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Title: A Simplified Approach for Evaluation of the Burnup Potential of Alternative Fuels

Abstract

To evaluate the burnup potential of a fuel pin, a simplified fuel rod analysis code called FUEL-SIMplified model (FUELSIM) was developed using the general-purpose software VENSIM. FUELSIM is based on FRAPCON-3 models and validated against it. A sensitivity analysis was done using FUELSIM to determine the fuel parameters that have high importance in limiting the burnup potential of a fuel material. Among 16 parameters, 10 were identified as having high importance. For six fuel materials (uranium metal, UC, UN, Th/U metal, UO{sub 2}/ThO{sub 2} fuels, and UO{sub 2}), a simplified model for the pressure rise and volumetric changes inside the fuel is developed to estimate the operational index of each fuel; these models include only the variables with high importance. It was found that the highest burnup potential is that of the nitride fuel, followed by the UO{sub 2}/ThO{sub 2} fuel.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States)
  2. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Korea, Republic of)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20840206
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Nuclear Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 146; Journal 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); Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; BURNUP; F CODES; FUEL PINS; FUEL RODS; MIXED OXIDE FUELS; SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS; THORIUM OXIDES; URANIUM; URANIUM CARBIDES; URANIUM DIOXIDE; URANIUM NITRIDES; V CODES

Citation Formats

Oggianu, Stella Maris, No, Hee Cheon, and Kazimi, Mujid S. A Simplified Approach for Evaluation of the Burnup Potential of Alternative Fuels. United States: N. p., 2004. Web.
Oggianu, Stella Maris, No, Hee Cheon, & Kazimi, Mujid S. A Simplified Approach for Evaluation of the Burnup Potential of Alternative Fuels. United States.
Oggianu, Stella Maris, No, Hee Cheon, and Kazimi, Mujid S. 2004. "A Simplified Approach for Evaluation of the Burnup Potential of Alternative Fuels". United States.
@article{osti_20840206,
title = {A Simplified Approach for Evaluation of the Burnup Potential of Alternative Fuels},
author = {Oggianu, Stella Maris and No, Hee Cheon and Kazimi, Mujid S},
abstractNote = {To evaluate the burnup potential of a fuel pin, a simplified fuel rod analysis code called FUEL-SIMplified model (FUELSIM) was developed using the general-purpose software VENSIM. FUELSIM is based on FRAPCON-3 models and validated against it. A sensitivity analysis was done using FUELSIM to determine the fuel parameters that have high importance in limiting the burnup potential of a fuel material. Among 16 parameters, 10 were identified as having high importance. For six fuel materials (uranium metal, UC, UN, Th/U metal, UO{sub 2}/ThO{sub 2} fuels, and UO{sub 2}), a simplified model for the pressure rise and volumetric changes inside the fuel is developed to estimate the operational index of each fuel; these models include only the variables with high importance. It was found that the highest burnup potential is that of the nitride fuel, followed by the UO{sub 2}/ThO{sub 2} fuel.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20840206}, journal = {Nuclear Technology},
issn = {0029-5450},
number = 3,
volume = 146,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2004},
month = {Tue Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2004}
}