Tensile and burst tests in support of the cadmium safety rod failure evaluation

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10154399· OSTI ID:10154399

Thomas, J K

The reactor safety rods may be subjected to high temperatures due to gamma heating after the core coolant level has dropped during the ECS phase of hypothetical LOCA event. Accordingly, an experimental safety rod testing subtask was established as part of a task to address the response of reactor core components to this accident. This report discusses confirmatory separate effects tests conducted to support the evaluation of failures observed in the safety rod thermal tests. As part of the failure evaluation, the potential for liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of the safety rod cladding by cadmium (Cd) -- aluminum (Al) solutions was examined. Based on the test conditions, literature data, and U-Bend tests, its was concluded that the SS304 safety rod cladding would not be subject to LME by liquid Cd-Al solutions under conditions relevant to the safety rod thermal tests or gamma heating accident. To confirm this conclusion, tensile tests on SS304 specimens were performed in both air and liquid Cd-Al solutions with the range of strain rates, temperatures, and loading conditions spanning the range relevant to the safety rod thermal tests and gamma heating accident.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10154399
• Report Number(s): WSRC-RP--92-314; ON: DE92015892
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103
360105
ALUMINIUM
CADMIUM
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CORROSION AND EROSION
DUCTILITY
EMBRITTLEMENT
FAILURES
LOSS OF COOLANT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
SCRAM RODS
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STRAIN RATE
TENSILE PROPERTIES