Thermo-mechanical analysis of supercritical pressure light water-cooled fast reactor fuel rod by FEMAXI-6 code

Thermo-mechanical behaviors of supercritical pressure light water cooled fast reactor (SWFR) fuel rod and cladding have been investigated by FEMAXI-6 (Ver.1) code with high enriched MOX fuel at elevated operating condition of high coolant system pressure (25 MPa) and high temperature (500 °C in core average outlet temperature). Fuel rod failure modes and associated fuel rod design criteria that is expected to be limiting in SWFR operating condition have been investigated in this fuel rod design study. Fuel centerline temperature is evaluated to be 1853 °C and fission gas release fraction is about 45% including helium production. Cumulative damage fraction is evaluated by linear life fraction rule with time-to-rupture correlation of advanced austenitic stainless steel. In a viewpoint of mechanical strength of fuel cladding against creep rupture and cladding collapse at high operation temperature, currently available stainless steels or being developed has a potential for application to SWFR. Admissible design range in terms of initial gas plenum pressure and its volume ratio are suggested for fuel rod design The stress ranges suggested by this study could be used as a preliminary target value of cladding material development for SWFR application.