Improvement of Computer Codes Used for Fuel Behaviour Simulation (FUMEX-III): report of a coordinated research project 2008 - 2012

It is fundamental to the future of nuclear power that reactors can be run safely and economically to compete with other forms of power generation. As a consequence, it is essential to develop the understanding of fuel performance and to embody that knowledge in codes to provide best estimate predictions of fuel behaviour. This in turn leads to a better understanding of fuel performance, a reduction in operating margins, flexibility in fuel management and improved operating economics. The IAEA has therefore embarked on a series of programmes addressing different aspects of fuel behaviour modelling with the following objectives:  To assess the maturity and prediction capabilities of fuel performance codes, and to support interaction and information exchange between countries with code development and application needs (FUMEX series);  To build a database of well defined experiments suitable for code validation in association with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA);  To transfer a mature fuel modelling code to developing countries, to support teams in these countries in their efforts to adapt the code to the requirements of particular reactors, and to provide guidance on applying the code to reactor operation and safety assessments;  To provide guidelines for code quality assurance, code licensing and code application to fuel licensing. This publication describes the results of the coordinated research project on the “Improvement of computer codes used for fuel behaviour simulation (FUMEX-III)”. This programme was initiated in 2008 and completed in 2012. It followed previous programmes on fuel modelling: D-COM 1982–1984, FUMEX 1993–1996 and FUMEX-II 2002–2006.

BONEVA S.;  CALABRESE Rolando;  CHASSIE G.;  CHULKIN D.;  DENIS A.;  DUTTA B.K.;  HIROSE T.;  HORHOIANU G.;  JIAO Yongjun;  KAMIMURA K.;  KHVOSTOV G.;  KILLEEN J.;  KISHITA H.;  KLOUSAL J.;  KULASCY K.;  LI Wenjie;  LIKHANSKII V.;  LUZZI Lelio;  MARINO A.;  PASTORE Giovanni;  ROSSITER G.;  SCHUBERT Arndt;  SPERLICH M.;  TULKKI V.;  TURNBULL J.A.;  UMIDOVA Z.;  VAN UFFELEN Paul;  WILLIAMSON R.;  ZBOROVSKIJ V.;  ZHANG J.; 

2013-08-23

International Atomic Energy Agency

JRC83894

978-92-0-138610-6,   

1011-4289,   

OP IAEA-TECDOC series no. 1697,