FRAPCON-3: Modifications to fuel rod material properties and performance models for high-burnup application

摘要

This volume describes the fuel rod material and performance models that were updated for the FRAPCON-3 steady-state fuel rod performance code. The property and performance models were changed to account for behavior at extended burnup levels up to 65 Gwd/MTU. The property and performance models updated were the fission gas release, fuel thermal conductivity, fuel swelling, fuel relocation, radial power distribution, solid-solid contact gap conductance, cladding corrosion and hydriding, cladding mechanical properties, and cladding axial growth. Each updated property and model was compared to well characterized data up to high burnup levels. The installation of these properties and models in the FRAPCON-3 code along with input instructions are provided in Volume 2 of this report and Volume 3 provides a code assessment based on comparison to integral performance data. The updated FRAPCON-3 code is intended to replace the earlier codes FRAPCON-2 and GAPCON-THERMAL-2. 94 refs., 61 figs., 9 tabs.