International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators

4-8 May 2009, Vienna

ADS/P4-20

Progress and Advancements in Fuel Performance Modelling for MYRRHA/XT–ADS

S.E. Lemehov

SCK•CEN, Mol, Belgium

Corresponding Author: slemehov@sckcen.be

Transmutation of the higher actinides (Np, Pu, Am and Cm) in either a fast reactor (FR) or a fast accelerator-driven system (ADS) is currently considered as one of the most promising options. The current reference fuel for the MYRRHA transmuter is MOX (driver fuel) and oxides targets such as (Cm, Am, Pu)O2 diluted in MgO, ZrO2, and Mo matrices. Prognosis of the in-pile behaviour of MYRRHA fuels and targets is still difficult because of limited information on their thermal and mechanical properties. This paper will summarize the main results of calculation assessments and design studies performed for MYRRHA ADS driver fuel and targets by means of the SCKCEN fuel performance code MACROS specifically developed to cope with the fast and intermediate energy neutron spectra. The main attention is paid to integral behaviour of fuel rods as needed for design qualification and verification purposes for the foreseen fuel cycles with emphasis on reliability issues and safety margins. These studies are conducted in the framework of fuel R&D programme for fast reactor systems at SCKCEN.


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