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Results of SFD experiment CORA-13 (OECD International Standard Problem 31)

Abstract

The PWR-type assemblies usually consist of 25 rods with 16 electrically heated fuel rod simulators and nine unheated rods (full-pellet and absorber rods). Bundle CORA-13, a PWR-type assembly, contained two Ag/In/Cd - steel absorber rods. The test bundle was subjected to temperature transients of a slow heatup rate in a steam environment with a temperature ramp rate of 1 K/s. The temperature escalation due to the exothermal zircaloy(Zry)-steam reaction started at about 1100 C at an elevation of 850 mm (1000 s after onset of the transient), leading to a temperature plateau of 1850 C and after initiation of quenching to maximum temperatures of approximately 2000 C to 2300 C. CORA-13 was terminated by quenching with water from the bottom with a flooding rate of 1 cm/s. Rod destruction started with the failure of the absorber rod cladding at about 1200 C, i.e. about 250 K below the melting regime of steel. Penetration of the steel cladding was presumably caused by a eutectic interaction between steel and the zircaloy guide tube. As a consequence, the absorber-steel-zircaloy melt relocated radially outward and axially downward. Besides this melt relocation the test bundle experienced severe oxidation and partial melting of the cladding, fuel  More>>
Publication Date:
Feb 01, 1993
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
KFK-5054
Reference Number:
SCA: 220900; 210200; PA: DEN-94:0F2000; EDB-94:035961; ERA-19:009147; NTS-94:016563; SN: 94001157219
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Feb 1993
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; PWR TYPE REACTORS; MELTDOWN; REACTOR SAFETY EXPERIMENTS; FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS; TRANSIENTS; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; CORE FLOODING SYSTEMS; HYDROGEN; FUEL RODS; MOLTEN METAL-WATER REACTIONS; FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS; CONTROL ELEMENTS; ZIRCALOY; DISSOLUTION; SPACERS; 220900; 210200; REACTOR SAFETY; POWER REACTORS, NONBREEDING, LIGHT-WATER MODERATED, NONBOILING WATER COOLED
OSTI ID:
10129073
Research Organizations:
Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (Germany). Hauptabteilung Ingenieurtechnik; Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Materialforschung; Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Neutronenphysik und Reaktortechnik; Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (Germany). Projekt Nukleare Sicherheitsforschung
Country of Origin:
Germany
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: ISSN 0303-4003; Other: ON: DE94746031; TRN: DE94F2000
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS (US Sales Only); INIS
Submitting Site:
DEN
Size:
194 p.
Announcement Date:
Jul 04, 2005

Citation Formats

Hagen, S, Hofmann, P, Noack, V, Schanz, G, Schumacher, G, and Sepold, L. Results of SFD experiment CORA-13 (OECD International Standard Problem 31). Germany: N. p., 1993. Web.
Hagen, S, Hofmann, P, Noack, V, Schanz, G, Schumacher, G, & Sepold, L. Results of SFD experiment CORA-13 (OECD International Standard Problem 31). Germany.
Hagen, S, Hofmann, P, Noack, V, Schanz, G, Schumacher, G, and Sepold, L. 1993. "Results of SFD experiment CORA-13 (OECD International Standard Problem 31)." Germany.
@misc{etde_10129073,
title = {Results of SFD experiment CORA-13 (OECD International Standard Problem 31)}
author = {Hagen, S, Hofmann, P, Noack, V, Schanz, G, Schumacher, G, and Sepold, L}
abstractNote = {The PWR-type assemblies usually consist of 25 rods with 16 electrically heated fuel rod simulators and nine unheated rods (full-pellet and absorber rods). Bundle CORA-13, a PWR-type assembly, contained two Ag/In/Cd - steel absorber rods. The test bundle was subjected to temperature transients of a slow heatup rate in a steam environment with a temperature ramp rate of 1 K/s. The temperature escalation due to the exothermal zircaloy(Zry)-steam reaction started at about 1100 C at an elevation of 850 mm (1000 s after onset of the transient), leading to a temperature plateau of 1850 C and after initiation of quenching to maximum temperatures of approximately 2000 C to 2300 C. CORA-13 was terminated by quenching with water from the bottom with a flooding rate of 1 cm/s. Rod destruction started with the failure of the absorber rod cladding at about 1200 C, i.e. about 250 K below the melting regime of steel. Penetration of the steel cladding was presumably caused by a eutectic interaction between steel and the zircaloy guide tube. As a consequence, the absorber-steel-zircaloy melt relocated radially outward and axially downward. Besides this melt relocation the test bundle experienced severe oxidation and partial melting of the cladding, fuel dissolution by Zry/UO{sub 2} interaction, complete Inconel grid spacer destruction, and relocation of melts and fragments to lower elevations in the bundle. An extended flow blockage has formed at the axial midplane. Quenching by water resulted, besides additional fragmentation of fuel rods and shroud, in an additional temperature increase in the upper bundle region. Coinciding with the temperature response an additional hydrogen buildup was detected. During the flooding phase 48% of the total hydrogen were generated. (orig./HP) [Deutsch] Die DWR-Anordnung besteht ueblicherweise aus 25 Staeben mit 16 elektrisch beheizten Brennstabsimulatoren und neun unbeheizten Staeben (Vollpellet-Staebe und Absorberstaebe). Buendel CORA-13, vom Typ DWR, war mit zwei Ag/In/Cd-Stahl Absorberstaeben bestueckt. Es war einer Temperaturtransiente mit langsamer Aufheizrate in Dampfatmosphaere ausgesetzt. Die Temperatureskalationsphase begann bei etwa 1100 C. Die maximalen Buendeltemperaturen betrugen in der transienten Phase 1850 C, in der Flutphase 2000 C bis 2300 C. Versuch CORA-13 wurde durch Fluten mit Wasser (quenching) mit einer Flutrate von 1 cm/s, beginnend an der Buendelunterkante, beendet. Die Stabzerstoerung begann mit dem Versagen der Absorberstabhuelle bei etwa 1200 C, d.h. ungefaehr 250 K unterhalb des Schmelzbereichs von Stahl. Die Zerstoerung der Stahlhuelle war sicherlich durch die eutektische Wechselwirkung zwischen Stahl und dem Fuehrungsrohr aus Zirkaloy hervorgerufen. Als Folge verlagerte sich die Absorber-Stahl-Zirkaloy-Schmelze radial nach aussen und axial nach unten. Zusaetzlich zur Verlagerung der Absorberschmelze erlitt das Versuchsbuendel eine starke Oxidation und ein teilweises Schmelzen der Huelle, Brennstoffaufloesung durch die Zry/UO{sub 2}-Wechselwirkung, vollstaendige Zerstoerung des Inconel-Abstandshalters sowie Verlagerung von Schmelzen und Bruchstuecken in den unteren Teil des Buendels. Eine ausgepraegte Kuehlkanalblockade hat sich in der axialen Mitte des Buendels gebildet. Das Abschrecken mit kaltem Wasser ergab neben einer zusaetzlichen Fragmentierung von Brennstaeben und Kuehlmittelfuehrungsrohr (shroud) einen zusaetzlichen Temperaturanstieg im oberen Buendelbereich. Gleichzeitig mit dieser Temperaturerhoehung wurde eine zusaetzliche Waserstoffproduktion beobachtet. Allein waehrend der Flutphase wurden 48% des gesamten Wasserstoffs erzeugt. (orig./HP)}
place = {Germany}
year = {1993}
month = {Feb}
}