Proving test on thermal-hydraulic performance of high burnup 8x8 fuel assembly for BWR

Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) has completed the proving tes t for thermal-hydraulic performance of high burnup 8x8 fuel assembly. The h igh-burnup 8x8 fuel is a new type of BWR fuel assembly. New concepts such a s ferrule type spacer and a large diameter central water rod are introduced in order to improve the thermal margin and reactor shut down margin for th e higher uranium enrichment. The purpose of this test is to prove the therm al-hydraulic performance of this fuel and to verity the current BWR thermal -hydraulic design base. The tests were carried out in an out-of pile test facility that can simulat e the high pressure and high temperature conditions of BWRs. An electricall y heated test assembly simulated a BWR fuel bundle an full scale. The current BWR design method was compared with measured thermal-hydraulic data (data for critical Dow under steady state and unsteady state condition s, pressure drop and flow induced vibration of fuel rod). verified that the current BWR core design base has the enough reliability.