Influence of the fuel operational parameters on the aluminium cladding quality of discharged fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chwaszczewski, S.; Czajkowski, W.; Borek-Kruszewska, E. [Institute of Atomic Energy, Otwock Swierk (POLAND)

2002-07-01

In the last two years, the new MR6 type fuel containing 1550 g of U with 36% enrichment has been loaded into MARIA reactor core. Its aluminium cladding thickness is 0,6 mm and typical burnup -about 4080 MWh (as compared to 2880 MWh for the 80% enriched fuel used). However, increased fission product release from these assemblies was observed near the end of its operational time. The results presented earlier [1] show that the corrosion behaviour of aluminium cladding depends on the conditions of fuel operation in the reactor. The corrosion process in the aluminum of fuel cladding proceeds faster then in the aluminum of constructional elements. This tendency was also observed in MR-6/80% and in WWR- SM fuel assemblies. Therefore the visual tests of discharged MR-6/36% fuel elements were performed. Some change of appearance of aluminum cladding was observed, especially in the regions with large energy generation i.e. in the centre of reactor core and in the strong horizontal gradient of neutron flux. In the present paper, the results of visual investigation of discharged fuel assemblies are presented. The results of the investigation are correlated with the operational parameters. (author)

Pellet-clad interaction observations in boiling water reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, K.C.; Bahl, J.K.; Sivaramakrishnan, K.S.; Roy, P.R.

1981-01-01

Under a programme to assess the performance of fuel elements of Tarapur Atomic Power Station, post-irradiation examination has been carried out on 18 fuel elements in the first phase. Pellet-clad mechanical interaction behaviour in 14 elements with varying burnup and irradiation history has been studied using eddy current testing technique. The data has been analysed to evaluate the role of pellet-clad mechanical interaction in PCI/SCC failure in power reactor operating conditions. (author)

Mechanical behaviour of PWR fuel rods during intermediate storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouffioux, P.; Dalmas, R.; Bernaudat, C.

2000-01-01

EDF, which owns the irradiated fuel coming from its NPPs, has initiated studies regarding the mechanical behaviour of a fuel rod and the integrity of its cladding, in the case where the spent fuel is stored for a significant duration. During the phases following in-reactor irradiation (ageing in a water-pool, transport and intermediate storage), many phenomena, which are strongly coupled, may influence the cladding integrity: - residual power and temperature decay; - helium production and release in the free volume of the rod (especially for MOX fuel); - fuel column swelling; - cladding creep-out under the inner gas pressure of the fuel rod; - metallurgical changes due to high temperatures during transportation. In parallel, the quantification of the radiological risk is based on the definition of a cladding integrity criterion. Up to now, this criterion requires that the clad hoop strain due to creep-out does not exceed 1%. A more accurate criterion is being investigated. The study and modelling of all the phenomena mentioned above are included in a R and D programme. This programme also aims at redefining the cladding integrity criterion, which is assumed to be too conservative. The R and D programme will be presented. In order to predict the overall behaviour of the rod during the intermediate storage phases, the AVACYC code has been developed. It includes the models developed in the R and D programme. The input data of the AVACYC code are provided by the results of in-reactor rod behaviour simulations, using the thermal-mechanical CYRANO3 code. Its main results are the evolution vs. time of hoop stresses in the cladding, rod internal pressure and cladding hoop strains. Chained CYRANO-AVACYC calculations have been used to simulate the behaviour of MOX fuel rods irradiated up to 40 GWd/t and stored under air during 100 years, or under water during 50 years. For such fuels, where the residual power remains high, we show that a large part of the cladding strain

Fuel assembly and fuel cladding tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsutsumi, Shinro; Ito, Ken-ichi; Inagaki, Masatoshi; Nakajima, Junjiro.

1996-01-01

A fuel cladding tube is a zirconium liner tube formed by lining a pure zirconium layer on the inner side of a zirconium alloy tube. The fuel cladding tube is formed by extrusion molding of a composite billet formed by inserting a pure zirconium billet into a zirconium alloy billet. Accordingly, the pure zirconium layer and the zirconium alloy tube are strongly joined by metal bond. The fuel cladding tube has an external oxide film on the outer surface of the zirconium alloy tube and an internal oxide film on the inner side of the pure zirconium layer. The external oxide film has a thickness preferably of about 1μm. The internal oxide film has a thickness of not more than 10μm, preferably, from 1 to 5μm. With such a constitution, flaws to be formed on both inner and outer surfaces of the cladding tube upon assembling a fuel assembly can be reduced thereby enabling to reduce the amount of hydrogen absorbed to the cladding tube. (I.N.)

The maximum allowable temperature of zircaloy-2 fuel cladding under dry storage conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayuzumi, M.; Yoshiki, S.; Yasuda, T.; Nakatsuka, M.

1990-09-01

Japan plans to reprocess and reutilise the spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power generation. However, the temporary storage of spent fuel is assuming increasing importance as a means of ensuring flexibility in the nuclear fuel cycle. Our investigations of various methods of storage have shown that casks are the most suitable means of storing small quantities of spent fuel of around 500 t, and research and development are in progress to establish dry storage technology for such casks. The soundness of fuel cladding is being investigated. The most important factor in evaluating soundness in storage under inert gas as currently envisaged is creep deformation and rupture, and a number of investigations have been made of the creep behaviour of cladding. The present study was conducted on the basis of existing in-house results in collaboration with Nippon Kakunenryo Kaihatsu KK (Nippon Nuclear Fuel Department Co.), which has hot lab facilities. Tests were run on the creep deformation behaviour of irradiated cladding, and the maximum allowable temperature during dry storage was investigated. (author)

The fuel to clad heat transfer coefficient in advanced MX-type fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caligara, F.; Campana, M.; Mandler, R.; Blank, H.

1979-01-01

Advanced fuels (mixed carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides) are characterised by a high thermal conductivity compared to that of oxide fuels (5 times greater) and their behaviour under irradiation (amount of swelling, fracture behaviour, restructuring) is far more sensitive to the design parameters and to the operating temperature than that of oxide fuels. The use of advanced fuels is therefore conditioned by the possibility of mastering the above phenomena, and the full exploitation of their favorable neutron characteristics depends upon a good understanding of the mutual relationships of the various parameters, which eventually affect the mechanical stability of the pin. By far the most important parameter is the radial temperature profile which controls the swelling of the fuel and the build-up of stress fields within the pin. Since the rate of fission gas swelling of these fuels is relatively large, a sufficient amount of free space has to be provided within the pin. This space originally appears as fabrication porosity and as fuel-to-clad clearance. Due to the large initial gap width and to the high fuel thermal conductivity, the range of the fuel operating temperatures is mainly determined by the fuel-to-clad heat transfer coefficient h, whose correct determination becomes one of the central points in modelling. During the many years of modelling activity in the field of oxide fuels, several theoretical models have been developed to calculate h, and a large amount of experimental data has been produced for the empirical adjustment of the parameters involved, so that the situation may be regarded as rather satisfactory. The analysis lead to the following conclusions. A quantitative comparison of experimental h-values with existing models for h requires rather sophisticated instrumented irradiation capsules, which permit the measurement of mechanical data (concerning fuel and clad) together with heat rating and temperatures. More and better well

Effect of water chemistry and fuel operation parameters on Zr + 1% Nb cladding corrosion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kritsky, V G; Petrik, N G; Berezina, I G; Doilnitsina, V V [VNIPIET, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

1997-02-01

In-pile corrosion of Zr + 1%Nb fuel cladding has been studied. Zr-oxide and hydroxide solubilities at various temperatures and pH values have been calculated and correlations obtained between post-transition corrosion and the solubilities nodular corrosion and fuel operation parameters, as well as between the rate of fuel cladding degradation and water chemistry. Extrapolations of fuel assemblies behaviour to higher burnups have also performed. (author). 12 refs, 11 figs.

Fuel-cladding chemical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gueneau, C.; Piron, J.P.; Dumas, J.C.; Bouineau, V.; Iglesias, F.C.; Lewis, B.J.

2015-01-01

The chemistry of the nuclear fuel is very complex. Its chemical composition changes with time due to the formation of fission products and depends on the temperature level history within the fuel pellet and the clad during operation. Firstly, in thermal reactors, zircaloy oxidation from reaction with UO 2 fuel under high-temperature conditions will be addressed. Then other fuel-cladding interaction phenomena occurring in fast reactors will be described. Large thermal gradients existing between the centre and the periphery of the pellet induce the radial redistribution of the fuel constituents. The fuel pellet can react with the clad by different corrosion processes which can involve actinide and/or fission product transport via gas, liquid or/and solid phases. All these phenomena are briefly described in the case of different kinds of fuels (oxide, carbide, nitride, metallic) to be used in fast reactors. The way these phenomena are taken into account in fuel performance codes is presented. (authors)

The anisotropic creep behaviour of zircaloy-4 fuel cladding at 1073 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosinger, H.E.; Bowden, J.; Shewfelt, R.S.W.

1982-04-01

The anisotropy coefficients (F, G and H) of Hill's equation, suitably modified for creep deformation, have been determined for Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding from steady-state creep tests at an elevated temperature. Creep specimens were subjected to both uniaxial and biaxial loads (via internal pressure) at 1073 K and the strain measured concurrently in the axial and tangential directions. It has been found that Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding is almost, but not completely, isotropic at 1073 K; the values of F, G and H are 0.57, 0.48 and 0.45 respectively

Some aspects of the utilization of zicaloy and austenitic steel as cladding material for PWR reactor fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teixeira e Silva, A.; Perrotta, J.A.

1985-01-01

The behaviour under irradiation of fuel rods for light water reactors was simulated by using fuel performance codes. Two types of cladding were analyzed: zircaloy and austenitic stainless steel. The fuel performance codes, originally made for zircaloy cladding, were adapted for austenitic stainless steel. The simulation results for the two types of cladding are presented, compared and discussed. (F.E.) [pt

Chemical compatibility between cladding alloys and advanced fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fee, D.C.; Johnson, C.E.

1975-05-01

The National Advanced Fuels Program requires chemical, mechanical, and thermophysical properties data for cladding alloys. The compatibility behavior of cladding alloys with advanced fuels is critically reviewed. in carbide fuel pins, the principal compatibility problem is cladding carburization, diffusion of carbon into the cladding matrix accompanied by carbide precipitation. Carburization changes the mechanical properties of the cladding alloy. The extent of carburization increases in sodium (versus gas) bonded fuels. The depth of carburization increases with increasing sesquicarbide (M 2 C 3 ) content of the fuel. In nitride fuel pins, the principal compatibility problem is cladding nitriding, diffusion of nitrogen into the cladding matrix accompanied by nitride precipitation. Nitriding changes the mechanical properties of the cladding alloy. In both carbide and nitride fuel pins, fission products do not migrate appreciably to the cladding and do not appear to contribute to cladding attack. 77 references. (U.S.)

Modelling anelastic contribution to nuclear fuel cladding creep and stress relaxation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tulkki, Ville, E-mail: ville.tulkki@vtt.fi; Ikonen, Timo

2015-10-15

In fuel behaviour modelling accurate description of the cladding mechanical response is important for both operational and safety considerations. While accuracy is desired, a certain level of simplicity is needed as both computational resources and detailed information on properties of particular cladding may be limited. Most models currently used in the integral codes divide the mechanical response into elastic and viscoplastic contributions. These have difficulties in describing both creep and stress relaxation, and often separate models for the two phenomena are used. In this paper we implement anelastic contribution to the cladding mechanical model, thus enabling consistent modelling of both creep and stress relaxation. We show that the model based on assumption of viscoelastic behaviour can be used to explain several experimental observations in transient situations and compare the model to published set of creep and stress relaxation experiments performed on similar samples. Based on the analysis presented we argue that the inclusion of anelastic contribution to the cladding mechanical models provides a way to improve the simulation of cladding behaviour during operational transients.

Contribution to numerical and mechanical modelling of pellet-cladding interaction in nuclear reactor fuel rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Retel, V.

2002-12-01

Pressurised water reactor fuel rods (PWR) are the place of nuclear fission, resulting in unstable and radioactive elements. Today, the mechanical loading on the cladding is harder and harder and is partly due to the fuel pellet movement. Then, the mechanical behaviour of the cladding needs to be simulated with models allowing to assess realistic stress and strain fields for all the running conditions. Besides, the mechanical treatment of the fuel pellet needs to be improved. The study is part of a global way of improving the treatment of pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) in the 1D finite elements EDF code named CYRANO3. Non-axisymmetrical multidirectional effects have to be accounted for in a context of unidirectional axisymmetrical finite elements. The aim of this work is double. Firstly a model simulating the effect of stress concentration on the cladding, due to the opening of the radial cracks of fuel, had been added in the code. Then, the fragmented state of fuel material has been taken into account in the thermomechanical calculation, through a model which led the strain and stress relaxation in the pellet due to the fragmentation, be simulated. This model has been implemented in the code for two types of fuel behaviour: elastic and viscoplastic. (author)

Fuel-cladding mechanical interaction effects in fast reactor mixed oxide fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boltax, A [Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Advanced Reactor Division, Madison, PA (United States); Biancheria, A

1977-04-01

Thermal and fast reactor irradiation experiments on mixed oxide fuel pins under steady-state and power change conditions reveal evidence for significant fuel-cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI) effects. Analytical studies with the LIFE-III fuel performance code indicate that high cladding stresses can be produced by general and local FCMI effects. Also, evidence is presented to show that local cladding strains can be caused by the accumulation of cesium at the fuel-cladding interface. Although it is apparent that steady-state FCMI effects have not given rise to cladding breaches in current fast reactors, it is anticipated that FCMI may become more important in the future because of interest in: higher fuel burnups; increased power ramp rates; load follow operation; and low swelling cladding alloys. (author)

Fuel-cladding mechanical interaction effects in fast reactor mixed oxide fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boltax, A.; Biancheria, A.

1977-01-01

Thermal and fast reactor irradiation experiments on mixed oxide fuel pins under steady-state and power change conditions reveal evidence for significant fuel-cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI) effects. Analytical studies with the LIFE-III fuel performance code indicate that high cladding stresses can be produced by general and local FCMI effects. Also, evidence is presented to show that local cladding strains can be caused by the accumulation of cesium at the fuel-cladding interface. Although it is apparent that steady-state FCMI effects have not given rise to cladding breaches in current fast reactors, it is anticipated that FCMI may become more important in the future because of interest in: higher fuel burnups; increased power ramp rates; load follow operation; and low swelling cladding alloys. (author)

Characteristics and behaviour of the PHENIX fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delpeyroux, P.; Balloffet, Y.; Blanchard, P.; Courcon, P.; Jallade, M.; Millet, P.; Rousseau, J.; Carteret, Y.; Coulon, P.

1977-01-01

The Phenix reactor has been in regular industrial operation for two years and has functioned very satisfactorily thanks in particular to the very good behaviour of the fuel element. A brief description is given of the fuel element and the operating conditions which were set for the fuel at the time of start-up (50000 MWd/t). The surveillance scheme is then described with the examinations in the hot laboratory on the basis of which it was possible to achieve the nominal specific burn-up and then to clear the Phenix fuel for a specific burn-up of 60000 MWd/t or 7 at.%. The behaviour of the mixed oxide (U, Pu)O 2 is quite normal and conforms to predictions as regards the heat conditions, swelling and fission gas release. The corrosion reaction between the oxide and the clad is progressing slowly and affects only small thicknesses of cladding. The mechanical integrity of the clad under thermal stresses and the stresses produced by swelling and fission gas pressure do not pose any special problem. The present limitation of the irradiation level is essentially based on the permissible deformations due to swelling and irradiation creep in the fuel pin cladding and in the hexagonal tube. This corresponds to damage to the steel of the order of 80 dpa. The mechanical behaviour of the bundle of pins, its interaction with the hexagonal tube and the thermohydraulic consequences of the deformations are all satisfactory to date. The absence of fuel failures is also worth noting; the only burst can detected to date did not affect either the operation of the fuel assembly or the performance of the reactor [fr

Behaviour of high O/U fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, J.H.; Hoshi, E.V.; Zimmerman, D.L.

2000-01-01

Full text: The effect of increased fuel oxygen potential on fuel behaviour has been studied by fabricating and irradiating urania fuel with an average O/U ratio of 2.05. The fuel was fabricated by re-sintering standard urania pellets in a controlled oxygen potential environment and irradiated in a segmented rod bundle in a U.S. BWR. Preirradiation ceramographic characterization of the pellets revealed the well-known Widmanstaetten precipitation of U-409 platelets in the UO 2 matrix. The high O/U fuel pellets were clad in Zircaloy-2 and irradiated to over 20 GWd/MT. Ramp tests were performed in a test reactor and detailed postirradiation examinations of both ramped and nonramped rods have been performed. The cladding inner surface condition, fission gas release and swelling behavior of high O/U fuel have been characterized and compared with standard UO 2 pellets. Although fuel microstructural features in ramp-tested high O/U fuel showed evidence of higher fuel temperatures and/or enhanced transport processes, fission gas release to the fuel rod free space was less than for similarly tested standard UO 2 fuel. However, fuel swelling and cladding strains were significantly greater. In spite of high cladding strains, PCI crack propagation was inhibited in the high O/U fuel I rods. Evidence is presented that the crystallographically oriented etch features often noted in peripheral regions of high burnup fuels are not an indication of higher oxides of uranium. (author)

Studies in Phebus reactor of fuel behaviour upon LOCA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manin, A.; Del Negro, R.; Reocreux, M.

1980-09-01

The fuel behaviour upon LOCA conditions is studied in an in-pile loop, in Phebus reactor. This paper presents: a short description of Phebus reactor; the current program (adjusting the thermohydraulic conditions in order to get cladding failure); the program developments (consequences involved by cladding failure); the fuel test conditions determination [fr

Nuclear-powered pacemaker fuel cladding study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoup, R.L.

1976-07-01

The fabrication of fuel capsules with refractory metal and alloy clads used in nuclear-powered cardiac pacemakers precludes the expedient dissolution of the clad in inorganic acid solutions. An experiment to measure penetration rates of acids on commonly used fuel pellet clads indicated that it is not impossible, but that it would be very difficult to dissolve the multiple cladding. This work was performed because of a suggestion that a 238 PuO 2 -powered pacemaker could be transformed into a terrorism weapon

Fast reactor fuel pin behaviour modelling in the UK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matthews, J R [UKAEA, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon (United Kingdom); Hughes, H [Springfields Nuclear Power Development Laboratories, Springfields, Salwick, Preston (United Kingdom)

1979-12-01

Two fuel behaviour codes have been applied extensively to fast reactor problems; SLEUTH developed at Sprlngfields Nuclear Laboratory and FRUMP at A.E.R.E. Harwell. The SLEUTH fuel pin endurance code was originally developed to define a programme of power cycling and power ramp experiments In Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors (AGRs) where, because of the very soft cladding, pellet clad interaction is severe. The code was required to define accelerated test conditions to generalise from the observed endurance to that under other power histories and to select for investigation the most significant design, material and operational variables. The weak clad and low coolant pressure combine to make fission gas swelling a major contributor to clad deformation while the high clad ductility renders the distribution of strain readily observable. This has led to a detailed study of strain concentrations using the SEER code. SLEUTH and SEER have subsequently been used to specify power cycling and power ramp 112 experiments in water cooled, fast and materials testing reactors with the aim of developing a unified quantitative model of pellet-clad interaction whatever the reactor system. The FRUMP fuel behaviour code was developed specifically for the interpretation of fast reactor fuel pin behaviour. Experience with earlier models was valuable In its development. Originally the model was developed to describe behaviour during normal operation, but subsequently the code has been used extensively in the field of accident studies. Much of the effort in FRUMP development has been devoted to the production of physical models of the various effects of irradiation and the temperature gradients on the structure of the fuel and clad. Each process is modelled as well as is permitted by current knowledge and the limitations of computing costs. Each sub-model has a form which reflects the underlying mechanisms, where quantities are unknown values are assigned semi-empirically, i.e. coefficients

Fast reactor fuel pin behaviour modelling in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, J.R.; Hughes, H.

1979-01-01

Two fuel behaviour codes have been applied extensively to fast reactor problems; SLEUTH developed at Sprlngfields Nuclear Laboratory and FRUMP at A.E.R.E. Harwell. The SLEUTH fuel pin endurance code was originally developed to define a programme of power cycling and power ramp experiments In Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors (AGRs) where, because of the very soft cladding, pellet clad interaction is severe. The code was required to define accelerated test conditions to generalise from the observed endurance to that under other power histories and to select for investigation the most significant design, material and operational variables. The weak clad and low coolant pressure combine to make fission gas swelling a major contributor to clad deformation while the high clad ductility renders the distribution of strain readily observable. This has led to a detailed study of strain concentrations using the SEER code. SLEUTH and SEER have subsequently been used to specify power cycling and power ramp 112 experiments in water cooled, fast and materials testing reactors with the aim of developing a unified quantitative model of pellet-clad interaction whatever the reactor system. The FRUMP fuel behaviour code was developed specifically for the interpretation of fast reactor fuel pin behaviour. Experience with earlier models was valuable In its development. Originally the model was developed to describe behaviour during normal operation, but subsequently the code has been used extensively in the field of accident studies. Much of the effort in FRUMP development has been devoted to the production of physical models of the various effects of irradiation and the temperature gradients on the structure of the fuel and clad. Each process is modelled as well as is permitted by current knowledge and the limitations of computing costs. Each sub-model has a form which reflects the underlying mechanisms, where quantities are unknown values are assigned semi-empirically, i.e. coefficients

Fuel cladding tube and fuel rod for BWR type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urata, Megumu; Mitani, Shinji.

1995-01-01

A fuel cladding tube has grooves fabricated, on the surface thereof, with a predetermined difference between crest and bottom (depth of the groove) in the circumferential direction. The cross sectional shape thereof is sinusoidal. The distribution of the grain size of iron crud particles in coolants is within a range about from 2μm to 12μm. If the surface roughness of the fuel cladding tube (depth of the groove) is determined greater than 1.6μm and less than 12.5, iron cruds in coolants can be positively deposited on the surface of the fuel cladding tube. In addition, once deposited iron cruds can be prevented from peeling from the surface of the fuel cladding tube. With such procedures, iron cruds deposited and radioactivated on the fuel cladding tube can be prevented from peeling, to prevent and reduce the increase of radiation dose on the surface of the pipelines without providing any additional device. (I.N.)

Nuclear fuel cladding material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakahigashi, Shigeo.

1982-01-01

Purpose: To largely improve the durability and the safety of fuel cladding material. Constitution: Diffusion preventive layers, e.g., aluminum or the like are covered on both sides of a zirconium alloy base layer of thin material, and corrosion resistant layers, e.g., copper or the like are covered thereon. This thin plate material is intimately wound in a circularly tubular shape in a plurality of layers to form a fuel cladding tube. With such construction, corrosion of the tube due to fuel and impurity can be prevented by the corrosion resistant layers, and the diffusion of the corrosion resistant material to the zirconium alloy can be prevented by the diffusion preventive layers. Since a plurality of layers are cladded, even if the corrosion resistant layers are damaged or cracked due to stress corrosion, only one layer is damaged or cracked, but the other layers are not affected. (Sekiya, K.)

Mechanisms of fuel-cladding chemical interaction: US interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamson, M.G.

1977-01-01

Proposed mechanisms of fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) in LMFBR fuel pins are reviewed and examined in terms of in-pile and out-of-pile data. From this examination several factors are identified which may govern the occurrence of localized deep intergranular penetrations of Type-316SS cladding. Using a plausible mechanistic hypothesis for FCCI, first steps have been taken towards developing a quantitative, physically-meaningful, mathematical method of predicting cladding wastage in operating fuel pins. Both kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of FCCI are considered in the development of this prediction method, together with a fuel chemistry model that describes the evolution of thermochemical conditions at the fuel-cladding gap. On the basis of results from recent fuel pin and laboratory tests a thermal transport mechanism has been proposed to explain the thermal gradient-induced migration of Fe, Cr, and Ni from cladding into the fuel. This mechanism involves chemical transport of the metallic cladding components (as tellurides) in liquid Cs-Te. (author)

Mechanisms of fuel-cladding chemical interaction: US interpretation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamson, M G [General Electric Company, Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Pleasanton, CA (United States)

1977-04-01

Proposed mechanisms of fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) in LMFBR fuel pins are reviewed and examined in terms of in-pile and out-of-pile data. From this examination several factors are identified which may govern the occurrence of localized deep intergranular penetrations of Type-316SS cladding. Using a plausible mechanistic hypothesis for FCCI, first steps have been taken towards developing a quantitative, physically-meaningful, mathematical method of predicting cladding wastage in operating fuel pins. Both kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of FCCI are considered in the development of this prediction method, together with a fuel chemistry model that describes the evolution of thermochemical conditions at the fuel-cladding gap. On the basis of results from recent fuel pin and laboratory tests a thermal transport mechanism has been proposed to explain the thermal gradient-induced migration of Fe, Cr, and Ni from cladding into the fuel. This mechanism involves chemical transport of the metallic cladding components (as tellurides) in liquid Cs-Te. (author)

Assessment of clad integrity of PHWR fuel pin following a postulated severe accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutta, B.K.; Kushwaha, H.S.; Venkat Raj, V.

2000-01-01

A mechanistic fuel performance analysis code FAIR has been developed. The code can analyse fuel pins with free standing as well as collapsible clad under normal, off-normal and accident conditions of reactors. The code FAIR is capable of analysing the effects of high burnup on fuel behaviour. The code incorporates finite element based thermo-mechanical module for computing transient temperature distribution and thermal-elastic-plastic stresses in the fuel pin. A number of high temperature thermo-physical and thermo-mechanical models also have been incorporated for analysing fuel pins subjected to severe accident scenario. The present paper describes salient features of code FAIR and assessment of clad integrity of PHWR fuel pins with different initial burnup subjected to severe accident scenario. (author)

Analysis of fuel cladding chemical interaction in mixed oxide fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, J.W.; Dutt, D.S.

1976-01-01

An analysis is presented of the observed interaction between mixed oxide 75 wt percent UO 2 --25 wt percent PuO 2 fuel and 316--20 percent CW stainless steel cladding in LMFBR type fuel pins irradiated in EBR-II. A description is given of the test pins and their operating conditions together with, metallographic observations and measurements of the fuel/cladding reaction, and a correlation equation is developed relating depth of cladding attack to temperature and burnup. Some recent data on cladding reaction in fuel pins with low initial O/M in the fuel are given and compared with the correlation equation curves

The modeling of fuel rod behaviour under RIA conditions in the code DYN3D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohde, U.

1998-01-01

A description of the fuel rod behaviour and heat transfer model used in the code DYN3D for nuclear reactor core dynamic simulations is given. Besides the solution of heat conduction equations in fuel and cladding, the model comprises detailed description of heat transfer in the gas gap by conduction, radiation and fuel-cladding contact. The gas gap behaviour is modeled in a mechanistic way taking into account transient changes of the gas gap parameters based on given conditions for the initial state. Thermal, elastic and plastic deformations of fuel and cladding are taken into account within 1D approximation. Numerical studies concerning the fuel rod behaviour under RIA conditions in power reactors are reported. Fuel rod behaviour at high pressures and flow rates in power reactors is different from the behaviour under atmospheric pressure and stagnant flow conditions in the experiments. The mechanisms of fuel rod failure for fresh and burned fuel reported from the literature can be qualitatively reproduced by the DYN3D model. (author)

Fuel pins irradiation: experimental devices and analytical behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemaignan, C.

1996-01-01

In this text we present the general characteristics of adapted irradiation loops in research reactors and the main results that we can expected with these loops in the behaviour field of PWR and LMFBR fuels( fuel densification, fuel cladding interactions, fission products release, reactor accidents)

Development of Cr Electroplated Cladding Tube for preventing Fuel-Cladding Chemical Interaction (FCCI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jun Hwan; Woo, Je Woong; Kim, Sung Ho; Cheon, Jin Sik; Lee, Byung Oon; Lee, Chan Bock [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Metal fuel has been selected as a candidate fuel in the SFR because of its superior thermal conductivity as well as enhanced proliferation resistance in connection with the pyroprocessing. However, metal fuel suffers eutectic reaction (Fuel Cladding Chemical Interaction, FCCI) with the fuel cladding made of stainless steel at reactor operating temperature so that cladding thickness gradually reduces to endanger reactor safety. In order to mitigate FCCI, barrier concept has been proposed between the fuel and the cladding in designing fuel rod. Regarding this, KAERI has initiated barrier cladding development to prevent interdiffusion process as well as enhance the SFR fuel performance. Previous study revealed that Cr electroplating has been selected as one of the most promising options because of its technical and economic viability. This paper describes the development status of the Cr electroplating technology for the usage of fuel rod in SFR. This paper summarizes the status of Cr electroplating technology to prevent FCCI in metal fuel rod. It has been selected for the ease of practical application at the tube inner surface. Technical scoping, performance evaluation and optimization have been carried out. Application to the tube inner surface and in-pile test were conducted which revealed as effective.

Corrosion performance of optimised and advanced fuel rod cladding in PWRs at high burnups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jourdain, P.; Hallstadius, L.; Pati, S.R.; Smith, G.P.; Garde, A.M.

1997-01-01

The corrosion behaviour both in-pile and out-of-pile for a number of cladding alloys developed by ABB to meet the current and future needs for fuel rod cladding with improved corrosion resistance is presented. The cladding materials include: 1) Zircaloy-4 (OPTIN) with optimised composition and processing and Zircaloy-2 optimised for Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR), (Zircaloy-2P), and 2) several alternative zirconium-based alloys with compositions outside the composition range for Zircaloys. The data presented originate from fuel rods irradiated in six PWRs to burnups up to about 66 MWd/kgU and from tests conducted in 360 o water autoclave. Also included are in-pile fuel rod growth measurements on some of the alloys. (UK)

Experimental irradiation of UMo fuel: Pie results and modeling of fuel behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Languille, A.; Plancq, D.; Huet, F.; Guigon, B.; Lemoine, P.; Sacristan, P.; Hofman, G.; Snelgrove, J.; Rest, J.; Hayes, S.; Meyer, M.; Vacelet, H.; Leborgne, E.; Dassel, G.

2002-01-01

Seven full-sized U Mo plates containing ca. 8 g/cm 3 of uranium in the fuel meat have been irradiated since the beginning of the French U Mo development program. The first three of them with 20% 235 U enrichment were irradiated at maximum surfacic power under 150 W/cm 2 in the OSIRIS reactor up to 50% burn-up and are under examination. Their global behaviour is satisfactory: no failure and a low swelling. The other four plates were irradiated in the HFR Petten at maximum surfacic power between 150 and 250 W/cm 2 with two enrichments 20 and 35%. The experiment was stopped after two cycles due to a fuel failure. The post- irradiation examinations were completed in 2001 in Petten. Examinations showed a correct behaviour of 20% enriched plates and an abnormal behaviour of the two other plates (35%-enriched) with a clad failure on the plate 4. The fuel failure appears to result from a combination of factors that led to high corrosion cladding and high fuel meat temperatures. (author)

The modeling of fuel rod behaviour under RIA conditions in the code DYN3D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohde, U.

2001-01-01

A description of the fuel rod behaviour and heat transfer model used in the code DYN3D for nuclear reactor core dynamic simulations is given. Besides the solution of heat conduction equations in fuel and cladding, the model comprises a detailed description of heat transfer in the gas gap by conduction, radiation and fuel-cladding contact. The gas gap behaviour is modeled in a mechanistic way taking into account transient changes of the gas gap parameters based on given conditions for the initial state. Thermal, elastic and plastic deformations of fuel and cladding are taken into account within 1D approximation. A creeping law for time-dependent estimation of plastic deformations is implemented. Metal-water reaction of the cladding material in the high temperature region is considered. The cladding-coolant heat transfer regime map covers the region from one-phase liquid convection to dispersed flow with superheated steam. Special emphasis is put on taking into account the impact of thermodynamic non-equilibrium conditions on heat transfer. For the validation of the model, experiments on fuel rod behaviour during RIAs carried out in Russian and Japanese pulsed research reactors with shortened probes of fresh fuel rods are calculated. Comparisons between calculated and measured results are shown and discussed. It is shown, that the fuel rod behaviour is significantly influenced by plastic deformation of the cladding, post crisis heat transfer with sub-cooled liquid conditions and heat release from the metal-water reaction. Numerical studies concerning the fuel rod behaviour under RIA conditions in power reactors are reported on. It is demonstrated, that the fuel rod behaviour at high pressures and flow rates in power reactors is different from the behaviour under atmospheric pressure and stagnant flow conditions in the experiments. The mechanisms of fuel rod failure for fresh and burned fuel reported from the literature can be qualitatively reproduced by the DYN3D

Method of processing spent fuel cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakatsuka, Masafumi; Ouchi, Atsuhiro; Imahashi, Hiromichi.

1986-01-01

Purpose: To decrease the residual activity of spent fuel cladding tubes in a short period of time and enable safety storage with simple storage equipments. Constitution: Spent fuel cladding tubes made of zirconium alloys discharged from a nuclear fuel reprocessing step are exposed to a grain boundary embrittling atmosphere to cause grain boundary destruction. This causes grain boundary fractures to the zirconium crystal grains as the matrix of nuclear fuels and then precipitation products precipitated to the grain boundary fractures are removed. The zirconium constituting the nuclear fuel cladding tube and other ingredient elements contained in the precipitation products are separated in this removing step and they are separately stored respectively. As a result, zirconium constituting most part of the composition of the spent nuclear fuel cladding tubes can be stored safely at a low activity level. (Takahashi, M.)

Pressurized water reactor fuel performance problems connected with fuel cladding corrosion processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrevski, I.; Zaharieva, N.

2008-01-01

Generally, Pressurized Water Reactor (WWER, PWR) Fuel Element Performance is connected with fuel cladding corrosion and crud deposition processes. By transient to extended fuel cycles in nuclear power reactors, aiming to achieve higher burnup and better fuel utilization, the role of these processes increases significantly. This evolution modifies the chemical and electrochemical conditions in the reactor primary system, including change of fuel claddings' environment. The higher duty cores are always attended with increased boiling (sub-cooled nucleate boiling) mainly on the feed fuel assemblies. This boiling process on fuel cladding surfaces can cause different consequences on fuel element cladding's environment characteristics. In the case of boiling at the cladding surfaces without or with some cover of corrosion product deposition, the behavior of gases dissolved in water phase is strongly influenced by the vapor generation. The increase of vapor partial pressure will reduce the partial pressures of dissolved gases and will cause their stripping out. By these circumstances the concentrations of dissolved gases in cladding wall water layer can dramatically decrease, including also the case by which all dissolved gases to be stripped out. On the other hand it is known that the hydrogen is added to primary coolant in order to avoid the production of oxidants by radiolysis of water. It is clear that if boiling strips out dissolved hydrogen, the creation of oxidizing conditions at the cladding surfaces will be favored. In this case the local production of oxidants will be a result from local processes of water radiolysis, by which not only both oxygen (O 2 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ) but also hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) will be produced. While these hydrogen and oxygen will be stripped out preferentially by boiling, the bigger part of hydrogen peroxide will remain in wall water phase and will act as the most important factor for creation of oxidizing conditions in fuel

Investigation of the ramp testing behaviour of fuel pins with different diameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pott, G.; Herren, M.; Wigger, B.

1979-09-01

The aim of these experiments was the investigation of the influence of different fuel pin diameter on the ramp testing behaviour. Fuel elements with diameter between 10,75 and 15,6 mm and different cladding thickness had been ramptested in the HBWR (Halden Boiling Water Reactor) after preirradiated in the same facility. Fuel pins with the smallest diameter of 10,75 mm failed. This was indicated by fission gas release measurement. Metallographic examination showed these failure were caused by hydride blisters. A systematic influence of fuel pin diameter and cladding thickness on the ramptesting behaviour was not observed. (orig.) [de

Elastic plastic analysis of fuel element assemblies - hexagonal claddings and fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamoun, M.M.; Wu, T.S.; Chopra, P.S.; Rardin, D.C.

1979-01-01

Analytical studies have been conducted to investigate the structural, thermal, and mechanical behavior of fuel rods, claddings and fuel element assemblies of several designs for a conceptual Safety Test Facility (STF). One of the design objectives was to seek a geometrical configuration for a clad by maximizing the volume fraction of fuel and minimizing the resultant stresses set-up in the clad. The results of studies conducted on various geometrical configurations showed that the latter design objective can be achieved by selecting a clad of an hexagonal geometry. The analytical studies necessitated developing solutions for determining the stresses, strains, and displacements experienced by fuel rods and an hexagonal cladding subjected to thermal fuel-bowing loads acting on its internal surface, the external pressure of the coolant, and elevated temperatures. This paper presents some of the initially formulated analytical methods and results. It should be emphasized that the geometrical configuration considered in this paper may not necessarily be similar to that of the final design. Several variables have been taken into consideration including cladding thickness, the dimensions of the fuel rod, the temperature of the fuel and cladding, the external pressure of the cooling fluid, and the mechanical strength properties of fuel and cladding. A finite-element computer program, STRAW Code, has also been employed to generate several numerical results which have been compared with those predicted by employing the initially formulated solutions. The theoretically predicted results are in good agreement with those of the STRAW Code. (orig.)

Inspection system for Zircaloy clad fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yancey, M.E.; Porter, E.H.; Hansen, H.R.

1975-10-01

A description is presented of the design, development, and performance of a remote scanning system for nondestructive examination of fuel rods. Characteristics that are examined include microcracking of fuel rod cladding, fuel-cladding interaction, cladding thickness, fuel rod diameter variation, and fuel rod bowing. Microcracking of both the inner and outer fuel rod surfaces and variations in wall thickness are detected by using a pulsed eddy current technique developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Fuel rod diameter variation and fuel rod bowing are detected by using two linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) and a signal conditioning system. The system's mechanical features include variable scanning speeds, a precision indexing system, and a servomechanism to maintain proper probe alignment. Initial results indicate that the system is a very useful mechanism for characterizing irradiated fuel rods

Implications and control of fuel-cladding chemical interaction for LMFBR fuel pin design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roake, W.E.

1977-01-01

Fuel-cladding-chemical-interaction (FCCI) is typically incorporated into the design of an LMFBR fuel pin as a wastage allowance. Several interrelated factors are considered during the evolution of an LMFBR fuel pin design. Those which are indirectly affected by FCCI include: allowable pin power, fuel restructuring, fission gas migration and release from the fuel, fuel cracking, fuel swelling, in-reactor cladding creep, cladding swelling, and the cladding mechanical strain. Chemical activity of oxygen is the most readily controlled factor in FCCI. Two methods are being investigated: control of total oxygen inventory by limiting fuel O/M, and control of oxygen activity with buffer metals

Implications and control of fuel-cladding chemical interaction for LMFBR fuel pin design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roake, W E [Westinghouse-Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)

1977-04-01

Fuel-cladding-chemical-interaction (FCCI) is typically incorporated into the design of an LMFBR fuel pin as a wastage allowance. Several interrelated factors are considered during the evolution of an LMFBR fuel pin design. Those which are indirectly affected by FCCI include: allowable pin power, fuel restructuring, fission gas migration and release from the fuel, fuel cracking, fuel swelling, in-reactor cladding creep, cladding swelling, and the cladding mechanical strain. Chemical activity of oxygen is the most readily controlled factor in FCCI. Two methods are being investigated: control of total oxygen inventory by limiting fuel O/M, and control of oxygen activity with buffer metals.

The fuel-cladding interfacial friction coefficient in water-cooled reactor fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, E.

1979-01-01

A central problem in the development of cladding failure criteria and of effective operational, design or material remedies is to know whether the cladding stress is enhanced significantly near cladding ridges, pellet chips or fuel pellet cracks; the latter may also be coincident with cladding ridges at pellet-pellet interfaces. As regards the fuel pellet crack source of cladding stress concentration, the magnitude of the uranium dioxide-Zircaloy interfacial friction coefficient μ governs the magnitude and distribution of the enhanced cladding stress. Considerable discussion, particularly at a Post-Conference Seminar associated with the SMIRT 4 Conference, has focussed on the value of μ, the author taking the view that it is unlikely to be large (< 0.5). The reasoning behind this view is as follows. A fuel pellet should fracture during a power ramp when the tensile hoop stress within the pellet exceeds the fuel's fracture stress. Since the preferred position for a fuel pellet crack to form is at the fuel-cladding interface midway between existing fuel cracks, where the interfacial shear stress changes sign, the pellet segment size after a power ramp provides a limit to the magnitude of the interfacial shear stresses and consequently to the value of μ. With this argument as a basis, the author's early work used the Gittus fuel rod model, in which there is a symmetric distribution of fuel pellet cracks and symmetric interfacial slippage, to show that μ < 0.5 if it is assumed that the average hoop stress within the cladding attains yield levels. It was therefore suggested that a high interfacial friction coefficient is unlikely to be operative during a power ramp; this result was used to support the view that interfacial friction effects do not play a dominant role in stress corrosion crack formation within the cladding. (orig.)

Review and evaluation of cladding attack of LMFBR fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koizumi, M.; Nagai, S.; Furuya, H.; Muto, T.

1977-01-01

The behavior of cladding inner wall corrosion during irradiation was evaluated in terms of fuel density, fuel form, O/M ratio, plutonium concentration, cladding composition, cladding pretreatment, cladding inner diameter, burnup and cladding inner wall temperature. Factors which influence the corrosion are O/M ratio (oxygen to metal ratio), burn up, cladding inner diameter and cladding inner wall temperature. Maximum cladding inner wall corrosion depth was formulated as a function of O/M ratio, burn up and cladding inner wall temperature

Cladding properties under simulated fuel pin transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, C.W.; Johnson, G.D.

1975-01-01

A description is given of the HEDL fuel pin testing program utilizing a recently developed Fuel Cladding Transient Tester (FCTT) to generate the requisite mechanical property information on irradiated and unirradiated fast reactor fuel cladding under temperature ramp conditions. The test procedure is described, and data are presented

Fuel cladding mechanical interaction during power ramps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerin, Y.

1985-01-01

Mechanical interaction between fuel and cladding may occur as a consequence of two types of phenomenon: i) fuel swelling especially at levels of caesium accumulation, and ii) thermal differential expansion during power changes. Slow overpower ramps which may occur during incidental events are of course one of the circumstances responsible for this second type of fuel cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI). Experiments and analysis of this problem that have been done at C.E.A. allow to determine the main parameters which will fix the level of stress and the risk of damage induced by the fuel in the cladding during overpower transients

Fuel-cladding chemical interaction in mixed-oxide fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, L.A.; Weber, J.W.; Devary, J.L.

1978-10-01

The character and extent of fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) was established for UO 2 -25 wt% PuO 2 clad with 20% cold worked Type 316 stainless steel irradiated at high cladding temperatures to peak burnups greater than 8 atom %. The data base consists of 153 data sets from fuel pins irradiated in EBR-II with peak burnups to 9.5 atom %, local cladding inner surface temperatures to 725 0 C, and exposure times to 415 equivalent full power days. As-fabricated oxygen-to-metal ratios (O/M) ranged from 1.938 to 1.984 with the bulk of the data in the range 1.96 to 1.98. HEDL P-15 pins provided data at low heat rates, approx. 200 W/cm, and P-23 series pins provided data at higher heat rates, approx. 400 W/cm. A design practice for breeder reactors is to consider an initial reduction of 50 microns in cladding thickness to compensate for possible FCCI. This approach was considered to be a conservative approximation in the absence of a comprehensive design correlation for extent of interaction. This work provides to the designer a statistically based correlation for depth of FCCI which reflects the influences of the major fuel and operating parameters on FCCI

Experimental assessment of fuel-cladding interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood, Elizabeth Sooby [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-06-29

A range of fuel concepts designed to better tolerate accident scenarios and reactor transients are currently undergoing fundamental development at national laboratories as well as university and industrial partners. Pellet-clad mechanical and chemical interaction can be expected to affect fuel failure rates experienced during steady state operation, as well as dramatically impact the response of the fuel form under loss of coolant and other accident scenarios. The importance of this aspect of fuel design prompted research initiated by AFC in FY14 to begin exploratory efforts to characterize this phenomenon for candidate fuelcladding systems of immediate interest. Continued efforts in FY15 and FY17 aimed to better understand and simulate initial pellet-clad interaction with little-to-no pressure on the pellet-clad interface. Reported here are the results from 1000 h heat treatments at 400, 500, and 600°C of diffusion couples pairing UN with a FeCrAl alloy, SiC, and Zr-based cladding candidate sealed in evacuated quartz ampoules. No gross reactions were observed, though trace elemental contaminants were identified.

Corrosion behaviour of cladded nickel base alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandl, W.; Ruczinski, D.; Nolde, M.; Blum, J.

1995-01-01

As a consequence of the high cost of nickel base alloys their use as surface layers is convenient. In this paper the properties of SA-as well as RES-cladded NiMo 16Cr16Ti and NiCr21Mo14W being produced in single and multi-layer technique are compared and discussed with respect to their corrosion behaviour. Decisive criteria describing the qualities of the claddings are the mass loss, the susceptibility against intergranular corrosion and the pitting corrosion resistance. The results prove that RES cladding is the most suitable technique to produce corrosion resistant nickel base coatings. The corrosion behaviour of a two-layer RES deposition shows a better resistance against pitting than a three layer SAW cladding. 7 refs

Fuel compliance model for pellet-cladding mechanical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, V.N.; Carlson, E.R.

1985-01-01

This paper describes two aspects of fuel pellet deformation that play significant roles in determining maximum cladding hoop strains during pellet-cladding mechanical interaction: compliance of fragmented fuel pellets and influence of the pellet end-face design on the transmission of axial compressive force in the fuel stack. The latter aspect affects cladding ridge formation and explains several related observations that cannot be explained by the hourglassing model. An empirical model, called the fuel compliance model and representing the above aspects of fuel deformation, has been developed using the results from two Halden experiments and incorporated into the FRAP-T6 fuel performance code

Fuel behaviour in the case of severe accidents and potential ATF designs. Fuel Behavior in Severe Accidents and Potential Accident Tolerance Fuel Designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Bo

2013-01-01

This presentation reviews the conditions of fuel rods under severe loss of coolant conditions, approaches that may increase coping time for plant operators to recover, requirements of advanced fuel cladding to increase tolerance in accident conditions, potential candidate alloys for accident-tolerant fuel cladding and a novel design of molybdenum (Mo) -based fuel cladding. The current Zr-alloy fuel cladding will lose all its mechanical strength at 750-800 deg. C, and will react rapidly with high-pressure steam, producing significant hydrogen and exothermic heat at 700-1000 deg. C. The metallurgical properties of Zr make it unlikely that modifications of the Zr-alloy will improve the behaviour of Zr-alloys at temperatures relevant to severe accidents. The Mo-based fuel cladding is designed to (1) maintain fuel rod integrity, and reduce the release rate of hydrogen and exothermic heat in accident conditions at 1200-1500 deg. C. The EPRI research has thus far completed the design concepts, demonstration of feasibility of producing very thin wall (0.2 mm) Mo tubes. The feasibility of depositing a protective coating using various techniques has also been demonstrated. Demonstration of forming composite Mo-based cladding via mechanical reduction has been planned

Steam oxidation of Zr 1% Nb clads of VVER fuels in high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solyanyj, V.I.; Bibilashvili, Yu.K.; Dranenko, V.V.; Levin, A.Ya.; Izrajlevskij, L.B.; Morozov, A.M.

1984-01-01

In a wide range of accident conditions processes of clad corrosion effected by steam are rather intensive and in many respects influence the safety of NPP and the after-accident dismantling of a reactor core. This paper discusses the results of comprehensive studies into corrosion behaviour of Zr 1%Nb clads of VVER-type fuels at high temperatures. These studies are a continuation of previous work and the base for the design modelling of corrosion processes

High Temperature Fuel Cladding Chemical Interactions Between TRIGA Fuels and 304 Stainless Steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez, Emmanuel [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Keiser, Jr., Dennis D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Forsmann, Bryan [Boise State Univ., ID (United States); Janney, Dawn E. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Henley, Jody [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Woolstenhulme, Eric C. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-02-01

High-temperature fuel-cladding chemical interactions (FCCI) between TRIGA (Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics) fuel elements and the 304 stainless steel (304SS) are of interest to develop an understanding of the fuel behavior during transient reactor scenarios. TRIGA fuels are composed of uranium (U) particles dispersed in a zirconium-hydride (Zr-H) matrix. In reactor, the fuel is encased in 304-stainless-steel (304SS) or Incoloy 800 clad tubes. At high temperatures, the fuel can readily interact with the cladding, resulting in FCCI. A number of FCCI can take place in this system. Interactions can be expected between the cladding and the Zr-H matrix, and/or between the cladding and the U-particles. Other interactions may be expected between the Zr-H matrix and the U-particles. Furthermore, the fuel contains erbium-oxide (Er-O) additions. Interactions can also be expected between the Er-O, the cladding, the Zr-H and the U-particles. The overall result is that very complex interactions may take place as a result of fuel and cladding exposures to high temperatures. This report discusses the characterization of the baseline fuel microstructure in the as-received state (prior to exposure to high temperature), characterization of the fuel after annealing at 950C for 24 hours and the results from diffusion couple experiments carries out at 1000C for 5 and 24 hours. Characterization was carried out via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with sample preparation via focused ion beam in situ-liftout-technique.

High Temperature Fuel Cladding Chemical Interactions Between TRIGA Fuels and 304 Stainless Steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, Emmanuel; Keiser Jr, Dennis D.; Forsmann, Bryan; Janney, Dawn E.; Henley, Jody; Woolstenhulme, Eric C.

2016-01-01

High-temperature fuel-cladding chemical interactions (FCCI) between TRIGA (Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics) fuel elements and the 304 stainless steel (304SS) are of interest to develop an understanding of the fuel behavior during transient reactor scenarios. TRIGA fuels are composed of uranium (U) particles dispersed in a zirconium-hydride (Zr-H) matrix. In reactor, the fuel is encased in 304-stainless-steel (304SS) or Incoloy 800 clad tubes. At high temperatures, the fuel can readily interact with the cladding, resulting in FCCI. A number of FCCI can take place in this system. Interactions can be expected between the cladding and the Zr-H matrix, and/or between the cladding and the U-particles. Other interactions may be expected between the Zr-H matrix and the U-particles. Furthermore, the fuel contains erbium-oxide (Er-O) additions. Interactions can also be expected between the Er-O, the cladding, the Zr-H and the U-particles. The overall result is that very complex interactions may take place as a result of fuel and cladding exposures to high temperatures. This report discusses the characterization of the baseline fuel microstructure in the as-received state (prior to exposure to high temperature), characterization of the fuel after annealing at 950C for 24 hours and the results from diffusion couple experiments carries out at 1000C for 5 and 24 hours. Characterization was carried out via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with sample preparation via focused ion beam in situ-liftout-technique.

Modelling cladding response to changing conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tulkki, Ville; Ikonen, Timo [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland ltd (Finland)

2016-11-15

The cladding of the nuclear fuel is subjected to varying conditions during fuel reactor life. Load drops and reversals can be modelled by taking cladding viscoelastic behaviour into account. Viscoelastic contribution to the deformation of metals is usually considered small enough to be ignored, and in many applications it merely contributes to the primary part of the creep curve. With nuclear fuel cladding the high temperature and irradiation as well as the need to analyse the variable load all emphasise the need to also inspect the viscoelasticity of the cladding.

The ballooning of fuel cladding tubes: theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shewfelt, R.S.W.

1988-01-01

Under some conditions, fuel clad ballooning can result in considerable strain before rupture. If ballooning were to occur during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), the resulting substantial blockage of the sub-channel would restrict emergency core cooling. However, circumferential temperature gradients that would occur during a LOCA may significantly limit the average strain at failure. Understandably, the factors that control ballooning and rupture of fuel clad are required for the analysis of a LOCA. Considerable international effort has been spent on studying the deformation of Zircaloy fuel cladding under conditions that would occur during a LOCA. This effort has established a reasonable understanding of the factors that control the ballooning, failure time, and average failure strain of fuel cladding. In this paper, both the experimental and theoretical studies of the fuel clad ballooning are reviewed. (author)

State-of-the-technology review of fuel-cladding interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, W.J.; Wilson, C.L.; MacGowan, L.J.; Pankaskie, P.J.

1977-12-01

A literature survey and a summarization of postulated fuel-cladding-interaction mechanisms and associated supportive data are reported. The results of that activity are described in the report and include comments on experience with power-ramped fuel, fuel-cladding mechanical interaction, stress-corrosion cracking and fission-product embrittlement, potential remedial actions, fuel-cladding-interaction mechanistic considerations, other ongoing programs, and related patents of interest. An assessment of the candidate fuel concepts to be evaluated as part of this program is provided

Advanced LWR Nuclear Fuel Cladding Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bragg-Sitton, S.; Griffith, G.

2012-01-01

The Advanced Light Water Reactor (LWR) Nuclear Fuel Development Research and Development (R and D) Pathway encompasses strategic research focused on improving reactor core economics and safety margins through the development of an advanced fuel cladding system. To achieve significant operating improvements while remaining within safety boundaries, significant steps beyond incremental improvements in the current generation of nuclear fuel are required. Fundamental enhancements are required in the areas of nuclear fuel composition, cladding integrity, and fuel/cladding interaction to allow improved fuel economy via power uprates and increased fuel burn-up allowance while potentially improving safety margin through the adoption of an 'accident tolerant' fuel system that would offer improved coping time under accident scenarios. In a staged development approach, the LWRS program will engage stakeholders throughout the development process to ensure commercial viability of the investigated technologies. Applying minimum performance criteria, several of the top-ranked materials and fabrication concepts will undergo a rigorous series of mechanical, thermal and chemical characterization tests to better define their properties and operating potential in a relatively low-cost, nonnuclear test series. A reduced number of options will be recommended for test rodlet fabrication and in-pile nuclear testing under steady-state, transient and accident conditions. (author)

Computer analysis of elongation of the WWER fuel rod claddings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheglov, A.; Proselkov, V.

2008-01-01

In this paper description of mechanisms influencing changes of the WWER fuel cladding length and axial forces influencing fuel and cladding are presented. It is shown that shortening of the fuel claddings in case of high burnup can be explained by the change of the fuel and cladding reference state caused by reduction of the fuel rod power level - during reactor outages. It is noted that the presented calculated data are to be reviewed and interpreted as the preliminary results; further work is needed for their confirmation. (authors)

Assessment of oxygen diffusion coefficients by studying high-temperature oxidation behaviour of Zr1Nb fuel cladding in the temperature range of 1100–1300 °C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Négyesi, M., E-mail: negy@seznam.cz [Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Trojanova 13, 120 00 Praha 2 (Czech Republic); UJP PRAHA a.s., Nad Kamínkou 1345, 156 10 Praha – Zbraslav (Czech Republic); Chmela, T. [UJP PRAHA a.s., Nad Kamínkou 1345, 156 10 Praha – Zbraslav (Czech Republic); Veselský, T. [Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Trojanova 13, 120 00 Praha 2 (Czech Republic); Krejčí, J. [Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Trojanova 13, 120 00 Praha 2 (Czech Republic); CHEMCOMEX Praha a.s., Elišky Přemyslovny 379, 156 10 Praha – Zbraslav (Czech Republic); Novotný, L.; Přibyl, A. [UJP PRAHA a.s., Nad Kamínkou 1345, 156 10 Praha – Zbraslav (Czech Republic); Bláhová, O. [New Technologies Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní 8, 306 14 Plzeň (Czech Republic); Burda, J. [NRI Rez plc, Husinec-Řež 130, 250 68 Řež (Czech Republic); Siegl, J. [Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Trojanova 13, 120 00 Praha 2 (Czech Republic); Vrtílková, V. [UJP PRAHA a.s., Nad Kamínkou 1345, 156 10 Praha – Zbraslav (Czech Republic)

2015-01-15

The paper deals with high-temperature steam oxidation behaviour of Zr1Nb fuel cladding. First of all, comprehensive experimental program was conducted to provide sufficient experimental data, such as the thicknesses of evolved phase layers and the overall weight gain kinetics, as well as the oxygen concentration and nanohardness values at phase boundaries. Afterwards, oxygen diffusion coefficients in the oxide, in the α-Zr(O) layer, in the double-phase (α + β)-Zr region, and in the β-phase region have been estimated based on the experimental data employing analytical solution of the multiphase moving boundary problem, assuming the equilibrium conditions being fulfilled at the interface boundaries. Eventually, the determined oxygen diffusion coefficients served as input into the in-house numerical code, which was designed to predict the high-temperature oxidation behaviour of Zr1Nb fuel cladding. Very good agreement has been achieved between the numerical calculations and the experimental data.

Modeling of the PWR fuel mechanical behaviour and particularly study of the pellet-cladding interaction in a fuel rod; Contribution a la modelisation du comportement mecanique des combustibles REP sous irradiation, avec en particulier le traitement de l`interaction pastille-gaine dans un crayon combustible

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hourdequin, N.

1995-05-01

In Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) power plants, fuel cladding constitutes the first containment barrier against radioactive contamination. Computer codes, developed with the help of a large experimental knowledge, try to predict cladding failures which must be limited in order to maintain a maximal safety level. Until now, fuel rod design calculus with unidimensional codes were adequate to prevent cladding failures in standard PWR`s operating conditions. But now, the need of nuclear power plant availability increases. That leads to more constraining operating condition in which cladding failures are strongly influenced by the fuel rod mechanical behaviour, mainly at high power level. Then, the pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) becomes important, and is characterized by local effects which description expects a multidimensional modelization. This is the aim of the TOUTATIS 2D-3D code, that this thesis contributes to develop. This code allows to predict non-axisymmetric behaviour too, as rod buckling which has been observed in some irradiation experiments and identified with the help of TOUTATIS. By another way, PCI is influenced by under irradiation experiments and identified with the help of TOUTATIS which includes a densification model and a swelling model. The latter can only be used in standard operating conditions. However, the processing structure of this modulus provides the possibility to include any type of model corresponding with other operating conditions. In last, we show the result of these fuel volume variations on the cladding mechanical conditions. (author). 25 refs., 89 figs., 2 tabs., 12 photos., 5 appends.

Performance of refractory alloy-clad fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutt, D.S.; Cox, C.M.; Millhollen, M.K.

1984-12-01

This paper discusses objectives and basic design of two fuel-cladding tests being conducted in support of SP-100 technology development. Two of the current space nuclear power concepts use conventional pin type designs, where a coolant removes the heat from the core and transports it to an out-of-core energy conversion system. An extensive irradiation testing program was conducted in the 1950's and 1960's to develop fuel pins for space nuclear reactors. The program emphasized refractory metal clad uranium nitride (UN), uranium carbide (UC), uranium oxide (UO 2 ), and metal matrix fuels (UCZr and BeO-UO 2 ). Based on this earlier work, studies presented here show that UN and UO 2 fuels in conjunction with several refractory metal cladding materials demonstrated high potential for meeting space reactor requirements and that UC could serve as an alternative but higher risk fuel

Characteristics and properties of cladding tubes for VVER-1000 higher Uranium content fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peregud, M.; Markelov, A.; Novikov, V.; Gusev, A.; Konkov, V.; Pimenov, Y.; Agapitov, V.; Shtutsa, M.

2009-01-01

To improve the fuel cycle economics and to further increase the VVER fuel usability the work programme is under way to design novel improved fuel, fuel rods and fuel assemblies. Longer FA operation time that is needed to increase the fuel burnup and the related design developments of novel fuel assemblies resulted not only in changing types and sizes of Zirconium items and fuel assembly components but also altered the requirements placed on their technical characteristics. To use fuel rods having a larger charge of fuel, to improve their behaviour in LOCA, to reduce fuel rod damage ability during assembling the work was carried out to perfect the characteristics of both the cladding (reduced wall thickness and more rigid tolerances for geometry) and its material. To meet the more rigid requirements for the geometry dimensions of cladding tubes an improved process flow sheet has been designed and employed for their fabrication and also the finishing treatment of tube surfaces has been improved. The higher and stable properties of the cladding materials were managed through using the special purity in terms of Hafnium Zirconium (not higher than 100 ppm Hf) as a base of the E110 alloy and maintaining within the valid specifications for the alloy the optimized contents of Oxygen and Iron at the levels of (600 - 990) ppm and (250 - 700) ppm, respectively. The work was under way in 2004 - 2008 years; during this period the technology and materials science solutions were mastered that were phased-in introduced into the production of the cladding tubes for the fuels loaded into the of the Kalinin NPP Unit 1

Development of a microindentation technique to determine the fuel mechanical behaviour at high burnup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baron, D.; Leclercq, S.; Spino, J.; Taheri, S.

1998-01-01

One of the major problems that face the conceptors and users of nuclear power plants is the demonstration of the cladding integrity (the Zircaloy clad that contains the fuel pellets), particularly in class I and II operating conditions. A long term collaboration between EDF and the Applied Mechanics Laboratory (LMA) of Besancon (France) has existed for several years, and a unified modelling of the cladding has been developed in this frame. But a good understanding of the cladding response is not of total use if the mechanical solicitation applied to this clad by the fuel pellet is not completely known. The potential evolution and the non-homogeneity of the fuel stiffness was recently demonstrated by Spino (TUI) on Vickers micro-hardness tests at room temperature. Thus, in order to get furthermore data, TUI and EDF decided to build a specific microindentation device able to perform the tests needed by the modelers. After a brief recall of what the effects of irradiation are on the fuel pellet mechanical behaviour, this paper presents the microindentation device to be built, as well as the principles that underline its use. Finally, the way the experimental results will be used to determine the mechanical behaviour of the fuel pellet under irradiation is pointed out. (author)

Accident tolerant fuel cladding development: Promise, status, and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Terrani, Kurt A.

2018-04-01

The motivation for transitioning away from zirconium-based fuel cladding in light water reactors to significantly more oxidation-resistant materials, thereby enhancing safety margins during severe accidents, is laid out. A review of the development status for three accident tolerant fuel cladding technologies, namely coated zirconium-based cladding, ferritic alumina-forming alloy cladding, and silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composite cladding, is offered. Technical challenges and data gaps for each of these cladding technologies are highlighted. Full development towards commercial deployment of these technologies is identified as a high priority for the nuclear industry.

Development Status of Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding for LWRs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyun-Gil; Kim, Il-Hyun; Jung, Yang-Il; Park, Dong-Jun; Park, Jung-Hwan; Yang, Jae-Ho; Koo, Yang-Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Hydrogen explosions and the release of radionuclides are caused by severe damage of current nuclear fuels, which are composed of fuel pellets and fuel cladding, during an accident. To reduce the damage to the public, the fuels have to enhance their integrity under an accident environment. Enhanced accident tolerance fuels (ATFs) can tolerate a loss of active cooling in the reactor core for a considerably longer time period during design-basis and beyond design-basis events while maintaining or improving the fuel performance during normal operations as well as operational transients, in comparison with the current UO{sub 2}-Zr alloy system used in the LWR. Surface modified Zr cladding as a new concept was suggested to apply an enhanced ATF cladding. The aim of the partial ODS treatment is to increase the high-temperature strength to suppress the ballooning/rupture behavior of fuel cladding during an accident event. The target of the surface coating is to increase the corrosion resistance during normal operation and increase the oxidation resistance during an accident event. The partial ODS treatment of Zircaloy-4 cladding can be produced using a laser beam scanning method with Y2O3 powder, and the surface Cr-alloy and Cr/FeCrAl coating on Zircaloy-4 cladding can be obtained after the development of 3D laser coating and arc ion plating technologies.

Scientific issues in fuel behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The current limits on discharge burnup in today's nuclear power stations have proven the fuel to be very reliable in its performance, with a negligibly small rate of failure. However, for reasons of economy, there are moves to increase the fuel enrichment in order to extend both the cycle time and the discharge burnup. But, longer periods of irradiation cause increased microstructural changes in the fuel and cladding, implying a larger degradation of physical and mechanical properties. This degradation may well limit the plant life, hence the NSC concluded that it is of importance to develop a predictive capability of fuel behaviour at extended burnup. This can only be achieved through an improved understanding of the basic underlying phenomena of fuel behaviour. The Task Force on Scientific Issues Related to Fuel Behaviour of the NEA Nuclear Science Committee has identified the most important scientific issues on the subject and has assigned priorities. Modelling aspects are listed in Appendix A and discussed in Part II. In addition, quality assurance process for performing and evaluating new integral experiments is considered of special importance. Main activities on fuel behaviour modelling, as carried out in OECD Member countries and international organisations, are listed in Part III. The aim is to identify common interests, to establish current coverage of selected issues, and to avoid any duplication of efforts between international agencies. (author). refs., figs., tabs

Fuel clad chemical interactions in fast reactor MOX fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viswanathan, R., E-mail: rvis@igcar.gov.in

2014-01-15

Clad corrosion being one of the factors limiting the life of a mixed-oxide fast reactor fuel element pin at high burn-up, some aspects known about the key elements (oxygen, cesium, tellurium, iodine) in the clad-attack are discussed and many Fuel–Clad-Chemical-Interaction (FCCI) models available in the literature are also discussed. Based on its relatively superior predictive ability, the HEDL (Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory) relation is recommended: d/μm = ({0.507 ⋅ [B/(at.% fission)] ⋅ (T/K-705) ⋅ [(O/M)_i-1.935]} + 20.5) for (O/M){sub i} ⩽ 1.98. A new model is proposed for (O/M){sub i} ⩾ 1.98: d/μm = [B/(at.% fission)] ⋅ (T/K-800){sup 0.5} ⋅ [(O/M){sub i}-1.94] ⋅ [P/(W cm{sup −1})]{sup 0.5}. Here, d is the maximum depth of clad attack, B is the burn-up, T is the clad inner surface temperature, (O/M){sub i} is the initial oxygen-to-(uranium + plutonium) ratio, and P is the linear power rating. For fuels with [n(Pu)/n(M = U + Pu)] > 0.25, multiplication factors f are recommended to consider the potential increase in the depth of clad-attack.

Secondary hydriding of defected zircaloy-clad fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olander, D.R.; Vaknin, S.

1993-01-01

The phenomenon of secondary hydriding in LWR fuel rods is critically reviewed. The current understanding of the process is summarized with emphasis on the sources of hydrogen in the rod provided by chemical reaction of water (steam) introduced via a primary defect in the cladding. As often noted in the literature, the role of hydrogen peroxide produced by steam radiolysis is to provide sources of hydrogen by cladding and fuel oxidation that are absent without fission-fragment irradiation of the gas. Quantitative description of the evolution of the chemical state inside the fuel rod is achieved by combining the chemical kinetics of the reactions between the gas and the fuel and cladding with the transport by diffusion of components of the gas in the gap. The chemistry-gas transport model provides the framework into which therate constants of the reactions between the gases in the gap and the fuel and cladding are incorporated. The output of the model calculation is the H 2 0/H 2 ratio in the gas and the degree of claddingand fuel oxidation as functions of distance from the primary defect. This output, when combined with a criterion for the onset of massive hydriding of the cladding, can provide a prediction of the time and location of a potential secondary hydriding failure. The chemistry-gas transport model is the starting point for mechanical and H-in-Zr migration analyses intended to determine the nature of the cladding failure caused by the development of the massive hydride on the inner wall

Evaluation of long-term creep behaviour on K-cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, J. G.; Jeong, Y. H.; Jeong, Y. H.

2003-01-01

KAERI has developed new zirconium alloys for high burnup fuel cladding. To evaluate the performance of these alloys, various out-pile tests are conducting. At high burnup, the creep resistance as well as corrosion resistance is one of the major factors determining nuclear fuel performance. Long-term creep test was performed at 350 .deg. C and 400 .deg. C and 100, 120, 135, and 150 MPa of applied hoop stress to evaluate the creep properties. The creep resistance was strongly affected by the final heat treatment conditions, while there was no effect of intermediate heat treatment. The creep strain of the recrystallized alloys is higher than that of the stress-relieved alloys by a factor of 3. The alloying elements also influenced the creep behaviour. Increase of Sn content enhanced the creep resistance, while Nb decreased the creep resistance. As a result of texture analysis, basal pole was directed to normal direction, while prism pole was to rolling direction. The development of the deformation texture and the ammealing texture showed almost similar process to Zircaloy cladding

Stainless steel clad for light water reactor fuels. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivera, J.E.; Meyer, J.E.

1980-07-01

Proper reactor operation and design guidelines are necessary to assure fuel integrity. The occurrence of fuel rod failures for operation in compliance with existing guidelines suggests the need for more adequate or applicable operation/design criteria. The intent of this study is to develop such criteria for light water reactor fuel rods with stainless steel clad and to indicate the nature of uncertainties in its development. The performance areas investigated herein are: long term creepdown and fuel swelling effects on clad dimensional changes and on proximity to clad failure; and short term clad failure possibilities during up-power ramps

Evolutionary developments of advanced PWR nuclear fuels and cladding materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyu-Tae

2013-01-01

Highlights: • PWR fuel and cladding materials development processes are provided. • Evolution of PWR advanced fuel in U.S.A. and in Korea is described. • Cutting-edge design features against grid-to-rod fretting and debris are explained. • High performance data of advanced grids, debris filters and claddings are given. -- Abstract: The evolutionary developments of advanced PWR fuels and cladding materials are explained with outstanding design features of nuclear fuel assembly components and zirconium-base cladding materials. The advanced PWR fuel and cladding materials development processes are also provided along with verification tests, which can be used as guidelines for newcomers planning to develop an advanced fuel for the first time. The up-to-date advanced fuels with the advanced cladding materials may provide a high level of economic utilization and reliable performance even under current and upcoming aggressive operating conditions. To be specific, nuclear fuel vendors may achieve high fuel burnup capability of between 45,000 and 65,000 MWD/MTU batch average, overpower thermal margin of as much as 15% and longer cycle length up to 24 months on the one hand and fuel failure rates of around 10 −6 on the other hand. However, there is still a need for better understanding of grid-to-rod fretting wear mechanisms leading to major PWR fuel defects in the world and subsequently a driving force for developing innovative spacer grid designs with zero fretting wear-induced fuel failure

Fuel cladding behavior under rapid loading conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Yueh, K.; Karlsson, J.; Stjärnsäter, J.; Schrire, D.; Ledergerber, G.; Munoz-Reja, C.; Hallstadius, L.

2016-02-01

A modified burst test (MBT) was used in an extensive test program to characterize fuel cladding failure behavior under rapid loading conditions. The MBT differs from a normal burst test with the use of a driver tube to simulate the expansion of a fuel pellet, thereby producing a partial strain driven deformation condition similar to that of a fuel pellet expansion in a reactivity insertion accident (RIA). A piston/cylinder assembly was used to pressurize the driver tube. By controlling the speed and distance the piston travels the loading rate and degree of sample deformation could be controlled. The use of a driver tube with a machined gauge section localizes deformation and allows for continuous monitoring of the test sample diameter change at the location of maximum hoop strain, during each test. Cladding samples from five irradiated fuel rods were tested between 296 and 553 K and loading rates from 1.5 to 3.5/s. The test rods included variations of Zircaloy-2 with different liners and ZIRLO, ranging in burn-up from 41 to 74 GWd/MTU. The test results show cladding ductility is strongly temperature and loading rate dependent. Zircaloy-2 cladding ductility degradation due to operational hydrogen pickup started to recover at approximately 358 K for test condition used in the study. This recovery temperature is strongly loading rate dependent. At 373 K, ductility recovery was small for loading rates less than 8 ms equivalent RIA pulse width, but longer than 8 ms the ductility recovery increased exponentially with increasing pulse width, consistent with literature observations of loading rate dependent brittle-to-ductile (BTD) transition temperature. The cladding ductility was also observed to be strongly loading rate/pulse width dependent for BWR cladding below the BTD temperature and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) cladding at both 296 and 553 K.

POST CRITICAL HEAT TRANSFER AND FUEL CLADDING OXIDATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vojtěch Caha

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of heat transfer coefficient in the post critical heat flux region in nuclear reactor safety is very important. Although the nuclear reactors normally operate at conditions where critical heat flux (CHF is not reached, accidents where dryout occur are possible. Most serious postulated accidents are a loss of coolant accident or reactivity initiated accident which can lead to CHF or post CHF conditions and possible disruption of core integrity. Moreover, this is also influenced by an oxide layer on the cladding surface. The paper deals with the study of mathematical models and correlations used for heat transfer calculation, especially in post dryout region, and fuel cladding oxidation kinetics of currently operated nuclear reactors. The study is focused on increasing of accuracy and reliability of safety limit calculations (e.g. DNBR or fuel cladding temperature. The paper presents coupled code which was developed for the solution of forced convection flow in heated channel and oxidation of fuel cladding. The code is capable of calculating temperature distribution in the coolant, cladding and fuel and also the thickness of an oxide layer.

Development and application of the BISON fuel performance code to the analysis of fission gas behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastore, G.; Hales, J.D.; Novascone, S.R.; Perez, D.M.; Spencer, B.W.; Williamson, R.L.

2014-01-01

BISON is a modern finite-element based, multidimensional nuclear fuel performance code that has been under development at Idaho National Laboratory (USA) since 2009. The capabilities of BISON comprise implicit solution of the fully coupled thermo-mechanics and diffusion equations, applicability to a variety of fuel forms, and simulation of both steady-state and transient conditions. The code includes multiphysics constitutive behavior for both fuel and cladding materials, and is designed for efficient use on highly parallel computers. This paper describes the main features of BISON, with emphasis on recent developments in modelling of fission gas behaviour in LWR-UO 2 fuel. The code is applied to the simulation of fuel rod irradiation experiments from the OECD/NEA International Fuel Performance Experiments Database. The comparison of the results with the available experimental data of fuel temperature, fission gas release, and cladding diametrical strain during pellet-cladding mechanical interaction is presented, pointing out a promising potential of the BISON code with the new fission gas behaviour model. (authors)

Simulation of fuel rod behaviour during various break LOCAs in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadalla, A.A.; El-Fawal, M.M.

1996-01-01

During loss of coolant accident (LOCAs) course of events, attention focuses on fuel rod cladding temperature behaviour. In this study, the DRUFAN analytical model and LOBI-MOD2 experimental modeling scheme for fuel rod temperature behaviour during C L-Break LOCA in PWRs, are described and discussed. These models are applied for the investigation of fuel rod cladding temperature behaviour during LOCA blowdown phase. A spectrum of selected values representing small, intermediate and large CL- Break sizes are considered in the predictions. The results of the predictions demonstrated that calculated heater rod temperature at steady state as well as the transient period up to 1000 sec are going in good agreement with the measured values. However above 1000 sec the calculated temperatures are higher than the measured values. This indicates that code predictions in this period are conservative. The results indicated also that, in case of small CL-break LOCA (0.01 A and 0.01 and 0.03 A), the heater rod cladding temperature don't rise above saturation temperature. However, on the top of the heater rod, DNB is occurred in case of 0.03 A CL break, while for 0.01 A break, DNB didn't occur. In case of intermediate and large CL-break; (0.05 A, 0.10 A and 1 A), the results showed that, the heater rod cladding temperature exceeded the saturation temperature and DNB prevailed in upper and intermediate sections of the core. 15 figs., 2 tabs

Cladding failure margins for metallic fuel in the integral fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, T.H.; Fenske, G.R.; Kramer, J.M.

1987-01-01

The reference fuel for Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a ternary U-Pu-Zr alloy with a low swelling austenitic or ferritic stainless steel cladding. It is known that low melting point eutectics may form in such metallic fuel-cladding systems which could contribute to cladding failure under accident conditions. This paper will present recent measurements of cladding eutectic penetration rates for the ternary IFR alloy and will compare these results with earlier eutectic penetration data for other fuel and cladding materials. A method for calculating failure of metallic fuel pins is developed by combining cladding deformation equations with a large strain analysis where the hoop stress is calculated using the instantaneous wall thickness as determined from correlations of the eutectic penetration-rate data. This method is applied to analyze the results of in-reactor and out-of-reactor fuel pin failure tests on uranium-fissium alloy EBR-II Mark-II driver fuel

Investigation of large grain and Gd-doped WWER fuels behaviour at BOL in the Halden reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, B.

2008-01-01

In this paper the following issues have been discussed: 1) WWER fuel tests in the HBWR; 2) Main objectives of the test with large grains and Gd-doped WWER fuel; 3) Analysis of of the the data at BOL focus on: Gd-doped fuel thermal behaviour, fuel elongation and dimension stability as well as cladding elongation early in life. At the end authors concluded that: 1) No indication of substantial effect of large grains on fuel thermal performance at BOL; 2) Densification observed in large grain fuel is similar to the ordinary uranium dioxide fuel with 95-96 % of theoretical density; 3) Dimension stability of large grain fuel is similar or even better than that in reference WWER fuel; 4) More stable dimension behaviour of large grain fuel at power could be attributed to its lower creep or densification at high temperature in the centre part of the fuel; 5) Cladding elongation detectors indicated identical early-in-life PCMI in both large grain and reference fuel rods, which reflected an accommodation effect of fuel pellets in claddings during first rise to power; no residual strains in either fuel types were observed; subsequent cladding elongation measurements show a trend to irradiation growth; 6) No clear evidence for densification of Gd-doped WWER fuel is observed during first irradiation cycle

Advanced ceramic cladding for water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feinroth, H.

2000-01-01

Under the US Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy Research Initiatives (NERI) program, continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCCs) are being developed as cladding for water reactor fuel elements. The purpose is to substantially increase the passive safety of water reactors. A development effort was initiated in 1991 to fabricate CFCC-clad tubes using commercially available fibers and a sol-gel process developed by McDermott Technologies. Two small-diameter CFCC tubes were fabricated using pure alumina and alumina-zirconia fibers in an alumina matrix. Densities of approximately 60% of theoretical were achieved. Higher densities are required to guarantee fission gas containment. This NERI work has just begun, and only preliminary results are presented herein. Should the work prove successful, further development is required to evaluate CFCC cladding and performance, including in-pile tests containing fuel and exploring a marriage of CFCC cladding materials with suitable advanced fuel and core designs. The possibility of much higher temperature core designs, possibly cooled with supercritical water, and achievement of plant efficiencies ge50% would be examined

Prevention of nuclear fuel cladding materials corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, K.R.; Yang, J.C.; Lee, I.C.; Kang, H.D.; Cho, S.W.; Whang, C.K.

1983-01-01

The only way which could be performed by the operator of nuclear power plant to minimizing the degradation of nuclear fuel cladding material is to control the water quality of primary coolant as specified standard conditions which dose not attack the cladding material. If the water quality of reactor coolant does not meet far from the specification, the failure will occure not only cladding material itself but construction material of primary system which contact with the coolant. The corrosion product of system material are circulate through the whole primary system with the coolant and activated by the neutron near the reactor core. The activated corrosion products and fission products which released from fuel rod to the coolant, so called crud, will repeate deposition and redeposition continuously on the fuel rod and construction material surface. As a result we should consider heat transfer problem. In this study following activities were performed; 1. The crud sample was taken from the spent fuel rod surface of Kori unit one and analized for radioactive element and non radioactive chemical species. 2. The failure mode of nuclear fuel cladding material was estimated by the investigation of releasing type of fission products from the fuel rod to the reactor coolant using the iodine isotopes concentration of reactor coolants. 3. A study was carried out on the sipping test results of spent fuel and a discussion was made on the water quality control records through the past three cycle operation period of Kori unit one plant. (Author)

Examination of Zircaloy-clad spent fuel after extended pool storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, E.R.; Bailey, W.J.; Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Lowry, L.M.

1981-09-01

This report presents the results from metallurgical examinations of Zircaloy-clad fuel rods from two bundles (0551 and 0074) of Shippingport PWR Core 1 blanket fuel after extended water storage. Both bundles were exposed to water in the reactor from late 1957 until discharge. The estimated average burnups were 346 GJ/kgU (4000 MWd/MTU) for bundle 0551 and 1550 GJ/kgU (18,000 MWd/MTU) for bundle 0074. Fuel rods from bundle 0551 were stored in deionized water for nearly 21 yr prior to examination in 1980, representing the world's oldest pool-stored Zircaloy-clad fuel. Bundle 0074 has been stored in deionized water since reactor discharge in 1964. Data from the current metallurgical examinations enable a direct assessment of extended pool storage effects because the metallurgical condition of similar fuel rods was investigated and documented soon after reactor discharge. Data from current and past examinations were compared, and no significant degradation of the Zircaloy cladding was indicated after almost 21 yr in water storage. The cladding dimensions and mechanical properties, fission gas release, hydrogen contents of the cladding, and external oxide film thicknesses that were measured during the current examinations were all within the range of measurements made on fuel bundles soon after reactor discharge. The appearance of the external surfaces and the microstructures of the fuel and cladding were also similar to those reported previously. In addition, no evidence of accelerated corrosion or hydride redistribution in the cladding was observed

Management of cladding hulls and fuel hardware

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The reprocessing of spent fuel from power reactors based on chop-leach technology produces a solid waste product of cladding hulls and other metallic residues. This report describes the current situation in the management of fuel cladding hulls and hardware. Information is presented on the material composition of such waste together with the heating effects due to neutron-induced activation products and fuel contamination. As no country has established a final disposal route and the corresponding repository, this report also discusses possible disposal routes and various disposal options under consideration at present

Fuel-clad heat transfer coefficient of a defected fuel rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruet, M.; Stora, J.P.

1976-01-01

A special rod has been built with a stack of UO 2 pellets inside a thick zircaloy clad. The atmosphere inside the fuel rod can be changed and particularly the introduction of water is possible. The capsule was inserted in the Siloe pool reactor in a special device equipped with a neutron flux monitor. The fuel centerline temperature and the temperature at a certain radius of the clad were recorded by two thermocouples. The temperature profiles in the fuel and in the cladding have been calculated and then the heat transfer coefficient. In order to check the proper functioning of the device, two runs were successively achieved with a helium atmosphere. Then the helium atmosphere inside the fuel rod was removed and replaced by water. The heat transfer coefficients derived from the measurements at low power level are in agreement with the values given by the model based on thermal conductivity. However, for higher power levels, the heat transfer coefficients become higher than those based on the calculated gap

Irradiation effects on mechanical properties of fuel element cladding from thermal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatterjee, S.

2005-01-01

During reactor operation, UO 2 expands more than the cladding tube (Zirconium alloys for thermal reactors), is hotter, cracks and swells. The fuel therefore will interact with the cladding, resulting in straining of the later. To minimize the possibility of rupture of the cladding, ideally it should have good ductility as well as high strength. However, the ductility reduces with increase in fuel element burn-up. Increased burn-up also increases swelling of the fuel, leading to increased contact pressure between the fuel and the cladding tube. This would cause strains to be concentrated over localized regions of the cladding. For fuel elements burnup exceeding 40 GWd/T, the contribution of embrittlement due to hydriding, and the increased possibility of embrittlement due to stress corrosion cracking, also need to be considered. In addition to the tensile properties, the other mechanical properties of interest to the performance of cladding tube in an operating fuel element are creep rate and fatigue endurance. Irradiation is reported to have insignificant effect on high cycle endurance limit, and fatigue from fuel element vibration is most unlikely, to be life limiting. Even though creep rates due to irradiation are reported to increase by an order of magnitude, the cladding creep ductility would be so high that creep type failures in fuel element would be most improbable. Thus, the most important limiting aspect of mechanical performance of fuel element cladding has been recognized as the tensile ductility resulting from the stress conditions experienced by the cladding. Some specific fission products of threshold amount (if) deposited on the cladding, and hydride morphology (e.g. hydride lenses). The presentation will brief about irradiation damage in cladding materials and its significance, background of search for better Zirconium alloys as cladding materials, and elaborate on the types of mechanical tests need to be conducted for the evaluation of claddings

Delayed hydride cracking of Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pizarro, Luis M.; Fernandez, Silvia; Lafont, Claudio; Mizrahi, Rafael; Haddad, Roberto

2007-01-01

Crack propagation rates, grown by the delayed hydride cracking mechanism, were measured in Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding, according to a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). During the first stage of the program a Round Robin Testing was performed on fuel cladding samples provided by Studsvik (Sweden), of the type used in PWR reactors. Crack growth in the axial direction is obtained through the specially developed 'pin load testing' (PLT) device. In these tests, crack propagation rates were determined at 250 C degrees on several samples of the material described above, obtaining a mean value of about 2.5 x 10 -8 m s -1 . The results were analyzed and compared satisfactorily with those obtained by the other laboratories participating in the CRP. At the present moment, similar tests on CANDU and Atucha I type fuel cladding are being performed. It is thought that the obtained results will give valuable information concerning the analysis of possible failures affecting fuel cladding under reactor operation. (author) [es

Zircaloy PWR fuel cladding deformation tests under mainly convective cooling conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindle, E.D.; Mann, C.A.

1980-01-01

In a loss-of-coolant accident the temperature of the cladding of the fuel rods may rise to levels (650-810 0 C) where the ductility of Zircaloy is high (approximately 80%). The net outward pressure which will obtain if the coolant pressure falls to a small fraction of its normal working value produces stresses in the cladding which can result in large strain through secondary creep. An earlier study of the deformation of specimens of PWR Zircaloy cladding tubing 450 mm long under internal pressure had shown that strains of over 50% could be produced over considerable lengths (greater than twenty tube diameters). Extended deformation of this sort might be unacceptable if it occurred in a fuel element. The previous tests had been carried out under conditions of uniform radiative heat loss, and the work reported here extends the study to conditions of mainly convective heat loss believed to be more representative of a fuel element following a loss of coolant. Zircaloy-4 cladding specimens 450 mm long were filled with alumina pellets and tested at temperatures between 630 and 845 0 C in flowing steam at atmospheric pressure. Internal test pressures were in the range 2.9-11.0 MPa (400-1600 1b/in 2 ). Maximum strains were observed of the same magnitude as those seen in the previous tests, but the shape of the deformation differed; in these tests the deformation progressively increased in the direction of the steam flow. These results are compared with those from multi-rod tests elsewhere, and it is suggested that heat transfer has a dominant effect in determining deformation. The implications for the behaviour of fuel elements in a loss-of-coolant accident are outlined. (author)

Simulations of Failure via Three-Dimensional Cracking in Fuel Cladding for Advanced Nuclear Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Hongbing; Bukkapatnam, Satish; Harimkar, Sandip; Singh, Raman; Bardenhagen, Scott

2014-01-01

Enhancing performance of fuel cladding and duct alloys is a key means of increasing fuel burnup. This project will address the failure of fuel cladding via three-dimensional cracking models. Researchers will develop a simulation code for the failure of the fuel cladding and validate the code through experiments. The objective is to develop an algorithm to determine the failure of fuel cladding in the form of three-dimensional cracking due to prolonged exposure under varying conditions of pressure, temperature, chemical environment, and irradiation. This project encompasses the following tasks: 1. Simulate 3D crack initiation and growth under instantaneous and/or fatigue loads using a new variant of the material point method (MPM); 2. Simulate debonding of the materials in the crack path using cohesive elements, considering normal and shear traction separation laws; 3. Determine the crack propagation path, considering damage of the materials incorporated in the cohesive elements to allow the energy release rate to be minimized; 4. Simulate the three-dimensional fatigue crack growth as a function of loading histories; 5. Verify the simulation code by comparing results to theoretical and numerical studies available in the literature; 6. Conduct experiments to observe the crack path and surface profile in unused fuel cladding and validate against simulation results; and 7. Expand the adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure parallel processing environment to allow adaptive mesh refinement at the 3D crack fronts and adaptive mesh merging in the wake of cracks. Fuel cladding is made of materials such as stainless steels and ferritic steels with added alloying elements, which increase stability and durability under irradiation. As fuel cladding is subjected to water, chemicals, fission gas, pressure, high temperatures, and irradiation while in service, understanding performance is essential. In the fast fuel used in advanced burner reactors, simulations of the nuclear

Simulations of Failure via Three-Dimensional Cracking in Fuel Cladding for Advanced Nuclear Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Hongbing [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Bukkapatnam, Satish; Harimkar, Sandip; Singh, Raman; Bardenhagen, Scott

2014-01-09

Enhancing performance of fuel cladding and duct alloys is a key means of increasing fuel burnup. This project will address the failure of fuel cladding via three-dimensional cracking models. Researchers will develop a simulation code for the failure of the fuel cladding and validate the code through experiments. The objective is to develop an algorithm to determine the failure of fuel cladding in the form of three-dimensional cracking due to prolonged exposure under varying conditions of pressure, temperature, chemical environment, and irradiation. This project encompasses the following tasks: 1. Simulate 3D crack initiation and growth under instantaneous and/or fatigue loads using a new variant of the material point method (MPM); 2. Simulate debonding of the materials in the crack path using cohesive elements, considering normal and shear traction separation laws; 3. Determine the crack propagation path, considering damage of the materials incorporated in the cohesive elements to allow the energy release rate to be minimized; 4. Simulate the three-dimensional fatigue crack growth as a function of loading histories; 5. Verify the simulation code by comparing results to theoretical and numerical studies available in the literature; 6. Conduct experiments to observe the crack path and surface profile in unused fuel cladding and validate against simulation results; and 7. Expand the adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure parallel processing environment to allow adaptive mesh refinement at the 3D crack fronts and adaptive mesh merging in the wake of cracks. Fuel cladding is made of materials such as stainless steels and ferritic steels with added alloying elements, which increase stability and durability under irradiation. As fuel cladding is subjected to water, chemicals, fission gas, pressure, high temperatures, and irradiation while in service, understanding performance is essential. In the fast fuel used in advanced burner reactors, simulations of the nuclear

Results of tests under normal and abnormal operating conditions concerning LMFBR fuel element behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Languille, A.; Bergeonneau, P.; Essig, C.; Guerin, Y.

1985-04-01

The objective of this paper is to improve the knowledge on LMFBR fuel element behaviour during protected and unprotected transients in RAPSODIE and PHENIX reactors in order to evaluate its reliability. The range of the tests performed in these reactors is sufficiently large to cover normal and also extreme off normal conditions such as fuel melting. Results of such tests allow to better establish transient design limits for reactor structural components in particular for fuel pin cladding which play a lead role in controlling the accident sequence. Three main topics are emphasized in this paper: fuel melting during slow over-power excursions; influence of the fuel element geometrical evolution on reactivity feedback effects and reactor dynamic behaviour; clad damage evaluation during a transient (essentially very severe loss of flow)

The prediction problems of VVER fuel element cladding failure theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelykh, S.N.; Maksimov, M.V.; Ryabchikov, S.D.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Fuel cladding failure forecasting is based on the fuel load history and the damage distribution. • The limit damage parameter is exceeded, though limit stresses are not reached. • The damage parameter plays a significant role in predicting the cladding failure. • The proposed failure probability criterion can be used to control the cladding tightness. - Abstract: A method for forecasting of VVER fuel element (FE) cladding failure due to accumulation of deformation damage parameter, taking into account the fuel assembly (FA) loading history and the damage parameter distribution among FEs included in the FA, has been developed. Using the concept of conservative FE groups, it is shown that the safety limit for damage parameter is exceeded for some FA rearrangement, though the limits for circumferential and equivalent stresses are not reached. This new result contradicts the wide-spread idea that the damage parameter value plays a minor role when estimating the limiting state of cladding. The necessary condition of rearrangement algorithm admissibility and the criterion for minimization of the probability of cladding failure due to damage parameter accumulation have been derived, for using in automated systems controlling the cladding tightness.

Behaviour of molten reactor fuels under accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xavier Swamikannu, A.; Mathews, C.K.

1980-01-01

The behaviour of molten reactor fuels under accident conditions has received considerable importance in recent times. The chemical processes that occur in the molten state among the fuel, the clad components and the concrete of the containment building under the conditions of a core melt down accident in oxide fuelled reactors have been reviewed with the purpose of identifying areas of developmental work required to be performed to assess and minimize the consequences of such an accident. This includes the computation and estimation of vapour pressure of various gaseous species over the fuel, the clad and the coolant, providing of sacrificial materials in the concrete in order to protect the containment building in order to prevent release of radioactive gases into the atmosphere and understanding the distribution and chemical state of fission products in the molten fuel in order to provide for the effective removal of their decay heats. (auth.)

In-reactor fuel cladding external corrosion measurement process and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomazet, J.; Musante, Y.; Pigelet, J.

1999-01-01

Analysis of the zirconium alloy cladding behaviour calls for an on-site corrosion measurement device. In the 80's, a FISCHER probe was used and allowed oxide layer measurements to be taken along the outer generating lines of the peripheral fuel rods. In order to allow measurements on inner rods, a thin Eddy current probe called SABRE was developed by FRAMATOME. The SABRE is a blade equipped with two E.C coils is moved through the assembly rows. A spring allows the measurement coil to be clamped on each of the generating lines of the scanned rods. By inserting this blade on all four assembly faces, measurements can also be performed along several generating lines of the same rod. Standard rings are fitted on the device and allow on-line calibration for each measured row. Signal acquisition and processing are performed by LAGOS, a dedicated software program developed by FRAMATOME. The measurements are generally taken at the cycle outage, in the spent fuel pool. On average, data acquisition calls for one shift per assembly (eight hours): this corresponds to more than 2500 measurement points. These measurements are processed statistically by the utility program SAN REMO. All the results are collected in a database for subsequent behaviour analysis: examples of investigated parameters are the thermal/hydraulic conditions of the reactors, the irradiation history, the cladding material, the water chemistry This analysis can be made easier by comparing the behaviour measurement and prediction by means of the COROS-2 corrosion code. (author)

Fuel cladding mechanical properties for transient analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, G.D.; Hunter, C.W.; Hanson, J.E.

1976-01-01

Out-of-pile simulated transient tests have been conducted on irradiated fast-reactor fuel pin cladding specimens at heating rates of 10 0 F/s (5.6 0 K/s) and 200 0 F/s (111 0 K/s) to generate mechanical property information for use in describing cladding behavior during off-normal events. Mechanical property data were then analyzed, applying the Larson-Miller Parameter to the effects of heating rate and neutron fluence. Data from simulated transient tests on TREAT-tested fuel pins demonstrate that Plant Protective System termination of 3$/s transients prevents significant damage to cladding. The breach opening produced during simulated transient testing is shown to decrease in size with increasing neutron fluence

Characteristics of hydride precipitation and reorientation in spent-fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, H. M.; Strain, R. V.; Billone, M. C.

2000-01-01

The morphology, number density, orientation, distribution, and crystallographic aspects of Zr hydrides in Zircaloy fuel cladding play important roles in fuel performance during all phases before and after discharge from the reactor, i.e., during normal operation, transient and accident situations in the reactor, temporary storage in a dry cask, and permanent storage in a waste repository. In the past, partly because of experimental difficulties, hydriding behavior in irradiated fuel cladding has been investigated mostly by optical microscopy (OM). In the present study, fundamental metallurgical and crystallographic characteristics of hydride precipitation and reorientation were investigated on the microscopic level by combined techniques of OM and transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) of spent-fuel claddings discharged from several boiling and pressurized water reactors (BWRs and PWRs). Defueled sections of standard and Zr-lined Zircaloy-2 fuel claddings, irradiated to fluences of ∼3.3 x 10 21 n cm -2 and ∼9.2 x 10 21 n cm -2 (E > 1 MeV), respectively, were obtained from spent fuel rods discharged from two BWRs. Sections of standard and low-tin Zircaloy-4 claddings, irradiated to fluences of ∼4.4 x 10 21 n cm -2 , ∼5.9 x 10 21 n cm -2 , and ∼9.6 x 10 21 n cm -2 (E > 1 MeV) in three PWRs, were also obtained. Microstructural characteristics of hydrides were analyzed in as-irradiated condition and after gas-pressurization-burst or expanding-mandrel tests at 292-325 C in Ar for some of the spent-fuel claddings. Analyses were also conducted of hydride habit plane, morphology, and reorientation characteristics on unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding that contained dense radial hydrides. Reoriented hydrides in the slowly cooled unirradiated cladding were produced by expanding-mandrel loading

Corrosion effect of fast reactor fuel claddings on their mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davydov, E.F.; Krykov, F.N.; Shamardin, V.K.

1985-01-01

Fast reactor fuel cladding corrosion effect on its mechanical properties was investigated. UO 2 fuel elements were irradiated in the BOP-60 reactor at the linear heat rate of 42 kw/m. Fuel cladding is made of stainless steel OKh16N15M3BR. Calculated maximum cladding temperature is 920 K. Neutron fluence in the central part of fuel elements is 6.3x10 26 m+H- 2 . To investigate the strength changes temperature dependence of corrossion depth, cladding strength reduction factors was determined. Samples plasticity reduction with corrosion layer increase is considered to be a characteristic feature

General considerations on the oxide fuel-cladding chemical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascard, R.

1977-01-01

Since the very first experimental irradiations in thermal reactors, performed in view of the future Rapsodie fuel general study, corrosion cladding anomalies were observed. After 10 years of Rapsodie and more than two years of Phenix, performance brought definite confirmation of the chemical reactions between the irradiated fuel and cladding. That is the reason for which the fuel designers express an urgent need for determining the corrosion rates. Semi-empirical laws and mechanisms describing corrosion processes are proposed. Erratic conditions for appearance of the oxide-cladding corrosion are stressed upon. Obviously such a problem can be fully appreciated only by a statistical approach based on a large number of observations on the true LMFBR fuel pins

Temperature measurements of the aluminium claddings of fuel elements in nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Daolong

1986-01-01

A method for embedding the sheathed thermocouples in the aluminium claddings of some fuel elements of experimental reactors by ultrasonic welding technique is described. The measurement results of the cladding temperature of fuel elements in reactors are given. By means of this method, the joint between the sheathed thermocouples and the cladding of fuel elements can be made very tight, there are no bulges on the cladding surfaces, and the sheathed thermocouples are embedded strongly and reliably. Therefore an essential means is provided for acquiring the stable and dynamic state data of the cladding temperature of in-core fuel elements

Technical basis for storage of Zircaloy-clad spent fuel in inert gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Gilbert, E.R.

1983-09-01

The technical bases to establish safe conditions for dry storage of Zircaloy-clad fuel are summarized. Dry storage of fuel with zirconium alloy cladding has been licensed in Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Switzerland. Dry storage demonstrations, hot cell tests, and modeling have been conducted using Zircaloy-clad fuel. The demonstrations have included irradiated boiling water reactor, pressurized heavy-water reactor, and pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies. Irradiated fuel has been emplaced in and retrieved from metal casks, dry wells, silos, and a vault. Dry storage tests and demonstrations have involved about 15,000 fuel rods, and about 5600 rods have been monitored during dry storage in inert gases with maximum cladding temperatures ranging from 50 to 570 0 C. Although some tests and demonstrations are still in progress, there is currently no evidence that any rods exposed to inert gases have failed (one PWR rod exposed to an air cover gas failed at about 270 0 C). Based on this favorable experience, it is concluded that there is sufficient information on fuel rod behavior, storage conditions, and potential cladding failure mechanisms to support licensing of dry storage in the US. This licensing position includes a requirement for inert cover gases and a maximum cladding temperature guideline of 380 0 C for Zircaloy-clad fuel. Using an inert cover gas assures that even if fuel with cladding defects were placed in dry storage, or if defects develop during storage, the defects would not propagate. Tests and demonstrations involving Zircaloy-clad rods and assemblies with maximum cladding temperatures above 400 0 C are in progress. When the results from these tests have been evaluated, the viability of higher temperature limits should be examined. Acceptable conditions for storage in air and dry storage of consolidated fuel are issues yet to be resolved

Scientific basis for storage criteria for interim dry storage of aluminum-clad fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sindelar, R.L.; Peacock, H.B. Jr.; Lam, P.S.; Iyer, N.C.; Louthan, M.R. Jr.; Murphy, J.R.

1996-01-01

An engineered system for dry storage of aluminum-clad foreign and domestic research reactor spent fuel owned by the US Department of Energy is being considered to store the fuel up to a nominal period of 40 years prior to ultimate disposition. Scientifically-based criteria for environmental limits to drying and storing the fuels for this system are being developed to avoid excessive degradation in sealed and non-sealed (open to air) dry storage systems. These limits are based on consideration of degradation modes that can cause loss of net section of the cladding, embrittlement of the cladding, distortion of the fuel, or release of fuel and fission products from the fuel/clad system. Potential degradation mechanisms include corrosion mechanisms from exposure to air and/or sources of humidity, hydrogen blistering of the aluminum cladding, distortion of the fuel due to creep, and interdiffusion of the fuel and fission products with the cladding. The aluminum-clad research reactor fuels are predominantly highly-enriched aluminum uranium alloy fuel which is clad with aluminum alloys similar to 1100, 5052, and 6061 aluminum. In the absence of corrodant species, degradation due to creep and diffusion mechanisms limit the maximum fuel storage temperature to 200 C. The results of laboratory scale corrosion tests indicate that this fuel could be stored under air up to 200 C at low relative humidity levels (< 20%) to limit corrosion of the cladding and fuel (exposed to the storage environment through assumed pre-existing pits in the cladding). Excessive degradation of fuels with uranium metal up to 200 C can be avoided if the fuel is sufficiently dried and contained in a sealed system; open storage can be achieved if the temperature is controlled to avoid excessive corrosion even in dry air

Modelling of pellet-cladding interaction for PWRs reactors fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esteves, A.M.

1991-01-01

The pellet-cladding interaction that can occur in a PWR fuel rod design is modelled with the computer codes FRAPCON-1 and ANSYS. The fuel performance code FRAPCON-1 analyzes the fuel rod irradiation behavior and generates the initial conditions for the localized fuel rod thermal and mechanical modelling in two and three-dimensional finite elements with ANSYS. In the mechanical modelling, a pellet fragment is placed in the fuel rod gap. Two types of fuel rod cladding materials are considered: Zircaloy and austenitic stainless steel. Linear and non-linear material behaviors are allowed. Elastic, plastic and creep behaviors are considered for the cladding materials. The modelling is applied to Angra-II fuel rod design. The results are analyzed and compared. (author)

PIN99W, Modelling of VVER and PWR Fuel Rod Thermomechanical Behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valach, M.; Strizhov, P.; Svoboda, R.

2000-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: The Code is developed to describe fuel rod thermomechanical behaviour in operational conditions. The main goal of this code is to calculate fuel temperature, gap conductivity, fission gas release and inner gas pressure. 2 - Methods: - fuel rod temperature response is solved by using one-dimensional finite element method combined with weighted residuals method; - the code involves models describing physical phenomena typical for the fuel irradiated in Light Water Power Reactors (densification, restructuring, fission gas release, swelling and relocation) ; - this code is updated and improves PIN-micro code. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: - simplified mechanistic solution; - only steady-state solution; - no cladding failure criterion; - no model for axial fuel-cladding interaction

Probabilistic assessment of spent-fuel cladding breach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foadian, H.; Rashid, Y.R.; Seager, K.D.

1991-01-01

A methodology for determining the probability spent-fuel cladding breach due to normal and accident class B cask transport conditions is introduced. This technique uses deterministic stress analysis results as well as probabilistic cladding material properties, initial flaws, and breach criteria. Best estimates are presented for the probability distributions of irradiated Zircaloy properties such as ductility and fracture toughness, and for fuel rod initial conditions such as manufacturing flaws and PCI part-wall cracks. Example analyses are used to illustrate the implementation of this methodology for a BWR (GE 7 x 7) and a PWR (B ampersand W 15 x 15) assembly. The cladding breach probabilities for each assembly are tabulated for regulatory normal and accident transport conditions including fire

Probabilistic assessment of spent-fuel cladding breach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foadian, H.; Rashid, Y.R.; Seager, K.D.

1992-01-01

In this paper a methodology for determining the probability of spent-fuel cladding breach due to normal and accident class B cask transport conditions is introduced. This technique uses deterministic stress analysis results as well as probabilistic cladding material properties, initial flaws, and breach criteria. Best estimates are presented for the probability distributions of irradiated Zircaloy properties such as ductility and fracture toughness, and for fuel rod initial conditions such as manufacturing flaws and PCI part-wall cracks. Example analyses are used to illustrate the implementation of this methodology for a BWR (GE 7 x 7) and a PWR (B and W 15 x 15) assembly. The cladding breach probabilities for each assembly are tabulated for regulatory normal and accident transport conditions including fire

Preliminary study of mechanical behavior for Cr coated Zr-4 Fuel Cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Do-Hyoung; Kim, Hak-Sung [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyo-Chan; Yang, Yong-Sik [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

To decrease the oxidation rate of Zr-based alloy components, many concepts of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) such as Mo-Zr cladding, SiC/SiCf cladding and iron-based alloy cladding are under development. One of the promised concept is the coated cladding which can remarkably increase the corrosion and wear resistance. Recently, KAERI is developing the Cr coated Zircaloy cladding as accident tolerance cladding. To coat the Cr powder on the Zircaloy, 3D laser coating technology has been employed because it is possible to make a coated layer on the tubular cladding surface by controlling the 3-diminational axis. Therefore, for this work, the mechanical integrity of Cr coated Zircaloy should be evaluated to predict the safety of fuel cladding during the operating or accident of nuclear reactor. In this work, the mechanical behavior of the Cr coated Zircaloy cladding has been studied by using finite element analysis (FEA). The ring compression test (RCT) of fuel cladding was simulated to evaluate the validity of mechanical properties of Zr-4 and Cr, which were referred from the literatures and experimental reports. In this work, the mechanical behavior of the Cr coated Zircaloy cladding has been studied by using finite element analysis (FEA). The ring compression test (RCT) of fuel cladding was simulated to evaluate the validity of mechanical properties of Zr-4 and Cr. The pellet-clad mechanical interaction (PCMI) properties of Cr coated Zr-4 cladding were investigated by thermo-mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. The mechanical properties of Zr-4 and Cr was validated by simulation of ring compression test (RCT) of fuel cladding.

Fabrication and testing of U–7Mo monolithic plate fuel with Zircaloy cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasqualini, E.E. [Laboratorio de Nanotecnología Nuclear, Centro Atómico Constituyentes, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. General Paz 1499, B1650KNA, San Martín, Prov. Buenos Aires (Argentina); Robinson, A.B. [Idaho National Laboratory, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415-6188 (United States); Porter, D.L., E-mail: Douglas.Porter@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415-6188 (United States); Wachs, D.M. [Idaho National Laboratory, P. O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415-6188 (United States); Finlay, M.R. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai, NSW, 2234 (Australia)

2016-10-15

Nuclear fuel designs are being developed to replace highly enriched fuel used in research and test reactors with fuels of low enrichment. In the most challenging cases, U–(7–10 wt%)Mo monolithic plate fuels are proposed. One of the considered designs includes aluminum-alloy cladding, which provides some challenges in fabrication and fuel/cladding interaction during service. Zircaloy cladding, specifically Zry–4, was investigated as an alternative cladding, and development of a fabrication method was performed by researchers with the Comisión Nacionalde Energia Atómica (CNEA) in Argentina, resulting in test fuel plates (Zry–4 clad U–7Mo) which were subsequently tested in the Advanced Test Reactor in Idaho. Because Zry–4 and U–(7–10)Mo have similar high-temperature mechanical properties, fabrication was simplified in that the fuel foil and cladding could be co-rolled and bonded. The challenge was to prevent a thermal-expansion mismatch, which could destroy the fuel/cladding bond before complete bonding was achieved; the solution was to prevent the composites from cooling significantly during or between roll passes. The final product performed very well in-reactor, showing good bonding, very little fuel/cladding interaction—either from fabrication or in-reactor testing—and little swelling, especially no detectable heterogeneous bubble formation at the fuel/cladding interface tested to a fission density of up to 2.7E+21 (average) fissions/cm{sup 3}, 3.8E+21 (peak).

Fabrication of oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic clad fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zirker, L.R.; Bottcher, J.H.; Shikakura, S.; Tsai, C.L.

1991-01-01

A resistance butt welding procedure was developed and qualified for joining ferritic fuel pin cladding to end caps. The cladding are INCO MA957 and PNC ODS lots 63DSA and 1DK1, ferritic stainless steels strengthened by oxide dispersion, while the end caps are HT9 a martensitic stainless steel. With adequate parameter control the weld is formed without a residual melt phase and its strength approaches that of the cladding. This welding process required a new design for fuel pin end cap and weld joint. Summaries of the development, characterization, and fabrication processes are given for these fuel pins. 13 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Modeling of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the PWR fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mailhe, P.

2014-01-01

This article reviews the various physical phenomena that take place in an irradiated fuel rod and presents the development of the thermo-mechanical codes able to simulate them. Though technically simple the fuel rod is the place where appear 4 types of process: thermal, gas behaviour, mechanical and corrosion that combine involving 5 elements: the fuel pellet, the fuel clad, the fuel-clad gap, the inside volume and the coolant. For instance the pellet is the place where the following mechanical processes took place: thermal dilatation, elastic deformation, creep deformation, densification, solid swelling, gaseous swelling and cracking. The first industrial code simulating the behaviour of the fuel rod was COCCINEL, it was developed by AREVA teams from the American PAD code that was included in the Westinghouse license. Today the GALILEO code has replaced the COPERNIC code that was developed in the beginning of the 2000 years. GALILEO is a synthesis of the state of the art of the different models used in the codes validated for PWR and BWR. GALILEO has been validated on more than 1500 fuel rods concerning PWR, BWR and specific reactors like Siloe, Osiris, HFR, Halden, Studsvik, BR2/3,...) and also for extended burn-ups. (A.C.)

Creep collapse of TAPS fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhry, S.M.; Anand, A.K.

1975-01-01

Densification of UO 2 can cause axial gaps between fuel pelets and cladding in unsupported (internally) at these regions. An analysis is carried out regarding the possibility of creep collapse in these regions. The analysis is based on Timoshenko's theory of collapse. At various times during the residence of fuel in reactor following parameters are calculated : (1) inelastic collapse of perfectly circular tubes (2) plastic instability in oval tubes (3) effect of creep on ovality. Creep is considered to be a non-linear combination of the following : (a) thermal creep (b) intresenic creep (c) stress aided radiation enhanced (d) stress free growth (4) Critical pressure ratio. The results obtained are compared with G.E. predictions. The results do not predict collapse of TAPS fuel cladding for five year residence time. (author)

Gap conductance in Zircaloy-clad LWR fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainscough, J.B.

1982-04-01

This report describes the procedures currently used to calculate fuel-cladding gap conductance in light water reactor fuel rods containing pelleted UO 2 in Zircaloy cladding, under both steady-state and transient conditions. The relevant theory is discussed together with some of the approximations usually made in performance modelling codes. The state of the physical property data which are needed for heat transfer calculations is examined and some of the relevant in- and out-of-reactor experimental work on fuel rod conductance is reviewed

Out-pile Test of Double Cladding Fuel Rod Mockups for a Nuclear Fuel Irradiation Test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohn, Jaemin; Park, Sungjae; Kang, Younghwan; Kim, Harkrho; Kim, Bonggoo; Kim, Youngki [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-05-15

An instrumented capsule for a nuclear fuel irradiation test has been developed to measure fuel characteristics, such as a fuel temperature, internal pressure of a fuel rod, a fuel pellet elongation and a neutron flux during an irradiation test at HANARO. In the future, nuclear fuel irradiation tests under a high temperature condition are expected from users. To prepare for this request, we have continued developing the technology for a high temperature nuclear fuel irradiation test at HANARO. The purpose of this paper is to verify the possibility that the temperature of a nuclear fuel can be controlled at a high temperature during an irradiation test. Therefore we designed and fabricated double cladding fuel rod mockups. And we performed out-pile tests using these mockups. The purposes of a out-pile test is to analyze an effect of a gap size, which is between an outer cladding and an inner cladding, on the temperature and the effect of a mixture ratio of helium gas and neon gas on the temperature. This paper presents the design and fabrication of double cladding fuel rod mockups and the results of the out-pile test.

Development of metallic fuel fabrication - A study on the interdiffusion behavior between ternary metallic fuel and cladding materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Byung Soo; Seol, Kyung Won; Shon, In Jin [Chonbuk National University, Chonju (Korea)

1999-04-01

To study a new ternary metallic fuel for liquid metal reactor, various U-Zr-X alloys have been made by induction melting. The specimens were prepared for thermal stability tests at 630 deg. C upto 5000 hours in order to estimate the decomposition of the lamellar structure. Interdiffusion studies were carried out at 700 deg. C for 200 hours for the diffusion couples assembled with U-Zr-X ternary fuel versus austenitic stainless steel D9 and martensitic stainless steel HT9, respectively, to investigate the fuel-cladding compatibility. The ternary alloy, especially U-Zr-Mo and U-Zr-Nb alloys showed relatively good thermal stability as long as 5000hrs at 630 deg. C. From the composition profiles of the interdiffusion study, Fe penetrated deeper to the fuel side than other cladding elements such as Ni and Cr, whereas U did to the cladding side of fuel elements in the fuel/D9 couples. On the contrary, the reaction layers of Fuel/HT9 couple were thinner than that of Fuel/D9 couples and were less affected by cladding element, which was believed to be due to Zr rich layer between the fuel-cladding interface. HT9 is considered to be superior to D9 and a favorable choice as a cladding material in terms of fuel-cladding compatibility. 21 refs., 24 figs., 7 tabs. (Author)

BISON Fuel Performance Analysis of FeCrAl cladding with updated properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sweet, Ryan [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); George, Nathan M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Terrani, Kurt A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wirth, Brian [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-08-30

In order to improve the accident tolerance of light water reactor (LWR) fuel, alternative cladding materials have been proposed to replace zirconium (Zr)-based alloys. Of these materials, there is a particular focus on iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys due to much slower oxidation kinetics in high-temperature steam than Zr-alloys. This should decrease the energy release due to oxidation and allow the cladding to remain integral longer in the presence of high temperature steam, making accident mitigation more likely. As a continuation of the development for these alloys, suitability for normal operation must also be demonstrated. This research is focused on modeling the integral thermo-mechanical performance of FeCrAl-cladded fuel during normal reactor operation. Preliminary analysis has been performed to assess FeCrAl alloys (namely Alkrothal 720 and APMT) as a suitable fuel cladding replacement for Zr-alloys, using the MOOSE-based, finite-element fuel performance code BISON and the best available thermal-mechanical and irradiation-induced constitutive properties. These simulations identify the effects of the mechanical-stress and irradiation response of FeCrAl, and provide a comparison with Zr-alloys. In comparing these clad materials, fuel rods have been simulated for normal reactor operation and simple steady-state operation. Normal reactor operating conditions target the cladding performance over the rod lifetime (~4 cycles) for the highest-power rod in the highest-power fuel assembly under reactor power maneuvering. The power histories and axial temperature profiles input into BISON were generated from a neutronics study on full-core reactivity equivalence for FeCrAl using the 3D full core simulator NESTLE. Evolution of the FeCrAl cladding behavior over time is evaluated by using steady-state operating conditions such as a simple axial power profile, a constant cladding surface temperature, and a constant fuel power history. The fuel rod designs and

Irradiation effect on fatigue behaviour of zircaloy-4 cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soniak, A.; Lansiart, S.; Royer, J.; Waeckel, N.

1993-01-01

Since nuclear electricity has a predominant share in French generating capacity, PWR's are required to fit grid load following and frequency control operating conditions. Consequently cyclic stresses appear in the fuel element cladding. In order to characterize the possible resulting clad damage, fatigue tests were performed at 350 deg C on unirradiated material or irradiated stress relieved Zircaloy-4 tube portions, using a special device for tube fatigue by repeated pressurization. It appears that, for high stress levels, the material fatigue life is not affected by irradiation. But the endurance fatigue limit undergoes a decrease from the 350 MPa value for unirradiated material to the 210 MPa value for the material irradiated for four cycles in a PWR. However, this effect seems to saturate with irradiation dose: no difference could be detected between the two cycles results and the corresponding four cycles results. The corrosion effect and the load following influence were also investigated: they do not appear to modify the fatigue behaviour in our experimental conditions

Corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent fuel in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

A large variety of research reactor spent fuel with different fuel meats, different geometries and different enrichments in 235 U are presently stored underwater in basins located around the world. More than 90% of these fuels are clad in aluminium or aluminium based alloys that are notoriously susceptible to corrosion in water of less than optimum quality. Some fuel is stored in the reactor pools themselves, some in auxiliary pools (or basins) close to the reactor and some stored at away-from-reactor pools. Since the early 1990s, when corrosion induced degradation of the fuel cladding was observed in many of the pools, corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel stored in light water filled basins has become a major concern, and programmes were implemented at the sites to improve fuel storage conditions. The IAEA has since then established a number of programmatic activities to address corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. Of special relevance was the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase I) initiated in 1996, whose results were published in IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 418. At the end of this CRP it was considered necessary that a continuation of the CRP should concentrate on fuel storage basins that had demonstrated significant corrosion problems and would therefore provide additional insight into the fundamentals of localized corrosion of aluminium. As a consequence, the IAEA started a new CRP entitled Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase II), to carry out more comprehensive research in some specific areas of corrosion of aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. In addition to this CRP, one of the activities under IAEA's Technical Cooperation Regional Project for Latin America Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors (2001-2006) was corrosion monitoring and surveillance of research

Demonstration of fuel resistant to pellet-cladding interaction. Phase I. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbaum, H.S.

1979-03-01

This program has as its ultimate objective the demonstration of an advanced fuel design that is resistant to the failure mechanism known as fuel pellet-cladding interaction (PCI). Two fuel concepts are being developed for possible demonstration within this program: (a) Cu-barrier fuel, and (b) Zr-liner fuel. These advanced fuels (known collectively as barrier fuels) have special fuel cladding designed to protect the Zircaloy cladding tube from the harmful effects of localized stress, and reactive fission products during reactor service. This is the final report for PHASE 1 of this program. Support tests have shown that the barrier fuel resists PCI far better than does the conventional Zircaloy-clad fuel. Power ramp tests thus far have shown good PCI resistance for Cu-barrier fuel at burnup > 12 MWd/kg-U and for Zr-liner fuel > 16 MWd/kg-U. The program calls for continued testing to still higher burnup levels in PHASE 2

Thermochemical aspects of fuel-cladding and fuel-coolant interactions in LMFBR oxide fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamson, M.G.; Aitken, E.A.; Caputi, R.W.; Potter, P.E.; Mignanelli, M.A.

1979-01-01

This paper examines several thermochemical aspects of the fuel-cladding, fuel-coolant and fuel-fission product interactions that occur in LMFBR austenitic stainless steel-clad mixed (U,Pu)-oxide fuel pins during irradiation under normal operating conditions. Results are reported from a variety of high temperature EMF cell experiments in which continuous oxygen activity measurements on reacting and equilibrium mixtures of metal oxides and (excess) liquid alkali metal (Na, K, Cs) were performed. Oxygen potential and 0:M thresholds for Na-fuel reactions are re-evaluated in the light of new measurements and newly-assessed thermochemical data, and the influence on oxygen potential of possible U-Pu segregation between oxide and urano-plutonate (equilibrium) phases has been analyzed. (orig./RW) [de

Advanced LWR Nuclear Fuel Cladding System Development Trade-Off Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kristine Barrett; Shannon Bragg-Sitton

2012-09-01

The Advanced Light Water Reactor (LWR) Nuclear Fuel Development Research and Development (R&D) Pathway encompasses strategic research focused on improving reactor core economics and safety margins through the development of an advanced fuel cladding system. To achieve significant operating improvements while remaining within safety boundaries, significant steps beyond incremental improvements in the current generation of nuclear fuel are required. Fundamental improvements are required in the areas of nuclear fuel composition, cladding integrity, and the fuel/cladding interaction to allow power uprates and increased fuel burn-up allowance while potentially improving safety margin through the adoption of an “accident tolerant” fuel system that would offer improved coping time under accident scenarios. With a development time of about 20 – 25 years, advanced fuel designs must be started today and proven in current reactors if future reactor designs are to be able to use them with confidence.

Fuel Performance Calculations for FeCrAl Cladding in BWRs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

George, Nathan [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Sweet, Ryan [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Maldonado, G. Ivan [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Wirth, Brian D. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Worrall, Andrew [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-01-01

This study expands upon previous neutronics analyses of the reactivity impact of alternate cladding concepts in boiling water reactor (BWR) cores and directs focus toward contrasting fuel performance characteristics of FeCrAl cladding against those of traditional Zircaloy. Using neutronics results from a modern version of the 3D nodal simulator NESTLE, linear power histories were generated and supplied to the BISON-CASL code for fuel performance evaluations. BISON-CASL (formerly Peregrine) expands on material libraries implemented in the BISON fuel performance code and the MOOSE framework by providing proprietary material data. By creating material libraries for Zircaloy and FeCrAl cladding, the thermomechanical behavior of the fuel rod (e.g., strains, centerline fuel temperature, and time to gap closure) were investigated and contrasted.

Study of pellet clad interaction defects in Dresden-3 fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasupathi, V.; Perrin, J.S.

1979-01-01

During Cycle-3 operation of Dresden-3, fuel rod failures occurred following a transient power increase. Ten fuel rods from five of the leaking fuel assemblies were examined at Battelle's Columbus Laboratory and General Electric-Vallecitos Nuclear Center. Examinations consisted of nondestructive and destructive methods including metallography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed the cause of fuel rod failure to be pellet clad interaction involving stress corrosion cracking. Results of SEM studies of the cladding crack surfaces and deposits on clad inner surfaces were in agreement with those reported by other investigators

ELOCA: fuel element behaviour during high temperature transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sills, H.E.

1979-03-01

The ELOCA computer code was developed to simulate the uniform thermal-mechanical behaviour of a fuel element during high-temperature transients such as a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). Primary emphasis is on the diametral expansion of the fuel sheath. The model assumed is a single UO2/zircaloy-clad element with axisymmetric properties. Physical effects considered by the code are fuel expansion, cracking and melting; variation, during the transient, of internal gas pressure; changing fuel/sheath heat transfer; thermal, elastic and plastic sheath deformation (anisotropic); Zr/H 2 O chemical reaction effects; and beryllium-assisted crack penetration of the sheath. (author)

Investigation of in-pile formed corrosion films on zircaloy fuel-rod claddings by impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic anodization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebhardt, O.

1993-01-01

Hot-cell investigations have been executed to study the corrosion behaviour of irradiated Zircaloy fuel-rod claddings by impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic anodization. The thickness of the compact oxide at the metal/oxide interface and the thickness of the minimum barrier oxide have been determined at different positions along the claddings. As shown by analysis, both quantities first increase and then decrease with increasing thickness of the total oxide. (author) 6 figs., 33 refs

Performance of HT9 clad metallic fuel at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahl, R.G.; Lahm, C.E.; Hayes, S.L.

1992-01-01

Steady-state testing of HT9 clad metallic fuel at high temperatures was initiated in EBR-II in November of 1987. At that time U-10 wt. % Zr fuel clad with the low-swelling ferritic/martensitic alloy HT9 was being considered as driver fuel options for both EBR-II and FFTF. The objective of the X447 test described here was to determine the lifetime of HT9 cladding when operated with metallic fuel at beginning of life inside wall temperatures approaching ∼660 degree C. Though stress-temperature design limits for HT9 preclude its use for high burnup applications under these conditions due to excessive thermal creep, the X447 test was carried out to obtain data on high temperature breach phenomena involving metallic fuel since little data existed in that area

The quest for safe and reliable fuel cladding materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pino, Eddy S.; Abe, Alfredo Y., E-mail: eddypino132@hotmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Giovedi, Claudia, E-mail: claudia.giovedi@labrisco.usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (POLI/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Analise, Avaliacao e Gerenciamento de Risco

2015-07-01

The tragic Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident of March, 2011, has brought great unrest and challenge to the nuclear industry, which, in collaboration with universities and nuclear research institutes, is making great efforts to improve the safety in nuclear reactors developing accident tolerant fuels (ATF). This involves the study of different materials to be applied as cladding and, also, the improvement in the fuel properties in order to enhance the fuel performance and safety, specifically under accident conditions. Related to the cladding, iron based alloys and silicon carbide (SiC) materials have been studied as a good alternative. In the case of austenitic stainless steel, there is the advantage that the austenitic stainless steel 304 was used as cladding material in the first PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) registering a good performance. Then, alternated cladding materials such as iron based alloys (304, 310, 316, 347) should be used to replace the zirconium-based alloys in order to improve safety. In this paper, these cladding materials are evaluated in terms of their physical and chemical properties; among them, strength and creep resistance, thermal conductivity, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. Additionally, these properties are compared with those of conventional zirconium-based alloys, the most used material in actual PWR, to assess the advantages and disadvantages of each material concerning to fuel performance and safety contribution. (author)

The quest for safe and reliable fuel cladding materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pino, Eddy S.; Abe, Alfredo Y.; Giovedi, Claudia

2015-01-01

The tragic Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident of March, 2011, has brought great unrest and challenge to the nuclear industry, which, in collaboration with universities and nuclear research institutes, is making great efforts to improve the safety in nuclear reactors developing accident tolerant fuels (ATF). This involves the study of different materials to be applied as cladding and, also, the improvement in the fuel properties in order to enhance the fuel performance and safety, specifically under accident conditions. Related to the cladding, iron based alloys and silicon carbide (SiC) materials have been studied as a good alternative. In the case of austenitic stainless steel, there is the advantage that the austenitic stainless steel 304 was used as cladding material in the first PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) registering a good performance. Then, alternated cladding materials such as iron based alloys (304, 310, 316, 347) should be used to replace the zirconium-based alloys in order to improve safety. In this paper, these cladding materials are evaluated in terms of their physical and chemical properties; among them, strength and creep resistance, thermal conductivity, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. Additionally, these properties are compared with those of conventional zirconium-based alloys, the most used material in actual PWR, to assess the advantages and disadvantages of each material concerning to fuel performance and safety contribution. (author)

Modeling Thermal and Stress Behavior of the Fuel-clad Interface in Monolithic Fuel Mini-plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, Gregory K.; Medvedev, Pavel G.; Burkes, Douglas E.; Wachs, Daniel M.

