AREVA Fuel Condition Index for a Pressurized Water Reactor

Abstract

Three factors are considered paramount in fuel performance; these are the heat flux, crud layer and oxide thickness. Both the crud layer and the oxide thickness may be affected by plant chemistry.

AREVA NP has developed a Fuel Condition Index (FCI) for PWR Fuel that provides a method to assign a single numerical value based on both limiting thermal-hydraulic factors and plant operating chemistry conditions to assess observed or expected fuel performance. FCI is an AREVA NP fuel damage risk assessment tool to be used in the Level II crud risk analysis work.. FCI, considering Heat Flux, boiling conditions, crud layer and pin oxide, extends the capabilities of the Industry’s currently used High Duty Core Index (HDCI), considered by AREVA to also be a Level II tool.

The chemistry parameters and operating conditions selected for the example calculations presented in the paper are based on AREVA NP knowledge and Industry consensus.

This paper describes the FCI developed by AREVA NP (patent pending) and the results of its use at PWR plants compared with the results of applying at the same plants the High Duty Core Index (HDCI).