The Public Domain Database on Nuclear Fuel Performance
Experiments for the Purpose of Code Development and Validation
International Fuel Performance Experiments (IFPE) Database
The aim of the project is to provide in the public domain, a
comprehensive and well-qualified database on Zr clad UO2 fuel for model development and code
validation. The data encompasses both normal and off-normal operation
and include prototypic commercial irradiations as well as experiments
performed in Material Testing Reactors. This work is
carried out in close co-operation and co-ordination between the NEA,
the IAEA and the IFE/OECD Halden Reactor Project.
Activities
- acquisition of data through discussion and negotiation with
originators;
- compilation of the data into a standard form and content as
agreed by an expert group set up to supervise the work;
- peer review of the data by independent experts
- integration and indexing of the data into the IFPE
database, inclusion of all used reports in electronic form;
- distribution to interested parties and assistance where
necessary in use of datasets.
Composition of the IFPE database
The database is restricted to thermal reactor fuel performance,
principally with standard product Zircaloy clad UO
2 fuel, although the addition of advanced
products with fuel and clad variants is not ruled out. Emphasis has
been placed on including well-qualified data that illustrate specific
aspects of fuel performance. Of particular interest to fuel modellers
are data on: fuel temperatures, fission gas release (FGR), fuel
swelling, clad deformation (e.g. creep-down, ridging) and mechanical
interactions. Data on these issues are of great value if measured
in-pile by dedicated instrumentation and in this respect, the IFPE
Database is fortunate in having access to several diverse experiments.
In addition to direct in-pile measurement, every effort is made to
include PIE information on clad
diameters, oxide thickness, hydrogen content, fuel grain size,
porosity, Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) and X-ray Fluorescence
(XRF) measurements on caesium, xenon, other fission product and
actinides.
Data currently available
To date datasets about 1445 rods/samples from various sources
encompassing BWR, CAGR, PHWR, PWR, and VVER reactor systems have been
included.
| DOE WG-MOX Fuel
Irradiation Experiment Irradiated at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR)
(released Jan. 2007) |
2 cases |
ATR |
| JAEA Power Ramp Tests
of MOX Fuel Rods IFA-591 (released Apr. 2007) |
11 rods |
ATR |
| JAERI - NSRR -
Behaviour of Irradiated BWR Fuel under Reactivity -Initiated-Accident
Conditions, Tests FK-1, -2 and -3 (released Feb. 2005) |
3 cases |
BWR |
| Studsvik DEFEX BWR
fuel secondary defect formation as a consequence of primary defects
(released April 2008) |
11 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik DEFEX-II
DEMO BWR fuel primary defect and conditions leading to secondary
failure of the cladding by hydriding (released April 2008) |
2 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik ROPE-I
(1986-93), BWR, 4 rods, Ringhals, investigates clad creep-out
(released April 2008) |
3 rods |
BWR |
| Halden irradiated
IFA-432 (released Jan. 96) |
5 rods |
BWR |
| LWR MOX Fuel
Irradiation Tests - HBWR Irradiation with the Instrument Rig,
IFA-514/565 (JAEA) (released Feb. 2009) |
6 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik INTER-RAMP
BWR Project (released Nov. 97) |
20 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik SUPER-RAMP
BWR Sub-Programme (released Dec. 2000) |
16 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik DEMO-RAMP I
- BWR (released Mar. 2001) |
5 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik DEMO-RAMP II
- BWR (released Mar. 2001) |
8 rods |
BWR |
| Studsvik TRANS-RAMP I
- BWR (released Mar. 2003) |
5 rods |
BWR |
| HRP IFA-597.3 rods 7,
8 and 9 (cladding degradation, FCT, FGR at Bu »60 MWd/kgUO2 (for
FUMEX-II) (released Nov. 2002) |
3 rods |
BWR |
| IMC(UK) swelling data
from ramping CAGR UO2 fuel in the Halden Reactor (updated June 2006) |
13 rods |
CAGR |
| AEAT-IMC NFB 8 and 34
(released Mar. 99) |
22 samples |
CAGR |
| HRP IFA-507 TF3 and
TF5 (transient temperature during power increase) - FUMEX-II
(release Oct. 2004) |
6 rods |
LWR |
| RISOE-I Fission Gas
Release from High-Burnup Water Reactor Fuel (released Mar. 2005) |
11 cases |
LWR |
| RISOE-II Fuel
Performance Data from Transient Fission Gas Release (released Dec.
95) |
15 rods |
LWR |
| RISOE-III Fuel
Performance Data from 3rd Risoe Fission Gas Release (released
Sept. 95) |
16 rods |
LWR |
| HRP IFA-585,
In-Reactor Creep Behaviour of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 under Variable
Loading Conditions (released March 2008) |
2 rods |
LWR |
| Halden irradiated
IFA-533.2 (released Nov. 97) |
1 rod |
LWR |
| Halden irradiated
IFA-562.1 (released Nov. 97) |
12 rods |
LWR |
| Rods from the
TRIBULATION programme (updated Mar. 2002) |
19 rods |
LWR |
| The High Burn-up
Effects Programme (updated Dec. 2002) |
81 rods |
LWR |
| Idealised cases to
illustrate the functional dependence of FGR predictions (for FUMEX-II)
(released Apr. 2004) |
7 cases |
MANY |
| IFE/OECD/HRP FUMEX-I
cases 1-6 (released Sep. 2003) |
6 rods |
MANY |
| CANDU IRDMR
experiments FIO-118 and FIO-119 CANDU Fuel Behaviour under LOCA
Conditions (released Apr. 2007) |
7 rods |
PHWR |
| CANDU experiment
FIO-131 Fuel Behaviour under LOCA Conditions (released Apr. 2007) |
1 rod |
PHWR |
| EXP-BDL-406, performance of CANDU natural UO2 fuel (bundles AAH, GF, and XY) irradiated at low linear powers (30-40 kW/m) to burnups above 450 MWh/kgU (AECL-CR) (for FUMEX-III exercise) (released June 2009) |
3 rods |
PHWR |
| CNEA six power ramp
irradiations with (PHWR) MOX fuels (released Oct. 2000) |
5 rods |
PHWR |
| INR Pitesti - RO-89
and RO-51 CANDU fuel type in-reactor measurement of internal gas
pressure (released Apr. 2002) |
2 rods |
PHWR |
| AECL-CANDU elements
irradiated in NRU (released Feb. 2000) |
36 rods |
PHWR |
| HRP IFA-534.14 rods
18 and 19 ( EOL FGR and pressure, grains size of 22 and 8.5 micrometers
and Bu » 52 MWd/kgUO2 (for FUMEX-II) (updated May 2003) |
2 rods |
PWR |
| CEA failed PWR rods
irradiated in SILOE: EDITH-MOX 01 (released June 2000) |
1 rod |
PWR |
| HATAC in Siloe
reactor / Griffon device, fission gas release, Bu=40-50 MWd/kg (for
FUMEX-II) (released October 2006) |
2 rods |
PWR |
| Belgonucléaire
GAIN programme - fabrication, irradiation and PIE of 4 ramped
UO2-Gd2O3 fuel rods with Zr4 cladding,
irradiated in BR3 PWR (50 GWd/tU for peak pellet) (released Mar.
2002) |
4 rods |
PWR |
| Belgonucléaire
and SCK-CEN PRIMO Ramped MOX Fuel Rod BD8 (released May 2007) |
1 rod |
PWR |
| Belgonucléaire
Beznau-1 PWR irradiated MOX Fuel Rod M109/D3 (released May 2008) |
1 rod |
PWR |
| BR-3 High Burnup Fuel
Rod Hot Cell Program (DOE/ET 34073-1, Vol. 1&2) (released Sep.
2003) |
5 rods |
PWR |
| US-PWR 16x16 LTA
Extended Burnup Demonstration Program (released July 2005) |
9 rods |
PWR |
| NFIR-1 data for rods
irradiated in BR3 under different operating regimes (released March
2006) |
6 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik ROPE-II PWR
rod over pressure experiment (released April 2008) |
6 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik STEED-I
Stored Energy / Enthalpy Determination (released April 2008) |
2 rods |
PWR |
| Halden irradiated
IFA-429 (released Nov. 97) |
7 rods |
PWR |
| Halden irradiated
IFA-535.5 &.6 (released Nov. 97) |
4 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik SUPER-RAMP
PWR Sub-Programme (released Nov. 97) |
28 rods |
PWR |
| CENG defect fuel
experiments (released Feb. 2000) |
8 rods |
PWR |
| Siemens PWR rods
irradiated in GINNA (released Mar. 2000) |
17 rodlets |
PWR |
| CEA/EDF/FRAMATOME
Contact 1 & 2 (updated Jan. 2003) |
3 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik TRANS- RAMP
II - PWR (released Mar. 2003) |
6 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik TRANS- RAMP
IV - PWR (released Mar. 2003) |
7 rods |
PWR |
| NRU MT-4 and MT6A
LOCA simulation tests (released Dec. 2003) |
33 rods |
PWR |
| Studsvik OVER-RAMP
PWR Project (updated Mar. 2006) |
39 rods |
PWR |
| CEA/EDF/FRAMATOME PWR
and OSIRIS ramped fuel rods (updated Jan. 2006) |
4 rods |
PWR |
| REGATE L10.3, fission
gas release and mechanical behaviour, power ramp in Siloe / Aquilon
device, 47 MWd/kg (updated Apr. 2004) |
1 rod |
PWR |
| HRP-IFA-597 Hollow
and solid MOX rods experiments (released October 2006) |
2 rods |
PWR
VVER |
| IFPE/KOLA-3-MIR-RAMP,
KOLA-3 + MIR test (temperature during ramp, FGR and pressure at EOL, Bu
~ 55 MWd/kgUO2 (for FUMEX-II) (released March 2006) |
9 rods |
VVER |
| AEKI Experimental
Database of E110 Claddings under Accident Conditions (released Feb.
