Integral Experiments Data, Databases, Benchmarks and Safety Joint Projects
NEA-1772 IFPE/IFA-597-MOX.
last modified: 31-OCT-2006 | catalog | new | search |

NEA-1772 IFPE/IFA-597-MOX.

IFPE/IFA-597-MOX, Hollow and solid MOX rods experiments

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1. NAME OF EXPERIMENT

IFPE/IFA-597-MOX

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2. COMPUTERS

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Program name Package id Status Status date
IFPE/IFA-597-MOX NEA-1772/01 Arrived 31-OCT-2006

Machines used:

Package ID Orig. computer Test computer
NEA-1772/01 Many Computers
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3. DESCRIPTION

A series of tests, containing two MIMAS-MOX fuel rods, both equipped with a fuel centre thermocouple and a pressure bellows transducer, has been irradiated in the Halden Reactor since July 1997 under HBWR conditions. The objectives of the test series were to study the thermal and fission gas release (FGR) behaviour of MOX fuel and to explore potential differences in behaviour between solid and hollow pellets. One of the rods had mainly solid pellets, while the other contained only hollow pellets. Both rods had an initial Pu-fissile enrichment of 6.07%. The cladding outside diameter was 9.50 mm, and the initial fuel-clad gap was 180microns. In the course of the test, power upratings for FGR studies of the MOX fuel were planned at burnup intervals of about 10 MWd/kgMOX. The power uprating was successfully performed at ~10 MWd/kgMOX, where the fuel peak temperature of the solid pellets exceeded the FGR threshold temperature for UO2 fuel, while that of the hollow pellets remained below the threshold. For the solid fuel, the temperature at onset of FGR was consistent with the empirical threshold temperature for UO2 fuel. For the hollow fuel, gas release was observed at temperatures below the threshold. FGRs at the end-of-life were ~17% for the solid pellet rod and ~14% for the hollow pellet rod, respectively. The observed FGR has been higher than expected, and as a result of discussions in HPG meetings, IFA-597.7 was unloaded in January 2002. PIE was carried out to check in-pile pressure measurements and examine fuel structural characteristics. The discharge burn-up of the MOX fuel was 32 MWd/kgMOX as determined from in-pile power data.

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9. STATUS
Package ID Status date Status
NEA-1772/01 31-OCT-2006 Masterfiled restricted
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10. REFERENCES
NEA-1772/01, included references:
- Hisashi Koike: The MOX Fuel Behaviour Test IFA-597.4/.5/.6/.7: Summary of
In-Pile Fuel Temperatures and Gas Release Data (HWR-729, November 2003)
- Terje Tverberg: Mixed-oxide (MOX) Fuel Performance Benchmark - Summary of the
Results for the Halden Reactor Project MOX Rods (2007), compiled by Terje
Tverberg, OECD Halden Reactor Project, work carried out within the Expert Group
on Reactor-based Plutonium Disposition (TFRPD), published on 21-JUN-07, 64
pages, ISBN: 978-92-64-99019-7, NEA/NSC/DOC(2007)6
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12. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE(S) USED
No specified programming language
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15. AUTHORS

Mr. Terje TVERBERG

Institutt for Energiteknikk

OECD Halden Reactor Project

P.O. Box 173

N-1751 Halden

Norway

 

Compilation: J.A. Turnbull

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16. MATERIAL AVAILABLE
NEA-1772/01
Rod1.HIS        Irradiation history for rod 1
Rod2.HIS        Irradiation history for rod 2
HRP-spec04.doc File including pre-characterization
QA report for HP-MOX.doc    QA report for compiling dataset
README.doc      Readme file
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17. CATEGORIES
  • Y. Integral Experiments Data, Databases, Benchmarks

Keywords: MOX, burnup, fission gas release, fuels.