-dimensional heterogeneous reactor model; investigation of radial fuel movement schemes. c) Evaluation of mass flows of heavy atoms through the reactor and fuel cycle costs for the running-in, the equilibrium, and the shut down of a power reactor. If the subroutine for treating the reactor cell were replaced by a suitable routine, other reactors with weakly absorbing moderators could be analyzed. 2 - Method of solution: Nuclear constants and isotopic compositions of the different fuels in the reactor are calculated by the cell-burn-up programme and tabulated as functions of the burn-up rate (MWD/T). Starting from a known state of the reactor, the 3-dimensional heterogeneous reactor programme (applying an extension of the technique of Feinberg and Galanin) calculates reactivity and neutron flux distribution using one thermal and one or two fast neutron groups. After a given irradiation time, the new state of the reactor is determined, and new nuclear constants are assigned to the various defined locations in the reactor. Reloading of fuel may occur if the prescribed life of the reactor is reached or if the effective multiplication factor or the power form factor falls below a specified level. The scheme of reloading to be carried out is specified by a load vector, giving the number of channels to be discharged, the kind of movement from one to another channel and the type of fresh fuel to be charged for each single reloading event. After having determined the core states characterizing the equilibrium period, and having decided the fuel reloading scheme for the running-in period of the reactor life, the fuel

  16. Extended fuel swelling models and ultra high burn-up fuel behavior of U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel using FEAST-METAL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karahan, Aydın, E-mail: karahan@alum.mit.edu [Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 24-215, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Andrews, Nathan C., E-mail: nandrews@mit.edu [Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 24-215, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

    2013-05-15

    metallic fuel behavior with HT9 cladding for fast breeder reactor applications for 20 years of irradiation. It is assumed that HT9 clad will retain its fracture toughness and creep properties for this simulation. It appears that the increased dose on the cladding, increased solid fission product swelling, and low operating fuel temperature requires lower fuel smear density (∼60%) in order to ensure acceptable clad hoop strain at high burn-up (∼35 at.%). Furthermore, keeping the peak clad temperature below 550 °C seems to control lanthanide migration and clad inner wastage at a reasonable level. Possible design concerns and improvements are discussed.

  17. Extended fuel swelling models and ultra high burn-up fuel behavior of U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel using FEAST-METAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karahan, Aydın; Andrews, Nathan C.

    2013-01-01

    metallic fuel behavior with HT9 cladding for fast breeder reactor applications for 20 years of irradiation. It is assumed that HT9 clad will retain its fracture toughness and creep properties for this simulation. It appears that the increased dose on the cladding, increased solid fission product swelling, and low operating fuel temperature requires lower fuel smear density (∼60%) in order to ensure acceptable clad hoop strain at high burn-up (∼35 at.%). Furthermore, keeping the peak clad temperature below 550 °C seems to control lanthanide migration and clad inner wastage at a reasonable level. Possible design concerns and improvements are discussed

  18. World nuclear fuel cycle requirements, 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    This report contains an analysis of the sensitivities of the nuclear fuel cycle projections to different levels and types of projected nuclear capacity, different enrichment tails assays, higher and lower capacity factors, changes in nuclear fuel burnup levels, and other exogenous assumptions. The projections for the United States generally extend through the year 2020, and the (WOCA) World Outside Centrally Planned Economic Areas projections, which include the United States, are provided through 2010. The report also presents annual projections of spent nuclear fuel discharges and inventories of spent fuel. Appendix E includes aggregated domestic spent fuel projections through the year 2020 for the Lower and Upper References cases and through 2037, the last year in which spent fuel is discharged, for the No New Orders case. Annual projections of spent fuel discharges through the year 2037 for individual US reactors in the No New Orders cases are included for the first time in Appendix H. These disaggregated projections are provided at the request of the Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

  19. NUFACTS-nuclear fuel cycle activity simulator: reference manual. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triplett, M.B.; Waddell, J.D.; Breese, T.A.

    1978-01-01

    The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Activity Simulator (NUFACTS) is a package of FORTRAN subroutines which facilitate the simulation of a diversity of nuclear power growth scenarios. An approach to modeling the nuclear fuel cycle has been developed that is highly adaptive and capable of addressing a variety of problems. Being a simulation model rather than an optimization model, NUFACTS mimics the events and processes that are characteristic of the nuclear fuel cycle. This approach enables the model user to grasp the modeling approach rather quickly. Within this report descriptions of the model and its components are provided with several emphases. First, a discussion of modeling approach and basic assumptions is provided. Next, instructions are provided for generating data, inputting the data properly, and running the code. Finally, detailed descriptions of individual program element are given as an aid to modifying and extending the present capabilities

  20. The structure and economics of the nuclear fuel cycle service industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyett, A.J.

    1984-01-01

    The subject is covered in sections, entitled; introduction; mining and milling of uranium ore; the nuclear energy process; enrichment; burnup; reprocessing; fast reactors; waste disposal; international aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle (international trade). (U.K.)

  1. Spent nuclear fuel discharges from US reactors 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-02-01

    The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) administers the Nuclear Fuel Data Survey, Form RW-859. This form is used to collect data on fuel assemblies irradiated at commercial nuclear reactors operating in the United States, and the current inventories and storage capacities of those reactors. These data are important to the design and operation of the equipment and facilities that DOE will use for the future acceptance, transportation, and disposal of spent fuels. The data collected and presented identifies trends in burnup, enrichment, and spent nuclear fuel discharged form commercial light-water reactor as of December 31, 1993. The document covers not only spent nuclear fuel discharges; but also site capacities and inventories; canisters and nonfuel components; and assembly type characteristics

  2. Parameterized representation of macroscopic cross section in the PWR fuel element considering burn-up cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belo, Thiago F.; Fiel, Joao Claudio B.

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear reactor core analysis involves neutronic modeling and the calculations require problem dependent nuclear data generated with few neutron energy groups, as for instance the neutron cross sections. The methods used to obtain these problem-dependent cross sections, in the reactor calculations, generally uses nuclear computer codes that require a large processing time and computational memory, making the process computationally very expensive. Presently, analysis of the macroscopic cross section, as a function of nuclear parameters, has shown a very distinct behavior that cannot be represented by simply using linear interpolation. Indeed, a polynomial representation is more adequate for the data parameterization. To provide the cross sections of rapidly and without the dependence of complex systems calculations, this work developed a set of parameterized cross sections, based on the Tchebychev polynomials, by fitting the cross sections as a function of nuclear parameters, which include fuel temperature, moderator temperature and density, soluble boron concentration, uranium enrichment, and the burn-up. In this study is evaluated the problem-dependent about fission, scattering, total, nu-fission, capture, transport and absorption cross sections for a typical PWR fuel element reactor, considering burn-up cycle. The analysis was carried out with the SCALE 6.1 code package. The results of comparison with direct calculations with the SCALE code system and also the test using project parameters, such as the temperature coefficient of reactivity and fast fission factor, show excellent agreements. The differences between the cross-section parameterization methodology and the direct calculations based on the SCALE code system are less than 0.03 percent. (author)

  3. Parameterized representation of macroscopic cross section in the PWR fuel element considering burn-up cycles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Belo, Thiago F.; Fiel, Joao Claudio B., E-mail: thiagofbelo@hotmail.com [Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    Nuclear reactor core analysis involves neutronic modeling and the calculations require problem dependent nuclear data generated with few neutron energy groups, as for instance the neutron cross sections. The methods used to obtain these problem-dependent cross sections, in the reactor calculations, generally uses nuclear computer codes that require a large processing time and computational memory, making the process computationally very expensive. Presently, analysis of the macroscopic cross section, as a function of nuclear parameters, has shown a very distinct behavior that cannot be represented by simply using linear interpolation. Indeed, a polynomial representation is more adequate for the data parameterization. To provide the cross sections of rapidly and without the dependence of complex systems calculations, this work developed a set of parameterized cross sections, based on the Tchebychev polynomials, by fitting the cross sections as a function of nuclear parameters, which include fuel temperature, moderator temperature and density, soluble boron concentration, uranium enrichment, and the burn-up. In this study is evaluated the problem-dependent about fission, scattering, total, nu-fission, capture, transport and absorption cross sections for a typical PWR fuel element reactor, considering burn-up cycle. The analysis was carried out with the SCALE 6.1 code package. The results of comparison with direct calculations with the SCALE code system and also the test using project parameters, such as the temperature coefficient of reactivity and fast fission factor, show excellent agreements. The differences between the cross-section parameterization methodology and the direct calculations based on the SCALE code system are less than 0.03 percent. (author)

  4. On the condition of UO{sub 2} nuclear fuel irradiated in a PWR to a burn-up in excess of 110 MWd/kgHM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Restani, R.; Horvath, M. [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232, Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Goll, W. [AREVA GmbH, P.O. Box 1109, DE-91001 Erlangen (Germany); Bertsch, J.; Gavillet, D.; Hermann, A. [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232, Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Martin, M., E-mail: matthias.martin@psi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232, Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Walker, C.T. [The Grange, 66 High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9LU (United Kingdom)

    2016-12-01

    Post-irradiation examination results are presented for UO{sub 2} fuel from a PWR fuel rod that had been irradiated to an average burn-up of 105 MWd/kgHM and showed high fission gas release of 42%. The radial distribution of xenon and the partitioning of fission gas between bubbles and the fuel matrix was investigated using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and electron probe microanalysis. It is concluded that release from the fuel at intermediate radial positions was mainly responsible for the high fission gas release. In this region thermal release had occurred from the high burn-up structure (HBS) at some point after the sixth irradiation cycle. The LA-ICP-MS results indicate that gas release had also occurred from the HBS in the vicinity of the pellet periphery. It is shown that the gas pressure in the HBS pores is well below the pressure that the fuel can sustain. - Highlights: • Gas retention measured by laser ablation induction coupled plasma mass spectrometry. • Thermal release from the high burn structure responsible for high gas release. • At a pellet burn-up of 115 MWd/kgHM the high burn-up structure is still evolving. • The gas pressure in HBS pores is well below the pressure that the fuel can sustain.

  5. High burnup issues and modelling strategies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dutta, B.K.

    2005-01-01

    The performance of high burnup fuel is affected by a number of phenomena, such as, conductivity degradation, modified radial flux profile, fission gas release from high burnup structures, PCMI, burnup dependent thermo-mechanical properties, etc. The modelling strategies of some of these phenomena are available in literature. These can be readily incorporated in a fuel modelling performance code. The computer code FAIR has been developed in BARC over the years to evaluate the fuel performance at extended burnup and modelling of the fuel rods for advanced fuel cycles. The present paper deals with the high burnup issues in the fuel pins, their modelling strategies and results of the case studies specifically involving high burnup fuel. (author)

  6. SRAC-95, Cell Calculation with Burnup, Fuel Management for Thermal Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchihashi, K.; Ishiguro, Y.; Kaneko, K.; Ido, M.

    2004-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: General neutronics calculation including cell calculation with burn-up, core calculation for any type of thermal reactor. Core burn-up calculation and fuel management by an auxiliary code. 2 - Method of solution: Collision probability method, 1D and 2D Sn for cell calculation; 1D, 2D and 3D diffusion for core calculation. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: 20 regions for a continuous energy resonance absorption calculation and 16 steps for cell burn-up

  7. Comparison of burnup calculation results using several evaluated nuclear data files

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suyama, Kenya; Katakura, Jun-ichi; Nomura, Yasushi

    2002-01-01

    Burn-up calculation and comparison of the results were carried out to clarify the differences among the following latest evaluated nuclear data libraries: JENDL-3.2, ENDF/B-VI and JEF-2.2. The analyses showed that the differences seen among the current evaluated nuclear data libraries are small for evaluation of the amounts of many uranium and plutonium isotopes. However, several nuclides important for evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle as 238 Pu, 244 Cm, 149 Sm and 134 Cs showed large differences among used libraries. The chain analyses for the isotopes were conducted and the reasons for the differences were discussed. Based on the discussion, information of important cross section to obtain better agreement with the experimental results for 238 Pu, 244 Cm, 149 Sm and 134 Cs was shown. (author)

  8. Review of the IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Materials Section activities related to WWER fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Killeen, J.

    2003-01-01

    The IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Programme, designated as Programme B, has the main objective of supporting Member States in policy making, strategic planning, developing technology and addressing issues with respect to safe, reliable, economically efficient, proliferation resistant and environmentally sound nuclear fuel cycle. This paper is concentrated on describing the work within Sub-programme B.2 'Fuel Performance and Technology'. Two Technical Working Groups assist in the preparation of the IAEA programme in the nuclear fuel cycle area - Technical Working Group on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology and Technical Working Group on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options. The activities of the Unit within the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section working on Fuel Performance and Technology are given, based on the sub-programme structure of the Agency programme and budget for 2002-2003. Within the framework of Co-ordinated Research Projects a study of the delayed hydride cracking (DHC) of the zirconium alloys used in pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) involving 10 countries has been completed. It achieved very effective transfer of know-how at the laboratory level in three technologically important areas: 1) Controlled hydriding of samples to predetermined levels; 2) Accurate measurement of hydrogen concentrations at the relatively low levels found in pressure tubes and RBMK channel tubes; and 3) In the determination of DHC rates under various conditions of temperature and stress. A new project has been started on the 'Improvement of Models used for Fuel Behaviour Simulation' (FUMEX II) to assist Member States in improving the predictive capabilities of computer codes used in modelling fuel behaviour for extended burnup. The IAEA also collaborates with organisations in the Member States to support activities and meetings on nuclear fuel cycle related topics

  9. Impact of nuclear library difference on neutronic characteristics of thorium-loaded light water reactor fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unesaki, H.; Isaka, S.; Nakagome, Y.

    2006-01-01

    Impact of nuclear library difference on neutronic characteristics of thorium-loaded light water reactor fuel is investigated through cell burnup calculations using SRAC code system. Comparison of k ∞ and nuclide composition was made between the results obtained by JENDL-3.3, ENDF/B-VI.8 and JEFF3.0 for (U, Th)O 2 fuels as well as UO 2 fuels, with special interest on the burnup dependence of the neutronic characteristics. The impact of nuclear data library difference on k ∞ of (U, Th)O 2 fuels was found to be significantly large compared to that of UO 2 fuels. Notable difference was also found in nuclide concentration of TRU nuclides. (authors)

  10. Impact of fission gas on irradiated PWR fuel behaviour at extended burnup under RIA conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemoine, F.; Schmitz, F.

    1996-01-01

    With the world-wide trend to increase the fuel burnup at discharge of the LWRs, the reliability of high burnup fuel must be proven, including its behaviour under energetic transient conditions, and in particular during RIAs. Specific aspects of irradiated fuel result from the increasing retention of gaseous and volatile fission products with burnup. The potential for swelling and transient expansion work under rapid heating conditions characterizes the high burnup fuel behaviour by comparison to fresh fuel. This effect is resulting from the steadily increasing amount of gaseous and volatile fission products retained inside the fuel structure. An attempt is presented to quantify the gas behaviour which is motivated by the results from the global tests both in CABRI and in NSRR. A coherent understanding of specific results, either transient release or post transient residual retention has been reached. The early failure of REP Na1 with consideration given to the satisfactory behaviour of the father rod of the test pin at the end of the irradiation (under load follow conditions) is to be explained both by the transient loading from gas driven fuel swelling and from the reduced clad resistance due to hydriding. (R.P.)

  11. High frequency acoustic microscopy for the determination of porosity and Young's modulus in high burnup uranium dioxide nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marchetti, M.; Laux, D.; Cappia, F.; Laurie, M.; Van Uffelen, P.; Rondinella, V.V.; Despaux, G.

    2015-01-01

    During irradiation UO 2 nuclear fuel experiences the development of a non-uniform distribution of porosity which contributes to establish varying mechanical properties along the radius of the pellet. Radial variations of the porosity and of elastic properties in high burnup UO 2 pellet can be investigated via high frequency acoustic microscopy. Ultrasound waves are generated by a piezoelectric transducer and focused on the sample, after having travelled through a coupling liquid. The elastic properties of the material are related to the velocity of the generated Rayleigh surface wave (VR). A 67 MWd/kgU UO 2 pellet was characterized using the acoustic microscope installed in the hot cells of the Institute of Transuranium Elements: 90 MHz frequency was applied, methanol was used as coupling liquid and VR was measured at different radial positions. By comparing the porosity values obtained via acoustic microscopy with those determined using ceramographic image analysis a good agreement was found, especially in the areas close to the centre. In addition Young's modulus was calculated and its radial profile was correlated to the corresponding burnup profile. (authors)

  12. Comparative examination of the fresh and spent nuclear TRIGA fuel by neutron radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dinca, M.

    2016-01-01

    At the Institute for Nuclear Research (INR) there is in operation an underwater (wet) neutron radiography facility (INUM) designed especially for nuclear fuel investigation. INUM was involved in CANDU experimental type and TRIGA type nuclear fuel investigations. In this paper are presented the results after investigation of the nuclear fuel TRIGA-HEU and TRIGA-LEU, fresh and spent, using transfer method with metallic foils of dysprosium and indium and radiographic films (38 cm x 10 cm). This method is the most suitable for spent fuel and offers a high geometrical resolution of the images that subsequently are digitalized with a professional scanner for films. From the images obtained for TRIGA-HEU and TRIGA-LEU with different degree of burn-up there are established the opportunities to use dysprosium or indium converter foils based on their response to thermal or epithermal neutrons to evaluate the degree of burn-up, dimensional measurements, defects etc. (authors)

  13. An extended version of the SERPENT-2 code to investigate fuel burn-up and core material evolution of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aufiero, M.; Cammi, A.; Fiorina, C. [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Leppänen, J. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT (Finland); Luzzi, L., E-mail: lelio.luzzi@polimi.it [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Ricotti, M.E. [Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF (Enrico Fermi Center for Nuclear Studies), via Ponzio, 34/3, I-20133 Milano (Italy)

    2013-10-15

    In this work, the Monte Carlo burn-up code SERPENT-2 has been extended and employed to study the material isotopic evolution of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR). This promising GEN-IV nuclear reactor concept features peculiar characteristics such as the on-line fuel reprocessing, which prevents the use of commonly available burn-up codes. Besides, the presence of circulating nuclear fuel and radioactive streams from the core to the reprocessing plant requires a precise knowledge of the fuel isotopic composition during the plant operation. The developed extension of SERPENT-2 directly takes into account the effects of on-line fuel reprocessing on burn-up calculations and features a reactivity control algorithm. It is here assessed against a dedicated version of the deterministic ERANOS-based EQL3D procedure (PSI-Switzerland) and adopted to analyze the MSFR fuel salt isotopic evolution. Particular attention is devoted to study the effects of reprocessing time constants and efficiencies on the conversion ratio and the molar concentration of elements relevant for solubility issues (e.g., trivalent actinides and lanthanides). Quantities of interest for fuel handling and safety issues are investigated, including decay heat and activities of hazardous isotopes (neutron and high energy gamma emitters) in the core and in the reprocessing stream. The radiotoxicity generation is also analyzed for the MSFR nominal conditions. The production of helium and the depletion in tungsten content due to nuclear reactions are calculated for the nickel-based alloy selected as reactor structural material of the MSFR. These preliminary evaluations can be helpful in studying the radiation damage of both the primary salt container and the axial reflectors.

  14. Uranium and plutonium determinations for evaluation of high burnup fuel performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heinrich, R.R.; Popek, R.J.; Bowers, D.L.; Essling, A.M.; Callis, E.L.; Persiani, P.J.

    1985-01-01

    Purpose of this work is to experimentally test computational methods being developed for reactor fuel operation. Described are the analytical techniques used in the determination of uranium and plutonium compositions on PWR fuel that has spanned five power cycles, culminating in 55,000 to 57,000 MWd/T burnup. Analyses have been performed on ten samples excised from selected sections of the fuel rods. Hot cell operations required the separation of fuel from cladding and the comminution of the fuel. These tasks were successfully accomplished using a SpectroMil, a ball pestle impact grinding and blending instrument manufactured by Chemplex Industries, Inc., Eastchester, New York. The fuel was dissolved using strong mineral acids and bomb dissolution techniques. Separation of the fuel from fission products was done by solvent (hexone) extraction. Fuel isotopic compositions and assays were determined by the mass spectrometric isotope dilution (MSID) method using NBS standards SRM-993 and SRM-996. Alpha spectrometry was used to determine the 238 Pu composition. Relative correlations of composition with burnup were obtained by gamma-ray spectrometry of selected fission products in the dissolved fuel

  15. High burnup, high power irradiation behavior of helium-bonded mixed carbide fuel pins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levine, P.J.; Nayak, U.P.; Boltax, A.

    1983-01-01

    Large diameter (9.4 mm) helium-bonded mixed carbide fuel pins were successfully irradiated in EBR-II to high burnup (12%) at high power levels (100 kW/m) with peak cladding midwall temperatures of 550 0 C. The wire-wrapped pins were clad with 0.51-mm-thick, 20% cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel and contained hyperstoichiometric (Usub(0.8)Pusub(0.2))C fuel covering the smeared density range from 75-82% TD. Post-irradiation examinations revealed: extensive fuel-cladding mechanical interaction over the entire length of the fuel column, 35% fission gas release at 12% burnup, cladding carburization and fuel restructuring. (orig.)

  16. Grain and burnup dependence of spent fuel oxidation: geological repository impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanson, B. D.; Kansa, E. J.; Stoot, R.B.

    1998-01-01

    Further refinements to the oxidation model of Stout et al. have been made. The present model incorporates the burnup dependence of the oxidation rate in addition to an allowance for a distribution of grain sizes. The model was tested by comparing the model results with the oxidation histories of spent fuel samples oxidized in Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) or Oven Dry-Bath (ODB) experiments. The comparison between the experimental and model results are remarkably close and confirm the assumption that grain-size distributions and activation energies are the important parameters to predicting oxidation behavior. The burnup dependence of the activation energy was shown to have a greater effect than decreasing the effective grain size in suppressing the rate of the reaction U 4 O 9 (rightwards arrow)U 3 O 4 . Model results predict that U 3 O 8 formation of spent fuels exposed to oxygen will be suppressed even for high burnup fuels that have undergone restructuring in the rim region, provided the repository temperature is kept sufficient

  17. BISON Theory Manual The Equations behind Nuclear Fuel Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hales, J. D.; Williamson, R. L.; Novascone, S. R.; Pastore, G.; Spencer, B. W.; Stafford, D. S.; Gamble, K. A.; Perez, D. M.; Liu, W.

    2016-01-01

    BISON is a finite element-based nuclear fuel performance code applicable to a variety of fuel forms including light water reactor fuel rods, TRISO particle fuel, and metallic rod and plate fuel. It solves the fully-coupled equations of thermomechanics and species diffusion, for either 2D axisymmetric or 3D geometries. Fuel models are included to describe temperature and burnup dependent thermal properties, fission product swelling, densification, thermal and irradiation creep, fracture, and fission gas production and release. Plasticity, irradiation growth, and thermal and irradiation creep models are implemented for clad materials. Models are also available to simulate gap heat transfer, mechanical contact, and the evolution of the gap/plenum pressure with plenum volume, gas temperature, and fission gas addition. BISON is based on the MOOSE framework and can therefore efficiently solve problems using standard workstations or very large high-performance computers. This document describes the theoretical and numerical foundations of BISON.

  18. BISON Theory Manual The Equations behind Nuclear Fuel Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hales, J. D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Williamson, R. L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Novascone, S. R. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Pastore, G. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Spencer, B. W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Stafford, D. S. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Gamble, K. A. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Perez, D. M. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Liu, W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-09-01

    BISON is a finite element-based nuclear fuel performance code applicable to a variety of fuel forms including light water reactor fuel rods, TRISO particle fuel, and metallic rod and plate fuel. It solves the fully-coupled equations of thermomechanics and species diffusion, for either 2D axisymmetric or 3D geometries. Fuel models are included to describe temperature and burnup dependent thermal properties, fission product swelling, densification, thermal and irradiation creep, fracture, and fission gas production and release. Plasticity, irradiation growth, and thermal and irradiation creep models are implemented for clad materials. Models are also available to simulate gap heat transfer, mechanical contact, and the evolution of the gap/plenum pressure with plenum volume, gas temperature, and fission gas addition. BISON is based on the MOOSE framework and can therefore efficiently solve problems using standard workstations or very large high-performance computers. This document describes the theoretical and numerical foundations of BISON.

  19. The radial distribution of plutonium in high burnup UO2 fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lassmann, K.; O'Carroll, C.; Laar, J. van de; Walker, C.T.

    1994-01-01

    A new model (TUBRNP) is described which predicts the radial power density distribution as a function of burnup (and hence the radial burnup profile as a function of time) together with the radial profile of uranium and plutonium isotopes. Comparisons between measurements and the predictions of the TUBRNP model are made on fuels with enrichments in the range 2.9 to 8.25% and with burnups between 21 000 and 64 000 MWd/t. It is shown to be in excellent agreement with experimental measurements and is a marked improvement on earlier versions. (orig.)

  20. A SAS2H/KENO-V methodology for 3D fuel burnup analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milosevic, M.; Greenspan, E.; Vujic, J.

    2002-01-01

    An efficient methodology for 3D fuel burnup analysis of LWR reactors is described in this paper. This methodology is founded on coupling Monte Carlo method for 3D calculation of node power distribution, and transport method for depletion calculation in ID Wigner-Seitz equivalent cell for each node independently. The proposed fuel burnup modeling, based on application of SCALE-4.4a control modules SAS2H and KENO-V.a is verified for the case of 2D x-y model of IRIS 15 x 15 fuel assembly (with reflective boundary condition) by using two well benchmarked code systems. The one is MOCUP, a coupled MCNP-4C and ORIGEN2.1 utility code, and the second is KENO-V.a/ORIGEN2.1 code system recently developed by authors of this paper. The proposed SAS2H/KENO-V.a methodology was applied for 3D burnup analysis of IRIS-1000 benchmark.44 core. Detailed k sub e sub f sub f and power density evolution with burnup are reported. (author)

  1. Nuclear fuel for VVER reactors. Actual state and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molchanov, V.

    2011-01-01

    The main tasks concerning development of FA design, development and modernization of structural materials, improvement of technology of structural materials manufacturing and FA fabrication and development of methods and codes are discussed in this paper. The main features and expected benefit of implementation of second generation and third generation fuel assembly for VVER-440 Nuclear Fuel are given. A brief review of VVER-440 and VVER-1000 Nuclear Fuel development before 1997 since 2010 is shown. A summary of VVER-440 and VVER-1000 Nuclear Fuel Today, including details about TVSA-PLUS, TVSA-ALFA, TVSA-12 and NPP-2006 Phase 2 tasks (2010-2012) is presented. In conclusion, as a result of large scope of R and D performed by leading enterprises of nuclear industry modern nuclear fuel for VVER reactors is developed, implemented and successfully operated. Fuel performance (burnup, lifetime, fuel cycles, operating reliability, etc.) meets the level of world's producers of nuclear fuel for commercial reactors

  2. Theoretical analysis of nuclear reactors (Phase I), I-V, Part IV, Nuclear fuel depletion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pop-Jordanov, J.

    1962-07-01

    Nuclear fuel depletion is analyzed in order to estimate the qualitative and quantitative fuel property changes during irradiation and the influence of changes on the reactivity during long-term reactor operation. The changes of fuel properties are described by changes of neutron absorption and fission cross sections. Part one of this report covers the economic significance of fuel burnup and the review of fuel isotopic changes during depletion. Pat two contains the analysis of the U 235 chain, analytical expressions for the concentrations of U 235 , U 236 and Np 237 as a function of burnup. Part three contains the analysis of neutron spectrum influence on the Westcott method for calculating the cross sections. Part four contains the calculation method applied on Calder Hall type reactor. The results were obtained by applying ZUSE-22 R digital computer

  3. Simulated LOCA Test and Characterization Study Related to High Burn-Up Issue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, D. J.; Jung, Y. I.; Choi, B. K.; Park, S. Y.; Kim, H. G.; Park, J. Y.

    2012-01-01

    For the safety evaluation of fuel cladding during the injection of emergency core coolant, simulated Loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) test was performed by using Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding samples. Zircaloy-4 tube samples with and without prehydring were oxidized in a steam environment with the test temperature of 1200 .deg. C. Prehydrided cladding was prepared from as-fabricated Zircaloy-4 to study the effects of hydrogen on mechanical properties of cladding during high temperature oxidation and quench conditions. In order to measure the ductility of the tube samples embrittled by quenching water, ring compression test was carried out by using 8 mm ring sample sectioned from oxidized tube sample and microstructural analysis was also performed after simulated LOCA test. The results showed that hydrogen increases oxygen solubility and pickup rate in the beta layer. This reduces ductility of prehydrided fuel cladding compared with as-fabricated cladding. Trend in ductility decrease for prehydrided sample under simulated LOCA condition was very similar with data obtained from tests conducted using irradiated high burn-up fuel claddings

  4. Calculation of isotope burn-up and change in efficiency of absorbing elements of WWER-1000 control and protection system during burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Timofeeva, O.A.; Kurakin, K.U.

    2006-01-01

    The report deals with fast and thermal neutron flows distribution in structural elements of WWER-1000 fuel assembly and absorbing rods, determination of absorbing isotope burn-up and worth variation in WWER reactor control and protection system rods. Simulation of absorber rod burn-up is provided using code package SAPPHIRE 9 5 end RC W WER allowing detailed description of the core segment spatial model. Maximum burn-up of absorbing rods and respective worth variation of control and protection system rods is determined on the basis of a number of calculations considering known characteristics of fuel cycles (Authors)

  5. Configuration of LWR fuel enrichment or burnup yielding maximum power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartosek, V.; Zalesky, K.

    1976-01-01

    An analysis is given of the spatial distribution of fuel burnup and enrichment in a light-water lattice of given dimensions with slightly enriched uranium, at which the maximum output is achieved. It is based on the spatial solution of neutron flux using a one-group diffusion model in which linear dependence may be expected of the fission cross section and the material buckling parameter on the fuel burnup and enrichment. Two problem constraints are considered, i.e., the neutron flux value and the specific output value. For the former the optimum core configuration remains qualitatively unchanged for any reflector thickness, for the latter the cases of a reactor with and without reflector must be distinguished. (Z.M.)

  6. Modification in the FUDA computer code to predict fuel performance at high burnup

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Das, M; Arunakumar, B V; Prasad, P N [Nuclear Power Corp., Mumbai (India)

    1997-08-01

    The computer code FUDA (FUel Design Analysis) participated in the blind exercises organized by the IAEA CRP (Co-ordinated Research Programme) on FUMEX (Fuel Modelling at Extended Burnup). While the code prediction compared well with the experiments at Halden under various parametric and operating conditions, the fission gas release and fission gas pressure were found to be slightly over-predicted, particularly at high burnups. In view of the results of 6 FUMEX cases, the main models and submodels of the code were reviewed and necessary improvements were made. The new version of the code FUDA MOD 2 is now able to predict fuel performance parameter for burn-ups up to 50000 MWD/TeU. The validation field of the code has been extended to prediction of thorium oxide fuel performance. An analysis of local deformations at pellet interfaces and near the end caps is carried out considering the hourglassing of the pellet by finite element technique. (author). 15 refs, 1 fig.

  7. Modification in the FUDA computer code to predict fuel performance at high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, M.; Arunakumar, B.V.; Prasad, P.N.

