Radiochemical evaluation for debris-induced failures

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6593425

Goncarovs, G ^[1]

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1. Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co., Haddam Neck, CT (United States)

Radiochemical trends and anomalies experienced during cycle 15 of the Haddam Neck nuclear power plant, as a result of > 450 debris-induced fuel rod failures, presented a situation previously unreported in the nuclear industry. These data, along with shutdown and depressurization spiking data, needed to be evaluated against ultrasonic fuel assembly examination results to derive a predictive model, called the xenon pin equivalent (XPE), to be used for cycle 16. During the development of the model, a fission product release mechanism for this particular type of failure needed to be postulated based on cycle 15 data. The predictive model was tested during cycle 16, which presented similar but more subtle radiochemical trends than cycle 15. Several operational events affected the XPE model, including use of degasification and down-power maneuvers. After the cycle 16 shutdown, the XPE model results were reviewed and evaluated against ultrasonic testing results. Although expected to be conservative, this evaluation proved encouraging in that the model performed more accurately than expected. Additionally, these data helped confirm the postulated release mechanism and its contribution to the XPE model.

• OSTI ID: 6593425
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Vol. 102:3; ISSN 0029-5450
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CONNECTICUT YANKEE REACTOR
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
DATA ANALYSIS
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
IODINE 131
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
ULTRASONIC TESTING
XENON 133
ACCIDENTS
ACOUSTIC TESTING
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
POWER REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
XENON ISOTOPES
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled