Combining Reactor Physics and Fuel Performance Calculations

Conventionally, fuel performance calculations and reactor physics have been strictly separated from each other. When making fuel performance calculations, the reactor physical parameters such as power distribution, fission gas production and fast flux are either calculated externally and given to fuel performance codes as input, or calculated directly by fuel performance codes using approximate models. At the same time reactor physical calculations are often performed as if the thermo-mechanical properties of the fuel would remain constant over the whole irradiation period. This paper describes a new coupling code for performing combined fuel performance and reactor physical calculations.