Input/output manual of light water reactor fuel performance code FEMAXI-7 and its related codes

Suzuki, Motoe; Saito, Hiroaki*; Udagawa, Yutaka; Nagase, Fumihisa

JAEA-Data/Code 2013-009, 306 Pages, 2013/10

JAEA-Data-Code-2013-009.pdf:5.73MB

A light water reactor fuel analysis code FEMAXI-7 has been developed, as an extended version from the former version FEMAXI-6, for the purpose of analyzing the fuel behavior in normal conditions and in anticipated transient conditions. Numerous functional improvements and extensions have been incorporated in FEMAXI-7, which are fully disclosed in the code model description published in the form of another JAEA-Data/Code report. The present manual, which is the very counterpart of this description document, gives detailed explanations of files and operation method of FEMAXI-7 code and its related codes, methods of input/output, sample Input/output, methods of source code modification, subroutine structure, and internal variables in a specific manner in order to facilitate users to perform fuel analysis by FEMAXI-7.

Input/output manual of light water reactor fuel performance code FEMAXI-7 and its related codes

Suzuki, Motoe; Saito, Hiroaki*; Udagawa, Yutaka; Nagase, Fumihisa

JAEA-Data/Code 2012-012, 374 Pages, 2012/07

JAEA-Data-Code-2012-012.pdf:5.39MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2012-012-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:0.08MB

A light water reactor fuel analysis code FEMAXI-7 has been developed for the purpose of analyzing the fuel behavior in normal conditions and in anticipated transient conditions. Numerous functional improvements and extensions have been incorporated in FEMAXI-7, which has been fully disclosed in the code model description published recently as JAEA-Data/Code 2010-035. The present manual, which is the counterpart of this description, gives detailed explanations of operation method of FEMAXI-7 code and its related codes, methods of input/output, methods of source code modification, features of subroutine modules, and internal variables in a specific manner in order to facilitate users to perform a fuel analysis with FEMAXI-7.

Development of aluminum (Al5083)-clad ternary Ag-In-Cd alloy for JSNS decoupled moderator

Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Saito, Shigeru; Oikawa, Kenichi; Maekawa, Fujio; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kikuchi, Kenji; Kato, Takashi; Ikeda, Yujiro; Naoe, Takashi*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 356(1-3), p.300 - 307, 2006/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2006.05.017

We adopted silver-indium-cadmium (Ag-In-Cd) alloy as a material of decoupler for decoupled moderator in JSNS. However, from the heat removal and corrosion protection points of view, the Ag-In-Cd alloy is needed to clad between Al alloys (Al5083). We attempted to obtain good bonding conditions for between Al5083 and ternary Ag-In-Cd alloys by HIPing tests. The good HIP condition was found for small test piece (20mm). Though a hardened layer due to the formation of AlAg was found in the bonding layer, the rupture strength of the bonding layer was more than 20 MPa, which was the calculated design stress. Bonding tests of a large size piece (20020030 mm), which simulated the real scale, were also performed according to the results of small size tests. The result also gave good bonding and enough required-mechanical-strength, however the rupture strength of the large size test was smaller than that of small one.

Analysis on pellet-clad mechanical interaction process of high-burnup PWR fuel rods by RANNS code in Reactivity-initiated accident conditions

Suzuki, Motoe; Fuketa, Toyoshi; Saito, Hiroaki*

Nuclear Technology, 155(3), p.282 - 292, 2006/09

https://doi.org/10.13182/NT06-A3762

Experimental analyses were performed for the RIA-simulated tests, OI-10 and OI-11 of high burnup PWR rods, in the NSRR by the RANNS code. The rod conditions were calculated by the fuel performance code FEMAXI-6 following the actual power history from the beginning to the end of irradiation in PWR and the results were given to the RANNS code as pre-test conditions. The RANNS analysis was conducted on the basis of such test conditions in the NSRR as the pre-test conditions, pulse power enthalpy and coolant temperature. The predicted quantities such as temperature of pellet stack and cladding, stress-strain distribution in cladding, and interactions among them during pulse irradiation were discussed in terms of PCMI process and compared with the experimental observations. In the OI-10 rod, calculated cladding permanent strain has a reasonable agreement with strain profile obtained in PIE, while locally enhanced strain of cladding was pointed out. In the OI-11 rod, the process from crack initiation to split failure was accounted for by the plastic strain occurrence in cladding.

