A Model to Describe Defected Fuel Behaviour for the ELESIM Fuel Performance Code

Abstract

Based on a number of in- and out-reactor experiments at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL), a physically based model has been developed to predict the activity release of radioactive noble gases from defected nuclear fuel during steady-state reactor conditions. This model has been interfaced with the ELESIM fuel performance, code and verified against all-effects experiments in the National Research eXperimental (NRX) reactor with defected elements containing various sizes and types of sheath failure, and operating at linear powers ranging from 22 to 67 Kw/m up to a maximum burnup of 278MW*h/kgU.