A simple computer model of pellet/cladding interaction including stress corrosion cracking
Many unexpected failures, below design criteria, of light water reactor fuel cladding (Zircaloy) have been found during operational power ramps. Such a fuel rod failure can result from pellet/cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) assisted by fission product stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the Zircaloy tubing. A deterministic PCMI/SCC model has been coupled with the steady-state fuel behavior code, FRAPCON-2. The resulting code has been benchmarked (against few test cases but comprising many data points) but not fully verified. It is used to simulate two important occurrences: preramp (base) and power ramp irradiation. Because of the limitations of FRAPCON-2, the code is best suited to the simulation of mild power ramps with rates that do not exceed 0.02%/s. Computations with the code for greater power ramp rates, however, gave results which are not inconsistent with some overpower ramp experimental test results. Limited sensitivity studies are performed on the operational parameters and some fuel rod design parameters.
- Research Organization:
- University of California, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Los Angeles, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 5912858
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 71:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
COMPUTER CODES
F CODES
P CODES
FUEL PELLETS
CRACK PROPAGATION
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
STRESS CORROSION
WATER COOLED REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
ZIRCALOY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EXCURSIONS
FRACTURE MECHANICS
IRRADIATION
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
SENSITIVITY
ACCIDENTS
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
MECHANICS
PELLETS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTORS
SIMULATION
TIN ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210100 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled