Modeling of the P2M past fuel melting experiments with the FEMAXI-8 code

Mohamad, A. B.; 宇田川 豊

Nuclear Technology, 210(2), p.245 - 260, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2185061

In the Power to Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) project, a simulation exercise on two past power ramp experiments xM3 on medium burn-up rod and HBC4 on high burn-up rod were performed with the fuel performance code FEMAXI-8 to investigate the fuel behavior under high power and high-temperature conditions toward centerline fuel melting. In order to treat fuel melting, empirical melting temperature models have been incorporated into the FEMAXI-8 code. The present analysis gave reasonable predictions not only on cladding deformation but also on the fuel melting behavior of the HBC4 rod, in which the UO liquidus temperature was reached during the transient. On the other hand, model improvement appeared to be needed for a more accurate treatment of fuel melting behavior of the xM3 rod, in which fuel center temperature reached solidus line, whereas may not reached liquidus line. A reasonable agreement of estimated FGR with the measurement suggested that the high temperature FGR at the given conditions are essentially temperature dependent phenomenon: rate-limited primarily by thermally activated elementary processes such as fission gas diffusion.

Study on the effect of long-term high temperature irradiation on TRISO fuel

Shaimerdenov, A.*; Gizatulin, S.*; Dyussambayev, D.*; Askerbekov, S.*; 植田 祥平; 相原 純; 柴田 大受; 坂場 成昭

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 54(8), p.2792 - 2800, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2022.02.026

In the core of the WWR-K reactor, a long-term irradiation of tri-structural isotopic (TRISO)-coated fuel particles (CFPs) with a UO kernel was carried out under normal operating conditions of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). This TRISO fuel was attained at the temperature of 950 to 1,100 C, and the uranium burnup of 9.9% FIMA (fission per initial metal atom) during the irradiation. The release of the gaseous fission product from the fuel was measured in-pile, and its release-to-birth (R/B) ratio was evaluated using the model developed in the High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) project. After the irradiation test, fuel compacts were subjected to electric dissociation and nondestructive inspections such as X-ray radiography and gamma spectrometry. Finally, it was concluded that integrity of the TRISO fuel irradiated at approximately 9.9% FIMA was demonstrated, and a low fuel failure fraction and a low R/B measured with krypton-88 indicated good performance and reliability of the high burnup TRISO fuel.

OECD/NEA benchmark on pellet-clad mechanical interaction modelling with fuel performance codes; Influence of pellet geometry and gap size

Soba, A.*; Prudil, A.*; Zhang, J.*; Dethioux, A.*; Han, Z.*; Dostal, M.*; Matocha, V.*; Marelle, V.*; Lasnel-Payan, J.*; Kulacsy, K.*; et al.

Proceedings of TopFuel 2021 (Internet), 10 Pages, 2021/10

The NEA Expert Group on Reactor Fuel Performance (EGRFP) proposed a benchmark on fuel performance codes modeling of pellet-cladding mechanical interation (PCMI). The aim of the benchmark was to improve understanding and modeling of PCMI amongst NEA member organizations. This was achieved by comparing PCMI predictions for a number of specified cases. The results of the two hypothetical cases (1 and 2) were presented earlier. The two final cases (3 and 4) are comparison between calculations and measurements, which will be published as NEA reports. This paper focuses on Case 3, which consists of eight beginning of life (BOL) sub-cases (3a to 3h) each with different pellet designs that have undergone ramping in the Halden Reactor. The aforementioned experiments are known as the IFA-118 experiments and were performed from 1969 to 1970. The variations between cases include four different pellets dimensions (7, 14, 20 and 30 mm of height), two different gapsizes between pellet-cladding (40 and 100 microns) and three variations on pellet face geometry (flat, dishing and dishing with chamfer). Such diversity has allowed exploring the codes sensitivity to these individual factors.