2008) |
~200 tests ~200 samples |
VVER |
| WWER rods from Kola-3
(released Mar. 99) |
32 rods |
VVER |
| The SOFIT WWER fuel
Irradiation Programme (updated Dec. 2002) |
12 rods |
VVER |
| Zaporoshye VVER1000
fuel behaviour data (cycles 4-8 , Bu ~ 50 MWd/kgUO2) (released Oct. 2004) |
312 rods |
VVER |
| Novovoronezh-5
VVER1000 fuel behaviour data (cycles 7-9, Bu ~47MWd/kg) (updated
Jan. 2007) |
317 rods |
VVER |
Archives available
Data requested
- AGR FGR database from British Energy
- HRP He/Ar/Xe gas flow, Nb doped fuel, IFA-504
Potential additional data to be requested for FUMEX-III
- IFA-629.1: (MOX) Two MIMAS MOX rods commercially irradiated
to 25 MWd/kg oxide, instrumented with TF, PF (one rod), EC (one rod),
step ramped to just over FGR threshold. Irradiation period = June 1998
to May 1999 (burn-up increment 10 MWd/kg oxide).
- JAERI data on load-follow (BWR 20GWd/t)
- IFA-650 series (LOCA): IFA-650.1 (May 2003) and IFA-650.2
(May 2004) both used fresh fuel rods - they were "commissioning tests".
IFA-650.1 was heated/quenched six times, but did not fail. IFA-650.2
experienced clad ballooning and rod failure.
- IFA-519 (Transients / load follow): IFA-519.8 (Sept. 1986 -
May 1987) relevant loading for load follow testing
- IFA-550 (Nb fuel): IFA-550.4 (Dec. 1989 - Jan. 1990) and
IFA-550.5 (April - May 1990) relevant loadings for Nb-doped fuel testing
Contributing organisations
AEA Technology
AEKI/KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute
Anatech International Corporation
AREVA NP
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) Chalk River Laboratories
Battelle Pacific North-West Laboratory (PNL)
Belgonucleaire
British Energy (BE)
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (BNFL)
Comision Nacional d'Energia Atomica (CNEA)
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA)
EC Institute for Transuranium (ITU)
Electricite de France (EdF)
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Fortum Power and Heat Oy (Fortum)
Halden Reactor Project (HRP)
Imatran Voima Oy (IVO)
Institute of Nuclear Research Pitesti (INR-Pitesti)
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy Sofia (INRNE Sofia)
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
Kurchatov Institute Moscow (INR RCC)
Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, Bochvar Institute (VNIINM)
Risoe National Laboratory
Scientific Research Institute for Atomic Reactors (SSCR RIIAR)
SCK-CEN Mol
Siemens Power Corporation
Studsvik AB
Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI)
TVEL - Joint Stock Company, Moscow
UK Health and Safety Executive
UK Industry Management Committee (IMC)
US Department of Energy(DOE)
Available publications on fuel behaviour
Scientific Issues
in Fuel Behaviour(1995), NEA#0213, ISBN: 92-64-14420-X 
(pdf 980Kbytes)
Review of Nuclear
Fuel Experimental Data - Fuel Behaviour Data Available from IFE/OECD
Halden Project for Development and Validation of Computer Codes (1995),
NEA#0197, ISBN: 92-64-14422-6 (pdf 833Kbytes)
Thermal Performance of High Burn-Up LWR Fuel Seminar
Proceedings, Cadarache, France, 3-6 March 1998, 389 pages, ISBN:
92-64-16957-1 (OECD bookstore) Executive
Summary
Fission Gas Behaviour in Water Reactor Fuels Seminar
Proceedings, Cadarache, France, 26-29 September 2000, 564 pages, ISBN:
92-64-19715-X (OECD bookstore) Executive
Summary
Paul van Uffelen:
Contribution to the Modelling of Fission Gas Release in Light Water
Reactor Fuel, PhD Thesis, Université de Liège, January
2002, BLG-907 (pdf 2868
kbytes)
M. C. Paraschiv,
INR Pitesti: The Romanian Irradiation Tests Prepared for IAEA/OECD
Database, TopFuel-2003 (pdf 2478 kbytes)
