X-ray and gamma-ray tomographic imaging of fuel relocation inside sodium fast reactor test assemblies during severe accidents

Diaz, Julio; Kim, Taeil; Petrov, Victor; Manera, Annalisa

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152567

X-ray and gamma-ray tomographic imaging of fuel relocation inside sodium fast reactor test assemblies during severe accidents

Journal Article · Fri Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152567· OSTI ID:1686071

^[1]; Kim, Taeil ^[2]; Petrov, Victor ^[1]; Manera, Annalisa ^[1]

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

The present work reports on x-ray and gamma-ray high-spatial resolution computerized tomography measurements of the Pin Bundle Metallic Fuel Relocation (PBR) assemblies tested in the Metallic Uranium Safety Experiment (MUSE) facility at Argonne National Lab (ANL). The aim of the study was to characterize fuel relocation structures that develop during severe core accidents pertaining to SFR assemblies; these include but are not limited to advanced core disruption recreated in the PBR-1 assembly, and cladding breach recreated in the PBR-2 assembly. We report the x-ray tomography measurements were able to resolve small quantities of relocation fuel; with increased presence of relocation fuel, the x-ray 1measurements spatially mapped the material but could not resolve the inner regions of these. The gamma-tomography measurements showed improved results, resolving the relocation structures in great detail. The upper plenum of the PBR-1 assembly where the molten uranium was initially inserted presented high structural damage, reflected by the partial and complete disintegration of the central rods. Relocation fuel filled the subchannels, adhering to surviving cladding walls and the assembly casing. In the lower portion of the measured section, the tomogram degrades due to photon starvation effects hinting at the increased amount of relocation fuel potentially plugging the assembly; flow blockage in this section was difficult to determine due to the tomogram’s degradation from photon starvation. Small fragments were observed further down the assembly, dislodged from the initial insertion of the molten material. This section was used as an unperturbed assembly reference, with a calculated blockage of less than 1% from the present fragments. The PBR-2 assembly was characterized by columnar relocation structures propagating through the subchannels. Three of the relocation structures were captured in the measured section, with evidence of cross migration on to adjacent subchannels. The measured section in this assembly captures the leading edge of two structures. The calculated flow blockage was 16% in the planes where the three relocation structures are present, but this quickly decreases to approximately 5% past the leading edge of two of the structures.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357

OSTI ID:: 1686071

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 543; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (32)

