Fission product release from defected LWR fuel rods

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5396181

Malinauskas, A. P.; Lorenz, R. A.; Collins, J. L.

Experiments conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory both with fission product simulants and with irradiated commercial fuel have been utilized to develop a semi-empirical model of fission product release from defected Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel rods. At fuel temperatures less than 1200/sup 0/C, releases occur from fission products previously accumulated in the pellet-to-cladding gap region. In this temperature range, the release of species of moderate volatility is postulated to result from two processes. The first of these, which occurs during the period of fuel clad rupture, is due to the transport of the fill and fission product gases as they are vented through the cladding defect. The second mechanism for release, which is time-dependent, involves the diffusional transport of the semi-volatile species to the point of clad rupture through the interconnected voids (the pellet-to-cladding gap and cracks in fuel pellets) within the fuel rod.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5396181
• Report Number(s): CONF-791118-8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACCIDENTS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
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FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
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REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
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