MODEL SIMULATION OF GEOMETRY AND STRESS-STRAIN VARIATION OF BATAN FUEL PIN PROTOTYPE DURING IRRADIATION TEST IN RSG-GAS REACTOR

Abstract

MODEL SIMULATION OF GEOMETRY AND STRESS-STRAIN VARIATION OF BATAN FUEL PIN PROTOTYPE DURING IRRADIATION TEST IN RSG-GAS REACTOR*). The first short fuel pin containing natural UO₂ pellet in Zry4 cladding has been prepared at the CNFT (Center for Nuclear Fuel Technology) then a ramp test will be performed. The present work is part of designing first irradiation experiments in the PRTF (Power Ramp Test Facility) of RSG-GAS 30 MW reactor. The thermal mechanic of the pin during irradiation has simulated. The geometry variation of pellet and cladding is modeled by taking into account different phenomena such as thermal expansion, densification, swelling by fission product, thermal creep and radiation growth. The cladding variation is modeled by thermal expansion, thermal and irradiation creeps. The material properties are modeled by MATPRO and standard numerical parameter of TRANSURANUS code. Results of irradiation simulation with 9 kW/m LHR indicates that pellet-clad contacts onset from 0.090 mm initial gaps after 806 d, when pellet radius expansion attain 0.015 mm while inner cladding creep-down 0.075 mm. A newer computation data show that the maximum measured LHR of n-UO₂ pin in the PRTF 12.4 kW/m. The next simulation will be done with a higher LHR, up to ~ 25 kW/m.