    1997-01-01

    The computer code FUDA (FUel Design Analysis) participated in the blind exercises organized by the IAEA CRP (Co-ordinated Research Programme) on FUMEX (Fuel Modelling at Extended Burnup). While the code prediction compared well with the experiments at Halden under various parametric and operating conditions, the fission gas release and fission gas pressure were found to be slightly over-predicted, particularly at high burnups. In view of the results of 6 FUMEX cases, the main models and submodels of the code were reviewed and necessary improvements were made. The new version of the code FUDA MOD 2 is now able to predict fuel performance parameter for burn-ups up to 50000 MWD/TeU. The validation field of the code has been extended to prediction of thorium oxide fuel performance. An analysis of local deformations at pellet interfaces and near the end caps is carried out considering the hourglassing of the pellet by finite element technique. (author). 15 refs, 1 fig

  8. Grain size and burnup dependence of spent fuel oxidation: Geological repository impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kansa, E.J.; Hanson, B.D.; Stout, R.B.

    1999-01-01

    Further refinements to the oxidation model of Stout et al. have been made. The present model incorporates the burnup dependence of the oxidation rate and an allowance for a distribution of grain sizes. The model was tested by comparing the model results with the oxidation histories of spent-fuel samples oxidized in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) or oven dry-bath (ODB) experiments. The experimental and model results are remarkably close and confirm the assumption that grain-size distributions and activation energies are the important parameters to predicting oxidation behavior. The burnup dependence of the activation energy was shown to have a greater effect than decreasing the effective grain size in suppressing the rate of the reaction U 4 O 9 r↓U 3 O 8 . Model results predict that U 3 O 8 formation of spent fuels exposed to oxygen will be suppressed even for high burnup fuels that have undergone restructuring in the rim region, provided the repository temperature is kept sufficiently low

  9. Isotopic analyses and calculation by use of JENDL-3.2 for high burn-up UO2 and MOX spent fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasahara, Akihiro; Matsumura, Tetsuo; Nicolaou, G.; Betti, M.; Walker, C.T.

    1997-01-01

    The post irradiation examinations (PIE) were carried out for high burn-up UO 2 spent fuel (3.8%U235, average burn-up:60GWd/t) and mixed oxide (MOX) spent fuel (5.07%Pu, average burn-up:45GWd/t). The PIE includes, a) isotopic analysis, b) electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) in pellet cross section and so on. The results of isotopic analyses and EPMA were compared with ORIGEN2/82 and VIM-BURN calculation results. In VIM-BURN calculation, the nuclear data of actinides were proceeded from new data file, JENDL-3.2. The sensitivities of power history and moderator density to nuclides composition were investigated by VIM-BURN calculation and consequently power history mainly effected on Am241 and Am242m and moderator density effected on fissile nuclides. From EPMA results of U and Pu distribution in pellet, VIM-BURN calculation showed reasonable distribution in pellet cross section. (author)

  10. Development of the CANDU high-burnup fuel design/analysis technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suk, Ho Chun; Sim, K. S.; Oh, D. J.; Park, J. H.; Jun, J. S.; Yoo, K. J.

    1997-08-01

    This report contains all the information related to the development of the CANDU advanced fuel, so-called CANFLEX-NU, which is composed of 43 elements with natural uranium fuel. Also, it contains the compatibility study of CANFLEX-RU which is considered as a CANDU high burnup fuel. This report describes the mechanical design, thermalhydraulic and safety evaluations of CANFLEX fuel bundle. (author). 38 refs., 24 tabs., 74 figs.

  11. Development of the CANDU high-burnup fuel design/analysis technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suk, Ho Chun; Sim, K. S.; Oh, D. J.; Park, J. H.; Jun, J. S.; Yoo, K. J.

    1997-08-01

    This report contains all the information related to the development of the CANDU advanced fuel, so-called CANFLEX-NU, which is composed of 43 elements with natural uranium fuel. Also, it contains the compatibility study of CANFLEX-RU which is considered as a CANDU high burnup fuel. This report describes the mechanical design, thermalhydraulic and safety evaluations of CANFLEX fuel bundle. (author). 38 refs., 24 tabs., 74 figs

  12. Development and application of Siton, a new fuel cycle simulation code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brolly, Aron; Szieberth, Mate; Halasz, Mate; Nagy, Lajos; Feher, Sandor

    2015-01-01

    As the result of the co-operation between the Centre for Energy Research (EK) and the Institute of Nuclear Techniques (NTI) a new fuel cycle simulation code called SITON was developed. Physical model of the code takes into account six facilities of the nuclear fuel cycle namely material stocks, spent fuel interim storages, plants for uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel reprocessing and reactors. Facilities can be linked in a flexible manner and their number is not limited. Lag time of the facilities and cooling time of the spent fuel, which are the two main parameters to introduce lag time into the fuel cycle, are taken into account. Material transfer between the facilities is modelled in a discrete manner tracking 52 nuclides and their short-lived decay daughters. Composition of the discharged fuel is determined by means of burn-up tables except for the 2400 MWth design of gas cooled fast reactor (GFR2400) which has a separate burn-up module developed at the NTI. To demonstrate the capabilities of SITON introduction of a GFR2400 into the Hungarian reactor park using the legacy spent fuel of the four presently operating VVER-440 units was simulated. 2040 was assumed as the commissioning date of the GFR2400 and recycling of its fuel was started as soon as possible. It was found that the plutonium content of the legacy spent fuel is sufficient to the start-up of only one GFR2400. There is an intermediate period between the commissioning of the reactor and the recycling of its first discharged fuel. Plutonium need of this period can be covered by the legacy spent fuel if the cooling time of the spent GFR2400 fuel is 2 years. If the cooling time is 5 years there will be a lack of plutonium in this period. To counterbalance this lack an EPR was started before the GFR2400 and its spent fuel was accumulated and reprocessed. Cooling time of the spent EPR fuel was also varied. Finally, an EPR only scenario is presented using two EPRs as a reference case

  13. Handbook on process and chemistry on nuclear fuel reprocessing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Atsuyuki [Tokyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan); Asakura, Toshihide; Adachi, Takeo [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; and others

    2001-12-01

    'Wet-type' nuclear fuel reprocessing technology, based on PUREX technology, has wide applicability as the principal reprocessing technology of the first generation, and relating technologies, waste management for example, are highly developed, too. It is quite important to establish a database summarizing fundamental information about the process and the chemistry of 'wet-type' reprocessing, because it contributes to establish and develop fuel reprocessing process and nuclear fuel cycle treating high burn-up UO{sub 2} fuel and spent MOX fuel, and to utilize 'wet-type' reprocessing technology much widely. This handbook summarizes the fundamental data on process and chemistry, which was collected and examined by 'Editing Committee of Handbook on Process and Chemistry of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing', from FY 1993 until FY 2000. (author)

  14. Handbook on process and chemistry on nuclear fuel reprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Atsuyuki; Asakura, Toshihide; Adachi, Takeo

    2001-12-01

    'Wet-type' nuclear fuel reprocessing technology, based on PUREX technology, has wide applicability as the principal reprocessing technology of the first generation, and relating technologies, waste management for example, are highly developed, too. It is quite important to establish a database summarizing fundamental information about the process and the chemistry of 'wet-type' reprocessing, because it contributes to establish and develop fuel reprocessing process and nuclear fuel cycle treating high burn-up UO 2 fuel and spent MOX fuel, and to utilize 'wet-type' reprocessing technology much widely. This handbook summarizes the fundamental data on process and chemistry, which was collected and examined by 'Editing Committee of Handbook on Process and Chemistry of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing', from FY 1993 until FY 2000. (author)

  15. Determination of reactor fuel burnup using passive neutron assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodeli, I.; Trkov, A.; Najzer, M.; Ertek, C.

    1988-01-01

    Passive neutron assay (PNA) method was developed to verify the fissile inventory of the irradiated reactor fuels. The characteristics of the method were studied at 'Jozef Stefan' Institute. The dependence of neutron source in the fuel on burnup, cooling time, initial enrichment and specific power were investigated and the accuracy of the method, using available computer codes was estimated. (author)

  16. Nuclear fuel licensing requirements: present status and future trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gantchev, T.; Vitkova, M.; Gorinov, I.; Datcheva, D.; Rashkova, N.

    2001-01-01

    The nuclear fuel licensing process must be directed to establishing of criteria for licensing (fuel safety criteria) and relationship between safety limits, technical specifications and operational conditions. This paper discusses the fuel safety criteria as used by NRC and Russian vendor. A survey on the available fuel behavior, modeling and related computer codes is given with respect to help the licensing process including new safety features of general changes in fuel design and operational conditions. Several types of computer codes that are used in safety analysis are sensitive to fuel-related parameters. The need for further code development and verification has been stated on many occasions: new design elements, such as different cladding materials, higher burnup, different fuel microstructure and use of MOX fuel can affect the performance of these codes. Regulatory inspection practices during operation and refueling in different countries are also shown. Future trends are discussed in particular with regard to the coming high burnup and to new core management schemes

  17. Reactivity effect of spent fuel due to spatial distributions for coolant temperature and burnup

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayashi, T.; Yamane, Y. [Nagoya Univ., Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Nagoya, Aichi (Japan); Suyama, K. [OECD/NEA, Paris (France); Mochizuki, H. [Japan Research Institute, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    2002-03-01

    We investigated the reactivity effect of spent fuel caused by the spatial distributions of coolant temperature and burnup by using the integrated burnup calculation code system SWAT. The reactivity effect which arises from taking account of the spatial coolant temperature distribution increases as the average burnup increases, and reaches the maximum value of 0.69%{delta}k/k at 50 GWd/tU when the burnup distribution is concurrently considered. When the burnup distribution is ignored, the reactivity effect decreases by approximately one-third. (author)

  18. Fuel and fuel pin behaviour in a high burnup fast breeder fuel subassembly: Results of destructive post-irradiation examinations of the KNK II/1 fuel subassembly NY-205

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patzer, G.

    1991-05-01

    The report gives a summarizing overview of the design characteristics, of the irradiation history and of the results of the destructive post-irradiation examinations of the fuel pins of the high-burnup fuel subassembly NY-205 of the KNK II first core. This element was operated for about 10 years and reached a maximum local burnup of 175 MWd/kg(HM) and a maximum neutron dose of 67 dpa-NRT. The main design data of this subassembly agree with those of the SNR 300 Mark-Ia, and it reached more than twice of the burnup and a similar neutron dose as foreseen for the SNR 300 fuel subassemblies [de

  19. Present status and future developments of the implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neuber, J.C.

    1998-01-01

    The paper describes the experience gained in Germany in applying burnup credit methodologies to wet storage and dry transport systems of spent LWR fuel. It gives a survey of the levels of burnup credit presently used or intended to be used, the regulatory status and future developments planned, the codes used for performing depletion and criticality calculations, the methods applied to verification of these codes, and the methods used to treat parameters specific of burnup credit. In particular it is shown that the effect of axial burnup profiles on wet PWR storage designs based on burnup credit varies from fuel type to fuel type. For wet BWR storage systems the method of estimating a loading curve is described which provides for a given BWR fuel assembly design the minimum required initial burnable absorber content as a function of the initial enrichment of the fuel. (author)

  20. FUEL BURN-UP CALCULATION FOR WORKING CORE OF THE RSG-GAS RESEARCH REACTOR AT BATAN SERPONG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tukiran Surbakti

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The neutronic parameters are required in the safety analysis of the RSG-GAS research reactor. The RSG-GAS research reactor, MTR (Material Testing Reactor type is used for research and also in radioisotope production. RSG-GAS has been operating for 30 years without experiencing significant obstacles. It is managed under strict requirements, especially fuel management and fuel burn-up calculations. The reactor is operated under the supervision of the Regulatory Body (BAPETEN and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency. In this paper, the experience of managing RSG-GAS core fuels will be discussed, there are hundred possibilities of fuel placements on the reactor core and the strategy used to operate the reactor will be crucial. However, based on strict calculation and supervision, there is no incorrect placement of the fuels in the core. The calculations were performed on working core by using the WIMSD-5B computer code with ENDFVII.0 data file to generate the macroscopic cross-section of fuel and BATAN-FUEL code were used to obtain the neutronic parameter value such as fuel burn-up fractions. The calculation of the neutronic core parameters of the RSG-GAS research reactor was carried out for U3Si2-Al fuel, 250 grams of mass, with an equilibrium core strategy. The calculations show that on the last three operating cores (T90, T91, T92, all fuels meet the safety criteria and the fuel burn-up does not exceed the maximum discharge burn-up of 59%. Maximum fuel burn-up always exists in the fuel which is close to the position of control rod.

  1. The burnup dependence of light water reactor spent fuel oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanson, B.D.

    1998-07-01

    Over the temperature range of interest for dry storage or for placement of spent fuel in a permanent repository under the conditions now being considered, UO 2 is thermodynamically unstable with respect to oxidation to higher oxides. The multiple valence states of uranium allow for the accommodation of interstitial oxygen atoms in the fuel matrix. A variety of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric phases is therefore possible as the fuel oxidizers from UO 2 to higher oxides. The oxidation of UO 2 has been studied extensively for over 40 years. It has been shown that spent fuel and unirradiated UO 2 oxidize via different mechanisms and at different rates. The oxidation of LWR spent fuel from UO 2 to UO 2.4 was studied previously and is reasonably well understood. The study presented here was initiated to determine the mechanism and rate of oxidation from UO 2.4 to higher oxides. During the early stages of this work, a large variability in the oxidation behavior of samples oxidized under nearly identical conditions was found. Based on previous work on the effect of dopants on UO 2 oxidation and this initial variability, it was hypothesized that the substitution of fission product and actinide impurities for uranium atoms in the spent fuel matrix was the cause of the variable oxidation behavior. Since the impurity concentration is roughly proportional to the burnup of a specimen, the oxidation behavior of spent fuel was expected to be a function of both temperature and burnup. This report (1) summarizes the previous oxidation work for both unirradiated UO 2 and spent fuel (Section 2.2) and presents the theoretical basis for the burnup (i.e., impurity concentration) dependence of the rate of oxidation (Sections 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5), (2) describes the experimental approach (Section 3) and results (Section 4) for the current oxidation tests on spent fuel, and (3) establishes a simple model to determine the activation energies associated with spent fuel oxidation (Section 5)

  2. MMSNF 2005. Materials models and simulations for nuclear fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freyss, M.; Durinck, J.; Carlot, G.; Sabathier, C.; Martin, P.; Garcia, P.; Ripert, M.; Blanpain, P.; Lippens, M.; Schut, H.; Federov, A.V.; Bakker, K.; Osaka, M.; Miwa, S.; Sato, I.; Tanaka, K.; Kurosaki, K.; Uno, M.; Yamanaka, S.; Govers, K.; Verwerft, M.; Hou, M.; Lemehov, S.E.; Terentyev, D.; Govers, K.; Kotomin, E.A.; Ashley, N.J.; Grimes, R.W.; Van Uffelen, P.; Mastrikov, Y.; Zhukovskii, Y.; Rondinella, V.V.; Kurosaki, K.; Uno, M.; Yamanaka, S.; Minato, K.; Phillpot, S.; Watanabe, T.; Shukla, P.; Sinnott, S.; Nino, J.; Grimes, R.; Staicu, D.; Hiernaut, J.P.; Wiss, T.; Rondinella, V.V.; Ronchi, C.; Yakub, E.; Kaye, M.H.; Morrison, C.; Higgs, J.D.; Akbari, F.; Lewis, B.J.; Thompson, W.T.; Gueneau, C.; Gosse, S.; Chatain, S.; Dumas, J.C.; Sundman, B.; Dupin, N.; Konings, R.; Noel, H.; Veshchunov, M.; Dubourg, R.; Ozrin, C.V.; Veshchunov, M.S.; Welland, M.T.; Blanc, V.; Michel, B.; Ricaud, J.M.; Calabrese, R.; Vettraino, F.; Tverberg, T.; Kissane, M.; Tulenko, J.; Stan, M.; Ramirez, J.C.; Cristea, P.; Rachid, J.; Kotomin, E.; Ciriello, A.; Rondinella, V.V.; Staicu, D.; Wiss, T.; Konings, R.; Somers, J.; Killeen, J

    2006-07-01

    The MMSNF Workshop series aims at stimulating research and discussions on models and simulations of nuclear fuels and coupling the results into fuel performance codes.This edition was focused on materials science and engineering for fuel performance codes. The presentations were grouped in three technical sessions: fundamental modelling of fuel properties; integral fuel performance codes and their validation; collaborations and integration of activities. (A.L.B.)

