Reactivity initiated accident test series Test RIA 1-4

Technical Report · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5569467· OSTI ID:5569467

Martinson, Z. R.; El-Genk, M. S.; Fukuda, S. K.; LaPointe, R. E.; Osetek, D. J.

The Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) Test RIA 1-4, the first 9-rod fuel rod bundle RIA Test to be performed at BWR hot startup conditions, was completed on April 16, 1980. The test was performed in the Power Burst Facility (PBF). Objective for Test RIA 1-4 was to provide information regarding loss-of-coolable fuel rod geometry following a RIA event for a peak fuel enthalpy equivalent to the present licensing criteria of 280 cal/g. The most severe RIA is the postulated Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) control rod drop during reactor startup. Therefore the test was conducted at BWR hot startup coolant conditions (538 K, 6.45 MPa, 0.8 1/sec). The test sequence began with steady power operation to condition the fuel, establish a short-lived fission product inventory, and calibrate the calorimetric measurements and core power chambers, neutron flux and gamma flux detectors. The test train was removed from the in-pile tube (IPT) to replace one of the fuel rods with a nominally identical irradiated rod and twelve flux wire monitors. A 2.8 ms period power burst was then performed. Coolant flow measurements were made before and after the power burst to characterize the flow blockage that occurred as a result of fuel rod failure.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 5569467
• Report Number(s): EGG-TFBP-5146; ON: TI85014373
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
FLOW BLOCKAGE
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
PBF REACTOR
ROD BUNDLES
TRANSIENT OVERPOWER ACCIDENTS
ACCIDENTS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
PULSED REACTORS
REACTORS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210100 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled