Behavior of four PWR rods subjected to a simulated loss-of-coolant accient in the power burst facility

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6526054

Cook, T F; Hagrman, D L; Sepold, L K

Cladding deformation characteristics resulting from the first nuclear blowdown tests (LOC-11) conducted in the Power Burst Facility (PBF) are emphasized in this paper. The objective of the LOC-11 tests was to obtain data on the thermal, mechanical, and materials behavior of pressurized and unpressurized fuel rods when exposed to a blowdown similiar to that expected in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) during a hypothesized double-ended cold-leg break. The test hardware consisted of four separately shrouded fresh fuel rods of PWR 15 x 15 design. Initial plenum pressures ranged from atmospheric to 4.8 MPa (representative of end-of-life). During LOC-11C, the four fuel rods were subjected to 6.5 hours of nuclear operation at approximately 67 kW/m average rod power to cause decay heat build-up. Just before the start of blowdown, cladding surface temperatures were about 620 K and fuel centerline temperatures were in the 2500 to 2600 K range. During the 30-second blowdown transient, CHF occurred 2 seconds after initiation. Fuel centerline temperature dropped continuously, while cladding surface temperatures increased. Maximum cladding temperatures of 1030 to 1050 K occurred 15 seconds into the transient. Posttest destructive examination revealed cladding microstructures and oxide thicknesses consistent with the measured cladding temperatures. The cladding surface thermocouples did not appreciably affect cladding temperature distributuion (fin cooling effect) in the vicinity of the thermocouples.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-07-1570
• OSTI ID: 6526054
• Report Number(s): CONF-781105-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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