  3. MMSNF 2005. Materials models and simulations for nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freyss, M.; Durinck, J.; Carlot, G.; Sabathier, C.; Martin, P.; Garcia, P.; Ripert, M.; Blanpain, P.; Lippens, M.; Schut, H.; Federov, A.V.; Bakker, K.; Osaka, M.; Miwa, S.; Sato, I.; Tanaka, K.; Kurosaki, K.; Uno, M.; Yamanaka, S.; Govers, K.; Verwerft, M.; Hou, M.; Lemehov, S.E.; Terentyev, D.; Govers, K.; Kotomin, E.A.; Ashley, N.J.; Grimes, R.W.; Van Uffelen, P.; Mastrikov, Y.; Zhukovskii, Y.; Rondinella, V.V.; Kurosaki, K.; Uno, M.; Yamanaka, S.; Minato, K.; Phillpot, S.; Watanabe, T.; Shukla, P.; Sinnott, S.; Nino, J.; Grimes, R.; Staicu, D.; Hiernaut, J.P.; Wiss, T.; Rondinella, V.V.; Ronchi, C.; Yakub, E.; Kaye, M.H.; Morrison, C.; Higgs, J.D.; Akbari, F.; Lewis, B.J.; Thompson, W.T.; Gueneau, C.; Gosse, S.; Chatain, S.; Dumas, J.C.; Sundman, B.; Dupin, N.; Konings, R.; Noel, H.; Veshchunov, M.; Dubourg, R.; Ozrin, C.V.; Veshchunov, M.S.; Welland, M.T.; Blanc, V.; Michel, B.; Ricaud, J.M.; Calabrese, R.; Vettraino, F.; Tverberg, T.; Kissane, M.; Tulenko, J.; Stan, M.; Ramirez, J.C.; Cristea, P.; Rachid, J.; Kotomin, E.; Ciriello, A.; Rondinella, V.V.; Staicu, D.; Wiss, T.; Konings, R.; Somers, J.; Killeen, J.

    2006-01-01

    The MMSNF Workshop series aims at stimulating research and discussions on models and simulations of nuclear fuels and coupling the results into fuel performance codes.This edition was focused on materials science and engineering for fuel performance codes. The presentations were grouped in three technical sessions: fundamental modelling of fuel properties; integral fuel performance codes and their validation; collaborations and integration of activities. (A.L.B.)

  4. Modelling the radial distribution of the inventory of U and Pu isotopes in PWR fuel rods at high burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furlano, L.; Marino, A.C.

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays trends on nuclear reactors are to take advantage of a more efficient use of the fuels. In this way, goals like decreasing the volume of radioactive wastes, increasing life time in the reactor, extended burnup and accident-tolerance fuels are taken as the principal guidelines for the design and construction for actual nuclear fuels. The development of tools and the capability of prediction of the behaviour of nuclear fuels under irradiation let us design and improve the new demanding conditions without neglecting the security and economics. In this way, the study of the evolution and details of the fissile material of the fuel in particular the 235 U inventory evolution and the 239 Pu production and evolution are demanding conditions. We implemented the PILR code, based on the RAPID model, for the radial distribution of U and Pu radioisotopes. The aim of this work is to determine production and disappearance of Pu and U isotopes during the irradiation of commercial and experimental fuel rods. (author)

  5. Burnup measurement study and prototype development in HTR-PM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Weihua; Zhang Zhao; Xiao Zhigang; Zhang Liguo

    2014-01-01

    In a pebble-bed core which employs the multi-pass scheme, it is mandatory to determine the burnup of each pebble after the pebble has been extracted from the core in order to determine whether its design burnup has been reached or whether it has to be reinserted into the core again. The burnup of the fuel pebbles can be determined by measuring the activity of 137 Cs with an HPGe detector because of their good correspondence, which is independent of the irradiation history in the core. Based on experiments and Geant4 simulation, the correction factor between the fuel and calibration source was derived by using the efficiency transfer method. By optimizing spectrum analysis algorithm and parameters, the relative standard deviation of the 137 Cs activity can be still controlled below 3.0% despite of the presence of interfering peaks. On the foundation of the simulation and experiment research, a complete solution for burnup measurement system in HTR-PM is provided. (authors)

  6. Efficiency improvement of nuclear power plant operation: the significant role of advanced nuclear fuel technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Velde, AA. de; Burtak, F.

    2000-01-01

    In this paper authors deals with nuclear fuel cycle and their economic aspects. At Siemens, the developments focusing on the reduction of fuel cycle costs are currently directed on .further batch average burnup increase, .improvement of fuel reliability, .enlargement of fuel operation margins, .improvement of methods for fuel design and core analysis. These items will be presented in detail in the full paper and illustrated by the global operating experience of Siemens fuel for both PWRs and BWRs. (authors)

  7. Burnup credit in a dry storage module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thornton, J.R.

    1989-01-01

    Comparison of spent fuel storage expansion options available to Oconee Nuclear Station revealed that dry storage could be economically competitive with transshipment and rod consolidation. Economic competitiveness, however, mandated large unit capacity while existing cask handling facilities at Oconee severely limited size and weight. The dry storage concept determined to best satisfy these conflicting criteria is a 24 pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel assembly capacity NUTECH Horizontal Modular Storage (NUHOMS) system. The Oconee version of the NUHOMS system takes advantage of burnup credit in demonstrating criticality safety. The burnup credit criticality analysis was performed by Duke Power Company's Design Engineering Department. This paper was prepared to summarize the criticality control design features employed in the Oconee NUHOMS-24P DSC basket and to describe the incentives for pursuing a burnup credit design. Principal criticality design parameters, criteria, and analysis methodology are also presented

  8. DIONISIO 2.0: New version of the code for simulating a whole nuclear fuel rod under extended irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soba, Alejandro, E-mail: soba@cnea.gov.ar; Denis, Alicia

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • A new version of the DIONISIO code is developed. • DIONISIO is devoted to simulating the behavior of a nuclear fuel rod in operation. • The formerly two-dimensional simulation of a pellet-cladding segment is now extended to the whole rod length. • An acceptable and more realistic agreement with experimental data is obtained. • The prediction range of our code is extended up to average burnup of 60 MWd/kgU. - Abstract: The version 2.0 of the DIONISIO code, that incorporates diverse new aspects, has been recently developed. One of them is referred to the code architecture that allows taking into account the axial variation of the conditions external to the rod. With this purpose, the rod is divided into a number of axial segments. In each one the program considers the system formed by a pellet and the corresponding cladding portion and solves the numerous phenomena that take place under the local conditions of linear power and coolant temperature, which are given as input parameters. To do this a bi-dimensional domain in the r–z plane is considered where cylindrical symmetry and also symmetry with respect to the pellet mid-plane are assumed. The results obtained for this representative system are assumed valid for the complete segment. The program thus produces in each rod section the values of the temperature, stress, strain, among others as outputs, as functions of the local coordinates r and z. Then, the general rod parameters (internal rod pressure, amount of fission gas released, pellet stack elongation, etc.) are evaluated. Moreover, new calculation tools designed to extend the application range of the code to high burnup, which were reported elsewhere, have also been incorporated to DIONISIO 2.0 in recent times. With these improvements, the code results are compared with some 33 experiments compiled in the IFPE data base, that cover more than 380 fuel rods irradiated up to average burnup levels of 40–60 MWd/kgU. The results of these

  9. DIONISIO 2.0: New version of the code for simulating a whole nuclear fuel rod under extended irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soba, Alejandro; Denis, Alicia

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A new version of the DIONISIO code is developed. • DIONISIO is devoted to simulating the behavior of a nuclear fuel rod in operation. • The formerly two-dimensional simulation of a pellet-cladding segment is now extended to the whole rod length. • An acceptable and more realistic agreement with experimental data is obtained. • The prediction range of our code is extended up to average burnup of 60 MWd/kgU. - Abstract: The version 2.0 of the DIONISIO code, that incorporates diverse new aspects, has been recently developed. One of them is referred to the code architecture that allows taking into account the axial variation of the conditions external to the rod. With this purpose, the rod is divided into a number of axial segments. In each one the program considers the system formed by a pellet and the corresponding cladding portion and solves the numerous phenomena that take place under the local conditions of linear power and coolant temperature, which are given as input parameters. To do this a bi-dimensional domain in the r–z plane is considered where cylindrical symmetry and also symmetry with respect to the pellet mid-plane are assumed. The results obtained for this representative system are assumed valid for the complete segment. The program thus produces in each rod section the values of the temperature, stress, strain, among others as outputs, as functions of the local coordinates r and z. Then, the general rod parameters (internal rod pressure, amount of fission gas released, pellet stack elongation, etc.) are evaluated. Moreover, new calculation tools designed to extend the application range of the code to high burnup, which were reported elsewhere, have also been incorporated to DIONISIO 2.0 in recent times. With these improvements, the code results are compared with some 33 experiments compiled in the IFPE data base, that cover more than 380 fuel rods irradiated up to average burnup levels of 40–60 MWd/kgU. The results of these

  10. Perspective decisions of WWER nuclear fuel: Implementation at Russian NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molchanov, V.

    2003-01-01

    The scientific and technical policy pursued by JSC TVEL has managed to create a new generation of fuel assembly design on the basis of solutions tested at various units of Russian NPPs - Kola NPP, Kalinin NPP, Unit 1, Balakovo NPP Unit 1. The requirements set for the new generation nuclear fuel for WWER are: 1) High fuel burnup - up to 70 MWxdays/kgU; 2) Extended operation cycle - up to 6 years; 3) Increase of uranium charge to the core; 4) Increased lateral stability - bow not more than 7 mm; 5) High level of operating reliability - fuel rod leakage not worse than 10-5 1/year; 6) Demountable fuel assembly design. Post-irradiation examination results of fuel assemblies discharged from WWER-1000 reactors demonstrate that fuel rods have substantial reserve in general characteristics including that of dealing with planned burnup. In order to meet the requirements, trials are started for: implementation of rigid skeleton (WWER-1000); fuel column length extension (WWER-1000 and WWER-440); increase of UO 2 charge (WWER-1000 and WWER-440); enhancing of operational reliability and demountable design. It is concluded that the Russian nuclear fuel for WWER-type reactors is competitive and enables the implementation of state-of-the-art cost effective fuel cycles

  11. Analysis of bubble pressure in the rim region of high burnup PWR fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koo, Yang Hyun; Lee, Byung Ho; Sohn, Dong Seong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

    2000-02-01

    Bubble pressure in the rim region of high burnup PWR UO{sub 2} fuel has been modeled based on measured rim width, porosity and bubble density. Using the assumption that excessive bubble pressure in the rim is inversely proportional to its radius, proportionality constant is derived as a function of average pellet burnup and bubble radius. This approach is possible because the integration of the number of Xe atoms retained in the rim bubbles, which can be calculated as a function of bubble radius, over the bubble radius gives the total number of Xe atoms in the rim bubbles. Here the total number of Xe atoms in the rim bubbles can be derived from the measured Xe depletion fraction in the matrix and the calculated rim thickness. Then the rim bubble pressure is obtained as a function of fuel burnup and bubble size from the proportionality constant. Therefore, the present model can provide some useful information that would be required to analyze the behavior of high burnup PWR UO{sub 2} fuel under both normal and transient operating conditions. 28 refs., 9 figs. (Author)

  12. Review of Halden Reactor Project high burnup fuel data that can be used in safety analyses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiesenack, W.

    1996-01-01

    The fuels and materials testing programmes carried out at the OECD Halden Reactor Project are aimed at providing data in support of a mechanistic understanding of phenomena, especially as related to high burnup fuel. The investigations are focused on identifying long term property changes, and irradiation techniques and instrumentation have been developed over the years which enable to assess fuel behaviour and properties in-pile. The fuel-cladding gap has an influence on both thermal and mechanical behaviour. Improved gap conductance due to gap closure at high exposure is observed even in the case of a strong contamination with released fission gas. On the other hand, pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, which is measured with cladding elongation detectors and diameter gauges, is re-established after a phase with less interaction and is increasing. These developments are exemplified with data showing changes of fuel temperature, hydraulic diameter and cladding elongation with burnup. Fuel swelling and cladding primary and secondary creep have been successfully measured in-pile. They provide data for, e.g., the possible cladding lift-off to be accounted for at high burnup. Fuel conductivity degradation is observed as a gradual temperature increase with burnup. This affects stored heat, fission gas release and temperature dependent fuel behaviour in general. The Halden Project's data base on fission gas release shows that the phenomenon is associated with an accumulation of gas atoms at the grain boundaries to a critical concentration before appreciable release occurs. This is accompanied by an increase of the surface-to-volume ratio measured in-pile in gas flow experiments. A typical observation at high burnup is also that a burst release of fission gas may occur during a power decrease. Gas flow and pressure equilibration experiments have shown that axial communication is severely restricted at high burnup

  13. Practice and trends in nuclear fuel licensing in France (pressurized water reactor fuels)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roudier, S.; Badel, D.; Beraha, R.; Champ, M.; Tricot, N.; Tran Dai, P.

    1994-01-01

    The activities of governmental French authorities responsible for safety of nuclear installations are outlined. The main bodies involved in nuclear safety are: the CSSIN (High Council for Nuclear Safety and Information), CINB (Inter-ministerial Commission for Basic Nuclear Installations) and DSIN (Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate). A brief review of the main fuel licensing issues supported by DSIN is given, which includes: 1) formal regularity procedure ensuring the safety of nuclear installations and especially the pressurized water reactors; 2) guidelines for nuclear design and manufacturing requirements related to safety and 3) safety goals and associated limits. The fuel safety documents for reloading as well as the research and development programmes in the field of technical safety are also described. The ongoing experiments in CABRI reactor, aimed at determining the high burnup fuel behaviour under reactivity initiated accidents until 65 GW d/Mt U, are one of these programs

  14. Practice and trends in nuclear fuel licensing in France (pressurized water reactor fuels)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roudier, S [Direction de la Surete des Installations Nucleaires, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Badel, D; Beraha, R [Direction Regionale de l` Industrie, de la Recherche et de l` Environnement Rhone-Alpes, Lyon (France); Champ, M; Tricot, N; Tran Dai, P [CEA Centre d` Etudes de Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92 (France). Inst. de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire

    1994-12-31

    The activities of governmental French authorities responsible for safety of nuclear installations are outlined. The main bodies involved in nuclear safety are: the CSSIN (High Council for Nuclear Safety and Information), CINB (Inter-ministerial Commission for Basic Nuclear Installations) and DSIN (Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate). A brief review of the main fuel licensing issues supported by DSIN is given, which includes: (1) formal regularity procedure ensuring the safety of nuclear installations and especially the pressurized water reactors; (2) guidelines for nuclear design and manufacturing requirements related to safety and (3) safety goals and associated limits. The fuel safety documents for reloading as well as the research and development programmes in the field of technical safety are also described. The ongoing experiments in CABRI reactor, aimed at determining the high burnup fuel behaviour under reactivity initiated accidents until 65 GW d/Mt U, are one of these programs.

  15. Irradiation experiment on fast reactor metal fuels containing minor actinides up to 7 at.% burnup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohta, H.; Yokoo, T.; Ogata, T.; Inoue, T.; Ougier, M.; Glatz, J.P.; Fontaine, B.; Breton, L.

    2007-01-01

    Fast reactor metal fuels containing minor actinides (MAs: Np, Am, Cm) and rare earths (REs) have been irradiated in the fast reactor PHENIX. In this experiment, four types of fuel alloys, U-19Pu-10Zr, U-19Pu-10Zr-2MA-2RE, U-19Pu-10Zr-5MA-5RE and U-19Pu-10Zr-5MA (wt.%), are loaded into part of standard metal fuel stacks. The postirradiation examinations will be conducted at ∼2.4, ∼7 and ∼11 at.% burnup. As for the low-burnup fuel pins, nondestructive postirradiation tests have already been performed and the fuel integrity was confirmed. Furthermore, the irradiation experiment for the intermediate burnup goal of ∼7 at.% was completed in July 2006. For the irradiation period of 356.63 equivalent full-power days, the neutron flux level remained in the range of 3.5-3.6 x 10 15 n/cm 2 /s at the axial peak position. On the other hand, the maximum linear power of fuel alloys decreased gradually from 305-315 W/cm (beginning of irradiation) to 250-260 W/cm (end of irradiation). The discharged peak burnup was estimated to be 6.59-7.23 at.%. The irradiation behavior of MA-containing metal fuels up to 7 at.% burnup was predicted using the ALFUS code, which was developed for U-Pu-Zr ternary fuel performance analysis. As a result, it was evaluated that the fuel temperature is distributed between ∼410 deg. C and ∼645 deg. C at the end of the irradiation experiment. From the stress-strain analysis based on the preliminarily employed cladding irradiation properties and the FCMI stress distribution history, it was predicted that a cladding strain of not more than 0.9% would appear. (authors)

  16. Determination of the burn-up of TRIGA fuel elements by calculation with new TRIGLAV program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zagar, T.; Ravnik, M.

    1996-01-01

    The results of fuel element burn-up calculations with new TRIGLAV program are presented. TRIGLAV program uses two dimensional model. Results of calculation are compared to results calculated with program, which uses one dimensional model. The results of fuel element burn-up measurements with reactivity method are presented and compared with the calculated results. (author)

  17. Isotopic analyses and calculation by use of JENDL-3.2 for high burn-up UO{sub 2} and MOX spent fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sasahara, Akihiro; Matsumura, Tetsuo [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Komae, Tokyo (Japan). Komae Research Lab.; Nicolaou, G.; Betti, M.; Walker, C.T.

    1997-03-01

    The post irradiation examinations (PIE) were carried out for high burn-up UO{sub 2} spent fuel (3.8%U235, average burn-up:60GWd/t) and mixed oxide (MOX) spent fuel (5.07%Pu, average burn-up:45GWd/t). The PIE includes, (a) isotopic analysis, (b) electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) in pellet cross section and so on. The results of isotopic analyses and EPMA were compared with ORIGEN2/82 and VIM-BURN calculation results. In VIM-BURN calculation, the nuclear data of actinides were proceeded from new data file, JENDL-3.2. The sensitivities of power history and moderator density to nuclides composition were investigated by VIM-BURN calculation and consequently power history mainly effected on Am241 and Am242m and moderator density effected on fissile nuclides. From EPMA results of U and Pu distribution in pellet, VIM-BURN calculation showed reasonable distribution in pellet cross section. (author)

  18. Handbook on process and chemistry on nuclear fuel reprocessing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Atsuyuki (ed.) [Tokyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan); Asakura, Toshihide; Adachi, Takeo (eds.) [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment] [and others

    2001-12-01

    'Wet-type' nuclear fuel reprocessing technology, based on PUREX technology, has wide applicability as the principal reprocessing technology of the first generation, and relating technologies, waste management for example, are highly developed, too. It is quite important to establish a database summarizing fundamental information about the process and the chemistry of 'wet-type' reprocessing, because it contributes to establish and develop fuel reprocessing process and nuclear fuel cycle treating high burn-up UO{sub 2} fuel and spent MOX fuel, and to utilize 'wet-type' reprocessing technology much widely. This handbook summarizes the fundamental data on process and chemistry, which was collected and examined by 'Editing Committee of Handbook on Process and Chemistry of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing', from FY 1993 until FY 2000. (author)

  19. Simulation and modelling of advanced Argentinian nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marino, A.; Losada, E.; Demarco, G.; Garces, J.; Marino, A.; Jaroszewicz, S.; Mosca, H.; Demarco, G.

    2011-01-01

    The BaCo code (Barra Combustible, Spanish expression for 'fuel rod') was developed to simulate the nuclear fuel rods behaviour under irradiation. The generation of nucleo electricity in Argentina is based on PHWR NPP and, as a consequence, BaCo is focused on PHWR fuels keeping full compatibility with PWR, WWER, among others type of fuels (commercial, experimental or prototypes). BaCo includes additional extensions for 3D calculations, statistical improvements, fuel design and batch analysis. Research on new fuels and cladding materials properties based on ab initio and multiscale modelling are currently under development to be included in BaCo simulations in order to be applied to Generation IV reactors. The ab initio and multiscale modelling can enhance the field of application of the code by including a strong physical basement covering the unavailable data needed for those improvements. (authors)

  20. Issues for effective implementation of burnup credit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parks, C.V.; Wagner, J.C.

    2001-01-01

    In the United States, burnup credit has been used in the criticality safety evaluation for storage pools at pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and considerable work has been performed to lay the foundation for use of burnup credit in dry storage and transport cask applications and permanent disposal applications. Many of the technical issues related to the basic physics phenomena and parameters of importance are similar in each of these applications. However, the nuclear fuel cycle in the United States has never been fully integrated and the implementation of burnup credit to each of these applications is dependent somewhat on the specific safety bases developed over the history of each operational area. This paper will briefly review the implementation status of burnup credit for each application area and explore some of the remaining issues associated with effective implementation of burnup credit. (author)

  1. Effects of burnup on fission product release and implications for severe fuel damage events

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Appelhans, A.D.; Cronenberg, A.W.; Carboneau, M.L.

    1984-01-01

    Xe, Kr, and I fission-product release data from (a) Halden tests where release in intact rods was measured during irradiation at burnups to 18,000 MWd/t and fuel temperatures of 800 to 1800 0 K, and (b) Power Burst Facility (PBF) tests where trace-irradiated fuel (approx. = 90 MWd/t) was driven to temperatures of >2400 0 K and fuel liquefaction occurred are discussed and related to fuel morphology. Results from both indicate that the fission-product morphology and fuel restructuring govern release behavior. The Halden tests show low release at beginning of life with a 10-fold increase at burnups in excess of 10,000 MWd/t, due to the development of grain boundary interlinkage at higher burnups. Such dependence of release on morphology characteristics is consistent with findings from the PBF tests, where for trace-irradiated fuel, the absence of interlinkage accounts for the low release rates observed during initial fuel heatup, with subsequent enhanced Xe, Kr, and I release via liquefaction or quench-induced destruction of the grain structure. Morphology is also shown to influence the chemical release form of I and Cs fission products

  2. Starting Point, Keys and Milestones of a Computer Code for the Simulation of the Behaviour of a Nuclear Fuel Rod

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando C. Marino

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The BaCo code (“Barra Combustible” was developed at the Atomic Energy National Commission of Argentina (CNEA for the simulation of nuclear fuel rod behaviour under irradiation conditions. We present in this paper a brief description of the code and the strategy used for the development, improvement, enhancement, and validation of a BaCo during the last 30 years. “Extreme case analysis”, parametric (or sensitivity, probabilistic (or statistic analysis plus the analysis of the fuel performance (full core analysis are the tools developed in the structure of BaCo in order to improve the understanding of the burnup extension in the Atucha I NPP, and the design of advanced fuel elements as CARA and CAREM. The 3D additional tools of BaCo can enhance the understanding of the fuel rod behaviour, the fuel design, and the safety margins. The modular structure of the BaCo code and its detailed coupling of thermo-mechanical and irradiation-induced phenomena make it a powerful tool for the prediction of the influence of material properties on the fuel rod performance and integrity.

  3. Influence of high burnup on the decay heat power of spent fuel at long-term storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergelson, B.; Gerasimov, A.; Tikhomirov, G.

    2005-01-01

    Development and application of advanced fuel with higher burnup is now in practice of NPP with light water reactors in an increasing number of countries. High burnup allows to decrease significantly consumption of uranium. However, spent fuel of this type contains increased amount of high active actinides and fission products in comparison with spent fuel of common-type burnup. Therefore extended time of storage, improved cooling system of the storage facility will be required along with more strong radiation protection during storage, transportation and processing. Calculated data on decay heat power of spent uranium fuel of light water VVER-1000 type reactor are discussed in the paper. Long-term storage of discharged fuel during 100000 years is considered. Calculations were made for burnups of 40-70 MW d/kg. In the initial 50-year period of storage, power of fission products is much higher than that of actinides. Power of gamma-radiation is mainly due to fission products. During subsequent storage power of fission products quickly decreases, the main contribution to the power is given by actinides rather than by fission products. (author)

  4. Estimation of the impact of manufacturing tolerances on burn-up calculations using Monte Carlo techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bock, M.; Wagner, M. [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit mbH, Garching (Germany). Forschungszentrum

    2012-11-01

    In recent years, the availability of computing resources has increased enormously. There are two ways to take advantage of this increase in analyses in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle, such as burn-up calculations or criticality safety calculations. The first possible way is to improve the accuracy of the models that are analyzed. For burn-up calculations this means, that the goal to model and to calculate the burn-up of a full reactor core is getting more and more into reach. The second way to utilize the resources is to run state-of-the-art programs with simplified models several times, but with varied input parameters. This second way opens the applicability of the assessment of uncertainties and sensitivities based on the Monte Carlo method for fields of research that rely heavily on either high CPU usage or high memory consumption. In the context of the nuclear fuel cycle, applications that belong to these types of demanding analyses are again burn-up and criticality safety calculations. The assessment of uncertainties in burn-up analyses can complement traditional analysis techniques such as best estimate or bounding case analyses and can support the safety analysis in future design decisions, e.g. by analyzing the uncertainty of the decay heat power of the nuclear inventory stored in the spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. This contribution concentrates on the uncertainty analysis in burn-up calculations of PWR fuel assemblies. The uncertainties in the results arise from the variation of the input parameters. In this case, the focus is on the one hand on the variation of manufacturing tolerances that are present in the different production stages of the fuel assemblies. On the other hand, uncertainties that describe the conditions during the reactor operation are taken into account. They also affect the results of burn-up calculations. In order to perform uncertainty analyses in burn-up calculations, GRS has improved the capabilities of its general

  5. An optimal model for fuel burnup in nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anton, V.

    1979-05-01

    An approach to minimize the number of the burnup equations taking into account the introduction of an appropriate number of fission products is given. The corresponding number of fission pseudo-products is defined. (author)

  6. Development of numerical models for Monte Carlo simulations of Th-Pb fuel assembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oettingen Mikołaj

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The thorium-uranium fuel cycle is a promising alternative against uranium-plutonium fuel cycle, but it demands many advanced research before starting its industrial application in commercial nuclear reactors. The paper presents the development of the thorium-lead (Th-Pb fuel assembly numerical models for the integral irradiation experiments. The Th-Pb assembly consists of a hexagonal array of ThO2 fuel rods and metallic Pb rods. The design of the assembly allows different combinations of rods for various types of irradiations and experimental measurements. The numerical model of the Th-Pb assembly was designed for the numerical simulations with the continuous energy Monte Carlo Burnup code (MCB implemented on the supercomputer Prometheus of the Academic Computer Centre Cyfronet AGH.

  7. High frequency acoustic microscopy for the determination of porosity and Young's modulus in high burnup uranium dioxide nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marchetti, M. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements P.O. Box 2340 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); University of Montpellier, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000, Montpellier (France); Laux, D. [University of Montpellier, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000, Montpellier (France); CNRS, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000, Montpellier (France); Cappia, F. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements P.O. Box 2340 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Boltzmannstrasse 15, 85747 Garching bei Munchen (Germany); Laurie, M.; Van Uffelen, P.; Rondinella, V.V. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements P.O. Box 2340 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Despaux, G. [University of Montpellier, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000, Montpellier (France); CNRS, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000, Montpellier (France)

    2015-07-01

    During irradiation UO{sub 2} nuclear fuel experiences the development of a non-uniform distribution of porosity which contributes to establish varying mechanical properties along the radius of the pellet. Radial variations of the porosity and of elastic properties in high burnup UO{sub 2} pellet can be investigated via high frequency acoustic microscopy. Ultrasound waves are generated by a piezoelectric transducer and focused on the sample, after having travelled through a coupling liquid. The elastic properties of the material are related to the velocity of the generated Rayleigh surface wave (VR). A 67 MWd/kgU UO{sub 2} pellet was characterized using the acoustic microscope installed in the hot cells of the Institute of Transuranium Elements: 90 MHz frequency was applied, methanol was used as coupling liquid and VR was measured at different radial positions. By comparing the porosity values obtained via acoustic microscopy with those determined using ceramographic image analysis a good agreement was found, especially in the areas close to the centre. In addition Young's modulus was calculated and its radial profile was correlated to the corresponding burnup profile. (authors)

  8. Preliminary Content Evaluation of the North Anna High Burn-Up Sister Fuel Rod Segments for Transportation in the 10-160B and NAC-LWT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ketusky, E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2016-08-09

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) Program has transported high-burnup nuclear sister fuel rods from a commercial nuclear power plant for purposes of evaluation and testing. The evaluation and testing of high-burnup used nuclear fuel is integral to DOE initiatives to collect information useful in determining the integrity of fuel cladding for future safe transportation of the fuel, and for determining the effects of aging, on the integrity of UNF subjected to extended storage and subsequent transportation. The UFDC Program, in collaboration with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the commercial nuclear industry, has obtained individual used nuclear fuel rods for testing. The rods have been received at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for both separate effects testing (SET) and small-scale testing (SST). To meet the research objectives, testing on multiple 6 inch fuel rod pins cut from the rods at ORNL will be performed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Up to 10 rod equivalents will be shipped. Options were evaluated for multiple shipments using the 10-160B (based on 4.5 rod equivalents) and a single shipment using the NAC-LWT. Based on the original INL/Virginia Power transfer agreement, the rods are assumed to 152 inches in length with a 0.374-inch diameter. This report provides a preliminary content evaluation for use of the 10-160B and NAC-LWT for transporting those fuel rod pins from ORNL to PNNL. This report documents the acceptability of using these packagings to transport the fuel segments from ORNL to PNNL based on the following evaluations: enrichment, A2 evaluation, Pu-239 FGE evaluation, heat load, shielding (both gamma and neutron), and content weight/structural evaluation.

  9. Advanced LWR Nuclear Fuel Cladding Development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bragg-Sitton, S.; Griffith, G.

    2012-01-01

    The Advanced Light Water Reactor (LWR) Nuclear Fuel Development Research and Development (R and D) Pathway encompasses strategic research focused on improving reactor core economics and safety margins through the development of an advanced fuel cladding system. To achieve significant operating improvements while remaining within safety boundaries, significant steps beyond incremental improvements in the current generation of nuclear fuel are required. Fundamental enhancements are required in the areas of nuclear fuel composition, cladding integrity, and fuel/cladding interaction to allow improved fuel economy via power uprates and increased fuel burn-up allowance while potentially improving safety margin through the adoption of an 'accident tolerant' fuel system that would offer improved coping time under accident scenarios. In a staged development approach, the LWRS program will engage stakeholders throughout the development process to ensure commercial viability of the investigated technologies. Applying minimum performance criteria, several of the top-ranked materials and fabrication concepts will undergo a rigorous series of mechanical, thermal and chemical characterization tests to better define their properties and operating potential in a relatively low-cost, nonnuclear test series. A reduced number of options will be recommended for test rodlet fabrication and in-pile nuclear testing under steady-state, transient and accident conditions. (author)

  10. The in-pile proving test for fuel assembly of Qinshan nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Dianshan; Zhang Shucheng; Kang Rixin; Wang Huarong; Chen Guanghan

    1989-10-01

    The in-pile proving test for fuel assembly of Qinshan nuclear power plant had been conducted in the experimental loop of HWRR at IAE (Institute of Atomic Energy) in Beijing, China, from January 1985 to December 1986. Average burnup of 27000 MWd/tU and peak burnup of 34000 MWd/tU of fuel rod had already been reached. The basic status of the experiment are described, emphasis is placed on the discussion of proving test parameters and analysis of experiment results

  11. Application of burnup credit concept to transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Futamura, Yoshiaki; Nakagome, Yoshihiro.

