Modifications to FRAPTRAN to Predict Fuel Rod Failures Due to PCMI during RIA-Type Accidents

Conference · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2004

OSTI ID:1489400

Geelhood, Ken J. ^[1]; Beyer, Carl E. ^[1]; Cunningham, Mitchel E. ^[1]

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1. BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)

Three new models were recently added to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission transient fuel code, FRAPTRAN. A new thermal expansion model was added that better predicts fuel thermal expansion during a reactivity initiated accident (RIA). This model increases the ability of FRAPTRAN to predict measured cladding permanent hoop strains from RIA test rods. A new yield stress correlation was added that better models the yield stress at high temperature and high strain rate. A uniform elongation model was created and added to FRAPTRAN as a strain based failure limit. The FRAPTRAN failure predictions were compared to the measured failure times and enthalpies from several RIA tests. In addition, the FRAPTRAN calculated RIA failure thresholds for standard fuel designs were compared to several other RIA failure thresholds that have recently been published.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1489400
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-42156
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

FRAPTRAN
Reactivity Initiated Accident
RIA
Pellet Cladding Mechanical Interaction
PCMI