Analysis on split failure of cladding of high burnup BWR rods in reactivity-initiated accident conditions by RANNS code

Suzuki, Motoe; Saito, Hiroaki*; Fuketa, Toyoshi

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 236(2), p.128 - 139, 2006/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2005.07.009

A computer code RANNS was developed to analyze fuel rod behaviors in the RIA conditions. The code performs thermal and FEM-mechanical calculation for a single rod in axis-symmetric geometry to predict temperature profile, PCMI contact pressure, stress-strain distribution and their interactions. An experimental analysis by RANNS begins with pre-test conditions of irradiated rod which are given by FEMAXI-6. Analysis was performed on the simulated RIA experiments in NSRR, FK-10 and FK-12, of high burnup BWR rods in a cold start-up conditions, and PCMI process was discussed extensively. It was revealed that pellet thermal expansion dominates cladding deformation and subjects the cladding to bi-axial stress state, and thermal expansion in the cladding makes the stress in the inner region significantly lower than that in the outer region. Simulation calculations with wider pulses were carried out and the resulted cladding hoop stress was compared with the failure stress estimated in the NSRR experiments.

Cladding technique for development of Ag-In-Cd decoupler

Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Saito, Shigeru; Kikuchi, Kenji; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Ikeda, Yujiro; Kawai, Masayoshi*; Kurishita, Hiroaki*; Konashi, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 343(1-3), p.154 - 162, 2005/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.08.036

For decoupled and poisoned moderator, a thermal neutron absorber, i.e., decoupler, is located around the moderator to give neutron beam with a short decay time. A B4C decoupler is already utilized, however, it is difficult to use in a MW class source because of He void swelling and local heating by (n,a) reaction. Therefore, a Ag-In-Cd (AIC) alloy which gives energy-dependence of macroscopic neutron cross section like that of BC was chosen. However, from heat removal and corrosion protection points of view, AIC is needed to bond between an Al alloy (A6061-T6), which is the structural material of a moderator. An AIC plate is divided into a Ag-In (15wt%) and Ag-Cd (35wt%) plate to extend the life time, shorten by burn up of Cd. We performed bonding tests by HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing). We found out that a better HIP condition was holding at 803 K, 100 MPa for 1 h for small test pieces (f20mm). Though a hardened layer is found in the bonding layer, the rupture strength of the bonding layer is more than 20 MPa, which is less than that of the design stress.

Analysis of mechanical load on cladding induced by fuel swelling during power ramp in high burn-up rod by fuel performance code FEMAXI-6

Suzuki, Motoe; Uetsuka, Hiroshi; Saito, Hiroaki*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 229(1), p.1 - 14, 2004/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2003.11.017

Mechanical load on cladding induced by fuel swelling in a high burn-up BWR type rod has been analyzed by a fuel performance code FEMAXI-6. The code has been developed for the analysis of LWR fuel rod behaviors in normal operation and transient conditions using FEM. During a power ramp for the high burn-up rod, instantaneous pellet swelling can significantly exceed the level that is predicted by a "steady-rate" swelling model, causing a large circumferential strain in cladding. This phenomenon has been simulated by a new swelling model to take into account the fission gas bubble growth, and as a result it has been found that the new model can give reasonable predictions on cladding diameter expansion in comparison with post-irradiation data. In addition, a pellet-clad bonding model which has been incorporated in the code to assume firm mechanical coupling between pellet outer surface and cladding inner surface has predicted the generation of bi-axial stress state in the cladding during ramp.

Light water reactor fuel analysis code FEMAXI-6, 1; Detailed structure and user's manual

Suzuki, Motoe; Saito, Hiroaki*

JAERI-Data/Code 2003-019, 423 Pages, 2003/12

JAERI-Data-Code-2003-019.pdf:17.7MB

A light water reactor fuel analysis code FEMAXI-6 is an advanced version which has been produced by integrating the former version with a number of improvements. In particular, the FEMAXI-6 code has attained a complete coupled solution of thermal analysis and mechanical analysis, permitting an accurate prediction of pellet-clad gap size and PCMI in high burnup fuel rods. Also, such new models have been implemented as pellet-clad bonding and fission gas bubble swelling, and the coupling with burning analysis code has been enhanced. Furthermore, a number of new materials properties and parameters have been introduced. With these advancements, the FEMAXI-6 code is a versatile tool not only in the normal operation but also in transient conditions. This report describes the design, basic theory, models and numerical method, improvements, and model modification. In order to facilitate effective and wide-ranging application of the code, formats and methods of input/output, and a sample output in an actual form are included.

None

Saito, Hioraki*; Iriya, Yoshikazu*

JNC TJ8410 99-004, 106 Pages, 1999/03

JNC-TJ8410-99-004.pdf:4.62MB

None

Analysis of high burnup fuel IFA-519.9 by EXBURN-I code

Suzuki, Motoe; Saito, Hioraki*

HPR-349, 12 Pages, 1998/00

no abstracts in English