Analytical study of SPERT-CDC test 859 using fuel performance codes FEMAXI-8 and RANNS

谷口 良徳; 宇田川 豊; 天谷 政樹

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 139, p.107188_1 - 107188_7, 2020/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.107188

The fuel-failure-limit data obtained in the simulated reactivity-initiated-accident experiment SPERT-CDC 859 (SPERT859) has entailed a lot of discussions if it represents fuel-failure behavior of typical commercial LWRs for its specific pre-irradiation condition and fuel state. The fuel-rod conditions before and during SPERT859 were thus assessed by the fuel-performance codes FEMAXI-8 and RANNS with focusing on cladding corrosion and its effect on the failure limit of the test rod. The analysis showed that the fuel cladding was probably excessively corroded even when the influential calculation conditions such as fuel swelling and creep models were determined so that the lowest limit of the cladding oxide layer thickness was captured. Such assumption of excessive cladding corrosion during pre-irradiation well explains not only the test-rod state before pulse irradiation but also the fuel-failure limit observed. Such understanding undermines anew the representativeness of the test data as a direct basis of safety evaluation for LWR fuels.

Benchmark of fuel performance codes for FeCrAl cladding behavior analysis

Pastore, G.*; Gamble, K. A.*; Cherubini, M.*; Giovedi, C.*; Marino, A.*; 山路 哲史*; 加治 芳行; Van Uffelen, P.*; Veshchunov, M.*

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.1038 - 1047, 2019/09

耐酸化性FeCrAl鋼が軽水炉の事故耐性燃料用被覆管として提案されている。IAEAの研究プロジェクトの一環として、FeCrAl被覆管挙動に関する燃料ふるまいモデリングのベンチマークを実施した。この中で、FeCrAl被覆管材料の燃料棒問題に対して種々の燃料ふるまいコードを用いて計算を行い結果を相互に比較した。

OECD/NEA benchmark on pellet-clad mechanical interaction modelling with fuel performance codes; Impact of number of radial pellet cracks and pellet-clad friction coefficient

Dostl, M.*; Rossiter, G.*; Dethioux, A.*; Zhang, J.*; 天谷 政樹; Rozzia, D.*; Williamson, R.*; Kozlowski, T.*; Hill, I.*; Martin, J.-F.*

Proceedings of Annual Topical Meeting on Reactor Fuel Performance (TopFuel 2018) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2018/10

The benchmark on PCMI was initiated by OECD/NEA Expert Group on Reactor Fuel Performance (EGRFP) in June 2015 and is currently in the latter stages of compiling results and preparing the final report. The aim of the benchmark is to improve understanding and modelling of PCMI amongst NEA member organisations. This is being achieved by comparing PCMI predictions of different fuel performance codes for a number of cases. Two of these cases are hypothetical cases aiming to facilitate understanding of the effects of code-to-code differences in fuel performance models. The two remaining cases are actual irradiations, where code predictions are compared with measured data. During analysis of participants' results of the hypothetical cases, the assumptions for number of radial pellet cracks and the pellet-clad friction coefficient (which can be zero, finite or infinite) were identified to be important factors in explaining differences between predictions once pellet-cladding contact occurs. However, these parameters varied in the models and codes used originally by the participants. This fact led to the extension of the benchmark by inclusion of two additional cases, where the number of radial pellet cracks and three different values of the friction coefficient were prescribed in the case definition. Seven calculations from six organisations contributed results were compared and analysed in this paper.