    1994-01-01

    For the design and safety assessment of the casks for transporting spent fuel, the fuel contained in them has been assumed to be new fuel. The reason is, it was difficult to evaluate the variation of the reactivity of fuel, and the research on the affecting factors and the method of measuring burnup were not much advanced. Recently, high burnup fuel has been adopted, and initial degree of enrichment rose. The research has been advanced for pursuing the economy of the casks for spent fuel, and burnup credit has become applicable to their design and safety assessment. As the result, the containing capacity increases by about 20%. When burnup credit is considered, it is necessary to confirm accurately the burnup of spent fuel. The burnup dependence of the concentration of fissile substances and neutron emissivity, the coolant void dependence of the concentration of fissile substances, and the relation of neutron multiplication rate with initial degree of enrichment or burnup are discussed. The conceptual design of casks considering burnup credit and its assessment, the merit, problem and the countermeasures to it when burnup credit is introduced are described. (K.I.)

  12. World nuclear fuel cycle requirements 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    This analysis report presents the projected requirements for uranium concentrate and uranium enrichment services to fuel the nuclear power plants expected to be operating under three nuclear supply scenarios. Two of these scenarios, the Lower Reference and Upper Reference cases, apply to the United States, Canada, Europe, the Far East, and other countries with free market economies (FME countries). A No New Orders scenario is presented only for the United States. These nuclear supply scenarios are described in Commercial Nuclear Power 1990: Prospects for the United States and the World (DOE/EIA-0438(90)). This report contains an analysis of the sensitivities of the nuclear fuel cycle projections to different levels and types of projected nuclear capacity, different enrichment tails assays, higher and lower capacity factors, changes in nuclear fuel burnup levels, and other exogenous assumptions. The projections for the United States generally extend through the year 2020, and the FME projections, which include the United States, are provided through 2010. The report also presents annual projections of spent nuclear fuel discharges and inventories of spent fuel. Appendix D includes domestic spent fuel projections through the year 2030 for the Lower and Upper Reference cases and through 2040, the last year in which spent fuel is discharged, for the No New Orders case. These disaggregated projections are provided at the request of the Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

  13. Radioactivity of spent TRIGA fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Usang, M. D.; Nabil, A. R. A.; Alfred, S. L.; Hamzah, N. S.; Abi, M. J. B.; Rawi, M. Z. M.; Abu, M. P.

    2015-01-01

    Some of the oldest TRIGA fuel in the Malaysian Reaktor TRIGA PUSPATI (RTP) is approaching the limit of its end of life with burn-up of around 20%. Hence it is prudent for us to start planning on the replacement of the fuel in the reactor and other derivative activities associated with it. In this regard, we need to understand all of the risk associated with such operation and one of them is to predict the radioactivity of the fuel, so as to estimate the safety of our working conditions. The radioactivity of several fuels are measured and compared with simulation results to confirm the burnup levels of the selected fuels. The radioactivity measurement are conducted inside the water tank to reduce the risk of exposure and in this case the detector wrapped in plastics are lowered under water. In nuclear power plant, the general practice was to continuously burn the fuel. In research reactor, most operations are based on the immediate needs of the reactor and our RTP for example operate periodically. By integrating the burnup contribution for each core configuration, we simplify the simulation of burn up for each core configuration. Our results for two (2) fuel however indicates that the dose from simulation underestimate the actual dose from our measurements. Several postulates are investigated but the underlying reason remain inconclusive

  14. Radioactivity of spent TRIGA fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Usang, M. D., E-mail: mark-dennis@nuclearmalaysia.gov.my; Nabil, A. R. A.; Alfred, S. L.; Hamzah, N. S.; Abi, M. J. B.; Rawi, M. Z. M.; Abu, M. P. [Reactor Department, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia)

    2015-04-29

    Some of the oldest TRIGA fuel in the Malaysian Reaktor TRIGA PUSPATI (RTP) is approaching the limit of its end of life with burn-up of around 20%. Hence it is prudent for us to start planning on the replacement of the fuel in the reactor and other derivative activities associated with it. In this regard, we need to understand all of the risk associated with such operation and one of them is to predict the radioactivity of the fuel, so as to estimate the safety of our working conditions. The radioactivity of several fuels are measured and compared with simulation results to confirm the burnup levels of the selected fuels. The radioactivity measurement are conducted inside the water tank to reduce the risk of exposure and in this case the detector wrapped in plastics are lowered under water. In nuclear power plant, the general practice was to continuously burn the fuel. In research reactor, most operations are based on the immediate needs of the reactor and our RTP for example operate periodically. By integrating the burnup contribution for each core configuration, we simplify the simulation of burn up for each core configuration. Our results for two (2) fuel however indicates that the dose from simulation underestimate the actual dose from our measurements. Several postulates are investigated but the underlying reason remain inconclusive.

  15. Alternatives for implementing burnup credit in the design and operation of spent fuel transport casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, T.L.; Lake, W.H.

    1989-01-01

    It is possible to develop an optimal strategy for implementing burnup credit in spent fuel transport casks. For transport, the relative risk is rapidly reduced if additional pre-transport controls such as a cavity dryness verifications are conducted prior to transport. Some other operational and design features that could be incorporated into a burnup credit cask strategy are listed. These examples represent many of the system features and alternatives already available for use in developing a broadly based criticality safety strategy for implementing burnup credit in the design and operation of spent fuel transport casks. 4 refs., 1 tab

  16. Fuel Behaviour Simulations in Fumex III CRP at NRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valach, M.; Klouzal, J.; Dostal, M.; Zymak, J.

    2013-01-01

    NRI Rez plc took part in the previous coordinated research projects focused on fuel behaviour modelling held by the IAEA - FUMEX-I and FUMEX-II. These were very helpful for the development and validation of various codes used in the Nuclear Research Institute Rez (NRI) for the evaluation of the fuel rod thermomechanical behaviour. Based on the considerations of our needs related to the modeling for Czech NPPs we have performed basic parametric calculations of two LOCA cases (IFA-650.1 and IFA-650.2) and detailed evaluation WWER related cases Kola MIR ramp rods. The AREVA ''Idealized case'' and 16x16 LTA cases were also calculated because of the high burnup reached. Report summarises simulated cases in the frame of FUMEX III Project at the NRI Rez plc. (author)

  17. Handling and transfer operations for partially-spent nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibrahim, J K [PUSPATI, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    1983-12-01

    This project involved the handling and transfer of partially-spent reactor fuel from the Oregon State University TRIGA Reactor in Corvallis, Oregon to Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory in Richland, Washington. The method of handling is dependent upon the burn-up history of the fuel elements. Legal constraints imposed by standing U.S. nuclear regulations determine the selection of transport containers, transportation procedures, physical security arrangements in transit and nuclear material accountability documentation. Results of in-house safety evaluations of the project determine the extent of involvement of pertinent nuclear regulatory authorities. The actual handling activities and actual radiation dose rates are also presented.

  18. Development of a new measurement method for fast breeder reactor fuel burnup using a shielded ion microprobe analyzer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizuno, M.; Enokido, Y.; Itaki, T.; Kono, K.; Unno, I.; Yamanouchi, S.

    1985-01-01

    A new method of burnup measurement using a shielded ion microprobe analyzer (SIMA) has been developed. The method is based on the isotope analysis of uranium, plutonium, and fission products in irradiated mixed oxide fuel by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Fourteen samples irradiated in the Japanese experimental fast reactor JOYO were examined. The maximum local burnup of JOYO MK-I core fuels was about5.1 at. %. The axial burnup distribution of the fuel pin was in good agreement with that of the sibling pin in the same subassembly, measured by surface ionization mass spectrometry, which requires the chemical separation of fission products and heavy metals. The new method facilitates the rapid and accurate measurement of fast breeder reactor fuel burnup without human radiation exposure during sample preparation and analysis

  19. Perturbation theory in nuclear fuel management optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ho, L.W.

    1981-01-01

    Nuclear in-core fuel management involves all the physical aspects which allow optimal operation of the nuclear fuel within the reactor core. In most nuclear power reactors, fuel loading patterns which have a minimum power peak are economically desirable to allow the reactors to operate at the highest power density and to minimize the possibility of fuel failure. In this study, perturbation theory along with a binary fuel shuffling technique is applied to predict the effects of various core configurations, and hence, the optimization of in-core fuel management. The computer code FULMNT has been developed to shuffle the fuel assemblies in search of the lowest possible power peaking factor. An iteration approach is used in the search routine. A two-group diffusion theory method is used to obtain the power distribution for the iterations. A comparison of the results of this method with other methods shows that this approach can save computer time. The code also has a burnup capability which can be used to check power peaking throughout the core life

  20. Nuclear fuel for VVER reactors. Actual state and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molchanov, V.

    2009-01-01

    The implementation of 2nd generation of FA with the following performance characteristics: 1) Average FP failure factor during operation is less than 1x10 -6 ; 2) Fuel burn-up: up to 60 GWxd/tHM; 3) 5-year fuel cycle; 4) Unit thermal power uprate up to 110% N nom ; 5) Load Follow Mode (97,5±2,5% and 100-75-100% N nom ) is presented. A new generation of FA (TVSA and TVS-2) is developed, implemented and successfully operated at Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian NPPs providing: Safe and reliable operation cycle of 6 years; Assembly burn-up - up to 60 GWxd/tHM; Load Follow Mode. For satisfaction of customer needs regarding nuclear fuel performance the following development of FA design is under way: Power uprate up to 104% N nom and Fuel cycles length up to 18 months

  1. OECD/NEA Burnup Credit Calculational Criticality Benchmark Phase I-B Results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeHart, M.D.

    1993-01-01

    Burnup credit is an ongoing technical concern for many countries that operate commercial nuclear power reactors. In a multinational cooperative effort to resolve burnup credit issues, a Burnup Credit Working Group has been formed under the auspices of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This working group has established a set of well-defined calculational benchmarks designed to study significant aspects of burnup credit computational methods. These benchmarks are intended to provide a means for the intercomparison of computer codes, methods, and data applied in spent fuel analysis. The benchmarks have been divided into multiple phases, each phase focusing on a particular feature of burnup credit analysis. This report summarizes the results and findings of the Phase I-B benchmark, which was proposed to provide a comparison of the ability of different code systems and data libraries to perform depletion analysis for the prediction of spent fuel isotopic concentrations. Results included here represent 21 different sets of calculations submitted by 16 different organizations worldwide, and are based on a limited set of nuclides determined to have the most important effect on the neutron multiplication factor of light-water-reactor spent fuel. A comparison of all sets of results demonstrates that most methods are in agreement to within 10% in the ability to estimate the spent fuel concentrations of most actinides. All methods are within 11% agreement about the average for all fission products studied. Furthermore, most deviations are less than 10%, and many are less than 5%. The exceptions are 149 Sm, 151 Sm, and 155 Gd

  2. Application of Thermochemical Modeling to Assessment/Evaluation of Nuclear Fuel Behavior

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Besmann, Theodore M [University of South Carolina, Columbia; McMurray, Jake W [ORNL; Simunovic, Srdjan [ORNL

    2016-01-01

    The combination of new fuel compositions and higher burn-ups envisioned for the future means that representing fuel properties will be much more important, and yet more complex. Behavior within the oxide fuel rods will be difficult to model owing to the high temperatures, and the large number of elements generated and their significant concentrations that are a result of fuels taken to high burn-up. This unprecedented complexity offers an enormous challenge to the thermochemical understanding of these systems and opportunities to advance solid solution models to describe these materials. This paper attempts to model and simulate that behavior using an oxide fuels thermochemical description to compute the equilibrium phase state and oxygen potential of LWR fuel under irradiation.

  3. Experimental methods for burn-up determination in nuclear fuels, 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taddei, J.F. de A.C.; Rodrigues, C.

    1977-01-01

    A method is presented that allows the calculation of the total percentage of atoms having undergone fission ('burn up') in nuclear fuels, from the measurement of absolute amounts of fission product neodymium-148 and of uranium and plutoniun present in the spent fuel, the fission yield of neodymium-148 being known. These measurements are performed through the mass spectrometry- isotope dilution technique [pt

  4. Present status and future developments of the implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neuber, J.C.; Kuehl, H.

    2001-01-01

    This paper describes the experience gained in Germany in implementing burnup credit in wet storage and dry transport systems of spent PWR, BWR, and MOX fuel. It gives a survey of the levels of burnup credit presently used, the regulatory status and activities planned, the fuel depletion codes and criticality calculation codes employed, the verification methods used for validating these codes, the modeling assumptions made to ensure that the burnup credit criticality analysis is based on a fuel irradiation history which leads to bounding neutron multiplication factors, and the implementation of procedures used for fuel loading verification. (author)

  5. Present status and future developments of the implementation of burnup credit in spent fuel management systems in Germany

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neuber, J C [Siemens Nuclear Power GmbH, Offenbach (Germany); Kuehl, H [Wissenschaftlich-Technische Ingenieurberatung WTI GmbH, Juelich (Germany)

    2001-08-01

    This paper describes the experience gained in Germany in implementing burnup credit in wet storage and dry transport systems of spent PWR, BWR, and MOX fuel. It gives a survey of the levels of burnup credit presently used, the regulatory status and activities planned, the fuel depletion codes and criticality calculation codes employed, the verification methods used for validating these codes, the modeling assumptions made to ensure that the burnup credit criticality analysis is based on a fuel irradiation history which leads to bounding neutron multiplication factors, and the implementation of procedures used for fuel loading verification. (author)

  6. Comparison of MCB and MONTEBURNS Monte Carlo burnup codes on a one-pass deep burn

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talamo, Alberto; Ji, Wei; Cetnar, Jerzy; Gudowski, Waclaw

    2006-01-01

    Numerical applications implemented on the Monte Carlo method have developed in line with the increase of computer power; nowadays, in the field of nuclear reactor physics, it is possible to perform burnup simulations in a detailed 3D geometry and a continuous energy description by the Monte Carlo method; moreover, the required computing time can be abundantly reduced by taking advantage of a computer cluster. In this paper we focused on comparing the results of the two major Monte Carlo burnup codes, MONTEBURNS and MCB, when they share the same MCNP geometry, nuclear data library, core thermal power, and they apply the same refueling and shuffling schedule. While simulating a total operation time of the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor of 2100 effective full power days and a one-pass deep burn in-core fuel management schedule, we have found that the two Monte Carlo codes produce very similar results both on the criticality value of the core and the transmutation of the key actinides

  7. Comparison of MCB and MONTEBURNS Monte Carlo burnup codes on a one-pass deep burn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talamo, Alberto [Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm S-10691 (Sweden)]. E-mail: alby@anl.gov; Ji, Wei [University of Michigan, Bonisteel Boulevard 2355, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2104 (United States); Cetnar, Jerzy [AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30 Cracow (Poland); Gudowski, Waclaw [Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm S-10691 (Sweden)

    2006-09-15

    Numerical applications implemented on the Monte Carlo method have developed in line with the increase of computer power; nowadays, in the field of nuclear reactor physics, it is possible to perform burnup simulations in a detailed 3D geometry and a continuous energy description by the Monte Carlo method; moreover, the required computing time can be abundantly reduced by taking advantage of a computer cluster. In this paper we focused on comparing the results of the two major Monte Carlo burnup codes, MONTEBURNS and MCB, when they share the same MCNP geometry, nuclear data library, core thermal power, and they apply the same refueling and shuffling schedule. While simulating a total operation time of the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor of 2100 effective full power days and a one-pass deep burn in-core fuel management schedule, we have found that the two Monte Carlo codes produce very similar results both on the criticality value of the core and the transmutation of the key actinides.

  8. Nuclear fuel for NPPs: current status and main trends of development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molchanov, V.

    2013-01-01

    The customer’s main requirements to nuclear fuel at the present day are: to provide high performance of operational reliability of fuel; to uprate NPP’s capacity to the level of more than 100% from the designed one; to increase fuel cycle length; to increase the burnup of the fuel; to introduce load-follow mode at NPPs. To achieve this requirements the following TVEL activities are presented: New FA designs; Modern designing methods; New automated technologies of nuclear fuel fabrication; Driving to Zero Failure; Increase in safety and reliability of operation; Increase in economical efficiency of fuel utilization; Decrease in amount of spent fuel

  9. Spent fuel dissolution rates as a function of burnup and water chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, W.J.

    1998-06-01

    To help provide a source term for performance-assessment calculations, dissolution studies on light-water-reactor (LWR) spent fuel have been conducted over the past few years at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in support of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. This report describes that work for fiscal years 1996 through mid-1998 and includes summaries of some results from previous years for completeness. The following conclusions were based on the results of various flowthrough dissolution rate tests and on tests designed to measure the inventories of 129 I located within the fuel/cladding gap region of different spent fuels: (1) Spent fuels with burnups in the range 30 to 50 MWd/kgM all dissolved at about the same rate over the conditions tested. To help determine whether the lack of burnup dependence extends to higher and lower values, tests are in progress or planned for spent fuels with burnups of 13 and ∼ 65 MWd/kgM. (2) Oxidation of spent fuel up to the U 4 O 9+x stage does not have a large effect on intrinsic dissolution rates. However, this degree of oxidation could increase the dissolution rates of relatively intact fuel by opening the grain boundaries, thereby increasing the effective surface area that is available for contact by water. From a disposal viewpoint, this is a potentially more important consideration than the effect on intrinsic rates. (3) The gap inventories of 129 I were found to be smaller than the fission gas release (FGR) for the same fuel rod with the exception of the rod with the highest FGR. Several additional fuels would have to be tested to determine whether a generalized relationship exists between FGR and 129 I gap inventory for US LWR fuels

  10. Plant Design Nuclear Fuel Element Production Capacity Optimization to Support Nuclear Power Plant in Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bambang Galung Susanto

    2007-01-01

    The optimization production capacity for designing nuclear fuel element fabrication plant in Indonesia to support the nuclear power plant has been done. From calculation and by assuming that nuclear power plant to be built in Indonesia as much as 12 NPP and having capacity each 1000 MW, the optimum capacity for nuclear fuel element fabrication plant is 710 ton UO 2 /year. The optimum capacity production selected, has considered some aspects such as fraction batch (cycle, n = 3), length of cycle (18 months), discharge burn-up value (Bd) 35,000 up 50,000 MWD/ton U, enriched uranium to be used in the NPP (3.22 % to 4.51 %), future market development for fuel element, and the trend of capacity production selected by advances country to built nuclear fuel element fabrication plant type of PWR. (author)

  11. Measurement techniques in dry-powdered processing of spent nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowers, D. L.; Hong, J.-S.; Kim, H.-D.; Persiani, P. J.; Wolf, S. F.

    1999-01-01

    High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) detection, α-spectrometry (α-S), and γ-spectrometry (γ-S) were used for the determination of nuclide content in five samples excised from a high-burnup fuel rod taken from a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The samples were prepared for analysis by dissolution of dry-powdered samples. The measurement techniques required no separation of the plutonium, uranium, and fission products. The sample preparation and analysis techniques showed promise for in-line analysis of highly-irradiated spent fuels in a dry-powdered process. The analytical results allowed the determination of fuel burnup based on 148 Nd, Pu, and U content. A goal of this effort is to develop the HPLC-ICPMS method for direct fissile material accountancy in the dry-powdered processing of spent nuclear fuel

  12. Distribution of equilibrium burnup for an homogeneous core with fuel elements of slightly enriched uranium (0.85% U-235) at Atucha I nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sidelnik, J.I.; Perez, R.A.; Salom, G.F.

    1987-01-01

    At Atucha I, the present fuel management with natural uranium comprises three burnup areas and one irradiation path, sometimes performing four steps in the reactor core, according to the requirements. The discharge burnup is 6.0 Mw d/kg U for a waste reactivity of 6.5 m k and a heavy water purity of 99.75%. This is a preliminary study to obtain the distribution of equilibrium burnup of an homogeneous core with slightly enriched uranium (0.85% by weight U-235), using the time-averaged method implemented in the code PUMA and a representative model of one third of core and fixed rod position. It was found a strategy of three areas and two paths that agrees with the present limits of channel power and specific power in fuel rod. The discharge burnup obtained is 11.6 Mw d/kg U. This strategy is calculated with the same method and a full core representation model is used to verify the obtained results. (Author)

  13. Limits on the experimental simulation of nuclear fuel rod response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagar, R.C.

    1980-01-01

    The steady-state and transient effects of intrinxic geometric and material property differences between typical nuclear fuel pins and electric fuel pin simulators (FPSs) are identified. The effectiveness of varying the transient power supplied to the FPS in reducing the differences between the transient responses of nuclear fuel pins and FPSs is investigated. This effectiveness is shown to be limited by the heat capacity of the FPS, the allowed range of the power program, and different FPS power requirements at different positions on a full-length FPS

  14. Fuel performance annual report for 1991. Volume 9

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Painter, C.L.; Alvis, J.M.; Beyer, C.E.; Marion, A.L.; Kendrick, E.D.

    1994-08-01

    This report is the fourteenth in a series that provides a compilation of information regarding commercial nuclear fuel performance. The series of annual reports were developed as a result of interest expressed by the public, advising bodies, and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for public availability of information pertaining to commercial nuclear fuel performance. During 1991, the nuclear industry's focus regarding fuel continued to be on extending burnup while maintaining fuel rod reliability. Utilities realize that high-burnup fuel reduces the amount of generated spent fuel, reduces fuel costs, reduces operational and maintenance costs, and improves plant capacity factors by extending operating cycles. Brief summaries of fuel operating experience, fuel design changes, fuel surveillance programs, high-burnup experience, problem areas, and items of general significance are provided

  15. Fission gas release from UO2 pellet fuel at high burn-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vitanza, C.; Kolstad, E.; Graziani, U.

    1979-01-01

    Analysis of in-reactor measurements of fuel center temperature and rod internal pressure at the OECD Halden Reactor Project has led to the development of an empirical fission gas release model, which is described. The model originally derived from data obtained in the low and intermediate burn-up range, appears to give good predictions for rods irradiated to high exposures as well. PIE puncturing data from seven fuel rods, operated at relatively constant powers and peak center temperatures between 1900 and 2000 0 C up to approx. 40,000 MWd/t UO 2 , did not exhibit any burn-up enhancement on the fission gas release rate

  16. Flowchart evaluations of irradiated fuel treatment process of low burnup thorium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linardi, M.

    1987-01-01

    A literature survey has been carried out, on some versions of the acid-thorex process. Flowsheets of the different parts of the process were evaluated with mixer-settlers experiments. A low burnup thorium fuel (mass ratio Th/U∼100/1), proposed for Brazilian fast breeder reactor initial program, was considered. The behaviour of some fission products was studied by irradiated tracers techniques. Modifications in some of the process parameters were necessary to achieve low losses of 233 U and 232 U and 232 Th. A modified acid-thorex process flowsheet, evaluated in a complete operational cycle, for the treatment of low burnup thorium fuels, is presented. High decontamination factors of thorium in uranium, with reasonable decontamination of uranium in thorium, were achieved. (author) [pt

  17. Flop casting of nuclear materials for advanced fuel cycle research - 5247

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swift, A.J.; Koury, D.J.; Czerwinski, K.R.; Vollmer, J.M.

    2015-01-01

    Full text of publication follows. Next generation fast reactor designs of nuclear reactors utilizing metallic fuel are being developed as an alternative fuel cycle option in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. Metallic fuel systems are attractive because of their high thermal conductivity, fissile atom density, and inherent safety. Metallic fuel systems are also being investigated because of their potential to reach high burnups. The increased targeted burnups for metallic fuels lead to higher concentrations of actinides, lanthanides, and other fission products, which alter the fuel properties and impact the performance of the fuel. Before designs can be implemented, the fission product concentrations must be studied at variable fuel geometries and stages of fuel burnup. Arc flop casting serves as a viable option for casting alloys as the molds can be tailored to fit design specific requirements while cutting costs in time-consuming machining. Arc casting is done as the final preparation step in a small arc furnace with an argon or 5% hydrogen-argon atmosphere after the sample has been subsequently melted, overturned, and re-melted. The flop casting mold is then fitted to the chamber as needed and the previously prepared sample is quickly hit with a high current arc causing the molten metal to fill the copper mold. The U-Zr-Pu system will serve as the basis for this research as it has been extensively studied since the 1950 years, although flop casting can be adapted to any metallic fuel system. Multiple U-Zr-Pu with varying fission product concentrations alloys, Technetium metal, and Plutonium alloys have been flop cast based on burnup calculations. Prepared samples were cast using different molds and dimensions, then characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Thermogravimetric Analysis. The goal of this research is to test and develop flop casting techniques for the production of metallic fuel alloys applicable for various stages and

  18. Fuel handling, reprocessing, and waste and related nuclear data aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuesters, H.; Lalovic, M.; Wiese, H.W.

    1979-06-01

    The essential processes in the out-of-pile nuclear fuel cycle are described, i.e. mining and milling of uranium ores, enrichment, fuel fabrication, storage, transportation, reprocessing of irradiated fuel, waste treatment and waste disposal. The aspects of radiation (mainly gammas and neutrons) and of heat production, as well as special safety considerations are outlined with respect to their potential operational impacts and long-term hazards. In this context the importance of nuclear data for the out-of-pile fuel cycle is discussed. Special weight is given to the LWR fuel cycle including recycling; the differences of LMFBR high burn-up fuel with large PuO 2 content are described. The HTR fuel cycle is discussed briefly as well as some alternative fuel cycle concepts. (orig.) [de

  19. Effect of high burn-up and MOX fuel on reprocessing, vitrification and disposal of PWR and BWR spent fuels based on accurate burn-up calculation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshikawa, T.; Iwasaki, T.; Wada, K. [Tohoku Univ., Graduate School of Engineering, Dept. of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Suyama, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Shirakata-Shirane 2-4, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan)

    2006-07-01

    To examine the procedures of the reprocessing, the vitrification and the geologic disposal, precise burn-up calculation for high burn-up and MOX fuels has been performed for not only PWR but also BWR by using SWAT and SWAT2 codes which are the integrated bum-up calculation code systems combined with the bum-up calculation code, ORIGEN2, and the transport calculation code, SRAC (the collision probability method) or MVP (the continuous energy Monte Carlo method), respectively. The calculation results shows that all of the evaluated items (heat generation and concentrations of Mo and Pt) largely increase and those significantly effect to the current procedures of the vitrification and the geologic disposal. The calculation result by SWAT2 confirms that the bundle calculation is required for BWR to be discussed about those effects in details, especially for the MOX fuel. (authors)

  20. Drilling Experiments of Dummy Fuel Rods Using a Mock-up Drilling Device and Detail Design of Device for Drilling of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel Rods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jae Yong; Lee, H. K.; Chun, Y. B.; Park, S. J.; Kim, B. G

    2007-07-15

    KAERI are developing the safety evaluation method and the analysis technology for high burn-up nuclear fuel rod that is the project, re-irradiation for re-instrumented fuel rod. That project includes insertion of a thermocouple in the center hole of PWR nuclear fuel rod with standard burn-up, 3,500{approx}4,000MWD/tU and then inspection of the nuclear fuel rod's heat performance during re-irradiation. To re-fabricate fuel rod, two devices are needed such as a drilling machine and a welding machine. The drilling machine performs grinding a center hole, 2.5 mm in diameter and 50 mm in depth, for inserting a thermocouple. And the welding machine is used to fasten a end plug on a fuel rod. Because these two equipment handle irradiated fuel rods, they are operated in hot cell blocked radioactive rays. Before inserting any device into hot cell, many tests with that machine have to be conducted. This report shows preliminary experiments for drilling a center hole on dummy of fuel rods and optimized drilling parameters to lessen operation time and damage of diamond dills. And the design method of a drilling machine for irradiated nuclear fuel rods and detail design drawings are attached.

  1. Numerical solution of matrix exponential in burn-up equation using mini-max polynomial approximation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamoto, Yosuke; Chiba, Go; Tsuji, Masashi; Narabayashi, Tadashi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We propose a new numerical solution of matrix exponential in burn-up depletion calculations. • The depletion calculation with extremely short half-lived nuclides can be done numerically stable with this method. • The computational time is shorter than the other conventional methods. - Abstract: Nuclear fuel burn-up depletion calculations are essential to compute the nuclear fuel composition transition. In the burn-up calculations, the matrix exponential method has been widely used. In the present paper, we propose a new numerical solution of the matrix exponential, a Mini-Max Polynomial Approximation (MMPA) method. This method is numerically stable for burn-up matrices with extremely short half-lived nuclides as the Chebyshev Rational Approximation Method (CRAM), and it has several advantages over CRAM. We also propose a multi-step calculation, a computational time reduction scheme of the MMPA method, which can perform simultaneously burn-up calculations with several time periods. The applicability of these methods has been theoretically and numerically proved for general burn-up matrices. The numerical verification has been performed, and it has been shown that these methods have high precision equivalent to CRAM

  2. Influence of graphite discs, chamfers, and plenums on temperature distributions in high burnup fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranger, A.; Tayal, M.; Singh, P.

    1990-04-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated the desirability to increase the fuel burnups in CANDU reactors from 7-9 GW.d/t to 21 GW.d/t. At high burnups, one consideration in fuel integrity is fission gas pressure, which is predicted to reach about 13 MPa. The gas pressure can be kept below the coolant pressure (about 10 MPa) via a variety of options such as bigger chamfers, deeper dishes, central hole, and plenums. However, it is important to address the temperature perturbations produced by the bigger chamfers and plenums which in turn, affect the gas pressure. Another consideration in fuel integrity is to reduce the likelihood of fuel failures via environmentally assisted cracking. Insertion of graphite discs between neighbouring pellets will lower the pellet temperatures, hence, lower fission gas release and lower expansion of the pellet. Therefore, it is desired to quantify the effect of graphite discs on pellet temperatures. Thermal analyses of different fuel element geometries: with and without chamfers, graphite discs, and plenums were performed. The results indicate that the two-dimensional distributions of temperatures due to the presence of chamfers, graphite discs, or plenums can have a significant impact on the integrity of high burnup fuel as we have been able to quantify in this paper

  3. Signatures of Extended Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel in Casks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rauch, Eric Benton [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-09-28

    As the amount of used nuclear fuel continues to grow, more and more used nuclear fuel will be transferred to storage casks. A consolidated storage facility is currently in the planning stages for storing these casks, where at least 10,000 MTHM of fuel will be stored. This site will have potentially thousands of casks once it is operational. A facility this large presents new safeguards and nuclear material accounting concerns. A new signature based on the distribution of neutron sources and multiplication within casks was part of the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Material Protection, Account and Control Technologies (MPACT) campaign. Under this project we looked at fingerprinting each cask's neutron signature. Each cask has a unique set of fuel, with a unique spread of initial enrichment, burnup, cooling time, and power history. The unique set of fuel creates a unique signature of neutron intensity based on the arrangement of the assemblies. The unique arrangement of neutron sources and multiplication produces a reliable and unique identification of the cask that has been shown to be relatively constant over long time periods. The work presented here could be used to restore from a loss of continuity of knowledge at the storage site. This presentation will show the steps used to simulate and form this signature from the start of the effort through its conclusion in September 2016.

  4. Analysis by simulation of the disposition of nuclear-fuel waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turek, J.L.

    1980-09-01

    To achieve the non-proliferation objectives of the United States, the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel was discontinued in 1977. Since current at-reactor storage capacity is based upon a nuclear fuel cycle which includes reprocessing, this halt in reprocessing is causing large quantities of non-storable spent fuel. Permanent nuclear waste storage repositories will not be available until the end of the century. Present Department of Energy policy calls for sufficient interim Away-From-Reactor (AFR) Storage capacity to insure that no commercial reactor has to shutdown due to inadequate storage space for discharged spent fuel. A descriptive simulation model is developed which includes all aspects of nuclear waste disposition. The model is comprised of two systems, the second system orchestrated by GASP IV. A spent fuel generation prediction module is interfaced with the AFR Program Management Information System and a repository scheduling information module. The user is permitted a wide range of options with which to tailor the simulation to any desired storage scenario. The model projects storage requirements through the year 2020. The outputs are evaluations of the impact that alternative decision policies and milestone date changes have on the demand for, the availability of, and the utilization of spent fuel storage capacities. Both graphs and detailed listings are available. These outputs give a comprehensive view of the particular scenario under observation, including the tracking, by year, of each discharge from every reactor. Included within the work is a review of the status of spent fuel disposition based on input data accurate as of August 1980

  5. A contribution to the understanding of the high burn-up structure formation in nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jonnet, J.

    2007-01-01

    An increase of the discharge burn-up of UO 2 nuclear fuels in the light water reactors results in the appearance of a change of microscopic structure, called HBS. Although well characterised experimentally, important points on the mechanisms of its formation remain to be cleared up. In order to answer these questions, a study of the contribution of the dislocation-type defects was conducted. In a first part, a calculation method of the stress field associated with periodic configurations of dislocations was developed. The method was applied to the cases of edge dislocation pile-up and wall, for which an explicit expression of the internal stress potential was obtained. Through the study of other examples of dislocation configurations, it was highlighted that this method also allows the calculation of any periodic dislocation configuration. In a second part, the evolution of interstitial-type dislocation loops was studied in UO 2 fuel samples doped with 10% in mass of alpha emitters. The experimental loop size distributions were obtained for these samples stored during 4 and 7 years at room temperature. Kinetic equations are proposed in order to study the influence of the resolution process of interstitials from a loop back to the matrix due to an impact with the recoil atom 234 U, as well as the coalescence of two interstitial loops that can diffuse by a volume mechanism. The application of the model shows that the two processes must be considered in the study of the evolution of radiation damage. (author)

  6. Burn-up credit applications for UO2 and MOX fuel assemblies in AREVA/COGEMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toubon, H.; Riffard, C.; Batifol, M.; Pelletier, S.

    2003-01-01

    For the last seven years, AREVA/COGEMA has been implementing the second phase of its burn-up credit program (the incorporation of fission products). Since the early nineties, major actinides have been taken into account in criticality analyses first for reprocessing applications, then for transport and storage of fuel assemblies Next year (2004) COGEMA will take into account the six main fission products (Rh103, Cs133, Nd143, Sm149, Sm152 and Gd155) that make up 50% of the anti-reactivity of all fission products. The experimental program will soon be finished. The new burn-up credit methodology is in progress. After a brief overview of BUC R and D program and COGEMA's application of the BUC, this paper will focus on the new burn-up measurement for UO2 and MOX fuel assemblies. It details the measurement instrumentation and the measurement experiments on MOX fuels performed at La Hague in January 2003. (author)

  7. PWR Fuel licensing in France - from design to reprocessing: licensing of nuclear PWR fuel rod design to satisfy with criteria for normal and abnormal fuel operation in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beraha, R.

    1999-01-01

    In this lecture are presented: French regulatory context; Current fuel management methods; Request from the french operator EdF; Most recent actions of the french Nuclear safety authority; Fuel assemblies deformations (impact of high burn-up; investigations during reactor's exploitation; control rods drop off times)

  8. Advances in applications of burnup credit to enhance spent fuel transportation, storage, reprocessing and disposition. Proceedings of a technical meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-05-01

    Given a trend towards higher burnup power reactor fuel, the IAEA began an active programme in burnup credit (BUC) with major meetings in 1997 (IAEA-TECDOC-1013), 2000 (IAEA-TECDOC-1241) and 2002 (IAEA-TECDOC-1378) exploring worldwide interest in using BUC in spent fuel management systems. This publication contains the proceedings of the IAEA's 4th major BUC meeting, held in London. Sixty participants from 18 countries addressed calculation methodology, validation and criticality, safety criteria, procedural compliance with safety criteria, benefits of BUC applications, and regulatory aspects in BUC. This meeting encouraged the IAEA to continue its activities on burnup credit including dissemination of related information, given the number of Member States having to deal with increased spent fuel quantities and extended durations. A 5th major meeting on burnup credit is planned 2008. Burnup credit is a concept that takes credit for the reduced reactivity of fuel discharged from the reactor to improve loading density of irradiated fuel assemblies in storage, transportation, and disposal applications, relative to the assumption of fresh fuel nuclide inventories in loading calculations. This report has described a general four phase approach to be considered in burnup credit implementation. Much if not all of the background research and data acquisition necessary for successful burnup credit development in preparation for licensing has been completed. Many fuel types, facilities, and analysis methods are encompassed in the public knowledge base, such that in many cases this guidance will provide a means for rapid development of a burnup credit program. For newer assembly designs, higher enrichment fuels, and more extensive nuclide credit, additional research and development may be necessary, but even this work can build on the foundation that has been established to date. Those, it is hoped that this report will serve as a starting point with sufficient reference to

  9. The octopus burnup and criticality code system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kloosterman, J.L.; Kuijper, J.C. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands); Leege, P.F.A. de

    1996-09-01

    The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system is described. This system links the spectrum codes from the SCALE4.1, WIMS7 and MCNP4A packages to the ORIGEN-S and FISPACT4.2 fuel depletion and activation codes, which enables us to perform very accurate burnup calculations in complicated three-dimensional geometries. The data used by all codes are consistently based on the JEF2.2 evaluated nuclear data file. Some special features of OCTOPUS not available in other codes are described, as well as the validation of the system. (author)

  10. The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kloosterman, J.L. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands); Kuijper, J.C. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands); Leege, P.F.A. de [Technische Univ. Delft (Netherlands). Interfacultair Reactor Inst.

    1996-06-01

    The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system is described. This system links the spectrum codes from the SCALE4.1, WIMS7 and MCNP4A packages to the ORIGEN-S and FISPACT4.2 fuel depletion and activation codes, which enables us to perform very accurate burnup calculations in complicated three-dimensional goemetries. The data used by all codes are consistently based on the JEF2.2 evaluated nuclear data file. Some special features of OCTOPUS not available in other codes are described, as well as the validation of the system. (orig.).

  11. The octopus burnup and criticality code system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kloosterman, J.L.; Kuijper, J.C.; Leege, P.F.A. de.

    1996-01-01

    The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system is described. This system links the spectrum codes from the SCALE4.1, WIMS7 and MCNP4A packages to the ORIGEN-S and FISPACT4.2 fuel depletion and activation codes, which enables us to perform very accurate burnup calculations in complicated three-dimensional geometries. The data used by all codes are consistently based on the JEF2.2 evaluated nuclear data file. Some special features of OCTOPUS not available in other codes are described, as well as the validation of the system. (author)

  12. The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kloosterman, J.L.; Kuijper, J.C.; Leege, P.F.A. de

    1996-06-01

    The OCTOPUS burnup and criticality code system is described. This system links the spectrum codes from the SCALE4.1, WIMS7 and MCNP4A packages to the ORIGEN-S and FISPACT4.2 fuel depletion and activation codes, which enables us to perform very accurate burnup calculations in complicated three-dimensional goemetries. The data used by all codes are consistently based on the JEF2.2 evaluated nuclear data file. Some special features of OCTOPUS not available in other codes are described, as well as the validation of the system. (orig.)

  13. A validated methodology for evaluating burnup credit in spent fuel casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brady, M.C.; Sanders, T.L.

    1991-01-01

    The concept of allowing reactivity credit for the transmuted state of spent fuel offers both economic and risk incentives. This paper presents a general overview of the technical work being performed in support of the US Department of Energy (DOE) program to resolve issues related to the implementation of burnup credit. An analysis methodology is presented along with information representing the validation of the method against available experimental data. The experimental data that are applicable to burnup credit include chemical assay data for the validation of the isotopic prediction models, fresh fuel critical experiments for the validation of criticality calculations for various casks geometries, and reactor restart critical data to validate criticality calculations with spent fuel. The methodology has been specifically developed to be simple and generally applicable, therefore giving rise to uncertainties or sensitivities which are identified and quantified in terms of a percent bias in k eff . Implementation issues affecting licensing requirements and operational procedures are discussed briefly

  14. A validated methodology for evaluating burnup credit in spent fuel casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brady, M.C.; Sanders, T.L.

    1991-01-01

    The concept of allowing reactivity credit for the transmuted state of spent fuel offers both economic and risk incentives. This paper presents a general overview of the technical work being performed in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program to resolve issues related to the implementation of burnup credit. An analysis methodology is presented along with information representing the validation of the method against available experimental data. The experimental data that are applicable to burnup credit include chemical assay data for the validation of the isotopic prediction models, fresh fuel critical experiments for the validation of criticality calculations for various cask geometries, and reactor restart critical data to validate criticality calculations with spent fuel. The methodology has been specifically developed to be simple and generally applicable, therefore giving rise to uncertainties or sensitivities which are identified and quantified in terms of a percent bias in k eff . Implementation issues affecting licensing requirements and operational procedures are discussed briefly. (Author)

  15. A validated methodology for evaluating burnup credit in spent fuel casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brady, M.C.; Sanders, T.L.

    1991-01-01

    The concept of allowing reactivity credit for the transmuted state of spent fuel offers both economic and risk incentives. This paper presents a general overview of the technical work being performed in support of the US Department of Energy (DOE) program to resolve issues related to the implementation of burnup credit. An analysis methodology is presented along with information representing the validation of the method against available experimental data. The experimental data that are applicable to burnup credit include chemical assay data for the validation of the isotopic prediction models, fresh fuel critical experiments for the validation of criticality calculations for various cask geometries, and reactor restart critical data to validate criticality calculations with spent fuel. The methodology has been specifically developed to be simple and generally applicable, therefore giving rise to uncertainties or sensitivities which are identified and quantified in terms of a percent bias in k eff . Implementation issues affecting licensing requirements and operational procedures are discussed briefly. 24 refs., 3 tabs

  16. Calculation of pellet radial power distributions with a Monte Carlo burnup code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Motomu; Yamamoto, Toru; Nakata, Tetsuo

    2010-01-01

    The Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) has been working on an irradiation test program of high-burnup MOX fuel at Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR). MOX and UO 2 fuel rods had been irradiated up to about 64 GWd/t (rod avg.) as a Japanese utilities research program (1st phase), and using those fuel rods, in-situ measurement of fuel pellet centerline temperature was done during the 2nd phase of irradiation as the JNES test program. As part of analysis of the temperature data, power distributions in a pellet radial direction were analyzed by using a Monte Carlo burnup code MVP-BURN. In addition, the calculated results of deterministic burnup codes SRAC and PLUTON for the same problem were compared with those of MVP-BURN to evaluate their accuracy. Burnup calculations with an assembly model were performed by using MVP-BURN and those with a pin cell model by using SRAC and PLUTON. The cell pitch and, therefore, fuel to moderator ratio in the pin cell calculation was determined from the comparison of neutron energy spectra with those of MVP-BURN. The fuel pellet radial distributions of burnup and fission reaction rates at the end of the 1st phase irradiation were compared between the three codes. The MVP-BURN calculation results show a large peaking in the burnup and fission rates in the pellet outer region for the UO 2 and MOX pellets. The SRAC calculations give very close results to those of the MVP-BURN. On the other hand, the PLUTON calculations show larger burnup for the UO 2 and lower burnup for the MOX pellets in the pellet outer region than those of MVP-BURN, which lead to larger fission rates for the UO 2 and lower fission rates for the MOX pellets, respectively. (author)

  17. Overview of experimental work to ensure innovation of nuclear fuel for future advanced PWRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zymak, J.; Valach, M.; Hejna, J.

    2002-11-01

    It is envisaged that advanced nuclear fuel will be operated in high burnup conditions, at a high linear power and at considerable mechanical fuel-cladding interactions. The report gives an overview of experimental work investigating phenomena that will affect APWR fuel, such as the manufacturing technology, thermal properties and safety requirements

  18. Improvements for Monte Carlo burnup calculation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shenglong, Q.; Dong, Y.; Danrong, S.; Wei, L., E-mail: qiangshenglong@tsinghua.org.cn, E-mail: d.yao@npic.ac.cn, E-mail: songdr@npic.ac.cn, E-mail: luwei@npic.ac.cn [Nuclear Power Inst. of China, Cheng Du, Si Chuan (China)

    2015-07-01

    Monte Carlo burnup calculation is development trend of reactor physics, there would be a lot of work to be done for engineering applications. Based on Monte Carlo burnup code MOI, non-fuel burnup calculation methods and critical search suggestions will be mentioned in this paper. For non-fuel burnup, mixed burnup mode will improve the accuracy of burnup calculation and efficiency. For critical search of control rod position, a new method called ABN based on ABA which used by MC21 will be proposed for the first time in this paper. (author)

  19. OECD/NEA Burnup Credit Calculational Criticality Benchmark Phase I-B Results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeHart, M.D.

    1993-01-01

    Burnup credit is an ongoing technical concern for many countries that operate commercial nuclear power reactors. In a multinational cooperative effort to resolve burnup credit issues, a Burnup Credit Working Group has been formed under the auspices of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This working group has established a set of well-defined calculational benchmarks designed to study significant aspects of burnup credit computational methods. These benchmarks are intended to provide a means for the intercomparison of computer codes, methods, and data applied in spent fuel analysis. The benchmarks have been divided into multiple phases, each phase focusing on a particular feature of burnup credit analysis. This report summarizes the results and findings of the Phase I-B benchmark, which was proposed to provide a comparison of the ability of different code systems and data libraries to perform depletion analysis for the prediction of spent fuel isotopic concentrations. Results included here represent 21 different sets of calculations submitted by 16 different organizations worldwide, and are based on a limited set of nuclides determined to have the most important effect on the neutron multiplication factor of light-water-reactor spent fuel. A comparison of all sets of results demonstrates that most methods are in agreement to within 10% in the ability to estimate the spent fuel concentrations of most actinides. All methods are within 11% agreement about the average for all fission products studied. Furthermore, most deviations are less than 10%, and many are less than 5%. The exceptions are {sup 149}Sm, {sup 151}Sm, and {sup 155}Gd.

  20. Handling and transfer operations for partially-spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, J.K.

    1983-01-01

    This project involved the handling and transfer of partially-spent reactor fuel from the Oregon State University TRIGA Reactor in Corvallis, Oregon to Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory in Richland, Washington. The method of handling is dependent upon the burn-up history of the fuel elements. Legal constraints imposed by standing U.S. nuclear regulations determine the selection of transport containers, transportation procedures, physical security arrangements in transit and nuclear material accountability documentation. Results of in-house safety evaluations of the project determine the extent of involvement of pertinent nuclear regulatory authorities. The actual handling activities and actual radiation dose rates are also presented (author)