Sister Rod Destructive Examinations (FY23) Appendix C: Rod Internal Pressure, Void Volume, and Gas Transmission Tests

Technical Report · Wed Jan 31 04:00:00 EST 2024

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2341393· OSTI ID:2341393

Morris, Robert N. ^[1]; Montgomery, Rose ^[1]; Sasikumar, Yadukrishnan ^[1]; Keever, Tamara (Tammy) J. ^[1]; Cantonwine, Paul ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

As a part of the DOE NE High Burnup Spent Fuel Data Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing destructive examinations (DEs) of high burnup (HBU) (>45 GWD/MTU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods from the North Anna Nuclear Power Station operated by Dominion Energy. The SNF rods, called the sister rods or sibling rods, are all HBU and include four different kinds of fuel rod cladding: standard Zircaloy-4 (Zirc-4), low-tin (LT) Zirc-4, ZIRLO, and M5. The DEs are being conducted to obtain a baseline of the HBU rod’s condition before dry storage and are focused on understanding overall SNF rod strength and durability. Both fuel rods and empty cladding will be tested to derive material properties. Although the data generated can be used for multiple purposes, one primary goal for obtaining the postirradiation 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 appendix documents the status of the ORNL Phase 1 DE activities related to rod internal pressure and void volume measurement techniques, fission gas stack flow measurements applied to selected sister rods, and fission gas release calculations in Phase 1 of the sister rod test program.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition. Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 2341393
• Report Number(s): ORNL/SPR--2024/3338; ORNL/TM--2022/2740; M2SF-24OR010201024
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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