IN REACTOR PERFORMANCE OF DEFECTED ZIRCALOY-CLAD U$sub 3$Si FUEL ELEMENTS IN PRESSURIZED AND BOILING WATER COOLANTS.

Technical Report · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1968

OSTI ID:4482407

Feraday, M A; Allison, G M; Ambler, J F.R.; Chalder, G H; Lipsett, J J

The results of two in-reactor defect tests of Zircaloy-clad U{sub 3}Si are reported. In the first test, a previously irradiated element (~5300 MWd/tonne U) was defected then exposed to first pressurized water then boiling water at ~270 degC. In the second test, an unirradiated element containing a central void was defected, water-logged, then exposed to pressurized water for 50 minutes. Both tests were terminated because of high activity in the loop coolant detected by both gamma and delayed neutron monitors. Post-irradiation examination showed that both elements had suffered major sheath failures which were attributed to the volume increase accompanying the formation of large quantities of corrosion product formed by the reaction of water with the hot central part of the fuel. It was concluded that the corrosion resistance of U{sub 3}Si at 300 degC is not seriously affected by irradiation, but the corrosion rate increases rapidly with temperature.

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River (Ontario) Canada. Chalk River Nuclear Labs., Fuel Materials Branch
• NSA Number: NSA-22-047038
• OSTI ID: 4482407
• Report Number(s): AECL--3106; EXP-NRX--61607
• Country of Publication: Canada
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BOILING
CORROSION
DEFECTS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
IN PILE LOOPS
IRRADIATION
N38700* --Reactor Components
Fuels & Accessories
PERFORMANCE
PRESSURE
REACTOR FUEL ELEMENTS/corrosion behavior of defected Zircaloy-clad uranium silicide (U$sub 3$Si)
in pressurized and boiling water coolants
(E)
TESTING
URANIUM SILICIDES
URANIUM SILICIDES/corrosion behavior of defected Zircaloy-clad U$sub 3$Si in pressurized and boiling water coolants
(E)
WATER COOLANT
ZIRCALOY