Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Application of analytical capability to predict rapid cladding cooling and quench during the blowdown phase of a large break loss-of-coolant accident. [PWR]

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6775947
Large-break Experiments L2-2 and L2-3 conducted in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) facility experienced core-wide rapid quenches early in the blowdown transients. To further investigate rapid cladding quenches, separate effects experiments using Semiscale solid-type electric heater rods were conducted in the LOFT Test Support Facility (LTSF) over a wide range of inlet coolant conditions. The analytical capability to predict the cladding temperature response from selected LTSF experiments estimated to bound the hydraulic conditions causing the LOFT early blowdown quenches was investigated using the RELAP4 computer code and was shown to be acceptable over the film boiling cooldown phase. This analytical capability was then used to investigate the behavior of nuclear fuel rods under the same hydraulic conditions. The calculations show that, under rapid cooling conditions, the behaviors of nuclear and electrical heater rods are significantly different because the nuclear rods are conduction limited, while the electrical rods are convection limited.
Research Organization:
Swiss Federal Inst. for Reactor Research, Wuerenlingen; EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76ID01570
OSTI ID:
6775947
Report Number(s):
EGG-M-22682; CONF-830103-37; ON: DE83005850
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English