Study of UO/sub 2/ wafer fuel for very high-power research reactors
The Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor Program is aimed at reducing fuel enrichment to < 20% in those research and test reactors presently using highly enriched uranium fuel. UO/sub 2/ caramel fuel is one of the most promising new types of reduced-enrichment fuel for use in research reactors with very high power density. Parametric studies have been carried out to determine the maximum specific power attainable without significant fission-gas release for UO/sub 2/ wafers ranging from 0.75 to 1.50 mm in thickness. The results indicate that (1) all the fuel designs considered in this study are predicted not to fail under full-power operation up to a burnup of 1.09 x 10/sup 21/ fis/cm/sup 3/; (2) for all fuel designs, failure is predicted at approximately the same fuel centerline temperature for a given burnup; (3) the thinner the wafer, and wider the margin for fuel specific power between normal operation and increased-power operation leading to fuel failure; (4) increasing the coolant pressure in the reactor core could improve fuel performance by maintaining the fuel at a higher power level without failure for a given burnup; and (5) for a given power level, fuel failure will occur earlier at a higher cladding surface temperature and/or under power-cycling conditions. 12 figures, 7 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6463868
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/RERTR/TM-2; ON: DE81026501; TRN: 81-013150
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Thermal Behavior of Advanced UO{sub 2} Fuel at High Burnup
HIGH PERFORMANCE UO$sub 2$ PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report No. 5, April- June 1962
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
OSIRIS REACTOR
NUCLEAR FUELS
RESEARCH REACTORS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
FUEL ELEMENT FAILURE
FUEL PLATES
PERFORMANCE
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
050700 - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties