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Simple computational model for the prediction of fuel pin failure during a transient-overpower accident. [LMFBR]

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5416229
A fuel pin failure model is developed and incorported into a fast-running computer program. The model is designed to predict irradiated fuel-pin cladding rupture during a hypothetical transient-overpower (TOP) accident in a liquid metal fast breeder reactor. The principal failure mechanisms of fuel-cladding differential thermal expansion and fission-gas pressurization are accounted for. The prediction of cladding failure is based on a mechanistic calculation of the time-dependent cladding temperature and stress. A finite-difference thermal solution is used to obtain the radial temperature distribution in the pin. The pin mechanics calculation uses a very efficient few-fuel-node/single-cladding-node algorithm that utilizes the Tresca yield criterion to determine the onset of cladding plastic deformation. Comparisons are made between model predictions and the results of a number of Transient Reactor Test Facility TOP experiments. The importance of accurately modeling the fuel radial and circumferential crack characterization is investigated and discussed. The effect of model limitations is discussed and recommendations for future work are made.
Research Organization:
Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA)
OSTI ID:
5416229
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English