An evaluation of the nuclear fuel performance code BISON

D. M. Perez, R. L. Williamson, S. R. Novascone, T. K. Larson, J. D. Hales, B. W. Spencer, G. Pastore

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

BISON is a modern finite-element based nuclear fuel performance code that has been under development at the Idaho National Laboratory (USA) since 2009. The code is applicable to both steady and transient fuel behavior and is used to analyze either 2D axisymmetric or 3D geometries. BISON has been applied to a variety of fuel forms including LWR fuel rods, TRISO-coated fuel particles, and metallic fuel in both rod and plate geometries. Code validation is currently in progress, principally by comparison to instrumented LWR fuel rods and other well known fuel performance codes. Results from several assessment cases are reported, with emphasis on fuel centerline temperatures at various stages of fuel life, fission gas release, and clad deformation during pellet clad mechanical interaction (PCMI). BISON comparisons to fuel centerline temperature measurements are very good at beginning of life and reasonable at high burnup. Although limited to date, fission gas release comparisons are very good. Comparisons of rod diameter following significant power ramping are also good and demonstrate BISON's unique ability to model discrete pellet behavior and accurately predict clad ridging from PCMI.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2013
Pages1273-1284
Number of pages12
StatePublished - 2013
EventInternational Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2013 - Sun Valley, ID, United States
Duration: May 5 2013May 9 2013

Publication series

NameInternational Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2013
Volume2

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySun Valley, ID
Period05/5/1305/9/13

Keywords

  • Assessment
  • BISON code
  • Fuel performance
  • Nuclear fuel

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