OMICO - Final Report

In the project OMICO (standing for "Oxide Fuels – Microstructure and Composition Variations"), the behaviour of three different fuel compositions (UO2, (U,Pu)O2 and (Th,Pu)O2) has been studied. For each composition, two different microstructures are intercompared (homogeneous and fine dispersed ceramic-in-ceramic). This results in six different fuel types which are assembled in a small experimental assembly and irradiated under representative Pressurised Water Reactor conditions. The primary objective is to provide insight in the separate effects of fuel chemistry (matrix composition) on the one hand and the degree of dispersion of the fissile material (microstructure) on the other hand.