MICROMOX: The influence of microstructure of MOX fuel on its irradiation behaviour under transient conditions

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0040

Key words (English)

Fission gas model; fuel performance code; TRANSURANUS;
Nuclear Fission; Radiation Protection; Safety;
JRC

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: FIKS-2000-00030

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 5.5.2 Nuclear fission

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Belgonucléare (B), British Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (GB), Joint Research Centre-Institute for Energy (EU; former Institute for Advanced Materials), Joint Research Centre-Institute for Transuranium (EU), Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NL)

Abstract (English)

Excessive fission gas release in MOX fuel prevents the achievement of burnup above40 GWd/tHM. The objective of the MICROMOX project is to study to what extent theas-fabricated microstructure of the MOX fuel influences the gas release intransient conditions. For this/ MOX fuels with various microstructures (homogeneous/heterogeneous Pu distribution, large grain) will be fabricated by ITU, loaded in rodlets instrumented for temperature and pressure measurements and irradiated at moderate rating in HFR to achieve a burnup of 60 GWd/tHM. The end of irradiation will consist in a temperature transient allowing follow fission gas release as a function of fuel temperature. Post-irradiation examinations of fuel will be made at NRG and PSI, focusing on fuel microstructural investigations. These data will be used to model the fission gas release.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0040