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Fuel Behavior Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools
  • Next Event:  NINE Headquarters, LUCCA (Italy), 22-26 September 2025
  • Early Registration 25 July 2025

MMARS - Fuel Behavior Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

Day 1
•    Brief overview of the Training Course
•    Nuclear fuel behavior under normal operation
      o    Fuel characteristics modification
            -    Geometrical
            -    Thermal
            -    Mechanical
•    Approach to nuclear fuel modeling
      o    Set of equations
      o    The TRANSURANUS approach
            -    Main assumptions and limitations of the models
•    TRANSURANUS application to fuel rod nominal operation

 

Day 2
•    Nuclear fuel behavior under accident conditions: Loos of Coolant Accident (LOCA)
      o    General overview of a LOCA scenario
•    Relevant phenomena occurring in LOCA scenario:
      o    Clad overheating, PCT and Quench
      o    Zr phase transformation
      o    Clad Oxidation
      o    Clad deformation (ballooning)
      o    Hydriding
      o    (Possible) clad rupture
      o    Fuel fragmentation
      o    Fuel dispersal (in case of clad rupture)
      o    (Transient) Fission Gas Release
•    TRANSURANUS application to LOCA simulation


Day 3
•    Nuclear fuel behavior under accident conditions: Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA)
      o    General overview of a RIA scenario
•    Relevant phenomena occurring in RIA scenario (part 1)
      o    Boiling occurrence (depending on the power peak)
      o    Clad Oxidation
      o    Clad overheating and PCT
      o    Zr phase transformation
      o    Clad Quench
      o    Hydriding
      o    Pellet Clad Interaction / Pellet Clad Mechanical Interaction
      o    (Transient) Fission Gas Release
      o    (Possible) clad rupture
•    TRANSURANUS application to RIA simulation

 

Day 4
•    Safety aspects and concerns connected with nuclear fuel
      o    Safety limits understanding and justification (from nuclear fuel perspective)
•    Overview of TRANSURANUS coupling
      o    TH coupling for BIC derivation
•    TRANSURANUS application to selected problems
      o    Modeling rodlet refabrication
      o    High burnup structure
      o    Ramp simulation

 

Day 5
•    Overview of experimental programs, facilities and databases related with nuclear fuel behavior
•    Sensitivity analysis by statistical method in TRANSURANUS
      o    Theory
      o    Hands-on training
•    Questions and Answers, Open Issues
•    Evaluation of the Training Course