Coupled computer code study on irradiation performance of a fast reactor mixed oxide fuel element with an emphasis on the fission product cesium behavior

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design 2018-05, Vol.331, p.186-193
• Main Authors: Uwaba, Tomoyuki, Nemoto, Junichi, Ishitani, Ikuo, Ito, Masahiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cesium; Cesium molybdate; Cesium uranates; Chemical compounds; Chemical reactions; Cladding; Fast nuclear reactors; Fast reactor; Fission products; Fuel cladding mechanical interaction; Irradiation; Mechanical properties; Mixed-oxide fuel element; MOX; Nuclear fission; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear reactors; Organic chemistry; Reactors; Software; Solid oxide fuel cells
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.03.005

•The coupled computational code system allowed for the analysis of Cs behaviors in a fast reactor MOX fuel element.•In the system Cs compounds are reflected to thermal and mechanical analyses of a fuel element.•Irradiation performance analysis of a high burnup fuel element was conducted by using the system. A computer code for the analysis of the overall irradiation performance of a fast reactor mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel element was coupled with a specialized code for the analysis of fission product cesium behaviors in a MOX fuel element. The coupled code system allowed for the analysis of the radial and axial Cs migrations, the generation of Cs chemical compounds and fuel swelling due to Cs-fuel-reactions in association with the thermal and mechanical behaviors of the fuel element. The coupled code analysis was applied to the irradiation performance of a fast reactor MOX fuel element attaining high burnup for discussion on the axial distribution of Cs, fuel-to-cladding mechanical interaction owing to the Cs-fuel-reactions and the Cs-Mo-O compound formed in the fuel-to-cladding gap by comparing the calculated results with experimental data obtained from post irradiation examinations.