Research and development on HTGR fuel in the HTTR project

沢 和弘; 植田 祥平

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 233(1-3), p.163 - 172, 2004/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2004.08.006

高温ガス炉では高温の原子炉出口冷却材を取出すために耐熱性の被覆燃料粒子を用いている。高温工学試験研究炉(HTTR)は六角柱状の燃料体にTRISO型被覆燃料粒子を用いている。HTTR用燃料の製造技術及び燃料性能等についての研究開発は30年以上にわたり行われてきた。さらに原研では、高温ガス炉技術の高度化のために高燃焼度化TRISO型被覆燃料粒子や、より高温での強度を確保するための革新的なZrC被覆燃料粒子を開発した。本論文ではHTTRプロジェクトにおける高温ガス炉燃料の研究開発の経験及び現状について述べる。本論文は、HTTRに関するシリーズ投稿の一つである。

Integrity confirmation tests and post-irradiation test plan of the HTTR first-loading fuel

沢 和弘; 角田 淳弥; 植田 祥平; 鈴木 修一*; 飛田 勉*; 斎藤 隆; 湊 和生; 高野 利夫; 関野 甫

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 38(6), p.403 - 410, 2001/06

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.38.403

HTTRの初装荷燃料は日本初の大量生産による高温ガス炉燃料であるため、その品質を慎重に調べる必要がある。そこで、製造時関連の品質管理の他に、運転中の燃料の健全性を確認するための試験を原研において行った。試験は(1)SiC層破損率確認試験,(2)照射後燃料加熱試験及び(3)加速照射試験より成る。製造時のSiC層破損率確認測定では、製造過程のSiC層破損率測定に加え、原研がSiC層破損率を測定し、測定値が95%信頼限度内で一致することを確認した。燃料コンパクトの照射後加熱試験を行い、加熱した燃料コンパクト内に破損粒子がないことを確認した。Csの拡散係数の測定値は、従来の試験燃料と同等以上の保持能力であることを示した。さらに、製造した燃料の加速照射試験を行い、HTTRにおける最大燃焼度33GWd/tの約2倍まで破損が生じていないことがわかった。今後実施する予定の照射後試験計画についても述べた。

高燃焼燃料解析コードEXBURN-Iの詳細構造とユーザーズマニュアル

鈴木 元衛; 斎藤 裕明*

JAERI-Data/Code 97-046, 210 Pages, 1997/11

JAERI-Data-Code-97-046.pdf:5.41MB

軽水炉燃料の高燃焼度領域における通常時及び過渡時のふるまいを解析する計算コードEXBURN-Iを開発した。高燃焼領域では、ペレット熱伝導率低下、被覆管の水側腐食、燃料棒発熱分布の変化などが大きくなり、燃料棒のふるまいにかなりの程度影響を及ぼす。こうした現象を解析するため、FEMAXI-IVをベースとしつつ改良を施し、ペレット熱伝導率変化、FPガス放出率の燃焼履歴依存変化、被覆管酸化膜成長などの新たなモデルを組み入れた。本報告は、コードの全体構造とモデル及び物性値の説明を詳細に行い、また詳細な入力マニュアル、サンプル入出力などを添えたものである。

Experimental data report for test TS-5; Reactivity initiated accident test in the NSRR with pre-irradiated BWR fuel rod

中村 武彦; 吉永 真希夫; 石島 清見; 小林 晋昇; 山原 武; 助川 友英; 伊藤 忠春

JAERI-Research 95-080, 92 Pages, 1995/11

JAERI-Research-95-080.pdf:8.22MB

本報告書は、1993年度1月に実施した照射済BWR燃料を用いた5回目の反応度事故模擬実験であるTS-5について、実験データをまとめたものである。TS-4実験に使用した試験燃料は、初期濃縮度2.79%であり、日本原子力発電(株)の敦賀1号炉で照射されたBWR77型燃料棒を短尺化したものである。短尺化に供した燃料の燃焼度は26GWd/tUであった。NSRRにおける照射実験は、BWRのコールドスタートアップ条件を模擬した大気圧・室温の静止水冷却条件下で行い、公称発熱量は1175cal/g・fuel(ピークエンタルピ984cal/g・fuel)を与えた。その結果燃料破損は生じなかった。なお、この実験では集合体中の燃料/水比を模した流路管中で燃料のパルス照射を行った。実験条件、実験方法、パルス照射時の燃料の過渡挙動及び照射後検査の結果をまとめて示した。