Development of BDI behavior evaluation method in the fast reactor fuel assembly; Improvement of out-of-pile bundle compression test technology

Higashiuchi, Atsushi; Ishimi, Akihiro ; Katsuyama, Kozo ; Uwaba, Tomoyuki ; Ichikawa, Shoichi

Bundle-duct interaction (BDI) in fast reactors (FRs) is one of the limiting factors for burnup. To study the high performance fuel for FR fuel, it is important to establish the method to predict accurately the BDI behavior for the fuel assembly of large-diameter fuel pins. Therefore, it was adopted a new method that the bundle compression test apparatus is placed outside the cell, the bundle specimen is put in the airtight container for contamination prevention, and the bundle specimen is carried in the cell for internal observation by X-ray CT examination apparatus. From the result of this test, it was confirmed that the new method of out-of-pile bundle compression test is carried out as it was before. The results of this test are available to study integrity assessment of fast reactor fuel, validation of the BDI analysis code and substantiation of the safety design guidelines of fast reactor. In addition, it is possible to reflect in the BDI behavior evaluation for "ASTRID".