Feasibility and Safety Assessment for Advanced Reactor Concepts Using Vented Fuel
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
Recent interest in fast reactor technology has led to renewed analysis of past reactor concepts such as Gas Fast Reactors and Sodium Fast Reactors. In an effort to make these reactors more economic, the fuel is required to stay in the reactor for extended periods of time; the longer the fuel stays within the core, the more fertile material is converted into usable fissile material. However, as burnup of the fuel-rod increases, so does the internal pressure buildup due to gaseous fission products. In order to reach the 30 year lifetime requirements of some reactor designs, the fuel pins must have a vented-type design to allow the buildup of fission products to escape. The present work aims to progress the understanding of the feasibility and safety issues related to gas reactors that incorporate vented fuel. The work was separated into three different work-scopes: 1. Quantitatively determine fission gas release from uranium carbide in a representative helium cooled fast reactor; 2. Model the fission gas behavior, transport, and collection in a Fission Product Vent System; and, 3. Perform a safety analysis of the Fission Product Vent System. Each task relied on results from the previous task, culminating in a limited scope Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) of the Fission Product Vent System. Within each task, many key parameters lack the fidelity needed for comprehensive or accurate analysis. In the process of completing each task, the data or methods that were lacking were identified and compiled in a Gap Analysis included at the end of the report.
- Research Organization:
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1183683
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NEUP-11-3097; OSU-NE-VF-1204; 11-3097; TRN: US1500403
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FISSION PRODUCTS
FAST REACTORS
VENTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
SAFETY ANALYSIS
HELIUM COOLED REACTORS
SODIUM
FUEL PINS
FUEL RODS
RISK ASSESSMENT
URANIUM CARBIDES
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
BUILDUP
DESIGN
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
BURNUP
TRANSPORT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES