PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation

D. Jaramillo-Sierra; M. Stefanowska-Skrodzka; J. Lavarenne; E. Deveaux; E. Brunetto; V. Matocha; A. Magni; K. Sturm; K. Mikityuk; Y. Wang; A. Jiménez-Carrascosa; J. Gado; B. Burger; V. Blanc; V. Dupont; L. Argeles; B. Perrin; G. Michel; A. Scolaro; C. Fiorina; Jussi Peltonen; A. Del Nevo; L. Luzzi; D. Pizzocri; S. Lemehov; S. Bebjak; T. Chrebet; C. Strmensky

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.113960

PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation

D. Jaramillo-Sierra, M. Stefanowska-Skrodzka, J. Lavarenne, E. Deveaux, E. Brunetto, V. Matocha, A. Magni, K. Sturm, K. Mikityuk, Y. Wang, A. Jiménez-Carrascosa, J. Gado, B. Burger, V. Blanc, V. Dupont, L. Argeles, B. Perrin, G. Michel, A. Scolaro, C. FiorinaJussi Peltonen, A. Del Nevo^*, L. Luzzi, D. Pizzocri, S. Lemehov, S. Bebjak, T. Chrebet, C. Strmensky

^*Corresponding author for this work

BA4501 Reactor analysis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the first phase of the benchmark exercise in the PuMMA project, aimed at extending the reliability of fuel performance codes for Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuels with high plutonium content. The exercise involved the simulation of three irradiation experiments: (1) CAPRIX (45 % of Pu) carried out in the PHENIX reactor in France, (2) TRABANT1 (45 % of Pu) and (3) TRABANT2 (40 % of Pu) irradiated in the HFR reactor in The Netherlands. Thirteen organizations from nine countries participated, using eight different fuel performance codes. In this phase, besides the fuel specifications, boundary conditions such as linear heat rate, irradiation history, and cladding external temperature were provided. In a “blind” exercise, all codes were free to choose suitable models and correlations for the simulation without access to the experimental results. The main results of the “blind” phase are performed along with a sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of various uncertainties on measurements, irradiation and input parameters. Significant discrepancies were observed among the different codes, attributed to the use of heterogeneous reference correlations and the absence of suitable models for some MOX-specific phenomena. Finally, insights are offered for the second phase of the benchmark, where the fuel performance codes’ capabilities will be assessed against experimental results from Post-Irradiation Examinations of all three pins.

Original language	English
Article number	113960
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Design
Volume	435
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.113960
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through the PuMMA Project under grant agreement No 945022.

Keywords

CAPRIX
Code benchmark
Fuel performance
High plutonium mixed-oxide fuel
Irradiation
TRABANT-1/1
TRABANT-2/2

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Cite this

Jaramillo-Sierra, D., Stefanowska-Skrodzka, M., Lavarenne, J., Deveaux, E., Brunetto, E., Matocha, V., Magni, A., Sturm, K., Mikityuk, K., Wang, Y., Jiménez-Carrascosa, A., Gado, J., Burger, B., Blanc, V., Dupont, V., Argeles, L., Perrin, B., Michel, G., Scolaro, A., ... Strmensky, C. (2025). PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 435, Article 113960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.113960

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title = "PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation",

abstract = "This paper presents the results of the first phase of the benchmark exercise in the PuMMA project, aimed at extending the reliability of fuel performance codes for Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuels with high plutonium content. The exercise involved the simulation of three irradiation experiments: (1) CAPRIX (45 % of Pu) carried out in the PHENIX reactor in France, (2) TRABANT1 (45 % of Pu) and (3) TRABANT2 (40 % of Pu) irradiated in the HFR reactor in The Netherlands. Thirteen organizations from nine countries participated, using eight different fuel performance codes. In this phase, besides the fuel specifications, boundary conditions such as linear heat rate, irradiation history, and cladding external temperature were provided. In a “blind” exercise, all codes were free to choose suitable models and correlations for the simulation without access to the experimental results. The main results of the “blind” phase are performed along with a sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of various uncertainties on measurements, irradiation and input parameters. Significant discrepancies were observed among the different codes, attributed to the use of heterogeneous reference correlations and the absence of suitable models for some MOX-specific phenomena. Finally, insights are offered for the second phase of the benchmark, where the fuel performance codes{\textquoteright} capabilities will be assessed against experimental results from Post-Irradiation Examinations of all three pins.",

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author = "D. Jaramillo-Sierra and M. Stefanowska-Skrodzka and J. Lavarenne and E. Deveaux and E. Brunetto and V. Matocha and A. Magni and K. Sturm and K. Mikityuk and Y. Wang and A. Jim{\'e}nez-Carrascosa and J. Gado and B. Burger and V. Blanc and V. Dupont and L. Argeles and B. Perrin and G. Michel and A. Scolaro and C. Fiorina and Jussi Peltonen and {Del Nevo}, A. and L. Luzzi and D. Pizzocri and S. Lemehov and S. Bebjak and T. Chrebet and C. Strmensky",

