Development and verification of the thermal behavior analysis code for MA containing MOX fuels

Ikusawa, Yoshihisa   ; Ozawa, Takayuki   ; Hirooka, Shun ; Maeda, Koji  ; Kato, Masato   ; Maeda, Seiichiro 

In order to develop MA contained MOX (MA-MOX) fuel design method, the analysis models to predict irradiation behavior of MA-MOX fuel have to be developed and the accuracy of irradiation behavior analysis code should be evaluated with the result of post-irradiation examinations (PIEs) for MA-MOX fuels. In this study, we developed the computer module "TRANSIT" to compute thermal properties of MA-MOX fuel. TRANSIT can give thermal conductivity, melting temperature and vapor pressures of MA-MOX. By using this module, we improved the thermal behavior analysis code "DIRAD" and developed DIRAD-TRANSIT code system to compute the irradiation behavior of MA-MOX fuel. This system was verified with the results of PIEs for the conventional MOX fuels and the MA-MOX fuels irradiated in the experimental fast reactor "JOYO". As the result of the verification, it can be mentioned that the DIRAD-TRANSIT system would precisely predict the fuel thermal behavior, i.e. fuel temperature and fuel restructuring, for oxide fuels containing several percent minor actinides.