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Studies of unprotected loss-of-flow accidents for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7157486· OSTI ID:7157486
Studies of unprotected loss-of-flow accidents in the CRBR for various rates of flow coastdown and with various options in the SAS 3A code did not lead to conditions for a violent disassembly. Maximum fuel temperatures using the SLUMPY module for disassembly were in the range 4000--4500/sup 0/C. An approximate treatment of the LOF-driven TOP accident, not properly modeled by SAS 3A, indicates the possibility of some increase in accident severity. The effect of fission gas in dispersing fuel was not taken into account in these calculations. Parameter variations included the presence or absence of axial fuel expansion and of clad motion and use of the moving coolant film model versus the static film model. Study of severe pipe rupture accidents with scram indicated that pin power density and fuel-clad conductance were important parameters in determining what coolant flow rate was needed to prevent boiling after the rupture. It appears that for the CRBR when engineering hot channel factors are considered, this fraction would have to exceed 25 percent.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
OSTI ID:
7157486
Report Number(s):
ANL-76-51
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English