Nuclear metallic fuel melt behavior during severe accidents

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6007382

Ellison, P G; Monson, P R; Hyder, M L

An assessment of fuel melt behavior during hypothetical overheating and melting incidents was made for nuclear reactors that use aluminum alloy fuels, which are typically composed of an aluminium/uranium alloy with an aluminum cladding. The assessment was based on analyses of several overheating incidents and on the results of a number of experimental test programs. The analyses indicated that the fuel failed in three distinct stages. At temperatures below melting, blistering of the cladding was observed, followed by cracking of the aluminium cladding at higher temperatures. When low-burnup fuel method, it flowed in rivulets through the gaps in the cracked cladding over the oxidized cladding surface, and higher-burnup fuels exuded a metallic molten foam through the cracks. 6 refs.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 6007382
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-90-234; CONF-910739--5; ON: DE91007242
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
ACCIDENTS
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
BLISTERS
CLADDING
CRACKS
DEPOSITION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
HEAT TRANSFER
MELTDOWN
MELTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
SURFACE COATING