Thermal conductivity of Na/sub 3/(U/sub 1-y/Pu/sub y/)O/sub 4/: A preliminary in-pile determination

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5589461

Lee, M J; Lambert, J D.B.; Ukai, S; Odo, T

During Run-Beyond-Cladding-Breach (RBCB) operation in an oxide LMR, the performance of a breached fuel element is intimately associated with the formation of fuel-sodium reaction product (FSRP), Na/sub 3/(U/sub 1-y/Pu/sub y/)O/sub 4/. In-pile experiments coupled with destructive examinations of breached fuel have consistently revealed noticeable changes in fuel structure accompanying FSRP formation at the fuel surface. Previous analyses have also indicated a significant impact of FSRP on fuel centerline temperature. Successful modeling of breached fuel thermal behavior therefore requires a reasonably accurate knowledge of the thermal properties of the FSRP, especially its thermal conductivity. But laboratory investigations have been scarce and limited to the Na/UO/sub 2/ system because of the toxicity of plutonium and hygroscopicity of the FSRP. Hence, post-irradiation observations of fuel samples remain the most amenable way of deriving the thermal conductivity of the FSRP. Such work is a spin-off of the RBCB program in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II), a program jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Oarai, Ibaraki (Japan). Oarai Engineering Center
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5589461
• Report Number(s): CONF-871101-76; ON: DE88003034
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
ASIA
BREEDER REACTORS
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAILURES
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL-COOLANT INTERACTIONS
JAPAN
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES