Integral-scale validation of the SCIANTIX code for Light Water Reactor fuel rods

Mechanistic multi-scale modelling holds the potential to inform fuel performance codes by incorporating high-fidelity models, algorithms, parameters, and material properties. In this context, meso-scale codes emerged as valuable tools for developing detailed models and conducting separate verification and validation steps. This work focuses on the application of SCIANTIX, an open-source 0D meso-scale code designed to describe the behaviour of gaseous and volatile fission products in nuclear oxide fuel. The code predominantly utilizes engineering physics-based behavioral models, featuring computational times that align with typical fuel performance code requirements. Given the numerical foundation of the code, the code is also naturally applicable to both stationary and transient conditions. Following a recent work outlining the standalone code performance and its separate-effect validation database, here we present the performance of SCIANTIX (version 2.0) when coupled with fuel performance codes to simulate light water reactor fuel rod. The experiments selected for the comparative analysis constitute an initial integral validation database. The comparison focuses on conventional engineering quantities of interest, such as integral fission gas release, demonstrating the satisfactory performance of the meso-scale code. Additionally, it highlights the potential advantages of the multi-scale modelling over conventional semi-empirical approaches.

ZULLO Giovanni;  PIZZOCRI Davide;  SCOLARO Alessandro;  VAN UFFELEN Paul;  FERIA Francisco;  HERRANZ L.;  LUZZI Lelio; 

2024-08-09

ELSEVIER

JRC136867

1873-4820 (online),   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311524004070?via%3Dihub,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC136867,   

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155305 (online),