3D finite element analysis of a nuclear fuel rod with gap elements between the pellet and the cladding. Issue 2 (1st February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kang, Chang-Hak; Lee, Sung-Uk; Yang, Dong-Yol; Kim, Hyo-Chan; Yang, Yong-Sik
• Is Part Of: Journal of nuclear science and technology. Volume 53:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 232
• Page End: 239
• Publication Date: 2016-02-01
• Subjects: PCMI -- thermal conductivity -- finite element method -- thermal gap element -- 3D simulation of nuclear fuel; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1080/00223131.2015.1037374
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3131

Abstract

Abstract : Nuclear fuel rods which comprises an important component of a nuclear power plant are composed of nuclear fuel and cladding. Simulating the nuclear fuel rod using a computer program is the universal method to verify its safety. The computer program used for this is called the fuel performance code. The main objective of this study is to simulate the nuclear fuel rod behavior considering the gap conductance using three-dimensional gap elements. Gap elements are used because, unlike other methods, this approach does not require special methods or other variables such as the Lagrange multiplier. In this work, a nuclear fuel rod has been simulated and the results are compared with the experimental results.