A. Schubert (EC-ITU), C.
Györi (KFKI) , D. Elenkov (INRNE) , K. Lassmann and J. van de Laar
(EC-ITU): Analysis of Fuel Centre Temperatures with the TRANSURANUS Code,
International Conference on Nuclear Fuel for Today and Tomorrow -
Experiences and Outlook (TopFuel-2003), Würzburg (Germany), 16-19
March 2003 (pdf 4175 kbytes)
FUMEX-II Cases
Seminar
on Pellet-Clad Interaction in Water Reactor Fuels (PCI-2004) EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY, (9-11 March 2004), published 2005 by OECD as ISBN
92-64 01157-9, and Expert Group Meeting on Scientific Issues in
Fuel Behaviour - IFPE
Data Base and Status of FUMEX-II Programme (Agenda), organised by
OECD/NEA in co-operation with the IAEA (8 March 2004), Aix-en-Provence,
France
V.V. Likhanskii, I.A. Evdokimov, A.A. Sorokin, V.D. Kanukova
(TRINITI): Verification
of the RTOP-CA code against the OECD/NEA/IAEA IFPE database on activity
release from defective fuel rods
Alejandro Soba, Alicia Denis:
Simulation with the DIONISIO 1.0 Code of the Operation behaviour of
PWR/PHWR Fuel Rods (2007)
I.A. Evdokimov, A.A. Sorokin, V.D. Kanukova, V.V. Likhanskii: A Mechanistic Approach to Develop the Secondary Hydriding Criteria (2009)
For more detailed information see also:
The Compilation of a Public Domain
Database on Nuclear Fuel Performance for the Purpose of Code
Development and Validation (March 1998) (pdf
205Kbytes)
The Public Domain Database on
Nuclear Fuel Performance Experiments (IFPE) for the Purpose of Code
Development and Validation (November 1999) (pdf 137Kbytes)
A Review of Fission Gas Release
Data Within the NEA/IAEA IFPE Database (June 2000) (pdf 106Kbytes)
Requirements for
Including Data in the IFPE Database (April 2000) (pdf 16Kbytes)
Nuclear Fuel Behaviour
Activities at the OECD/NEA (May 2000) (pdf 47Kbytes)
Summary of the Fifth Meeting of
the Expert Group on Scientific Issues of Fuel Behaviour - International
Fuel Performance Experiments Data Base (IFPE) (Status and Programme),
Cadarache, 25 September 2000 (pdf 81Kbytes)
Nuclear Fuel Behaviour
Activities at the OECD/NEA (April 2001) (pdf 52Kbytes)
Status of Nuclear
Science Committee Activities in the Field of Fuel Behaviour - (Summer
2002) (pdf 212Kbytes)
Scope and Objectives of Expert
Group on Scientific Issues in Fuel Behaviour
J.C. Killeen, E. Sartori, J.A. Turnbull: Experimental Data on PCI and PCMI within the
IFPE Database, Seminar on Pellet-Clad Interaction in Water Reactor
Fuels (PCI-2004), Aix-en-Provence, France 9-11 March 2004 (pdf 424Kbytes)
J.C. Killeen, E. Sartori, J.A. Turnbull : The Relevance of the IFPE Database to
the Modelling of VVER-Type Fuel Behaviour, 6th International
Conference on WWER Fuel Performance, Modelling and Experimental
Support, Albena, Bulgaria, 19-23 September 2005 (pdf 286Kbytes)
Fuel Modelling at Extended
Burnup: IAEA Coordinated Research Project FUMEX-II, by J C Killeen
(IAEA), J A Turnbull (Consultant), E Sartori (OECD/NEA), Proceedings of
the 2007 International LWR Fuel Performance Meeting San Francisco,
California, September 30 – October 3, 2007, Paper 1102 (pdf 412Kbytes)
Related links
NEA Expert Group on Scientific Issues of
Fuel Behaviour (TFSFB)
Halden Reactor Project
International
Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section
Processes
occurring during normal operation leading to initial conditions at high
burnup [A. Motta (PSU)‘s diagram] and phenomena during RIA leading to
cladding failure [Revised A. Motta (PSU)'s diagram]
CSNI Working Group on Fuel
Safety Margins
Research
and Development Needs for Current and Future Nuclear Energy Systems
NEA Data Bank Computer Programs service
Contact for obtaining information about IFPE
OECD/NEA Data Bank
Computer Program Service
Le Seine-Saint Germain
12 boulevard des Iles
F-92130 ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX
France
E-mail: programs@nea.fr
Last updated: 7 September 2009