2010-01-01

As part of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, a fuel development and qualification program is in process with the objective of qualifying very high density low enriched uranium fuel that will enable the conversion of high performance research reactors with operational requirements beyond those supported with currently available low enriched uranium fuels. The high density of the fuel is achieved by replacing the fuel meat with a single monolithic low enriched uranium-molybdenum fuel foil. Doing so creates differences in the mechanical and structural characteristics of the fuel plate because of the planar interface created by the fuel foil and cladding. Furthermore, the monolithic fuel meat will dominate the structural properties of the fuel plate rather than the aluminum matrix, which is characteristic of dispersion fuel types. Understanding the integrity and behavior of the fuel-clad interface during irradiation is of great importance for qualification of the new fuel, but can be somewhat challenging to determine with a single technique. Efforts aimed at addressing this problem are underway within the fuel development and qualification program, comprised of modeling, as-fabricated plate characterization, and post-irradiation examination. An initial finite element analysis model has been developed to investigate worst-case scenarios for the basic monolithic fuel plate structure, using typical mini-plate irradiation conditions in the Advanced Test Reactor. Initial analysis shows that the stress normal to the fuel-clad interface dominates during irradiation, and that the presence of small, rounded delaminations at the interface is not of great concern. However, larger and/or fuel-clad delaminations with sharp corners can create areas of concern, as maximum principal cladding stress, strain, displacement, and peak fuel temperature are all significantly increased. Furthermore, stresses resulting from temperature gradients that cause the plate to bow or buckle in

In-reactor performance of methods to control fuel-cladding chemical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, E.T.; Gibby, R.L.; Wilson, C.N.; Lawrence, L.A.; Adamson, M.G.

1979-01-01

Inner surface corrosion of austenitic stainless steel cladding by oxygen and reactive fission product elements requires a 50 μm wastage allowance in current FBR reference oxide fuel pin design. Elimination or reduction of this wastage allowance could result in better reactor efficiency and economics through improvements in fuel pin performance and reliability. Reduction in cladding thickness and replacement of equivalent volume with fuel result in improved breeding capability. Of the factors affecting fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI), oxygen activity within the fuel pin can be most readily controlled and/or manipulated without degrading fuel pin performance or significantly increasing fuel fabrication costs. There are two major approaches to control oxygen activity within an oxide fuel pin: (1) control of total oxygen inventory and chemical activity (Δ anti GO 2 ) by use of low oxygen-to-metal ratio (O/M) fuel; and (2) incorporation of a material within the fuel pin to provide in-situ control of oxygen activity (Δ anti GO 2 ) and fixation of excess oxygen prior to, or in preference to reaction with the cladding. The paper describes irradiation tests which were conducted in EBR-II and GETR incorporating oxygen buffer/getter materials and very low O/M fuel to control oxygen activity in sealed fuel pins

Mechanical and temperature contact in fuel rod cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredriksson, B.E.; Rydholm, S.G.

1977-01-01

The paper presents results for the effect of different types of slip rules on the contact stress distribution. It is shown that the contact shear stress is smaller for the hardening model than for the ideal model. It is also shown that a crack in the fuel increases the contact stresses and that at temperature decrease high tensile stresses arise after eventual welding. It is also shown how particles between fuel and cladding influence the stresses. Also here the effect of eventual welding is studied. The present method is well suited to study cracks and crack propagation. The surfaces of the existing cracks are defined as contact surfaces and the crack extension work is calculated by releasing the nodes at the crack tip. As the crack surfaces are defined as contact surfaces eventual crack closure is automatically taken into account. Crack extension work is calculated for existing cracks in the cladding. It is shown that cracks in the fuel and particles between fuel and cladding will increase the crack extension work

Fuel-cladding chemical interaction correlation for mixed-oxide fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, L.A.

1986-10-01

A revised wastage correlation was developed for FCCI with fabrication and operating parameters. The expansion of the data base to 305 data sets provided sufficient data to employ normal statistical techniques for calculation of confidence levels without unduly penalizing predictions. The correlation based on 316 SS cladding also adequately accounts for limited measured depths of interaction for fuel pins with D9 and HTq cladding

Nuclear Fuel Behaviour in Loss-of-coolant Accident (LOCA) Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersson, Kjell; Chung, Haijung; ); Billone, Michael; Fuketa, Toyoshi; Nagase, Fumihisa; Grandjean, Claude; Hache, George; Papin, Joelle; Heins, Lothar; Hozer, Zoltan; In de Betou, Jan; Kelppe, Seppo; Mayer, Ralph; Scott, Harold; Voglewede, John; Sonnenburg, Heinz; Sunder, Sham; Valach, Mojmir; Vrtilkova, Vera; Waeckel, Nicolas; Wiesenack, Wolfgang; Zimmermann, Martin

2009-01-01

The NEA Working Group on Fuel Safety (WGFS) is tasked with advancing the current understanding of fuel safety issues by assessing the technical basis for current safety criteria and their applicability to high burn-up and to new fuel designs and materials. The group aims at facilitating international convergence in this area, including as regards experimental approaches and interpretation and the use of experimental data relevant for safety. In 1986, a working group of the NEA Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) issued a state-of-the-art report on water reactor fuel behaviour in design-basis accident (DBA) conditions. The 1986 report was limited to the oxidation, embrittlement and deformation of pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel in a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). Since then, considerable experimental and analytical work has been performed, which has led to a broader and deeper understanding of LOCA-related phenomena. Further, new cladding alloys have been produced, which might behave differently than the previously used Zircaloy-4, both under normal operating conditions and during transients. Compared with 20 years ago, fuel burn-up has been significantly increased, which requires extending the LOCA database in order to cover the high burnup range. There was also a clear need to address LOCA performance for reactor types other than PWRs. The present report has been prepared by the WGFS and covers the following technical aspects: - Description of different LOCA scenarios for major types of reactors: BWRs, PWRs, VVERs and to a lesser extent CANDUs. - LOCA phenomena: ballooning, burst, oxidation, fuel relocation and possible fracture at quench. - Details of high-temperature oxidation behaviour of various cladding materials. - Metallurgical phase change, effect of hydrogen and oxygen on residual cladding ductility. - Methods for LOCA testing, for example two-sided oxidation and ring compression for ductility, and integral quench test for

In-reactor cladding breach of EBR-II driver-fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Einziger, R.E.

1977-01-01

Knowledge of performance and minimum useful element lifetime of Mark-II driver-fuel elements is required to maintain a high plant operating capacity factor with maximum fuel utilization. To obtain such knowledge, intentional cladding breach has been obtained in four run-to-cladding-breach Mark-II experimental driver-fuel subassemblies operating under normal conditions in EBR-II. Breach and subsequent fission-product release proved benign to reactor operations. The breaches originated on the outer surface of the cladding in the root of the restrainer dimples and were intergranular. The Weibull distribution of lifetime accurately predicts the observed minimum useful element lifetime of 10 at.% burnup, with breach ensuing shortly thereafter

Creep-rupture, steam oxidation and recovery behaviours upon dynamic transients up to 1300 C of cold-worked 304 stainless steel tubes dedicated to nuclear core fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portier, L.; Brachet, J.C.; Vandenberghe, V.; Guilbert, T.; Lezaud-Chaillioux, V.; Bernard, C.; Rabeau, V.

2011-01-01

An ambitious mechanical tests program was conducted on the fuel rod cladding of the CABRI facility between 2004 and 2009 to re-evaluate the cladding tubes materials behaviour. As an offspring of this major scientific investment several conclusions of interest could be drawn on the 304 stainless steel material. In particular, the specific behaviour of the materials during hypothetical and extreme 'dry-out' conditions was investigated. In such a scenario, the cladding tube materials should experience a very brief incursion at high temperatures, in a steam environment, up to 1300 C, before cladding rewetting. Some of the measurements performed in the range of interest for the safety case were on purpose developed beyond the conservatively safe domain. Some of the results obtained for these non-conventional heating rates, pressures and temperature ranges will be presented. First in order to assess the high temperature creep-rupture material behaviour under internal pressure upon dynamic transient conditions, tests have been performed on cold-worked 304 stainless cladding tubes in a steam environment, for heating rates up to 100 C*s -1 and pressure ramp rates up to 10 bar*s -1 thanks to the use of the EDGAR facility. Other tests performed at a given pressure allowed us to check the steady-state secondary creep rate of the materials in the 1100-1200 C temperature range. It was also possible to determine the rupture strength value and the failure mode as a function of the thermal and pressure loading history applied. It is worth noticing that, for very specific conditions, a surprising pure intergranular brittle failure mode of the clad has been observed. Secondly, in order to check the materials oxidation resistance of the materials, two-side steam oxidation tests have been performed at 1300 C, using the DEZIROX facility. It was shown that, thanks to the use of Ring Compression tests, the 304 cladding tube keeps significant ductility for oxidation times up to at least

Behaviour of rock-like oxide fuels under reactivity-initiated accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazuyuki, Kusagaya; Takehiko, Nakamura; Makio, Yoshinaga; Hiroshi, Akie; Toshiyuki, Yamashita; Hiroshi, Uetsuka

2002-01-01

Pulse irradiation tests of three types of un-irradiated rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel - yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) single phase, YSZ and spinel (MgAl 2 O 4 ) homogeneous mixture and particle-dispersed YSZ/spinel - were conducted in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor to investigate the fuel behaviour under reactivity-initiated accident conditions. The ROX fuels failed at fuel volumetric enthalpies above 10 GJ/m 3 , which was comparable to that of un-irradiated UO 2 fuel. The failure mode of the ROX fuels, however, was quite different from that of the UO 2 fuel. The ROX fuels failed with fuel pellet melting and a part of the molten fuel was released out to the surrounding coolant water. In spite of the release, no significant mechanical energy generation due to fuel/coolant thermal interaction was observed in the tested enthalpy range below∼12 GJ/m 3 . The YSZ type and homogenous YSZ/spinel type ROX fuels failed by cladding burst when their temperatures peaked, while the particle-dispersed YSZ/spinel type ROX fuel seemed to have failed by cladding local melting. (author)

Effect of cyclic loading on the viscoplastic behaviour of Zircaloy 4 cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouffioux, P.; Gabriel, B.; Soniak, A.; Mardon, J.P.

1995-06-01

Most of the electricity being generated by nuclear energy load follow and remote control have become normal operating modes in the French PWR. In addition, EDF is developing a strategy of fuel sub-assembly burnup extension. Those operating conditions will lead to cyclic straining of the Zircaloy cladding tube which could induce damages. Therefore, EDF, CEA, and FRAMATOME has started a joint R and D cooperative program in order to investigate the mechanical behaviour of Zircaloy cladding tubes under cyclic loading. This paper is dealing with the effect of a pre-cyclic loading on the plasticity properties of Zircaloy 4 cladding tubes. Load controlled cyclic tests were carried out at 350 deg. C and 0.5 Hz in both axial and hoop directions. The Woehler curves were determined. Sequential tests combining pre-cyclic loading to 50 and 75 % fraction life with tension were then performed. It has ben noticed that the pre-cycling loading does not change the plastic flow curve of the Zircaloy 4 cladding tubes and therefore does not induce observable macroscopic damage. It has been concluded that a linear cumulative damage rule like ΣΔN(σ)/N r(σ) is very conservative. (author)

FRACAS: a subcode for the analysis of fuel pellet-cladding mechanical interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohn, M.P.

1977-04-01

This report describes FRACAS (Fuel Rod and Cladding Analysis Subcode), a computer code which performs the mechanical analysis in the FRAP fuel rod codes. At each loadstep, FRACAS obtains a complete elastic-plastic-creep solution for the stresses, strains, and displacements in the fuel rod cladding. The cladding is modeled as a thin cylindrical shell with prescribed temperature, pressures, and radial displacement of the inside surface. The displacement of the fuel pellets is assumed to be due to thermal gradients only. Three different regimes of pellet-cladding mechanical interaction are considered: (a) open gap, (b) closed gap, and (c) trapped stack. Both transient and steady state creep calculations are performed. The capabilities of the code are illustrated by an example problem, and comparisons are made with data obtained from two experimental fuel rods

Chemical interaction of fuel and cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirihara, Tomoo; Yamawaki, Michio; Obata, Naomi; Handa, Muneo.

1983-01-01

It was attempted to take up the behavior of nuclear fuel in cores and summarize it by the expert committee on the irradiation behavior of nuclear fuel from fiscal 1978 to fiscal 1980 from the following viewpoints. The behavior of nuclear fuel in cores has been treated separately according to each reactor type, accordingly this point is reconsidered. The clearly understood points and the uncertain points are discriminated. It is made more easily understandable for people in other fields of atomic energy. This report is that of the group on the chemical interaction, and the first report of this committee. The chemical interaction as the behavior of fuel in cores is in the unseparable relation to the mechanical interaction, but this relation is not included in this report. The chemical interaction of fuel and cladding tubes under irradiation shows different phenomena in LWRs and FBRs, and is called SCC and FCC, respectively. But this point of causing the difference must be understood to grasp the behavior of fuel. The mutual comparison of oxide fuels for FBRs and LWRs, the stress corrosion cracking of zircaloy tubes, and fuel-cladding chemical interaction in FBRs are reported. (Kako, I.)

Irradiation experience with HT9-clad metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahl, R.G.; Lahm, C.E.; Tsai, H.; Billone, M.C.

1991-01-01

The safe and reliable performance of metallic fuel is currently under study and demonstration in the Integral Fast Reactor program. In-reactor tests of HT9-clad metallic fuel have now reached maturity and have all shown good performance characteristics to burnups exceeding 17.5 at. % in the lead assembly. Because this low-swelling tempered martensitic alloy is the cladding of choice for high fluence applications, the experimental observations and performance modelling efforts reported in this paper play an important role in demonstrating reliability

Nuclear-powered pacemaker fuel cladding study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoup, R.L.

1976-01-01

The composite of metals and alloys used in the fabrication of 238 Pu cardiac pacemaker fuel capsules resists the effects of high temperatures, high mechanical forces, and chemical corrosives and provides more than adequate protection to the fuel pellet even from deliberate attempts to dissolve the cladding in inorganic acids. This does not imply that opening a pacemaker fuel capsule by inorganic acids is impossible but that it would not be a wise choice

Facility for in-reactor creep testing of fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohn, E.; Wright, M.G.

1976-11-01

A biaxial stress creep test facility has been designed and developed for operation in the WR-1 reactor. This report outlines the rationale for its design and describes its construction and the operating experience with it. The equipment is optimized for the determination of creep data on CANDU fuel cladding. Typical results from Zr-2.5 wt% Nb fuel cladding are used to illustrate the accuracy and reliability obtained. (author)

Microbial biofilm growth on irradiated, spent nuclear fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruhn, D.F.; Frank, S.M.; Roberto, F.F.; Pinhero, P.J.; Johnson, S.G.

2009-01-01

A fundamental criticism regarding the potential for microbial influenced corrosion in spent nuclear fuel cladding or storage containers concerns whether the required microorganisms can, in fact, survive radiation fields inherent in these materials. This study was performed to unequivocally answer this critique by addressing the potential for biofilm formation, the precursor to microbial-influenced corrosion, in radiation fields representative of spent nuclear fuel storage environments. This study involved the formation of a microbial biofilm on irradiated spent nuclear fuel cladding within a hot cell environment. This was accomplished by introducing 22 species of bacteria, in nutrient-rich media, to test vessels containing irradiated cladding sections and that was then surrounded by radioactive source material. The overall dose rate exceeded 2 Gy/h gamma/beta radiation with the total dose received by some of the bacteria reaching 5 x 10 3 Gy. This study provides evidence for the formation of biofilms on spent-fuel materials, and the implication of microbial influenced corrosion in the storage and permanent deposition of spent nuclear fuel in repository environments

High performance fuel technology development : Development of high performance cladding materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jeongyong; Jeong, Y. H.; Park, S. Y.

2012-04-01

The superior in-pile performance of the HANA claddings have been verified by the successful irradiation test and in the Halden research reactor up to the high burn-up of 67GWD/MTU. The in-pile corrosion and creep resistances of HANA claddings were improved by 40% and 50%, respectively, over Zircaloy-4. HANA claddings have been also irradiated in the commercial reactor up to 2 reactor cycles, showing the corrosion resistance 40% better than that of ZIRLO in the same fuel assembly. Long-term out-of-pile performance tests for the candidates of the next generation cladding materials have produced the highly reliable test results. The final candidate alloys were selected and they showed the corrosion resistance 50% better than the foreign advanced claddings, which is beyond the original target. The LOCA-related properties were also improved by 20% over the foreign advanced claddings. In order to establish the optimal manufacturing process for the inner and outer claddings of the dual-cooled fuel, 18 different kinds of specimens were fabricated with various cold working and annealing conditions. Based on the performance tests and various out-of-pile test results obtained from the specimens, the optimal manufacturing process was established for the inner and outer cladding tubes of the dual-cooled fuel

Development of advanced zirconium fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Young Hwan; Park, S. Y.; Lee, M. H.

2007-04-01

This report includes the manufacturing technology developed for HANA TM claddings, a series of their characterization results as well as the results of their in-pile and out-of pile performances tests which were carried out to develop some fuel claddings for a high burn-up (70,000MWd/mtU) which are competitive in the world market. Some of the HANA TM claddings, which had been manufactured based on the results from the 1st and 2nd phases of the project, have been tested in a research reactor in Halden of Norway for an in-pile performance qualification. The results of the in-pile test showed that the performance of the HANA TM claddings for corrosion and creep was better than 50% compared to that of Zircaloy-4 or A cladding. It was also found that the out-of pile performance of the HANA TM claddings for such as LOCA and RIA in some accident conditions corrosion creep, tensile, burst and fatigue was superior or equivalent to that of the Zircaloy-4 or A cladding. The project also produced the other many data which were required to get a license for an in-pile test of HANA TM claddings in a commercial reactor. The data for the qualification or characterization were provided for KNFC to assist their activities to get the license for the in-pile test of HANA TM Lead Test Rods(LTR) in a commercial reactor

Siemens advance PWR fuel assemblies (HTP) and cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stout, R. B.; Woods, K. N.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the key features of the Siemens HTP (High Thermal Performance) fuel design, the current in-reactor performance of this advanced fuel assembly design, and the advanced cladding types available

Temperature distribution determination of JPSR power reactor fuel element and cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudarmono

1996-01-01

In order to utilize of fuel rod efficiency, a concept of JAERI passive Safety Reactor (JPSR) has been developed in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. In the JPSR design, UO 2 . are adopted as a fuel rod. The temperature distribution in the fuel rod and cladding in the hottest channel is a potential limiting design constraint of the JPSR. In the present determination, temperature distribution of the fuel rod and cladding for JPSR were PET:formed using COBRA-IV-I to evaluate the safety margin of the present JPSR design. In this method, the whole core was represented by the 1/4 sector and divided into 50 subchannels and 40 axial nodes. The temperature become maximum at the elevation of 1.922 and 2.196 m in the typical cell under operating condition. The maximum temperature in the center of the fuel rod surface of the fuel rod and cladding were 1620,4 o C, 722,8 o C, and 348,6 o C. The maximum results of temperature in the center of the fuel rod and cladding; were 2015,28 o C and 550 o C which were observed at 3.1 second in the typical cell

Technical committee meeting on fuel and cladding interaction. Summary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1977-04-01

Experiments and experiences concerning fuel-cladding interaction in thermal and fast neutron flux burnup are dealt with. A number of results from in-pile and out-of pile experiments with different fuel pins with cladding made of different stainless steels showed the importance of corrosion process, dependent on the burnup, core temperature, metal-oxide ratio, and other steady state parameters in the core of fast reactors (most frequently LMFBRs). This is of importance for fuel pins design and fabrication. Mixed oxide fuel is treated in many cases.

Technical committee meeting on fuel and cladding interaction. Summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-04-01

Experiments and experiences concerning fuel-cladding interaction in thermal and fast neutron flux burnup are dealt with. A number of results from in-pile and out-of pile experiments with different fuel pins with cladding made of different stainless steels showed the importance of corrosion process, dependent on the burnup, core temperature, metal-oxide ratio, and other steady state parameters in the core of fast reactors (most frequently LMFBRs). This is of importance for fuel pins design and fabrication. Mixed oxide fuel is treated in many cases

Contamination of a PWR primary circuit by fuel pins with failed cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janvier, J.C.; Chagrot, M.

1979-01-01

The safety authorities in the principal nuclear countries appear to be attaching increasing importance to keeping reactor primary circuits as contamination-free as possible. Therefore, the consequences of cladding failures and especially of those resulting from fabrication defects have to be evaluated, for when these failures become systematic in nature they constitute an important source of contamination in pressurized-water reactors. The Grenoble Nuclear Research Centre is implementing a programme on the study of such failures with a view to analysing the behaviour of failed fuel elements. A distinction is made between two types of cladding failure, depending on whether the primary water enters the fuel pin as soon as the circuits are pressurized (fabrication defect) or whether the failure is caused during operation. The emission of gaseous fission products and halogens has been analysed in different operating modes (steady-state or transient), and in spite of the complexity of the phenomena involved, some results have been obtained which already enable one to evaluate fission product contamination of the primary circuit. (author)

Advanced Fuel/Cladding Testing Capabilities in the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ott, Larry J.; Ellis, Ronald James; McDuffee, Joel Lee; Spellman, Donald J.; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

2009-01-01

The ability to test advanced fuels and cladding materials under reactor operating conditions in the United States is limited. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the newly expanded post-irradiation examination (PIE) capability at the ORNL Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory provide unique support for this type of advanced fuel/cladding development effort. The wide breadth of ORNL's fuels and materials research divisions provides all the necessary fuel development capabilities in one location. At ORNL, facilities are available from test fuel fabrication, to irradiation in HFIR under either thermal or fast reactor conditions, to a complete suite of PIEs, and to final product disposal. There are very few locations in the world where this full range of capabilities exists. New testing capabilities at HFIR have been developed that allow testing of advanced nuclear fuels and cladding materials under prototypic operating conditions (i.e., for both fast-spectrum conditions and light-water-reactor conditions). This paper will describe the HFIR testing capabilities, the new advanced fuel/cladding testing facilities, and the initial cooperative irradiation experiment that begins this year.

Acceptance criteria for interim dry storage of aluminum-clad fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sindelar, R.L.; Peacock, H.B. Jr.; Iyer, N.C.; Louthan, M.R. Jr.

1994-01-01

Direct repository disposal of foreign and domestic research reactor fuels owned by the United States Department of Energy is an alternative to reprocessing (together with vitrification of the high level waste and storage in an engineered barrier) for ultimate disposition. Neither the storage systems nor the requirements and specifications for acceptable forms for direct repository disposal have been developed; therefore, an interim storage strategy is needed to safely store these fuels. Dry storage (within identified limits) of the fuels received from wet-basin storage would avoid excessive degradation to assure post-storage handleability, a full range of ultimate disposal options, criticality safety, and provide for maintaining confinement by the fuel/clad system. Dry storage requirements and technologies for US commercial fuels, specifically zircaloy-clad fuels under inert cover gas, are well established. Dry storage requirements and technologies for a system with a design life of 40 years for dry storage of aluminum-clad foreign and domestic research reactor fuels are being developed by various groups within programs sponsored by the DOE

Chemical dissolution of spent fuel and cladding using complexed fluoride species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rance, P.J.W.; Freeman, G.A.; Mishin, V.; Issoupov, V.

2001-01-01

The dissolution of LWR fuel cladding using two fluoride ion donors, HBF 4 and K 2 ZrF 6 , in combination with nitric acid has been investigated as a potential reprocessing head-end process suitable for chemical decladding and fuel dissolution in a single process step. Maximum zirconium concentrations in the order of 0,75 to 1 molar have been achieved and dissolution found to continue to low F:Zr ratios albeit at ever decreasing rates. Dissolution rates of un-oxidised zirconium based fuel claddings are fast, whereas oxidised materials exhibit an induction period prior to dissolution. Data is presented relating to the rates of dissolution of cladding and UO 2 fuels under various conditions. (author)

Temperature and humidity effects on the corrosion of aluminium-base reactor fuel cladding materials during dry storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peacock, H.B.; Sindelar, R.L.; Lam, P.S.

2004-01-01

The effect of temperature and relative humidity on the high temperature (up to 200 deg. C) corrosion of aluminum cladding alloys was investigated for dry storage of spent nuclear fuels. A dependency on alloy type and temperature was determined for saturated water vapor conditions. Models were developed to allow prediction of cladding behaviour of 1100, 5052, and 6061 aluminum alloys for up to 50+ years at 100% relative humidity. Calculations show that for a closed system, corrosion stops after all moisture and oxygen is used up during corrosion reactions with aluminum alloys. (author)

Technology readiness level (TRL) assessment of cladding alloys for advanced nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shepherd, Daniel

2015-01-01

Reliable fuel claddings are essential for the safe, sustainable and economic operation of nuclear stations. This paper presents a worldwide TRL assessment of advanced claddings for Gen III and IV reactors following an extensive literature review. Claddings include austenitic, ferritic/martensitic (F/M), reduced activation (RA) and oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels as well as advanced iron-based alloys (Kanthal alloys). Also assessed are alloys of zirconium, nickel (including Hastelloy R ), titanium, chromium, vanadium and refractory metals (Nb, Mo, Ta and W). Comparison is made with Cf/C and SiCf/SiC composites, MAX phase ceramics, cermets and TRISO fuel particle coatings. The results show in general that the higher the maximum operating temperature of the cladding, the lower the TRL. Advanced claddings were found to have lower TRLs than the corresponding fuel materials, and therefore may be the limiting factor in the deployment of advanced fuels and even possibly the entire reactor in the case of Gen IV. (authors)

Performance testing of refractory alloy-clad fuel elements for space reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutt, D.S.; Cox, C.M.; Karnesky, R.A.; Millhollen, M.K.

