Processing of the GALILEO^TM fuel rod code model uncertainties within the AREVA LWR realistic thermal-mechanical analysis methodology

¹ AREVA NP, 10 rue Juliette Récamier, 69456 Lyon - France
² AREVA GmbH, Paul-Gossen Str. 100, 91052 Erlangen - Germany
³ AREVA NP Inc, 2101 Horn Rapids Road, Richland, WA, 99354 - USA
⁴ AREVA NP Inc, 3315 Old Forest Road, Lynchburg, VA24501 - USA

^* Corresponding Author, E-mail: pierre.mailhe@areva.com

Abstract

The availability of reliable tools and associated methodology able to accurately predict the LWR fuel behavior in all conditions is of great importance for safe and economic fuel usage. For that purpose, AREVA has developed its new global fuel rod performance code GALILEO^TM along with its associated realistic thermal-mechanical analysis methodology. This realistic methodology is based on a Monte Carlo type random sampling of all relevant input variables. After having outlined the AREVA realistic methodology, this paper will be focused on the GALILEO^TM code benchmarking process on its extended experimental database and the GALILEO^TM model uncertainties assessment. The propagation of these model uncertainties through the AREVA realistic methodology is also presented. This GALILEO^TM model uncertainties processing is of the utmost importance for accurate fuel design margin evaluation as illustrated on some application examples.

With the submittal of Topical Report for GALILEO^TM to the U.S. NRC in 2013, GALILEO^TM and its methodology are on the way to be industrially used in a wide range of irradiation conditions.