A Fission Gas Release Model for High-Burnup LWR ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} Fuel
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States)
Fission gas release in thoria-urania fuel has been investigated by creating a specially modified FRAPCON-3 code. Because of the reduced buildup of {sup 239}Pu and a flatter distribution of {sup 233}U, the new model THUPS (Thoria-Urania Power Shape) was developed to calculate the radial power distribution, including the effects of both plutonium and {sup 233}U. Additionally, a new porosity model for the rim region was introduced at high burnup. The mechanisms of fission gas release in ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} fuel are expected to be essentially similar to those of UO{sub 2} fuel; therefore, the general formulations of the existing fission gas release models in FRAPCON-3 were retained. However, the gas diffusion coefficient was adjusted to a lower level to account for the smaller observed release fraction in the thoria-based fuel. To model the accelerated fission gas release at high burnup properly, a new athermal fission gas release model was introduced. The modified version of FRAPCON-3 was calibrated using the measured fission gas release data from the light water breeder reactor. Using the new model to calculate the gas release in typical pressurized water reactor hot pins gives data that indicate that the ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} fuel will have considerably lower fission gas release above a burnup of 50 MWd/kg HM.
- OSTI ID:
- 20826762
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology, Vol. 138, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2006 American Nuclear Society (ANS), United States, All rights reserved. http://epubs.ans.org/; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0029-5450
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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