Progress in the Research Programs to Elucidate Axial Cracking Fuel Failure at High Burnup
- Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization, 3-17-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001 (Japan)
- Nippon Nuclear Fuel Development Co., Ltd., 2163 Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki 311-1313 (Japan)
- Grobal Nuclear Fuel - Japan Co., Ltd., 3-1 Uchikawa 2-chone, Yokosuka 239-0836 (Japan)
- Nuclear Development Corporation, 622-12 Funaishikawa, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1111 (Japan)
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. 1-1, Wadasaki-cho 1-chome, Hyogo-ku, Kobe 652-8585 (Japan)
A fuel failure with an axial crack starting outside the cladding and penetrating inwards was experienced by high burnup BWR fuel rods in power ramp test. On the other hand, no fuel failure caused by power ramp test has been currently reported on PWR fuel rods at burnups higher than 50 GWd/t. Extensive research programs regarding hydrogen behaviors and mechanical performances on irradiated BWR and PWR fuel claddings have been carried out to clarify the mechanism of the axial cracking and to quantify the conditions to cause fuel failure. Hydrogen solid solubility measurement on irradiated Zircaloy-2 materials showed almost comparable results to those on unirradiated ones. Hydride re-distribution and re-orientation behaviors were tested by heating irradiated BWR claddings with Zr-liner under the conditions of applied radial heat flux (temperature gradient) and circumferential stress. Mechanical performances of BWR claddings were evaluated mainly by the internal pressurizing tests. Internal pressurization tests applying various pressurizing sequences, e.g. stepwise increase in pressure with holding intervals, were also conducted to simulate crack propagation behaviors. Some specimens demonstrated characteristic fracture surfaces similar to those observed on the failed fuel rods after the power ramp. Mechanical performances of irradiated PWR claddings were tested at temperatures of 573 to 723 K. Metallographic examination after tensile tests revealed a large number of incipient cracks within the region of cladding outer rim where a concentrated hydride layer (hydride rim) has been formed during irradiation. Crack propagation test using an expanding mandrel device demonstrated the crack propagation at 573 K but no propagation at 658 K. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21229288
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2007 LWR Fuel Performance Meeting / TopFuel 2007, San Francisco, CA (United States), 30 Sep - 3 Oct 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 11 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2007 LWR Fuel Performance Meeting / TopFuel 2007 'Zero by 2010', 683 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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