A Steady-State Analysis of U-Pu-Zr Metallic Fuel Performance on Constituent Redistribution by Multiphysics Modeling

A Multiphysics approach to calculate the constituent redistribution in U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel is developed in this work and the fuel performance of U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel under normal operating condition is investigated by CAMPUS code where the model of constituent redistribution is applied. The metallic nuclear fuel is proposed to be used as a candidate of Sodium cooled Fast Neutron Reactor fuel due to its superior thermodynamic properties, such as thermal conductivity and heat capacity. Recently, the constituent redistribution is found to be an important phenomenon in the metallic fuel pellet, which influences the thermodynamic properties of metallic fuel greatly. In this work, the properties of metallic fuel and the calculation method of constituent redistribution are introduced firstly. And the model of constituent redistribution in U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel is developed and implemented into CAMPUS code, and then the metallic fuel performance in the sodium-cooled fast reactor is further studied by CAMPUS code under normal operating condition. Thirdly, the model of constituent redistribution is verified and the fuel performance of U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel is presented and discussed. The Zirconium element is found to migrate to the fuel centerline and fuel surface and the performance of the U-Pu-Zr fuel is found to be influenced by the constituent redistribution dramatically.