Abstract: After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the high conductivity ceramic concept fuel has been revisited. The thermal conductivity of uranium dioxide used as nuclear fuel is relatively low, as consequence fuel pellet centerline reaches high temperatures, high fission gas release rate, increase of fuel rod internal pressure reducing the safety thermal margin. Several investigations had been conducted in framework of ATF (Accident Tolerant Fuel) using different additives in ceramic fuel (UO2) in order to enhance thermal conductivity in uranium dioxide pellets. The increase of the thermal conductivity of fuel can reduce the pellet centerline temperature, consequently less fission gas releasing rate and the low risk of fuel melting, hence improving significantly fuel performance under accident conditions. The beryllium oxide (BeO) has high conductivity among other ceramics and is quite compatible with UO2up to 2200°C, at which temperature it forms a eutectic. Moreover, it is compatible with zircaloy cladding, does not react with water, has a good neutronic characteristics (low neutron absorption cross-section, neutron moderation). This work presents a preliminary assessment of high conductivity ceramic concept fuel considering UO2-BeO mixed oxide fuel containing 10 wt% of BeO. The FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN fuel performance codes were conveniently adapted to support the evaluation of UO2-BeO mixed oxide fuel. The thermal and mechanical properties were modified in the codes for a proper and representative simulation of the fuel performance. Theobtainedpreliminary results show lower fuel centerline temperatureswhen compared to standard UO2 fuel, consequently promoting enhancement of safety margins during the operational condition and under LOCA accident scenario.

Palavras-Chave: accident-tolerant nuclear fuels; beryllium oxides; uranium dioxide; zircaloy; ceramics; cladding; cross sections; eutectics; fission product release; fission products; fuel cans; fuel pellets; fuel rods; fukushima daiichi nuclear power station; loss of coolant; mechanical properties; melting; mixed oxide fuels; performance; safety margins; simulation; thermal conductivity

GOMES, D.S.; ABE, A.; SILVA, A.T.; MUNIZ, R.O.R.; GIOVEDI, C.; MARTINS, M.R. Assessment of high conductivity ceramic fuel concept under normal and accident conditions. In: TECHNICAL MEETING ON MODELLING OF FUEL BEHAVIOUR IN DESIGN BASIS ACCIDENTS AND DESIGN EXTENSION CONDITIONS, May 13-16, 2019, Shenzhen, China. Proceedings... Vienna, Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency, 2020. p. 95-101. (IAEA-TECDOC-1913). Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/31064. Acesso em: $DATA.

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Abstract: After the Fukushima reactor accident, efforts to improve risk management in nuclear operations have included the intensification of research on accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs). In this investigation, the physical properties of recently developed ATFs were compared with those of the current standard fuel, UO2–Zr. The goals for innovative fuel design include a rigorous characterization of the thermal, mechanical, and chemical considerations. The intentions are to lengthen the burnup cycle, raise the power density, and improve safety. Fuels must have a high uranium density—above that supported by UO2—and possess a coating that exhibits better oxidation resistance than Zircaloys. ATFs such as U3Si2, UN, and UC contain a higher uranium density and thermal conductivity than UO2, providing significant benefits. The ideal combination of fuel and cladding must increase performance in a loss-of-coolant accident. However, U3Si2, UN, and UC have a disadvantage; their respective swelling rates are higher than that of UO2. These ATFs also have thermal conductivities approximately four times higher than that of UO2. A study was conducted investigating the hydrogen generated by the oxidation of zirconium alloys in contact with steam using cladding options such as Fe-Cr-Al and silicon carbide. It was confirmed that ferritic alloys offer a better response under severe conditions, because of their mechanical properties as creep rate. The findings of this study indicate that advanced fuels should replace UO2–Zr as the fuel system of choice.

Palavras-Chave: accident-tolerant nuclear fuels; aluminium; chromium; cladding; comparative evaluations; iron; oxidation; physical properties; swelling; uranium oxides; water cooled reactors; zirconium alloys

GOMES, DANIEL S.; MUNIZ, RAFAEL O.R.; GIOVEDI, CLAUDIA. Improving performance with accident tolerant-fuels. In: INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR ATLANTIC CONFERENCE, October 22-27, 2017, Belo Horizonte, MG. Proceedings... Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Associação Brasileira de Energia Nuclear, 2017. Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/28190. Acesso em: $DATA.

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Abstract: Accident tolerant fuels (ATF) has been studied since the Fukushima Daiichi accident in the research efforts to develop new materials which under accident scenarios could maintain the fuel rod integrity for a longer period compared to the cladding and fuel system usually utilized in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). The efforts have been focused on new materials applied as cladding, then iron-base alloys appear as a possible candidate. The aim of this paper is to implement modifications in a fuel performance code to evaluate the behavior of ironbased alloys under Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) scenario. For this, initially the properties related to the thermal and mechanical behavior of iron-based alloys were obtained from the literature, appropriately adapted and introduced in the fuel performance code subroutines. The adopted approach was step by step modifications, where different versions of the code were created. The assessment of the implemented modification was carried out simulating an experiment available in the open literature (IFA-650.5) related to zirconium-based alloy fuel rods submitted to LOCA conditions. The obtained results for the iron-based alloy were compared to those obtained using the regular version of the fuel performance code for zircaloy-4. The obtained results have shown that the most important properties to be changed are those from the subroutines related to the mechanical properties of the cladding. The results obtained have shown that the burst is observed at a longer time for fuel rods with iron-based alloy, indicating the potentiality of this material to be used as cladding with ATF purposes.

Palavras-Chave: accident-tolerant nuclear fuels; cladding; computerized simulation; f codes; fuel rods; iron alloys; loss of coolant; performance; pwr type reactors; stainless steel-348

GIOVEDI, CLAUDIA; ABE, ALFREDO; MUNIZ, RAFAEL O.R.; GOMES, DANIEL de S.; SILVA, ANTONIO T. e; MARTINS, MARCELO R. Modification of fuel performance code to evaluate iron-based alloy behavior under loca scenario. In: INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR ATLANTIC CONFERENCE, October 22-27, 2017, Belo Horizonte, MG. Proceedings... Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Associação Brasileira de Energia Nuclear, 2017. Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/28187. Acesso em: $DATA.

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Abstract: Following the experience that came from the Fukushima Daiichi accident, one possible way of reducing risk in a nuclear power plant operation would be the replacement of the existing fuel rod cladding material (based on zirconium alloys) by another materials which could fulfill the requirements of the accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concept. In this sense, ATF should be able to keep the current fuel system performance under normal operation conditions; moreover, it should present superior performance than the existing conventional fuel system (zirconium-based alloys and uranium dioxide) under accident conditions. The most challenging and bounding accident scenarios for nuclear fuel systems in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) are Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) and Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA), which are postulated accidents. This work addresses the performance of ATF using iron-based alloys as cladding material under RIA conditions. The evaluation is carried out using modified versions of the coupled system FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN. These codes were modified to include the material properties (thermal, mechanical, and physics) of an iron-based alloy, specifically FeCrAl alloy. The analysis is performed using data available in the open literature related to experiments using conventional PWR fuel system (zirconium-based alloys and uranium dioxide). The results obtained using the modified code versions are compared to those of the actual existing fuel system based on zircaloy-4 cladding using the original versions of the fuel performance codes (FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN).

Palavras-Chave: accident-tolerant nuclear fuels; charges; cladding; comparative evaluations; currents; fuel rods; fuel systems; fukushima daiichi nuclear power station; hazards; zircaloy 4; iron; loss of coolant; nuclear power plants; operation; performance; pwr type reactors; reactivity-initiated accidents; steady-state conditions; uranium dioxide

GIOVEDI, C.; MARTINS, M.R.; ABE, A.; REIS, R.; SILVA, A.T. Reactivity initiated accident assessment for ATF cladding materials. In: TECHNICAL MEETING ON MODELLING OF FUEL BEHAVIOUR IN DESIGN BASIS ACCIDENTS AND DESIGN EXTENSION CONDITIONS, May 13-16, 2019, Shenzhen, China. Proceedings... Vienna, Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency, 2020. p. 155-161. (IAEA-TECDOC-1913). Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/31065. Acesso em: $DATA.

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Abstract: The research on accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) increased after the Fukushima event. This benefitted risk management in nuclear operations. In this investigation, the physical properties of the materials being developed for the ATF program were compared with those of the standard UO2–Zr fuel system. The research efforts in innovative fuel design include rigorous characterization of thermal, mechanical, and chemical assessment, with the objectives of making the burnup cycle longer, increasing power density, and improving safety performance. Fuels must reach a high uranium density—above that supported by UO2—and possess coating that exhibits better oxidation resistance than Zircaloy. The uranium density and thermal conductivity of ATFs, such as U3Si2, UN, and UC, is higher than that of UO2; their combination with advanced cladding provides possible fuel–cladding options. An ideal combination of fuel and cladding must increase fuel performance in loss-of-coolant scenarios. The disadvantages of U3Si2, UN, and UC are their swelling rates, which are higher than that of UO2. The thermal conductivities of ATFs are approximately four times higher than that of UO2. To prevent the generation of hydrogen due to oxidation of zirconium-based alloys in contact with steam, cladding options, such as ferritic alloys, were studied. It was verified that FeCrAl alloys and SiC provide better response under severe conditions because of their thermophysical properties. The findings of this study indicate that U3Si2 and the FeCrAl fuel cladding concept should replace UO2–Zr as the fuel system of choice.

Palavras-Chave: accident-tolerant nuclear fuels; aluminium alloys; chromium alloys; cladding; comparative evaluations; computerized simulation; f codes; fuel rods; iron alloys; loss of coolant; steady-state conditions; swelling; thermal conductivity; thermal expansion; transients; uranium carbides; uranium nitrides; uranium silicides; zircaloy

GOMES, DANIEL S.; SILVA, ANTONIO T.; ABE, ALFREDO Y.; MUNIZ, RAFAEL O.R.; GIOVEDI, CLAUDIA. Simulation of accident-tolerant U3Si2 fuel using FRAPCON code. In: INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR ATLANTIC CONFERENCE, October 22-27, 2017, Belo Horizonte, MG. Proceedings... Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Associação Brasileira de Energia Nuclear, 2017. Disponível em: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/28188. Acesso em: $DATA.

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