PLACA/DPLACA SIMULATION OF MONOLITHIC/DISPERSE UMo PLATES

DENIS; SOBA

Lyon

Congreso; RRFM2007; 2007

IAEA

The codes PLACA/DPLACA simulate the irradiation behavior of plate-type fuels under normal operation conditions. They correspond to monolithic and dispersed fuels, respectively. The codes have a modular structure and contain about thirty interconnected and mutually dependent models. They make possible a detailed simulation of the evolution of the more relevant physical parameters of a plate-type fuel element during its permanence within a reactor. In the particular case of the U-Mo/Al system, a model is included to give account of the interaction layer that develops between the alloy and Al. The model assumes that interdiffusion of Al and U through the layer is the rate determining step. The associated Stefan problems are numerically solved. This presentation includes the simulation of irradiation experiments performed with U-Mo/Al fuels: monolithic miniplates fabricated in CNEA and irradiated at the ATR and dispersed-fuel plates belonging to the IRIS-2 experiment. Comparison of the calculation results with the experimental data evidence in these and in previously analyzed cases, the correct performance of the models involved and the good coupling of the ensemble.