Nuclear-thermal-mechanical performance analysis of MOX fuel rod for lead-cooled fast reactor
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Due to the harsh operating conditions of Lead-Cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs)—including elevated temperatures and intense neutron irradiation—the fuel and cladding materials exhibit complex thermomechanical and irradiation-induced behaviors that evolve throughout the burnup process. To address these challenges, a three-dimensional fuel performance analysis code was developed based on the COMSOL Multiphysics platform. The code simulates key physical phenomena such as heat conduction, mechanical deformation, fission gas release, and nuclide migration. Furthermore, it is coupled with the OpenMC burnup module to incorporate the effects of fuel depletion on thermophysical and mechanical properties. The results indicate that burnup significantly alters the behavior of MOX fuel, with the maximum fuel temperature reaching approximately 1480 °C, fission gas plenum pressure rising to 1.84 MPa, and peak cladding stress reaching 55.5 MPa. The developed tool provides a robust framework for fuel design optimization and safety assessment of LFR systems.
Source: Nuclear Engineering and Design
Authors: Yuxin Huang, Jingguo Wei, Aoguang Wu, Lixiang Zhang, Xi Huang, Kefan Zhang, Hongli Chen
Institution: University of Science and Technology of China
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,710
OpenAlex ID: W4413434510