Fuel motion in overpower tests of metallic integral fast reactor fuel

Journal Article · Tue Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1992 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5243633

Rhodes, E A; Bauer, T H; Stanford, G S; Regis, J P; Dickerman, C E ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab., Reactor Engineering Div., Argonne, IL (US)

In this paper results from hodoscope data analyses are presented for transient overpower (TOP) tests M5, M6, and M7 at the Transient Reactor Test Facility, with emphasis on transient feedback mechanisms, including prefailure expansion at the tops of the fuel pins, subsequent dispersive axial fuel motion, and losses in relative worth of the fuel pins during the tests. Tests M5 and M6 were the first TOP tests of margin to cladding breach and prefailure elongation of D9-clad ternary (U-Pu-Zr) integral fast reactor-type fuel. Test M7 extended these results to high-burnup fuel and also initiated transient testing of HT-9-clad binary (U-Zr) Fast Flux Test Facility driver fuel. Results show significant prefailure negative reactivity feedback and strongly negative feedback from fuel driven to failure.

• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5243633
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 98:1; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ALLOY SYSTEMS
ALLOYS
CLADDING
DEPOSITION
ELONGATION
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FEEDBACK
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PINS
HODOSCOPES
MOTION
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SURFACE COATING
TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
TEST FACILITIES
TESTING
TRANSIENT OVERPOWER ACCIDENTS
URANIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS