Development of mechanistic code MFPR for modelling fission product release from irradiated UO2 fuel

Nuclear Engineering and Design, Janvier 2006

M.S. Veshchunov(1), V.D. Ozrin(1), V.E. Shestak(1), V.I. Tarasov(1), R. Dubourg(2), G. Nicaise(2).

The models of the mechanistic code MFPR developed in collaboration between IBRAE (Moscow, Russia) and IRSN (Cadarache, France) are described. Exhaustive description of fission gas behaviour in grain and out of grain is given in relation with individual validation results on analytical experiments under various conditions (steady irradiation, transient, post-irradiation annealing). It is shown that microscopic defects in the UO2 crystal structure can strongly influence fission gases transport out of grains and release from fuel pellets. These defects include point defects, such as vacancies, interstitials and fission atoms and extended defects, such as bubbles, pores and dislocations. A model for the dislocations generation and evolution in irradiated UO2 fuel has been developed and implemented in the mechanistic code MFPR along with a fuel densification model. Being combined with the set of equations describing evolution of point defects (vacancies, and interstitials) and their interactions with fission gas bubbles, a completely self-consistent consideration of the whole system of point and extended defects in irradiated UO2 fuel has been obtained.

The mechanistic behaviour of chemically active elements is also presented. It is based on complex association of diffusion-vaporisation mechanism involving multiphase and multi-component thermochemical equilibrium at grain boundary with accurate calculation of fuel oxidation. Examples of application to VERCORS 4 and 5 experiments show the possibilities of the code in the frame of severe accident interpretation.

(1) : Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBRAE) Moscow (Russia)
(2) : Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, StPaul lez-Durance (France)