Short-term irradiation of Zircaloy-4 clad fuel rods containing low-density or annular ZrO/sub 2/--UO/sub 2/ ceramic fuel pellets: X-1-t test (LWBR Development Program)

Technical Report · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1968

OSTI ID:6747393

Meieran, H B; Bourgeois, W F; Engel, J T

The X-1-t irradiation test was a pilot test in the development of Zircaloy-clad bulk-oxide fuel elements having high thermal and depletion ratings for the LSBR program. The test was run on fuel rods containing ZrO/sub 2/-47 wt % U/sup E/O/sub 2/ fuel pellets; the rods contained either 94% TD annular pellets or 84% TD solid pellets. The test was terminated after 7 days when one of the solid, low-density rods failed, due to attack of molten fuel on the clad with resulting clad melting and burnout. There was severe internal hydriding of the failed clad and all rods showed internal ZrO/sub 2/ -type corrosion products, attributed to O/sub 2/ pickup by Zircaloy at high temperatures. The solid, low-density rods showed gross fuel redistribution and fuel pellet melting. The annular pellets did not melt, but did show some fuel redistribution. Structural changes are estimated at 90% in the solid fuel and 15% in the annular fuel. The solid rods showed a post-irradiation ovality of cladding, with small depressions (dimples) on the minor axis of the oval. The cladding of the unfailed rods had an unusually large hydrogen pickup, which was not consistent with the small amount of external corrosion of the rods. (NSA 23: 8343)

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Lab., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-14
• OSTI ID: 6747393
• Report Number(s): WAPD-TM-630
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
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ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALLOYS
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CHALCOGENIDES
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PELLETS
FUEL RODS
IRRADIATION
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REACTOR ACCIDENTS
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THERMAL REACTORS
TIN ALLOYS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 4
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES