FRAPCON-2 assessment: power reactor fuel performance data and code evaluation status

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Division of Accident Evaluation (DAE) is sponsoring a fuel behavior research program entitled ''Evaluation of Power Reactor Fuel Performance Analysis Capabilities''. The main program objective is to evaluate the performance and accuracy of DAE-sponsored fuel rod material behavior codes for application to commercial fuel design and operational conditions. Program emphasis to data has been on the steady state fuel rod model, FRAPCON-2. During each of 2 FRAPCON activity phases, available high burnup results from EPRI and DOE sponsored power reactor fuel surveillance programs have been acquired, reviewed, and analyzed to provide the basic code input and fuel performance data. This data is then applied to the generation of FRAPCON predictions, the systematic comparison of key predicted and measured fuel performance parameters, and the interpretation of results to identify code capabilities and outstanding model development requirements. The program activities are documented in the form of Data and Code Evaluation Reports