Experimental studies of thermal and chemical interactions between oxide and silicide nuclear fuels with water
- Univ. of Wisconsi, Madison, WI (United States)
Given some transient power/cooling mismatch is a nuclear reactor and its inability to establish the necessary core cooling, energetic fuel-coolant interactions (FCI`s commonly called `vapor explosions`) could occur as a result of the core melting and coolant contact. Although a large number of studies have been done on energetic FCI`s, very few experiments have been performed with the actual fuel materials postulated to be produced in severe accidents. Because of the scarcity of well-characterized FCI data for uranium allows in noncommercial reactors (cermet and silicide fuels), we have conducted a series of experiments to provide a data base for the foregoing materials. An existing 1-D shock-tube facility was modified to handle depleted radioactive materials (U{sub 3}O{sub 8}-Al, and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al). Our objectives have been to determine the effects of the initial fuel composition and temperature and the driving pressure (triggering) on the explosion work output, dynamic pressures, transient temperatures, and the hydrogen production. Experimental results indicate limited energetics, mainly thermal interactions, for these fuel materials as compared to aluminum where more chemical reactions occur between the molten aluminum and water.
- Research Organization:
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology; American Nuclear Society (ANS), La Grange Park, IL (United States); American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, NY (United States); American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), New York, NY (United States); Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, ON (Canada); European Nuclear Society (ENS), Bern (Switzerland); Atomic Energy Society of Japan, Tokyo (Japan); Japan Society of Multiphase Flow, Kyoto (Japan)
- OSTI ID:
- 115059
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0142-Vol.3; CONF-950904-Vol.3; ON: TI95017079; TRN: 95:022959
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. international topical meeting on nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics (Nureth-7), Saratoga Springs, NY (United States), 10-15 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 7th International Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics NURETH-7, Volume 3, Sessions 12-16; Block, R.C.; Feiner, F. [comps.] [American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States)]; PB: 1001 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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