Sister Rod Destructive Test Results (FY19)
This report documents work performed under the Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition, Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology program for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). This work was performed to fulfill Level 2 Milestone M2SF-19ORO010201026 within work package SF-19OR01020102 and is an update to the work reported in M2SF-19OR010201028 and M3SF-19OR010201027. The document incorporates comments received with respect to the previous reports and incorporates additional test results. As a part of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) High Burnup Spent Fuel Data Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing destructive examinations (DEs) of high burnup (HBU) (>45 gigawatt days per metric ton uranium) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods from the North Anna Nuclear Power Station operated by Dominion Energy. The SNF rods, called the “sister rods,” are all HBU and include four different kinds of fuel rod cladding: standard Zircaloy-4 (Zirc-4), low-tin Zircaloy-4 (LT Zirc-4), ZIRLO®, and M5®. The DEs are being conducted to obtain a baseline of the HBU rod’s condition prior to dry storage and are focused on understanding overall SNF rod strength and durability. Both composite fuel and empty cladding will be tested to derive material properties. While the data generated can be used for multiple purposes, a primary goal for obtaining the post-irradiation examination data and the associated measured mechanical properties is to support SNF dry storage licensing and relicensing activities by (1) addressing identified knowledge gaps and (2) enhancing the technical basis for post-storage transportation, handling, and consolidation activities. This report documents the status of the ORNL Phase I DEs of 8 sister rods and outlines the DE tasks performed and the data collected to date, as guided by the sister rod test plans. The DEs are performed using a phased approach, and the Phase 1 DEs being performed at ORNL include: • full-length rod heat treatments (FHT) of 3 selected sister rods to examine the effects of temperatures reached during dry storage preparation, • rod internal pressure and void volume measurements of the 3 FHT rods and 3 corresponding baseline rods, as well as 2 additional rods selected for depressurization/gas transmission tests and fatigue lifetime tests, • fission gas sampling and analysis, • depressurization and gas transmission tests, • rough segmentation of the selected rods for mechanical tests and rod characterization, • fuel sampling and burnup analysis, • metallography, • cladding total hydrogen measurements, • mechanical testing, including fatigue lifetime (CIRFT), four-point bend, axial tension, microhardness, ring compression, and burst tests. Table S-1 provides a summary of the DE status. The mechanical testing will be performed using fueled segments and is expected to complement previous and current mechanical test results using defueled cladding segments.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1615815
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/SPR-2019/1251; M3SF-19OR010201027; TRN: US2104894
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY22) Appendix F2: Evaluation of Fuel Rod Fatigue During Spent Fuel Transportation
Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY22) Appendix B: Segmentation, Defueling, Metallographic Data and Total Cladding Hydrogen