Metallic nuclear fuels are subject to research and development for use in advanced reactors. Robust, accurate metallic fuel performance models are important for the design, safety analysis, and licensing of these reactors. However, metallic fuel performance models require additional development; they are not as mature as UO2 fuel performance models. A benchmark case based on the IFR-1 experiment was developed to better gauge the accuracy of existing models, identify models for high-priority development, and potentially quantify any future improvements made by further model development.This work collected publicly available information on the IFR-1 experiment and used it to develop the benchmark case. Fuel behavior during the IFR-1 irradiation was simulated by using the fuel performance code BISON, and the predicted results were compared with postirradiation examination data from the IFR-1 experiment. A sensitivity study and tuning studies were performed as a preliminary investigation into the causes of inaccurate temperature and dimensional change predictions.The benchmark predicted reasonably accurate values for the burnup and fission gas release. There was error in the predicted temperatures, which could be explained by uncertainty in the input parameters and legacy temperatures. BISON over-predicted dimensional changes in the fuel and cladding. The sensitivity study showed that the dimensional changes were most sensitive to the fuel swelling anisotropy and the cladding void swelling model. Future benchmark and model development should focus on cladding swelling behaviors to improve dimensional change predictions.

Metallic nuclear fuels for use in advanced reactors are an active area of research and development. Robust, accurate metallic fuel performance models are necessary for the design, analysis, and licensing of such reactors. However, metallic fuel performance models require additional development; they are not as mature as uranium dioxide fuel performance models. To support further metallic fuel development, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Florida have streamlined the coupling of the BISON fuel performance code with Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications (Dakota) statistical analysis tool through the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Workbench. This work included performing three different sensitivity analyses on metallic nuclear fuel models in BISON. The analyses examined were a general model of the IFR-1 experiment, the X430 experiment T654 pin, and the X430 experiment T651 pin. The results suggest that BISON and Dakota can be integrated through NEAMS Workbench to perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses and visualize the results.

Metallic nuclear fuels are an active area of research and development for use in advanced reactors. Robust and accurate metallic fuel performance models are necessary for the design, safety analysis, and licensing of such reactors. However, metallic fuel performance models are not as mature as ceramic fuel performance models and require additional development. In order to better gauge the accuracy of existing models, identify high-priority models for development, and quantify the improvements made by future model development, ORNL has developed a benchmark problem based on the IFR-1 experiment. This work gathers all relevant information on the IFR-1 experiment and uses it to develop the benchmark problem. It simulates the problem using the fuel performance code BISON and compare the results to post-irradiation examination data from the experiment. Then a sensitivity analysis is performed on the BISON model to determine the benchmark problem’s sensitivity to uncertainty in the input parameters. The results suggest that BISON’s mechanical models require additional development. Plastic deformation is under-predicted in the cladding and axial swelling is over-predicted in the fuel. These problems may be related. Additionally, there is a bias in the temperature which may be a result of uncertainty in the input parameters rather than an issue with the fuel performance models.

This work included performing three different sensitivity analyses on metallic nuclear fuel models in BISON. The analyses examined were a general model of the IFR-1 experiment, the X430 experiment T654 pin, and the X430 experiment T651 pin. The results suggest that BISON and Dakota can be integrated through NEAMS Workbench to perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses and visualize the results.

As the 1970s nuclear reactor fleet slowly begins the decommission process, the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) aims to stimulate and support the construction and implementation of new nuclear reactors across the country in hopes of continuing the generation of clean, reliable, resilient energy. As a result, various efforts have been introduced to accelerate this process, including the Versatile Test Reactor project (VTR) and the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program.