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Title: Direct electrical heating of irradiated metal fuel

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5592384

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept proposed by Argonne National Laboratory utilizes a metal fuel core. Reactor safety analysis requires information on the potential for fuel axial expansion during severe thermal transients. In addition to a comparatively large thermal expansion coefficient, metallic fuel has a unique potential for enhanced pre-failure expansion driven by retained fission gas and ingested bond sodium. In this paper, the authors present preliminary results from three direct electrical heating (DEH) experiments performed on irradiated metal fuel to investigate axial expansion behavior. The test samples were from Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) driver fuel ML-11 irradiated to 8 at.% burnup. Preliminary analysis of the results suggest that enhanced expansion driven by trapped fission gas can occur.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL
OSTI ID:
5592384
Report Number(s):
CONF-851115-; TRN: 86-024164
Journal Information:
Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 50; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, 10 Nov 1985
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English