Coolability of a control rod which has melted and foamed in its septifoil channel

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6752143· OSTI ID:6752143

Walkowiak, D A

During a Loss of Control Rod Cooling (LCRC) event, the control rods which are in the affected septifoil can be postulated to melt. Melting of a control rod which has been irradiated creates a special concern since the entrapped gases expand rapidly and cause the melt to manifest itself initially in a foamed state. The foamed material then contacts the septifoil outer housing and the inner septifoil web material, where heat is conducted out of the foamed material. A second concern relating to the foamed melt is that its thermal conductivity is greatly reduced from that of the solid material, and also that of the non-foamed liquid. The purpose of this report is to address how, even in the presence of decreased thermal conductivity, the foamed melt may aid in cooling the control rod material.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 6752143
• Report Number(s): WSRC-TR-91-545; SRL-SAG--910564; ON: DE93006790
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
COLLOIDS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
COOLING
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
FOAMS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
MECHANICS
MELTING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
SAFETY
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS