Performance of fast breeder reactor fuel pins with mixed fuel to cladding gaps

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5590819

Ethridge, J L

The fabrication of mixed-oxide (U, Pu)O/sub 2/ fuel pins for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and fast breeder reactors like the Clinch River Breeder Reactor is controlled by a large number of specifications which will ensure the pins will perform as predicted. One of these specifications controls the fuel-to-cladding gap which is the diametral distance between the fuel pellet outside surface and the cladding inner surface. For the FFTF, the gap is allowed to vary from 8.9 to 19.5 x 10/sup -2/ millimeters. It was the purpose of this investigation to determine what effects, if any, variation of gap size, within the allowable range in a single fuel pin (mixed-gap), has on overall thermal performance. A comparison was made between the measured central void radii and columnar grain extent of the mixed-gap and uniform-gap fuel pins of Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory P-20 experiment as reported in work done by Baker, et al. A two-dimensional R-Z thermal model was developed to predict the radial and axial temperature profile in the mixed-gap fuel pins. Consideration was also given to fuel melting, fuel vapor transport, fission gas release and cladding distortion.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76FF02170
• OSTI ID: 5590819
• Report Number(s): HEDL-SA-2454; CONF-811103-88; ON: DE82006047
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CHALCOGENIDES
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EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
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REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
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