Thermomechanical simulation of the DIAMINO irradiation experiment using the LICOS fuel design code

Two separate-effect experiments in the HFR and OSIRIS Material Test Reactors (MTRs) are currently under Post- Irradiation Examinations (MARIOS) and under preparation (DIAMINO) respectively. The main goal of these experiments is to investigate gaseous release and swelling of Am-bearing UO2-x fuels as a function of temperature, fuel microstructure and gas production rate. First, a brief description of the MARIOS and DIAMINO irradiations is provided. Then, the innovative experimental in-pile device specifically developed for the DIAMINO experiment is described. Eventually, the thermo-mechanical computations performed using the LICOS code are presented. These simulations support the DIAMINO experimental design and highlight some of the capabilities of the code. (authors)