Melting temperature of MOX fuel for FBR applications: TRANSURANUS modelling and experimental findings

The paper is focused on the modelling of the melting temperature of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for fast breeder reactors (FBRs). After a review of the models available in the TRANSURANUS (TU) code and in the open literature, their predictions were compared to an experimental dataset compiled from published measurements. The recommended model of TRANSURANUS was confirmed to be in good agreement with experimental data. A critical discussion of the comparison provided additional useful indications for the future development of the code and for the recommendations to the users involved in the analysis of the performance of fast reactor fuel. A special attention was given to the presence of minor actinides (MA), a topic of great importance for closure of the nuclear fuel cycle. In this frame, the code could be extended with the model of Konno in order to account for the presence of minor actinides. Finally, the review of the experimental data indicated the need for a reassessment of the effect of the oxygen-to-metal (O/M) ratio on the melting temperature in the low plutonium content domain of relevance to FBR fuel.