Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Model of Cladding Axial Loading due to Friction of Nitride Fuel Pellets and Cladding in Fast Reactor

9/17/2026 2026 - #03 Modelling processes at nuclear facilities

Folomeev V.I. Ganina S.M. Isakov A.G. Zabudko L.M. Marinenko E.E.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2026.3.15

UDC: 621.039.534

The paper is a prolongation of works on estimated deformation assessment of fuel pins with mixed uranium-plutonium nitride. Interest in this topic is caused by the fact of specific deformation behavior of nitride fuel pins such as noticeable elongation and higher ovality as compared with oxide fuel pins. It is believed that such effects are due to the local mechanical interaction of fuel pellets with cladding. The paper proposes the friction model, which assumes fuel-cladding interaction via axial friction force arising due to random displacement of fuel pellets. Due to the uncertainty of friction coefficients the model uses the effective friction coefficient Eff, which provides a linear relationship between the axial force and the contact point interaction force between the cladding and the fuel. The value of the effective Eff coefficient is significantly dependent on the specified operating conditions of the fuel element and on the functional dependencies used to describe the fuel and cladding materials properties. The parameter value is chosen based on the analysis of a large amount of irradiated fuel pins elongation experimental data. The paper presents the results of fuel pin stress-strain state calculations according to the DRAKON code with the friction model based on results of post-irradiation examination of EFA-11 experimental fuel assembly with fuel pins of the BREST-OD-300 reactor type with the cladding made on EP823-Sh ferrite-martensitic steel and uranium-plutonium nitride. The experimental fuel assembly was irradiated in the BN-600 reactor to maximum burn-up of 9 at% and maximum damage dose of 107,6 dpa.

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mixed nitride uranium-plutonium fuel friction fuel pin fuel pellet post-irradiation examination (PIE) elongation stress-strain state model verification cladding

Link for citing the article: Folomeev V.I., Ganina S.M., Isakov A.G., Zabudko L.M., Marinenko E.E. Model of Cladding Axial Loading due to Friction of Nitride Fuel Pellets and Cladding in Fast Reactor. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2026, no. 3, pp. 207-219; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2026.3.15 (in Russian).

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