• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제52권1호
• /
• pp.135-147
• /
• 2020

A methodology for evaluation of mechanical and thermal effects of localized non-axisymmetric oxidation in zircaloy claddings on LWR fuel reliability is proposed. To this end, the basic capabilities of the FALCON fuel behaviour code are used. Examples of methodology application to adjustment of selected operational limits for modern BWR fuel rods, to capture effects of the excess local oxidation, are presented. Specifically, the limiting rod internal pressure for the onset of cladding lift-off is reduced, depending on initial excess oxidation spot sizes. Also, the power limits for Anticipated Operational Occurrences are adjusted, to preclude fuel melting and cladding failure due to PCMI and PCI-SCC in the affected fuel rods.

• 한국전산구조공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국전산구조공학회 2002년도 가을 학술발표회 논문집
• /
• pp.139-145
• /
• 2002

In this study, the geometric modeling has been conducted for 2 models of lower end fitting of advanced LWR fuel using three-dimensional solid modeler, Solidworks. Then, the optimization and the three-dimensional stress analysis using the finite element method has been peformed. The evaluation for the mechanical integrity of 2 models has been peformed based on the stress distribution obtained from the finite element analysis.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
• /
• 제38권2호
• /
• pp.157-166
• /
• 2014

경수로 핵연료가 원자로내에서 연소되는 동안 핵연료 펠릿에서부터 피복관까지 온도해석은 핵연료 안전 해석에 있어 중요한 요소이며, 경수로 핵연료 온도 해석을 하기 위해서는 간극 모델 개발이 필수적이다. 간극 열전도도는 특성상 간극 두께값에 의존적이게 되며 이러한 특성으로 인해 다차원 간극 열전도도 모델이 비선형적 거동을 보인다. 본 연구에서는 선형화된 다차원 간극 열전도도 모델 개발을 위해 가상 연결 간극 요소를 제안하였다. 제안된 간극 연결 요소에 간극 열전도도를 적용하기 위해 등가 열전달 계수를 정의하였다. 제안된 모듈을 평가하기 위해 상용코드 ANSYS APDL 을 이용하여 열-구조 연계 해석 모듈을 구현하였으며, 다양한 예제를 통해 정확성과 수렴성을 평가하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제54권12호
• /
• pp.4731-4742
• /
• 2022

RBMK fuel assemblies differ from other LWR FA due to a specific arrangement of the fuel rods, the low enrichment, and the used burnable absorber - erbium. Therefore, there is a challenge to adapt modeling tools, developed for other LWR types, to solve RBMK problems. A set of 10 different depletion simulation schemes were tested to estimate the impact on reactivity and spent fuel composition of possible SCALE code options for the neutron transport modelling and the use of different nuclear data libraries. The simulations were performed using cross-section libraries based on both, VII.0 and VII.1, versions of ENDF/B nuclear data, and assuming continuous energy and multigroup simulation modes, standard and user-defined Dancoff factor values, and employing deterministic and Monte Carlo methods. The criticality analysis with burn-up credit was performed for the SFP loaded with RBMK-1500 FA. Spent fuel compositions were taken from each of 10 performed depletion simulations. The criticality of SFP is found to be overestimated by up to 0.08% in simulation cases using user-defined Dancoff factors comparing the results obtained using the continuous energy library (VII.1 version of ENDF/B nuclear data). It was shown that such discrepancy is determined by the higher U-235 and Pu-239 isotopes concentrations calculated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제50권7호
• /
• pp.1190-1197
• /
• 2018

Analysis of the GRSW-A model coupled into the FALCON code is extended by simulation of central void formation in fuel pellets due to high-temperature fuel restructuring. The extended calculation is verified against published, well-known experimental data. Good agreement with the data for a central void diameter in pellets of the rod irradiated in an Experimental Breeder Reactor is shown. The new calculation methodology is employed in comparative analysis of modern BWR fuel behavior under assumed high-power operation. The initial fuel porosity is shown to have a major effect on the predicted central void diameter during the operation in question. Discernible effects of a central void on peak fuel temperature and Pellet-Cladding Mechanical Interaction (PCMI) during a simulated power ramp are shown. A mitigating effect on PCMI is largely attributed to the additional free volume in the pellets into which the fuel can creep due to internal compressive stresses during a power ramp.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제44권2호
• /
• pp.177-198
• /
• 2012

This paper reviews the fast reactor physics and computational methods. The basic reactor physics specific to fast spectrum reactors are briefly reviewed, focused on fissile material breeding and actinide burning. Design implications and reactivity feedback characteristics are compared between breeder and burner reactors. Some discussions are given to the distinct nuclear characteristics of fast reactors that make the assumptions employed in traditional LWR analysis methods not applicable. Reactor physics analysis codes used for the modeling of fast reactor designs in the U.S. are reviewed. This review covers cross-section generation capabilities, whole-core deterministic (diffusion and transport) and Monte Carlo calculation tools, depletion and fuel cycle analysis codes, perturbation theory codes for reactivity coefficient calculation and cross section sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis codes.