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Jaramillo-Sierra, D, Stefanowska-Skrodzka, M, Lavarenne, J, Deveaux, E, Brunetto, E, Matocha, V, Magni, A, Sturm, K, Mikityuk, K, Wang, Y, Jiménez-Carrascosa, A, Gado, J, Burger, B, Blanc, V, Dupont, V, Argeles, L, Perrin, B, Michel, G, Scolaro, A, Fiorina, C, Peltonen, J, Del Nevo, A, Luzzi, L, Pizzocri, D, Lemehov, S, Bebjak, S, Chrebet, T & Strmensky, C 2025, 'PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation', Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 435, 113960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.113960

TY - JOUR

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T2 - Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation

AU - Jaramillo-Sierra, D.

AU - Stefanowska-Skrodzka, M.

AU - Lavarenne, J.

AU - Deveaux, E.

AU - Brunetto, E.

AU - Matocha, V.

AU - Magni, A.

AU - Sturm, K.

AU - Mikityuk, K.

AU - Wang, Y.

AU - Jiménez-Carrascosa, A.

AU - Gado, J.

AU - Burger, B.

AU - Blanc, V.

AU - Dupont, V.

AU - Argeles, L.

AU - Perrin, B.

AU - Michel, G.

AU - Scolaro, A.

AU - Fiorina, C.

AU - Peltonen, Jussi

AU - Del Nevo, A.

AU - Luzzi, L.

AU - Pizzocri, D.

AU - Lemehov, S.

AU - Bebjak, S.

AU - Chrebet, T.

AU - Strmensky, C.

PY - 2025/4/15

Y1 - 2025/4/15

N2 - This paper presents the results of the first phase of the benchmark exercise in the PuMMA project, aimed at extending the reliability of fuel performance codes for Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuels with high plutonium content. The exercise involved the simulation of three irradiation experiments: (1) CAPRIX (45 % of Pu) carried out in the PHENIX reactor in France, (2) TRABANT1 (45 % of Pu) and (3) TRABANT2 (40 % of Pu) irradiated in the HFR reactor in The Netherlands. Thirteen organizations from nine countries participated, using eight different fuel performance codes. In this phase, besides the fuel specifications, boundary conditions such as linear heat rate, irradiation history, and cladding external temperature were provided. In a “blind” exercise, all codes were free to choose suitable models and correlations for the simulation without access to the experimental results. The main results of the “blind” phase are performed along with a sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of various uncertainties on measurements, irradiation and input parameters. Significant discrepancies were observed among the different codes, attributed to the use of heterogeneous reference correlations and the absence of suitable models for some MOX-specific phenomena. Finally, insights are offered for the second phase of the benchmark, where the fuel performance codes’ capabilities will be assessed against experimental results from Post-Irradiation Examinations of all three pins.

AB - This paper presents the results of the first phase of the benchmark exercise in the PuMMA project, aimed at extending the reliability of fuel performance codes for Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuels with high plutonium content. The exercise involved the simulation of three irradiation experiments: (1) CAPRIX (45 % of Pu) carried out in the PHENIX reactor in France, (2) TRABANT1 (45 % of Pu) and (3) TRABANT2 (40 % of Pu) irradiated in the HFR reactor in The Netherlands. Thirteen organizations from nine countries participated, using eight different fuel performance codes. In this phase, besides the fuel specifications, boundary conditions such as linear heat rate, irradiation history, and cladding external temperature were provided. In a “blind” exercise, all codes were free to choose suitable models and correlations for the simulation without access to the experimental results. The main results of the “blind” phase are performed along with a sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of various uncertainties on measurements, irradiation and input parameters. Significant discrepancies were observed among the different codes, attributed to the use of heterogeneous reference correlations and the absence of suitable models for some MOX-specific phenomena. Finally, insights are offered for the second phase of the benchmark, where the fuel performance codes’ capabilities will be assessed against experimental results from Post-Irradiation Examinations of all three pins.

KW - CAPRIX

KW - Code benchmark

KW - Fuel performance

KW - High plutonium mixed-oxide fuel

KW - Irradiation

KW - TRABANT-1/1

KW - TRABANT-2/2

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JO - Nuclear Engineering and Design

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PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation

Abstract

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Keywords

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PUMMA: Plutonium Management for More Agility

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PuMMA blind benchmark: Performance of high plutonium content MOX fuel under irradiation

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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Fingerprint

Projects

PUMMA: Plutonium Management for More Agility

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