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U.S. Department of Energy
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Spent fuel resistance to internally produced cladding degradation

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5201336

These tests were conducted over a narrow temperature range considerably above anticipated disposal conditions and utilized only one set of rods from a single reactor. The following conclusions are made: The measured cladding strain was sufficiently large so that failure mechanism verification by inducing breaches in unmodified rods heated to elevated temperatures for short periods of time does not appear to be practical based on a stress rupture mechanism. At the elevated test temperatures, though, Blackburn's formulization based on stress rupture gives very conservative estimates of breach times. In addition to the high cladding strain, the fuel exhibited no additional gas release or axial fission product migration at 482/sup 0/C. The nondestructive examination gave no additional indication of internal deterioration of the fuel rod.

Research Organization:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA); Battelle Columbus Labs., OH (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC14-76FF02170
OSTI ID:
5201336
Report Number(s):
HEDL-SA-2138; CONF-8005107-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English