Thermal Performance of High Burn-Up LWR Fuel : Seminar Proceedings, Cadarache, France, 3-6 March 1998

Proper heat removal from the fuel is essential for the safe operation of nuclear reactors used for electricity production. As nuclear fuel is burnt it undergoes important changes, including a degradation of its thermal conductivity. This important phenomenon needs to be reliably predicted in order to make better use of the fuel, a factor which can help to achieve the economic competitiveness required by today's markets. This report communicates the results of an international seminar which reviewed recent progress in the field of nuclear fuel thermal conductivity and sought to improve the models used in computer codes predicting thermal performance. State-of-the-art knowledge is presented for both uranium-oxide and mixed-oxide fuels loaded in water reactors. Foreword Executive Summary Concluding Panel Summary Session I; Fuel Thermal Conductivity Data A Review of the Thermal Behaviour of Nuclear Fuel by J. A. Turnbull Thermal Properties Measurements on Irradiated Fuel: An Overview of Capabilities and Developments at AEA Technology, Windsacle by R. Gomme Thermal Diffusivity of High Burn-Up UO2 Pellet Irradiated at HBWR by J. Nakamura Review of Fuel Thermal Conductivity Data and Models by C. E. Beyer and D. D. Lanning Irradiation and Measurement Techniques at the Halden Reactor Project and Their Application to High Burn-Up Fuel Performance Studies by C. Vitanza Session II: Thermal Conductivity Modelling Thermal Properties of Heterogeneous Solids by M. Quintard Fuel Thermal Conductivity: A Review of the Modelling Available for O)2 and MOX Fuel by D. Baron A Fuel Thermal Conductivity Correlation Based on the Latest Experimental Results by F.Sontheimer, H. LOandskron and M. R. Billaux About the Modelling of the Fuel Thermal Conductivity Degradation at High Burn-Up Accounting for Recovering Processes with Temperature by D. Baron Thermal Properties of Heterogeneous Fuels by D. Staicu, M. Beauvy, M. Laurent,and M. Lostie Session III: Fuel-Clad Gap Evolution Modelling Temperature Calculations and the Effect of Modelling the Fuel Mechanical Behaviour by P. Garcia, C. Struzik and N. Veyrier Phenomena Affecting Mechanical and Thermal Behaviour of PWR Fuel Rods at Beginning of Life: Some Recent Experiments and Modelling Results by L. Caillot and G. Delette Internal Corrosion Layer in PWR Fuel by L. Desgranges Separate Effect Studies at the Halden Reactor Project Related to Fuel Thermal Performance Modelling by W. Wiesenack Session IV: Experimental Databases Temperature Measurements in High Burn-Up UO2 Fuel: EXTRAFORT Experiment by S. Bourreau, B. Kapusta, P. Couffin, G. M.Decrois, J. C. Couty and E. Van Schel The Compilation of a Public Domain Database on Nuclear Fuel Performance for the Purpose of Code Development and Validation by P. M.Chantoin, E. Sartori, J. A. Trunbull Comparative Thermal Behaviour of MOX and UO2 Fuels by M. Lippens, COMETHE Team Session V: Advances in Code Development on Thermal Aspects Qualification of NRC's Single-Rod Fuel Performance Codes FRAPCON-3 and FRAPTRAN by C. E. Beyer, M. E. Cunningham, and D. D. Lanning Overview of EPRI Fuel Performanc eCode FALCON by S. K. Yagnik Thermal Performance Modelling in CANDU-Type Fuel Codes by V. I. Arimescu and A. F. Williams Modelling Phenomena Affecting Fuel Element Thermal Performance at High Burn-Up by V. I. Arimescu, and M.P. Couture Analysis of Fuel Rod Thermal Performance and Correleations with Fission Gas Release by L. C. Bernard, P. Blanpain, E. Bonnaud, and E. Van Schel CRYANO3: EDG's Fuel Rod Behaviour Code Presentation and Overview of its Qualification on HRP and Various Other Experiments by N. Cayet, D. Baron, and S. Beguin Thermal Analysis of Ultra-High-Burn-Up Irradiations Employing the TRANSIRANUS Code by K. Lassmann, C. T Walker and J. van de Laar START-3 Cod Gap Conductance Modelling by U. E. Bibilashvily, A. V. Medvedev, S. I. Bogatyr, V. I. Kousnetsov, and G. A. Khvostov