Characterization Report on Fuels for NEAMS Model Validation
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Nearly 20% of the world’s electricity today is generated by nuclear energy from uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel. The thermal conductivity of UO2 governs the conversion of heat produced from fission events into electricity and it is an important parameter in reactor design and safety. While nuclear fuel operates at high to very high temperatures, thermal conductivity and other materials properties lack sensitivity to temperature variations and to material variations at reactor temperatures. As a result, both the uncertainties in laboratory measurements at high temperatures and the small differences in properties of different materials inevitably lead to large uncertainties in models and little predictive power. Conversely, properties measured at low to moderate temperatures have more sensitivity, less uncertainty, and have larger differences in properties for different materials. These variations need to be characterized as they will afford the highest predictive capability in modeling and offer best assurances for validation and verification at all temperatures. This is well emphasized in the temperature variation of the thermal conductivity of UO2.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1374500
- Report Number(s):
- INL/EXT-16-40062; TRN: US1800495
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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