Investigations on the flow and temperature distribution downstream of local coolant blockages in rod bundle subassemblies Kirsch, D. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 31, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(75)90147-8	journal	January 1974
An assessment of fuel freezing and drainage phenomena in a reactor shield plug following a core disruptive accident El-Genk, Mohamed; Cronenberg, August W. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 47, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(78)90063-8	journal	May 1978
Loss-of-flow experiment in a 37-pin bundle LMFBR fuel assembly simulator Haga, Kazuo Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 82, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(84)90217-6	journal	October 1984
The experimental breeder reactor II inherent shutdown and heat removal tests — results and analysis Planchon, H. P.; Singer, R. M.; Mohr, D. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 91, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(86)90082-8	journal	February 1986
Experimental study on simulated molten jet-coolant interactions Kondo, Sa.; Konishi, K.; Isozaki, M. Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 155, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(94)00870-5	journal	April 1995
Computed tomography of radioactive objects and materials Sawicka, B. D.; Murphy, R. V.; Tosello, G. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 299, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(90)90827-S	journal	December 1990
Thermal history of ht-9 weldment heat-affected zones during welding Foulds, J. R. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 141-143 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(86)80078-2	journal	November 1986
Current knowledge on core degradation phenomena, a review Hofmann, P. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 270, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(98)00899-X	journal	April 1999
Properties, use and health effects of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview Bleise, A.; Danesi, P. R.; Burkart, W. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Vol. 64, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00041-3	journal	January 2003
A novel fast-neutron tomography system based on a plastic scintillator array and a compact D–D neutron generator Adams, Robert; Zboray, Robert; Prasser, Horst-Michael Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.09.002	journal	January 2016
Experimental studies on eutectic formation between metallic fuel and HT-9M cladding in a single-pin core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor Kim, Taeil; Fortner, Jeffrey; Harbaruk, Dzmitry Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 505 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.04.003	journal	July 2018
Metal Fuel Development and Verification for Prototype Generation IV Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Lee, Chan Bock; Cheon, Jin Sik; Kim, Sung Ho Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2016.08.001	journal	October 2016
Development and testing of a high resolution fan-beam gamma tomography system with a modular detector array Adams, Robert; Diaz, Julio; Petrov, Victor Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 942 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.162346	journal	October 2019
Transformation and fragmentation behavior of molten metal drop in sodium pool Nishimura, Satoshi; Zhang, Zhi-Gang; Sugiyama, Ken-Ichiro Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 237, Issue 23 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2007.03.021	journal	December 2007
Development of a three-dimensional CDA analysis code: SIMMER-IV and its first application to reactor case Yamano, Hidemasa; Fujita, Satoshi; Tobita, Yoshiharu Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 238, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2007.04.015	journal	January 2008
Experimental studies on metallic fuel relocation in a single-pin core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor Kim, Taeil; Harbaruk, Dzmitry; Gerardi, Craig Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 322 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.06.049	journal	October 2017
Experimental studies on metallic fuel relocation in a pin bundle core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor Kim, Taeil; Harbaruk, Dzmitry; Lisowski, Darius Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 365 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110719	journal	August 2020
Upgrading of X-ray CT technology for analyses of irradiated FBR MOX fuel Ishimi, Akihiro; Katsuyama, Kozo; Maeda, Koji Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 49, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2012.740354	journal	December 2012
Experimental study on fuel-discharge behaviour through in-core coolant channels Kamiyama, Kenji; Saito, Masaki; Matsuba, Ken-ichi Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 50, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2013.785272	journal	June 2013
Visual study of ex-pin phenomena for SFR with metal fuel under initial phase of severe accidents by using simulants Heo, Hyo; Park, Seong Dae; Jerng, Dong Wook Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 53, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2015.1120246	journal	January 2016
Restructure behavior analysis in fast breeder reactor MOX fuel by X-ray CT Ishimi, Akihiro; Katsuyama, Kozo; Furuya, Hirotaka Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 56, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1633967	journal	July 2019
Overview of the SAS4A Metallic Fuel Models and Extended Analysis of a Postulated Severe Accident in the Prototype Gen-IV Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Tentner, A. M.; Karahan, A.; Kang, S. H. Nuclear Technology, Vol. 206, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2019.1636589	journal	August 2019
Local Sodium Boiling behind Local Flow Blockage in Simulated LMFBR Fuel Subassembly Kikuchi, Yoshihiro; Daigo, Yoshimichi; Ohtsubo, Akira Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 14, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1080/18811248.1977.9730839	journal	November 1977
Fast High-Energy X-Ray Imaging for Severe Accidents Experiments on the Future PLINIUS-2 Platform Berge, L.; Estre, N.; Tisseur, D. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 65, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2018.2847460	journal	September 2018
Development and Validation of SAS4A Code and Its Application to Analyses on Severe Flow Blockage Accidents in a Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Fukano, Yoshitaka Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040649	journal	January 2019
Artifacts in CT: Recognition and Avoidance Barrett, Julia F.; Keat, Nicholas RadioGraphics, Vol. 24, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.246045065	journal	November 2004
SIMMER-III Analyses of Local Fuel-Coolant Interactions in a Simulated Molten Fuel Pool: Effect of Coolant Quantity Cheng, Songbai; Matsuba, Ken-ichi; Isozaki, Mikio Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations, Vol. 2015 https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/964327	journal	January 2015
Sodium Flow Blockage in Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactors: Sweepout of a Planar Blockage Warinner, Douglas K.; Saxena, S. C. Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 76, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE80-A21328	journal	December 1980
The Mol-7C In-Pile Local Blockage Experiments: Main Results, Conclusions, and Extrapolation to Reactor Conditions Schleisiek, K.; Aberle, J.; Homann, Ch. Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 128, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE98-A1949	journal	February 1998
Pouring of 100-kg-Scale Molten UO ₂ into Sodium Magallon, Daniel; Hohmann, Hermann; Schins, Hubert Nuclear Technology, Vol. 98, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34652	journal	April 1992
Practical cone-beam algorithm Feldkamp, L. A.; Davis, L. C.; Kress, J. W. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, Vol. 1, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.1.000612	journal	January 1984
Fast and flexible X-ray tomography using the ASTRA toolbox van Aarle, Wim; Palenstijn, Willem Jan; Cant, Jeroen Optics Express, Vol. 24, Issue 22 https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.24.025129	journal	January 2016

Similar Records

Experimental studies on metallic fuel relocation in a pin bundle core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

Journal Article · Sat Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Nuclear Engineering and Design · OSTI ID:1659758

Experimental studies on metallic fuel relocation in a single-pin core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

Journal Article · Mon Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nuclear Engineering and Design · OSTI ID:1415473

Multichannel clad-relocation model for fast-reactor loss-of-flow accidents

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · OSTI ID:5943049

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Computerized Tomography
Flow Blockage
Molten Fuel
Radiation Imaging
Relocation
SFR

X-ray and gamma-ray tomographic imaging of fuel relocation inside sodium fast reactor test assemblies during severe accidents

Citation Formats

References (32)

Similar Records

Related Subjects