Characterization of thermal-hydraulic and ignition phenomena in prototypic, full-length boiling water reactor spent fuel pool assemblies after a complete loss-of-coolant accident.

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1250761· OSTI ID:1250761

Lindgren, Eric Richard ^[1]; Durbin, Samuel G ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The objective of this project was to provide basic thermal-hydraulic data associated with a SFP complete loss-of-coolant accident. The accident conditions of interest for the SFP were simulated in a full-scale prototypic fashion (electrically-heated, prototypic assemblies in a prototypic SFP rack) so that the experimental results closely represent actual fuel assembly responses. A major impetus for this work was to facilitate code validation (primarily MELCOR) and reduce questions associated with interpretation of the experimental results. It was necessary to simulate a cluster of assemblies to represent a higher decay (younger) assembly surrounded by older, lower-power assemblies. Specifically, this program provided data and analysis confirming: (1) MELCOR modeling of inter-assembly radiant heat transfer, (2) flow resistance modeling and the natural convective flow induced in a fuel assembly as it heats up in air, (3) the potential for and nature of thermal transient (i.e., Zircaloy fire) propagation, and (4) mitigation strategies concerning fuel assembly management.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1250761
• Report Number(s): SAND2007-2270; 256257
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS