Calculational methods for power capability studies

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7365664· OSTI ID:7365664

Schmittroth, F

A formulation is developed to study reactor power capability based on the likelihood of incipient centerline fuel melting. Attention is also directed to the proper definition of this likelihood. As a consequence, it is shown how to compute the total probability for fuel melting as well as the expected number of fuel pellets and the associated variance. Factors considered include statistical variations in pellet fissile densities, gap sizes, coolant temperatures, reactor power, and the power-to-melt function. General formulas suitable for computation are given along with more transparent analytical results.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: E(45-1)-2170
• OSTI ID: 7365664
• Report Number(s): HEDL-TME-75-141; TRN: 76-013096
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FUEL ELEMENTS
POWER DENSITY
FUEL PELLETS
MELTING
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM DIOXIDE
EQUATIONS
PROBABILITY
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
220300* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements
360202 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Structure & Phase Studies