1985-01-01

Two fast reactor irradiation tests, SP-1 and SP-2, provide a unique and self-consistent data set with which to evaluate the technical feasibility of potential fuel systems for the SP-100 space reactor. Fuel pins fabricated with leading cladding candidates (Nb-1Zr, PWC-11, and Mo-13Re) and fuel forms (UN and UO 2 ) are operated at temperatures typical of those expected in the SP-100 design. The first US fast reactor irradiated, refractory alloy clad fuel pins, from the SP-1 test, reached 1 at. % burnup in EBR-II in March 1985. At that time selected pins were discharged for interim examination. These examinations confirmed the excellent performance of the Nb-1Zr clad uranium oxide and uranium nitride fuel elements, which are the baseline fuel systems for two SP-100 reactor concepts

INPR ACPR utilization in fuel behaviour studies under accidental condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negut, Gheorghe; Popov, Mircea

1990-01-01

This paper is dedicated to the experimental program, investigating CANDU type fuel behaviour in transient condition, as well as the facilities supporting this program. The tests Reactivity Initiated Accident type. The experiments were performed within TRIGA ACPR facility, installed at INSTITUTE for NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS, Pitesti, ROMANIA. Studies of the safety issues took a great international developement during last years. In USA, Japan, owners of the similar reactors, and USSR there are a big commitment to such programs, intended to establish the nuclear fuel behaviour under RIA-conditions. In our country, too, there are programs aiming a complete testing of the CANDU type fuels. As it is known, RIA is not a CANDU specific accident, but the fuel behaviour in such conditions can give useful informations on the fuel cladding failure threshold and about reflooding post LOCA heat transfer condition. Based on some papers and specific requirements it was initiated and developed a safety research program on CANDU type fuel using the ACPR. The paper describes the reactor,test capsule, instrumentation, fuel samples, tests, post irradiation results. (orig.)

Circumferential nonuniformity of cladding radiation swelling of fast reactor peripheral fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reutov, V.F.; Farkhutdinov, K.G.

1977-01-01

The results are presented of the investigation into the perimeter radiation swelling of Kh18N10T stainless steel cladding in different cross sections of a peripheral fuel element of the BR-5 reactor. The fluence on the cladding is 1.8-2.9 x 10 22 fast neutr/cm 2 , the operating temperatures in different parts of the fuel element being 430 deg to 585 deg C. There has been observed circumferential non-uniformity of the distribution, concentration, and of the total volume of radiation cavities, which is due to temperature non-uniformity along the cladding perimeter. It is shown that such non-uniformity of radiation swelling of the cladding material may result in bending of the peripheral fuel element with regard to the fuel assembly sheath walls

Investigations of fuel cladding chemical interaction in irradiated LMFBR type oxide fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roake, W.E.; Adamson, M.G.; Hilbert, R.F.; Langer, S.

1977-01-01

Understanding and controlling the chemical attack of fuel pin cladding by fuel and fission products are major objectives of the U.S. LMFBR Mixed Oxide Irradiation Testing Program. Fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) has been recognized as an important factor in the ability to achieve goal peak burnups of 8% (80.MWd/kg) in FFTF and in excess of 10% (100.MWd/kg) in the LMFBR demonstration reactors while maintaining coolant bulk outlet temperatures up to ∼60 deg. C (1100 deg. F). In this paper we review pertinent parts of the irradiation program and describe recent observation of FCCI in the fuel pins of this program. One goal of the FCCI investigations is to obtain a sufficiently quantitative understanding of FCCI such that correlations can be developed relating loss of effective cladding thickness to irradiation and fuel pin fabrication parameters. Wastage correlations being developed using different approaches are discussed. Much of the early data on FCCI obtained in the U.S. Mixed Oxide Fuel Program came from capsule tests irradiated in both fast and thermal flux facilities. The fast flux irradiated encapsulated fuel pins continue to provide valuable data and insight into FCCI. Currently, however, bare pins with prototypic fuels and cladding irradiated in the fast flux Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) as multiple pin assemblies under prototypic powers, temperatures and thermal gradients are providing growing quantities of data on FCCI characteristics and cladding thickness losses from FCCI. A few special encapsulated fuel pin tests are being conducted in the General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) and EBR-II, but these are aimed at providing specific information under irradiation conditions not achievable in the fast flux bare pin assemblies or because EBR-II Operation or Safety requirements dictate that the pins be encapsulated. The discussion in this paper is limited to fast flux irradiation test results from encapsulated pins and multiple pin

Investigations of fuel cladding chemical interaction in irradiated LMFBR type oxide fuel pins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roake, W E [Westinghouse-Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States); Adamson, M G [General Electric Company, Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Pleasanton, CA (United States); Hilbert, R F; Langer, S

1977-04-01

Understanding and controlling the chemical attack of fuel pin cladding by fuel and fission products are major objectives of the U.S. LMFBR Mixed Oxide Irradiation Testing Program. Fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) has been recognized as an important factor in the ability to achieve goal peak burnups of 8% (80.MWd/kg) in FFTF and in excess of 10% (100.MWd/kg) in the LMFBR demonstration reactors while maintaining coolant bulk outlet temperatures up to {approx}60 deg. C (1100 deg. F). In this paper we review pertinent parts of the irradiation program and describe recent observation of FCCI in the fuel pins of this program. One goal of the FCCI investigations is to obtain a sufficiently quantitative understanding of FCCI such that correlations can be developed relating loss of effective cladding thickness to irradiation and fuel pin fabrication parameters. Wastage correlations being developed using different approaches are discussed. Much of the early data on FCCI obtained in the U.S. Mixed Oxide Fuel Program came from capsule tests irradiated in both fast and thermal flux facilities. The fast flux irradiated encapsulated fuel pins continue to provide valuable data and insight into FCCI. Currently, however, bare pins with prototypic fuels and cladding irradiated in the fast flux Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) as multiple pin assemblies under prototypic powers, temperatures and thermal gradients are providing growing quantities of data on FCCI characteristics and cladding thickness losses from FCCI. A few special encapsulated fuel pin tests are being conducted in the General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) and EBR-II, but these are aimed at providing specific information under irradiation conditions not achievable in the fast flux bare pin assemblies or because EBR-II Operation or Safety requirements dictate that the pins be encapsulated. The discussion in this paper is limited to fast flux irradiation test results from encapsulated pins and multiple pin

Potential for fuel melting and cladding thermal failure during a PCM event in LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Genk, M.S.; Croucher, D.W.

1979-01-01

The primary concern in nuclear reactor safety is to ensure that no conceivable accident, whether initiated by a failure of the reactor system or by incorrect operation, will lead to a dangerous release of radiation to the environment. A number of hypothesized off-normal power or cooling conditions, generally termed as power-cooling-mismatch (PCM) accidents, are considered in the safety analysis of light water reactors (LWRs). During a PCM accident, film boiling may occur at the cladding surface and cause a rapid temperature increase in the fuel and the cladding, perhaps producing embrittlement of the zircaloy cladding by oxidation. Molten fuel may be produced at the center of the pellets, extrude radially through open cracks in the outer, unmelted portion of the pellet and relocate in the fuel-cladding gap. If the amount of extruded molten fuel is sufficient to establish contact with the cladding, which is at a high temperature during film boiling, the zircaloy cladding may melt. The present work assesses the potential for central fuel melting and thermal failure of the zircaloy cladding due to melting upon being contacted by extruded molten UO 2 -fuel during a PCM event

Early implementation of SiC cladding fuel performance models in BISON

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Powers, Jeffrey J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-18

SiC-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) [5–8] are being developed and evaluated internationally as potential LWR cladding options. These development activities include interests within both the DOE-NE LWR Sustainability (LWRS) Program and the DOE-NE Advanced Fuels Campaign. The LWRS Program considers SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) as offering potentially revolutionary gains as a cladding material, with possible benefits including more efficient normal operating conditions and higher safety margins under accident conditions [9]. Within the Advanced Fuels Campaign, SiC-based composites are a candidate ATF cladding material that could achieve several goals, such as reducing the rates of heat and hydrogen generation due to lower cladding oxidation rates in HT steam [10]. This work focuses on the application of SiC cladding as an ATF cladding material in PWRs, but these work efforts also support the general development and assessment of SiC as an LWR cladding material in a much broader sense.

Fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient into reactor fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassmann, K.

1979-01-01

Models describing the fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient in a reactor fuel element are reviewed critically. A new model is developed with contributions from solid, fluid and radiation heat transfer components. It provides a consistent description of the transition from an open gap to the contact case. Model parameters are easily available and highly independent of different combinations of material surfaces. There are no restrictions for fast transients. The model parameters are fitted to 388 data points under reactor conditions. For model verification another 274 data points of steel-steel and aluminium-aluminium interfaces, respectively, were used. The fluid component takes into account peak-to-peak surface roughnesses and, approximatively, also the wavelengths of surface roughnesses. For minor surface roughnesses normally prevailing in reactor fuel elements the model asymptotically yields Ross' and Stoute's model for the open gap, which is thus confirmed. Experimental contact data can be interpreted in very different ways. The new model differs greatly from Ross' and Stoute's contact term and results in better correlation coefficients. The numerical algorithm provides an adequate representation for calculating the fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient in large fuel element structural analysis computer systems. (orig.) [de

Study on the improvement of nuclear fuel cladding reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rheem, Karp Soon; Han, Jung Ho; Jeong, Yong Hwan; Lee, Deok Hyun

1987-12-01

In order to improve the nuclear fuel cladding reliability for high burn-up fuels, the corrosion resistance of laser beam surface treated and β-quenched zircaloys and the mechanical characteristics including fatigue, burst, and out-of-pile PCMI characteristics of heat treated zircaloys were investigated. In addition, the inadiation characteristics of Ko-Ri reactor fuel claddings was examined. It was found that the wasteside corrosion resistance of commercial zircaloys was improved remarkably by laser beam surface treatment. The out-of-pile transient cladding failures were investigated in terms of hoop stress versus time-to-failures by means of mandrel loading units at 25 deg C and 325 deg C. Fatigue characteristics of the β-quenched and as-received zircaloy cladding were investigated by using an internal oil pressurization method which can simulate the load-following operation cycle. The results were in good agreement with the existing data obtained by conventional methods for commercial zircaloys. Burst tests were performed with commercial and the β-quenched zircaloys in high pressure argon gas atmosphere as a function of burst temperature. The burst stress decreased linearly in the α phase region up to 600 deg C and hereafter the decrement of the burst stress decreased gradually with temperature in the β-phase region. For the first time, the burst characteristic of the irradiated zircaloy-4 cladding tubes released from Ko-Ri nuclear power unit 1 was investigated, and attempts were made to trace the cause of cladding failures by examining the failed structure and fret marks by debris. (Author)

Statistical mechanical analysis of LMFBR fuel cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poncelet, J.-P.; Pay, A.

1977-01-01

The most important design requirement on fuel pin cladding for LMFBR's is its mechanical integrity. Disruptive factors include internal pressure from mixed oxide fuel fission gas release, thermal stresses and high temperature creep, neutron-induced differential void-swelling as a source of stress in the cladding and irradiation creep of stainless steel material, corrosion by fission products. Under irradiation these load-restraining mechanisms are accentuated by stainless steel embrittlement and strength alterations. To account for the numerous uncertainties involved in the analysis by theoretical models and computer codes statistical tools are unavoidably requested, i.e. Monte Carlo simulation methods. Thanks to these techniques, uncertainties in nominal characteristics, material properties and environmental conditions can be linked up in a correct way and used for a more accurate conceptual design. First, a thermal creep damage index is set up through a sufficiently sophisticated clad physical analysis including arbitrary time dependence of power and neutron flux as well as effects of sodium temperature, burnup and steel mechanical behavior. Although this strain limit approach implies a more general but time consuming model., on the counterpart the net output is improved and e.g. clad temperature, stress and strain maxima may be easily assessed. A full spectrum of variables are statistically treated to account for their probability distributions. Creep damage probability may be obtained and can contribute to a quantitative fuel probability estimation

Irradiation of defected SAP clad UO2 fuel in the X-7 organic loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, R.F.S.; Cracknell, A.G.; MacDonald, R.D.

1961-10-01

This report describes an experiment designed to test the behaviour under irradiation of a UO 2 fuel specimen clad in a defected SAP sheath and cooled by recirculating organic liquid. The specimen containing the defect was irradiated in the X-7 loop in the NRX reactor from the 25th of November until the 13th of December 1960. Up to the 13th of December the behaviour was analogous to that seen with defected UO 2 specimens clad in zircaloy which were irradiated in water loops. Reactor power transients resulted in peaking of gamma ray activities in the loop, but on steady operation these activities tended to fall to a steady state level, Over this period the pressure drop across the fuel increased by a factor of two, the increases occurring after reactor shut downs and start ups. On 13th December the pressure drop increased rapidly, after a reactor shut down and start up, to over five times its original value and the activities in the loop rose to a high level. The specimen was removed and examination showed that the sheath was very badly split and that the volume between the fuel and the sheath was filled with a hard black organic substance. This report gives full details of the irradiation and of the post -irradiation examination. Correlation of the observed phenomenon is attempted and a preliminary assessment of the problems which would be associated with defect fuel in an organic reactor is given. (author)

Simulation of a pellet-clad mechanical interaction with ABAQUS and its verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheon, J.-S.; Lee, B.-H.; Koo, Y.-H.; Sohn, D.-S.; Oh, J.-Y.

2003-01-01

Pellet-clad mechanical interaction (PCMI) during power transients for MOX fuel is modelled by a FE method. The PCMI model predicts well clad elongation during power ramp and relaxation during power hold except the fuel behaviour during a power decrease. Higher fiction factor results in the earlier occurrence of PCMI and more enhanced clad elongation. The relaxation is dependent on the irradiation creep rate of the pellet and axial compressive force. Verification of the PCMI model was done using recent MOX experimental data. Temperature and clad elongation for the fuel rod can be evaluated in a reasonable way

Performance of IN-706 and PE-16 cladding in mixed-oxide fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makenas, B.J.; Lawrence, L.A.; Jensen, B.W.

1982-05-01

Iron-nickel base, precipitation-strengthened alloys, IN-706 and PE-16, advanced alloy cladding considered for breeder reactor applications, were irradiated in mixed-oxide fuel pins in the HEDL-P-60 subassembly in EBR-II. Initial selection of candidate advanced alloys was done using only nonfueled materials test results. However, to establish the performance characteristics of the candidate cladding alloys, i.e., dimensional stability and structural integrity under conditions of high neutron flux, elevated temperature, and applied stress, it was necessary to irradiate fuel pins under typical operating conditions. Fuel pins were clad with solution treated IN-706 and PE-16 and irradiated to peak fluences of 6.1 x 10 22 n/cm 2 (E > .1 MeV) and 8.8 x 10 22 n/cm 2 (E > .1 MeV) respectively. Fabrication and operating parameters for the fuel pins with the advanced cladding alloy candidates are summarized. Irradiation of HEDL-P-60 was interrupted with the breach of a pin with IN-706 cladding at 5.1 at % and the test was terminated with cladding breach in a pin with PE-16 cladding at 7.6 at %

Experimental Setup with Transient Behavior of Fuel Cladding of SFR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Sang Hun; Kim, Jun Hwan; Kim, June-Hyung; Ryu, Woo Seog; Park, Sang Gyu; Kim, Sung Ho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Nowadays, in Korea, advanced cladding such as FC92 is developed and its transient behaviors are required for the safety analysis of SFR. Design and safety analyses of sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) require understanding fuel pin responses to a wide range of off-normal events. In a loss-of-flow (LOF) or transient over-power (TOP), the temperature of the cladding is rapidly increased above its steady-state service temperature. Transient tests have been performed in sections of fuel pin cladding and a large data base has been established for austenitic stainless steel such as 20% cold-worked 316 SS and ferritic/martensitic steels such as HT9. This paper summarizes the technical status of transient testing facilities and their results. Previous researches showed the transient behaviors of HT9 cladding. For the safety analyses in SFR in Korea, simulated transient tests with newly developed FC92 as well as HT9 cladding are being carried out.

Corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent fuel in water. Additional information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

A large variety of research reactor spent fuel with different fuel meats, different geometries and different enrichments in 235 U are presently stored underwater in basins located around the world. More than 90% of these fuels are clad in aluminium or aluminium based alloys that are notoriously susceptible to corrosion in water of less than optimum quality. Some fuel is stored in the reactor pools themselves, some in auxiliary pools (or basins) close to the reactor and some stored at away-from-reactor pools. Since the early 1990s, when corrosion induced degradation of the fuel cladding was observed in many of the pools, corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel stored in light water filled basins has become a major concern, and programmes were implemented at the sites to improve fuel storage conditions. The IAEA has since then established a number of programmatic activities to address corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. Of special relevance was the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase I) initiated in 1996, whose results were published in IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 418. At the end of this CRP it was considered necessary that a continuation of the CRP should concentrate on fuel storage basins that had demonstrated significant corrosion problems and would therefore provide additional insight into the fundamentals of localized corrosion of aluminium. As a consequence, the IAEA started a new CRP entitled Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase II), to carry out more comprehensive research in some specific areas of corrosion of aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. In addition to this CRP, one of the activities under IAEA's Technical Cooperation Regional Project for Latin America Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors (2001-2006) was corrosion monitoring and surveillance of research

Cladding failure margins for metallic fuel in the integral fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, T.H.; Fenske, G.R.; Kramer, J.M.

1987-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory has prompted a renewed interest in uranium-based metal alloys as a fuel for sodium-cooled fast reactors. In this paper we will present recent measurements of cladding eutectic penetration rates for the ternary IFR alloy and will compare these results with earlier eutectic penetration data for other fuel and cladding materials. A method for calculating failure of metallic fuel pins is developed by combining cladding deformation equations with a large strain analysis where the hoop stress is calculated using the instantaneous wall thickness as determined from correlations of the eutectic penetration-rate data. This method is applied to analyze the results of in-reactor and out-of-reactor fuel pin failure tests on uranium-fissium alloy EBR-II Mark-II driver fuel. In the final section of this paper we extend the calculations to consider the failure of IFR ternary fuel under reactor accident conditions. (orig./GL)

Pie technique of LWR fuel cladding fracture toughness test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Shinya; Usami, Koji; Nakata, Masahito; Fukuda, Takuji; Numata, Masami; Kizaki, Minoru; Nishino, Yasuharu

2006-01-01

Remote-handling techniques were developed by cooperative research between the Department of Hot Laboratories in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and the Nuclear Fuel Industries Ltd. (NFI) for evaluating the fracture toughness on irradiated LWR fuel cladding. The developed techniques, sample machining by using the electrical discharge machine (EDM), pre-cracking by fatigue tester, sample assembling to the compact tension (CT) shaped test fixture gave a satisfied result for a fracture toughness test developed by NFL. And post-irradiation examination (PIE) using the remote-handling techniques were carried out to evaluate the fracture toughness on BWR spent fuel cladding in the Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF). (author)

Effect of reactor chemistry and operating variables on fuel cladding corrosion in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Moon Ghu; Lee, Sang Hee

1997-01-01

As the nuclear industry extends the fuel cycle length, waterside corrosion of zircaloy cladding has become a limiting factor in PWR fuel design. Many plant chemistry factors such as, higher lithium/boron concentration in the primary coolant can influence the corrosion behavior of zircaloy cladding. The chemistry effect can be amplified in higher duty fuel, particularlywhen surface boiling occurs. Local boiling can result in increased crud deposition on fuel cladding which may induce axial power offset anomalies (AOA), recently reported in several PWR units. In this study, the effect of reactor chemistry and operating variables on Zircaloy cladding corrosion is investigated and simulation studies are performed to evaluate the optimal primary chemistry condition for extended cycle operation. (author). 8 refs., 3 tabs., 16 figs

Parametric Evaluation of SiC/SiC Composite Cladding with UO2 Fuel for LWR Applications: Fuel Rod Interactions and Impact of Nonuniform Power Profile in Fuel Rod

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, G.; Sweet, R.; Brown, N. R.; Wirth, B. D.; Katoh, Y.; Terrani, K.

2018-02-01

SiC/SiC composites are candidates for accident tolerant fuel cladding in light water reactors. In the extreme nuclear reactor environment, SiC-based fuel cladding will be exposed to neutron damage, significant heat flux, and a corrosive environment. To ensure reliable and safe operation of accident tolerant fuel cladding concepts such as SiC-based materials, it is important to assess thermo-mechanical performance under in-reactor conditions including irradiation and realistic temperature distributions. The effect of non-uniform dimensional changes caused by neutron irradiation with spatially varying temperatures, along with the closing of the fuel-cladding gap, on the stress development in the cladding over the course of irradiation were evaluated. The effect of non-uniform circumferential power profile in the fuel rod on the mechanical performance of the cladding is also evaluated. These analyses have been performed using the BISON fuel performance modeling code and the commercial finite element analysis code Abaqus. A constitutive model is constructed and solved numerically to predict the stress distribution in the cladding under normal operating conditions. The dependence of dimensions and thermophysical properties on irradiation dose and temperature has been incorporated into the models. Initial scoping results from parametric analyses provide time varying stress distributions in the cladding as well as the interaction of fuel rod with the cladding under different conditions of initial fuel rod-cladding gap and linear heat rate. It is found that a non-uniform circumferential power profile in the fuel rod may cause significant lateral bowing in the cladding, and motivates further analysis and evaluation.

MODELLING OF NUCLEAR FUEL CLADDING TUBES CORROSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Cech

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper describes materials made of zirconium-based alloys used for nuclear fuel cladding fabrication. It is focused on corrosion problems their theoretical description and modeling in nuclear engineering.

Out-of-pile experiments of fuel-cladding chemical interaction, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konashi, Kenji; Yato, Tadao; Kaneko, Hiromitsu; Honda, Yutaka

1980-01-01

Cesium seems to be one of the most important fission products in the fuel-cladding chemical interaction of fuel pins for LMFBRs. However the FCCI under irradiation cannot always be explained by considering only cesium-oxygen system as the corrosive, since attack does not occur in the cesium-oxygen system unless oxygen potential is sufficiently high. Cesium-tellurium-oxygen system has been proposed to account for heavy cladding attack which was sometimes found in hypostoichiometric mixed oxide fuel pins. In this paper, the experiment on the reaction of liquid tellurium with stainless steel is reported. The type 316 stainless steel claddings for Monju type fuel pins were used as the test specimens. Tellurium was contained into the cladding tubes with end plugs. The temperature dependence of the attack by tellurium was examined in the range from 450 to 900 deg C for 30 min, and the heating time dependence was examined from 5 min to 200 hr at 725 deg C. An infrared lamp furnace was used for the experiment within 7 hr, and a resistance furnace for longer experiment. The character of corrosion was matrix attack, and the reaction products on the stainless steel surfaces consisted of chrome rich inner phase and iron and nickel rich outer phase. The results are reported. (Kako, I.)

Some insights into the role of axial gas flow in fuel rod behaviour during the LOCA based on Halden tests and calculations with the FALCON-PSI code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khvostov, G.; Wiesenack, W.; Zimmermann, M.A.; Ledergerber, G.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A model for the dynamics of axial gas redistribution in fuel rods during the LOCA is developed and coupled to the FALCON fuel behaviour code. → The first verification of the model is carried out using the data of the selected Halden LOCA tests. → According to calculation, the short rods used in the Halden tests show a small effect of the delayed gas redistribution during the clad ballooning. → The predicted effect is significant in the full length rods, eventually resulting in a considerable delay of the predicted moment of cladding rupture. → The predicted delay of cladding burst may be large enough to eventually affect the efficiency of the emergency core cooling system. - Abstract: A model for axial gas flow in a fuel rod during the LOCA is integrated into the FRELAX model that deals with the thermal behaviour and fuel relocation in the fuel rods of the Halden LOCA test series. The first verification was carried out using the experimental data for the inner pressure during the gas outflow after cladding rupture in tests 3, 4 and 5. Furthermore, the modified FRELAX model is implicitly coupled to the FALCON fuel behaviour code. The analysis with the new methodology shows that the dynamics of axial gas-flow along the rod and through the cladding rupture can have a strong influence on the fuel rod behaviour. Specifically, a delayed axial gas redistribution during the heat-up phase of the LOCA can result in a drop of local pressure in the ballooned area, which is eventually able to affect the cladding burst. The results of the new model seem to be useful when analysing some of the Halden LOCA tests (showing considerable fuel relocation) and selected cases of LOCA in full-length fuel rods. While the short rods used in the Halden tests only show a very small effect of the delayed gas redistribution during the clad ballooning, such an effect is predicted to be significant in the full-scale rods - with a power peak located sufficiently away from

Critical stability conditions of the fuel element cladding; Kriticni uslovi stabilnosti kosuljice G.E

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlovic, M; Savic, D [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1968-12-15

The role of the fuel element cladding being the first safety barrier, is to prevent contamination by the fission products. Construction of the fuel element cladding depends on the reactor type, coolant type, fuel type, technology of material fabrication, influence of the material on the neutron economy, thermal conditions, etc. That is why an optimum solution has to be found. This paper deals with mechanical properties of ceramic natural UO{sub 2} sintered fuel pellets in the zircaloy-2 cladding. This type of fuel is used in heavy water reactors.

Degradation resistant fuel cladding materials and manufacturing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marlowe, M.O. [GE Nuclear Energy, Wilmington, NC (United States); Montes, J. [ENUSA, Madrid (Spain)

1995-12-31

GE has been producing the degradation resistant cladding (zirconium liner and zircaloy-2 surface larger) described here with the cooperation of its primary zirconium vendors since the beginning of 1994. Approximately 24 fuel reloads, or in excess of 250,000 fuel rods, have been produced using this material by GE. GE has also produced tubing for one reload of fuel that is currently being produced by its technology affiliate ENUSA. (orig./HP)

Researches of WWER fuel rods behaviour under RIA accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nechaeva, O.; Medvedev, A.; Novikov, V.; Salatov, A.

2003-01-01

Unirradiated fuel rod and refabricated fuel rod tests in the BIGR as well as acceptance criteria proving absence of fragmentation and the settlement modeling of refabricated fuel rods thermomechanical behavior in the BIGR-tests using RAPTA-5 code are discussed in this paper. The behaviour of WWER type simulators with E110 and E635 cladding was researched at the BIGR reactor under power pulse conditions simulating reactivity initiated accident. The results of the tests in four variants of experimental conditions are submitted. The behaviour of 12 WWER type refabricated fuel rods was researched in the BIGR reactor under power pulse conditions simulating reactivity initiated accident: burnup 48 and 60 MWd/kgU, pulse width 3 ms, peak fuel enthalpy 115-190 cal/g. The program of future tests in the research reactor MIR with high burnup fuel rod (up to 70 MWd/kgU) under conditions simulating design RIA in WWER-1000 is presented

Transitioning aluminum clad spent fuels from wet to interim dry storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louthan, M.R. Jr.; Iyer, N.C.; Sindelar, R.L.; Peacock, H.B. Jr.

1994-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) currently owns several hundred metric tons of aluminum clad, spent nuclear fuel and target assemblies. The vast majority of these irradiated assemblies are currently stored in water basins that were designed and operated for short term fuel cooling prior to fuel reprocessing. Recent DOE decisions to severely limit the reprocessing option have significantly lengthened the time of storage, thus increasing the tendency for corrosion induced degradation of the fuel cladding and the underlying core material. The portent of continued corrosion, coupled with the age of existing wet storage facilities and the cost of continuing basin operations, including necessary upgrades to meet current facility standards, may force the DOE to transition these wet stored, aluminum clad spent fuels to interim dry storage. The facilities for interim dry storage have not been developed, partially because fuel storage requirements and specifications for acceptable fuel forms are lacking. In spite of the lack of both facilities and specifications, current plans are to dry store fuels for approximately 40 to 60 years or until firm decisions are developed for final fuel disposition. The transition of the aluminum clad fuels from wet to interim dry storage will require a sequence of drying and canning operations which will include selected fuel preparations such as vacuum drying and conditioning of the storage atmosphere. Laboratory experiments and review of the available literature have demonstrated that successful interim dry storage may also require the use of fuel and canister cleaning or rinsing techniques that preclude, or at least minimize, the potential for the accumulation of chloride and other potentially deleterious ions in the dry storage environment. This paper summarizes an evaluation of the impact of fuel transitioning techniques on the potential for corrosion induced degradation of fuel forms during interim dry storage

Demonstration of fuel resistant to pellet-cladding interaction. Phase 2. First semiannual report, January-June 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbaum, H.S.

1979-08-01

This program has as its ultimate objective the demonstration of an advanced fuel design that is resistant to the failure mechanism known as fuel pellet-cladding interaction (PCI). Two fuel concepts are being developed for possible demonstration within this program: (a) Cu-barrier fuel and (b) Zr-liner fuel. These advanced fuels (known collectively as barrier fuels) have special fuel cladding designed to protect the Zircaloy cladding tube from the harmful effects of localized stress and reactive fission products during reactor service. This is the first semiannual progress report for Phase 2 of this program (January-June 1979). Progress in the irradiation testing of barrier fuel and of unfueled barrier cladding specimens is reported

On LMFBR corrosion. Part II: Consideration of the in-reactor fuel-cladding system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradbury, M.H.; Pickering, S.; Walker, C.T.; Whitlow, W.H.

1976-05-01

The scientific and technological aspects of LMFBR cladding corrosion are discussed in detail. Emphasis is placed on the influence of the irradiation environment and the effect of fuel and filler-gas impurities on the corrosion process. These studies are complemented by a concise review of out-of-pile simulation experiments that endeavour to clarify the role of the aggressive fission products cesium, tellurium and iodine. The principal models for cladding corrosion are presented and critically assessed. Areas of uncertainty are exposed and some pertinent experiments are suggested. Consideration is also given to some new observations regarding the role of stress in fuel-cladding reactions and the formation of ferrite in the corrosion zone of the cladding during irradiation. Finally, two technological solutions to the problem of cladding corrosion are proposed. These are based on the use of an oxygen buffer in the fuel and the application of a protective coating to the inner surface of the cladding

Fuel-pin cladding transient failure strain criterion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bard, F.E.; Duncan, D.R.; Hunter, C.W.

1983-01-01

A criterion for cladding failure based on accumulated strain was developed for mixed uranium-plutonium oxide fuel pins and used to interpret the calculated strain results from failed transient fuel pin experiments conducted in the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility. The new STRAIN criterion replaced a stress-based criterion that depends on the DORN parameter and that incorrectly predicted fuel pin failure for transient tested fuel pins. This paper describes the STRAIN criterion and compares its prediction with those of the stress-based criterion

Fuel cladding tube leak detection device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, Makoto.

1992-01-01

The device of the present invention can detect even a minute leakage or a continuous leakage during reactor operation. That is, the device of the present invention comprises a detector for analyzing nuclides of gases incorporated in a gas waste processing system, and a calculation device connected to the detector and detecting leakage from a fuel cladding tube by calculation for variation coefficient of long-life nuclides. By using theses devices, radioactivity contained in gases incorporated in the gas waste processing system is analyzed for the nuclides. Among the analized nuclides, if the amount of the long-life nuclides exceeds a predetermined value, it is judged as leakage of the fuel cladding tube. For example, the long-life nuclides include Xe-133. The device of the present invention can certainly detect occurrence of leakage even when it is minute or continues leakage. Accordingly, countermeasures can be taken in an early stage, thereby enabling to contribute improvement for the safety of a nuclear power plant. (I.S.)

DECONTAMINATION OF ZIRCALOY SPENT FUEL CLADDING HULLS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudisill, T; John Mickalonis, J

2006-01-01

The reprocessing of commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) generates a Zircaloy cladding hull waste which requires disposal as a high level waste in the geologic repository. The hulls are primarily contaminated with fission products and actinides from the fuel. During fuel irradiation, these contaminants are deposited in a thin layer of zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) which forms on the cladding surface at the elevated temperatures present in a nuclear reactor. Therefore, if the hulls are treated to remove the ZrO 2 layer, a majority of the contamination will be removed and the hulls could potentially meet acceptance criteria for disposal as a low level waste (LLW). Discard of the hulls as a LLW would result in significant savings due to the high costs associated with geologic disposal. To assess the feasibility of decontaminating spent fuel cladding hulls, two treatment processes developed for dissolving fuels containing zirconium (Zr) metal or alloys were evaluated. Small-scale dissolution experiments were performed using the ZIRFLEX process which employs a boiling ammonium fluoride (NH 4 F)/ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ) solution to dissolve Zr or Zircaloy cladding and a hydrofluoric acid (HF) process developed for complete dissolution of Zr-containing fuels. The feasibility experiments were performed using Zircaloy-4 metal coupons which were electrochemically oxidized to produce a thin ZrO 2 layer on the surface. Once the oxide layer was in place, the ease of removing the layer using methods based on the two processes was evaluated. The ZIRFLEX and HF dissolution processes were both successful in removing a 0.2 mm (thick) oxide layer from Zircaloy-4 coupons. Although the ZIRFLEX process was effective in removing the oxide layer, two potential shortcomings were identified. The formation of ammonium hexafluorozirconate ((NH 4 ) 2 ZrF 6 ) on the metal surface prior to dissolution in the bulk solution could hinder the decontamination process by obstructing the removal of

Investigation and recovery of unrecovered fuel pellets and cladding tube pieces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Keiji

1980-01-01

The total weight of the fuel pellets lost due to break was about 1206 g, and cladding tube pieces were about 217 g. Among these, the pellets of about 527 g and the cladding tube pieces of about 152 g were recovered when broken fuel rods were discovered. It is not desirable to leave these broken pieces as unrecovered in view of safety and the management of nuclear fuel materials. Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., investigated the position and the amount of these pellets and cladding tube pieces for about a year, and recovered a part of them. The results were written in two reports. The objects of the investigation and recovery, and the method of recovery are explained. The UO 2 and zirconium recovered were 58.52 g and 369.58 g, respectively. The solid pellets were recovered from the reactor, fuel assemblies, a spent fuel pit and canals, and the content in sludge was recovered from other installations. The amounts of unrecovered pellets and cladding tube pieces in primary cooling water, coolant filters, sealing water filters, primary cooling pipes, waste resins and fuel assemblies were estimated. The problems concerning the recovery and estimation are pointed out. The results of estimating the amount of uranium in coolant filters and sealing water filters are useful to know the time of the occurrence of accident. (Kako, I.)

Zr-rich layers electrodeposited onto stainless steel cladding during the electrorefining of EBR-II fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keiser, D.D. Jr.; Mariani, R.D.

1999-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory is developing an electrometallurgical treatment for spent nuclear fuels. The initial demonstration of this process is being conducted on U-Zr alloy fuel elements irradiated in the experimental breeder reactor II (EBR-II). We report the first metallographic characterization of cladding hull remains for the electrometallurgical treatment of spent metallic fuel. During the electrorefining process, Zr-rich layers, with some U, deposit on all exposed surfaces of irradiated cladding segments (hulls) that originally contained the fuel alloy that was being treated. In some cases, not only was residual Zr (and U) found inside the cladding hulls, but a Zr-rind was also observed near the interior cladding hull surface. The Zr-rind was originally formed during the fuel casting process on the fuel slug. The observation of Zr deposits on all exposed cladding surfaces is explained with thermodynamic principles, when two conditions are met. These conditions are partial oxidation of Zr and the presence of residual uranium in the hulls when the electrorefining experiment is terminated. Comparisons are made between the structure of the initial irradiated fuel before electrorefining and the morphology of the material remaining in the cladding hulls after electrorefining. (orig.)

A study on dissolution and leaching behaviour of spent nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Chang Heon; Im, Hee Jung; Kim, Jong Gu; Park, Yang Soon; Ha, Yeong Keong

2010-12-01

This state of the art report describes a leaching behaviour of spent nuclear fuels which should be considered for safety assessment of spent nuclear fuel disposal in a deep geological repository. A decisive factor of a dissolution of UO 2 , a matrix of the fuel, is chemical characters (redox potential, pH, concentration of inorganic anions, water radiolysis subsequent by radiation field of the fuels) of ground water expected to be in contact with the fuels after the container has failed due to corrosion as well as atmosphere condition of a deep geological repository, which can change the oxidation state of UO 2 . The release rates of radionuclides from UO 2 matrix depend largely on their location within the fuels, that is, the radionuclides fixed in the fuel/cladding gap and grain boundaries are rapidly released. However, the radionuclides within the grains of the fuel are slowly released, and then their release rate is governed by a dissolution behaviour of UO 2

Influence of fuel-cladding system deviations from the model of continuous cylinders on the parameters of WWER fuel element working ability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheglov, A.

1994-01-01

In the programs of fuel rod computation, fuel and cladding are usually presented in the form of coaxial cylinders, which can change their sizes, mechanical and thermal-physical properties. The real fuel element has some typical deviations from this continuous coaxial cylinders (CCC) model as: axial asymmetry of fuel-cladding system (due to the oval form of the cladding, cracking and other type of fuel pallet damage, axial asymmetry of the volumetric heat release), gaps between the pallets (and heat release peaking in fuel near the gap), chambers in the pallets. As a result of these deviations actual fuel rod parameters of working ability - temperature, stresses, thermal fluxes relieved from the cladding, geometry changes - in some locations can greatly vary from the ones calculated according to CCC model. The influence of these deviations is extremely important while calculating the fuel rod, because they are a part of the mechanical excess coefficient. The author reviews the influence of these factors using specific examples. He applies his own two-dimensional codes based on the Finite Elements Method for calculations of temperature fields, stresses and deformation in the fuel rod elements. It is shown that consideration of these deviations, as a rule, leads to the increase of the maximum fuel temperature in the WWER pellets (characterized by a large central hole), temperature of the cladding, thermal flux, relieved by the coolant from the cladding, and stresses in the cladding. It is necessary to consider these factors for both validation of the fuel element working ability and interpretation of the experimental results. 4 tabs., 3 figs., 5 refs

Influence of fuel-cladding system deviations from the model of continuous cylinders on the parameters of WWER fuel element working ability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scheglov, A [Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-12-31

In the programs of fuel rod computation, fuel and cladding are usually presented in the form of coaxial cylinders, which can change their sizes, mechanical and thermal-physical properties. The real fuel element has some typical deviations from this continuous coaxial cylinders (CCC) model as: axial asymmetry of fuel-cladding system (due to the oval form of the cladding, cracking and other type of fuel pallet damage, axial asymmetry of the volumetric heat release), gaps between the pallets (and heat release peaking in fuel near the gap), chambers in the pallets. As a result of these deviations actual fuel rod parameters of working ability - temperature, stresses, thermal fluxes relieved from the cladding, geometry changes - in some locations can greatly vary from the ones calculated according to CCC model. The influence of these deviations is extremely important while calculating the fuel rod, because they are a part of the mechanical excess coefficient. The author reviews the influence of these factors using specific examples. He applies his own two-dimensional codes based on the Finite Elements Method for calculations of temperature fields, stresses and deformation in the fuel rod elements. It is shown that consideration of these deviations, as a rule, leads to the increase of the maximum fuel temperature in the WWER pellets (characterized by a large central hole), temperature of the cladding, thermal flux, relieved by the coolant from the cladding, and stresses in the cladding. It is necessary to consider these factors for both validation of the fuel element working ability and interpretation of the experimental results. 4 tabs., 3 figs., 5 refs.

Failure probabilities of SiC clad fuel during a LOCA in public acceptable simple SMR (PASS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Youho, E-mail: euo@kaist.ac.kr; Kim, Ho Sik, E-mail: hskim25@kaist.ac.kr; NO, Hee Cheon, E-mail: hcno@kaist.ac.kr

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Graceful operating conditions of SMRs markedly lower SiC cladding stress. • Steady-state fracture probabilities of SiC cladding is below 10{sup −7} in SMRs. • PASS demonstrates fuel coolability (T < 1300 °C) with sole radiation in LOCA. • SiC cladding failure probabilities of PASS are ∼10{sup −2} in LOCA. • Cold gas gap pressure controls SiC cladding tensile stress level in LOCA. - Abstract: Structural integrity of SiC clad fuels in reference Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) (NuScale, SMART, IRIS) and a commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) are assessed with a multi-layered SiC cladding structural analysis code. Featured with low fuel pin power and temperature, SMRs demonstrate markedly reduced incore-residence fracture probabilities below ∼10{sup −7}, compared to those of commercial PWRs ∼10{sup −6}–10{sup −1}. This demonstrates that SMRs can serve as a near-term deployment fit to SiC cladding with a sound management of its statistical brittle fracture. We proposed a novel SMR named Public Acceptable Simple SMR (PASS), which is featured with 14 × 14 assemblies of SiC clad fuels arranged in a square ring layout. PASS aims to rely on radiative cooling of fuel rods during a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) by fully leveraging high temperature tolerance of SiC cladding. An overarching assessment of SiC clad fuel performance in PASS was conducted with a combined methodology—(1) FRAPCON-SiC for steady-state performance analysis of PASS fuel rods, (2) computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT for radiative cooling rate of fuel rods during a LOCA, and (3) multi-layered SiC cladding structural analysis code with previously developed SiC recession correlations under steam environments for both steady-state and LOCA. The results show that PASS simultaneously maintains desirable fuel cooling rate with the sole radiation and sound structural integrity of fuel rods for over 36 days of a LOCA without water supply. The stress level of

Investigation on fuel-cladding chemical interaction in metal fuel for FBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inagaki, Kenta; Nakamura, Kinya; Ogata, Takanari; Uwaba, Tomoyuki

2013-01-01

During steady-state irradiation of metallic fuel in fast reactors, rare-earth fission products can react with stainless steel cladding at the fuel-cladding interface. The authors conducted isothermal annealing tests with some diffusion couples to investigate the structure of the wastage layer formed at the interface. Candidate cladding alloys, ferritic-martensitic steel (PNC-FMS) and oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) steel were assembled with rare-earth alloys, RE5 : La-Ce-Pr-Nd-Sm, which simulate the fission yield of rare-earth fission products. The diffusion couples were isothermally annealed in the temperature range of 500-650°C for up to 170 h. In both RE5/ODS-steel and RE5/PNC-FMS couples, the wastage layer of the two-phase region of the (Fe, Cr) 17 RE 2 matrix phase with the precipitation of the (Fe, RE, Cr) phase was formed. The structure was similar to that formed in RE5/Fe-12Cr and RE5/HT9 couples, which implies that the reaction between REs and steel is not significantly influenced by the minor alloying elements within the candidate cladding materials. It was also clarified that the increase in the wastage layer thickness was diffusion-controlled. The temperature dependence of the reaction rate constants were formulated, which can be the basis for the quantification of the wastage layer growth. (author)

Compatibility study between U-UO{sub 2} cermet fuel and T91 cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, Sudhir, E-mail: sudhir@barc.gov.in [Radiometallurgy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Kaity, Santu; Khan, K.B. [Radiometallurgy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Sengupta, Pranesh; Dey, G.K. [Materials Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India)

2016-12-01

Cermet is a new fuel concept for the fast reactor system and is ideally designed to combine beneficial properties of both ceramic and metal. In order to understand fuel clad chemical compatibility, diffusion couples were prepared with U-UO{sub 2} cermet fuel and T91 cladding material. These diffusion couples were annealed at 923–1073 K for 1000 h and 1223 K for 50 h, subsequently their microstructures were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS) and electron probe microanalyser (EPMA). It was observed that the interaction between the fuel and constituents of T91 clad was limited to a very small region up to the temperature 993 K and discrete U{sub 6}(Fe,Cr) and U(Fe,Cr){sub 2} intermetallic phases developed. Eutectic microstructure was observed in the reaction zone at 1223 K. The activation energy for reaction at the fuel clad interface was determined.

Mechanical behavior of fast reactor fuel pin cladding subjected to simulated overpower transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, G.D.; Hunter, C.W.

1978-06-01

Cladding mechanical property data for analysis and prediction of fuel pin transient behavior were obtained under experimental conditions in which the temperature ramps of reactor transients were simulated. All cladding specimens were 20% CW Type 316 stainless steel and were cut from EBR-II irradiated fuel pins. It was determined that irradiation degraded the cladding ductility and failure strength. Specimens that had been adjacent to the fuel exhibited the poorest properties. Correlations were developed to describe the effect of neutron fluence on the mechanical behavior of the cladding. Metallographic examinations were conducted to characterize the failure mode and to establish the nature of internal and external surface corrosion. Various mechanisms for the fuel adjacency effect were examined and results for helium concentration profiles were presented. Results from the simulated transient tests were compared with TREAT test results

Protection of spent aluminum-clad research reactor fuels during extended wet storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Stela M.C.; Correa, Olandir V.; Souza, Jose A.; Ramanathan, Lalgudi V.; Antunes, Renato A.

2013-01-01

Aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel from research reactors (RR) is stored in light water filled pools or basins worldwide. Many incidences of pitting corrosion of the fuel cladding has been reported and attributed to synergism in the effect of certain water parameters. Protection of spent Al-clad RR fuel with a conversion coating was proposed in 2008. Preliminary results revealed increased pitting corrosion resistance of cerium oxide coated aluminum alloys AA 1050 and AA 6061, used as RR fuel plate cladding. Further development of conversion coatings for Al alloys was carried out and this paper presents: (a) the preparation and characterization of hydrotalcite (HTC) coatings; (b) the results of laboratory tests in which the corrosion behavior of coated Al alloys in NaCl solutions was determined; (c) the results of field tests in which un-coated, boehmite coated, HTC coated and cerium modified boehmite / HTC coated AA 1050 and AA 6061 coupons were exposed to the IEA-R1 reactor spent fuel basin for extended periods. In these field tests the coupons coated with HTC from a high temperature (HT) bath and subsequently modified with Ce were the most resistant to pitting corrosion. In laboratory tests also, HT- hydrotalcite + Ce coated specimens were the most corrosion resistant in 0.01 M NaCl. The role of cerium in increasing the corrosion resistance imparted by the different conversion coatings of spent Al-clad RR fuel elements is presented. (author)

Cladding failure model III (CFM III). A simple model for iodine induced stress corrosion cracking of zirconium-lined barrier and standard zircaloy cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasooji, A.; Miller, A.K.

1984-01-01

A previously developed unified model (SCCIG*) for predicting iodine induced SCC in standard Zircaloy cladding was modified recently into the ''SCCIG-B'' model which predicts the stress corrosion cracking behaviour of zirconium lined barrier cladding. Several published papers have presented the capability of these models for predicting various observed behaviours related to SCC. A closed form equation, called Cladding Failure Model III (CMFIII), has been derived from the SCCIG-B model. CFMIII takes the form of an explicit equation for the radial crack growth rate dc/dt as a function of hoop strain, crack depth, temperature, and surface iodine concentration in irradiated cladding (both barrier and standard Zircaloy). CMFIII has approximately the same predictive capabilities as the physically based SCCIG and/or SCCIG-B models but is computationally faster and more convenient and can be easily utilized in fuel performance codes for predicting the behaviour of barrier and standard claddings in reactor operations. (author)

Corrosion issues in the long term storage of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louthan, M.R. Jr.; Peacock, H.B. Jr.; Sindelar, R.L.; Iyer, N.C.

1996-01-01

Approximately 8% of the spent nuclear fuel owned by the US Department of Energy is clad with aluminum alloys. The spent fuel must be either reprocessed or temporarily stored in wet or dry storage systems until a decision is made on final disposition in a repository. There are corrosion issues associated with the aluminum cladding regardless of the disposition pathway selected. This paper discusses those issues and provides data and analysis to demonstrate that control of corrosion induced degradation in aluminum clad spent fuels can be achieved through relatively simple engineering practices

Deformation and collapse of zircaloy fuel rod cladding into plenum axial gaps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfennigwerth, P.L.; Gorscak, D.A.; Selsley, I.A.

1983-01-01

To minimize support structure, blanket and reflector fuel rods of the thoria urania-fueled Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) were designed with non-freestanding Zircaloy-4 cladding. An analytical model was developed to predict deformation of unirradiated cladding into axial gaps of fuel rod plenum regions where it is unsupported. This model uses the ACCEPT finite element computer program to calculate elastic-plastic deformation of cladding due to external pressure. The finite element is 20-node, triquadratic, isoparametric, and 3-dimensional. Its curved surface permits accurate modeling of the tube geometry, including geometric nonuniformities such as circumferential wall thickness variation and initial tube out-of-roundness. Progressive increases in axial gap length due to cladding elongation and fuel stack shrinkage are modeled, as are deformations of fuel pellets and stainless steel support sleeves which bound plenum axial gaps in LWBR type blanket fuel rods. Zircaloy-4 primary and secondary thermal creep representations were developed from uniaxial creep testing of fuel rod tubing. Creep response to multi-axial loading is modeled with a variation of Hill's formulation for anisotropic materials. Coefficients accounting for anisotropic thermal creep in Zircaloy-4 tubes were developed from creep testing of externally pressurized tubes having fixed axial gaps in the range 2.5 cm to 5.7 cm and radial clearances over simulated fuel pellets ranging from zero to 0.089 mm. (orig./RW)

Interdiffusion between U-Pu-Zr fuel and HT9 cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keiser, D.D. Jr.; Petri, M.C.

1994-01-01

As part of systematic interdiffusion studies of fuel-cladding compatibility in the integral Fast Reactor, a solid-solid diffusion couple was assembled with U-22Pu-23 1 Zr fuel and HT9 2 cladding and annealed at 650 degrees C for 100 hours. The couple was examined for diffusion structure development using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray analyzer (SEM-EDX). Point-by-point and linescan analysis was used to generate composition profiles and diffusion paths. From the composition profiles, average effective interdiffusion coefficients were calculated for individual components on both sides of the Matano plane. Results from this investigation indicate that the same types of phases as would be expected from binary U-Fe, Pu-Fe, and Zr-Fe phase diagrams develop in this couple; and U and Pu are the fastest diffusing fuel components and Fe is the fastest diffusing cladding component. Compared with diffusion couples with binary (U-Zr) fuel, the addition of Pu greatly enhanced the extent of diffusion and affected the types of phases observed

Method for automatic filling of nuclear fuel rod cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezold, H.

1979-01-01

Prior to welding the zirconium alloy cladding tubes with end caps, they are automatically filled with nuclear fuel tablets and ceramic insulating tablets. The tablets are introduced into magazine drums and led through a drying oven to a discharging station. The empty cladding tubes are removed from this discharging station and filled with tablets. A filling stamp pushes out the columns of tablets in the magazine tubes of the magazine drum into the cladding tube. Weight and measurement of length determine the filled state of the cladding tube. The cladding tubes are then led to the welding station via a conveyor belt. (DG) [de

An internal conical mandrel technique for fracture toughness measurements on nuclear fuel cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sainte Catherine, C.; Le Boulch, D.; Carassou, S. [CEA Saclay, DEN/DMN, Bldg 625 P, Gif-Sur-Yvette, F-91191 (France); Lemaignan, C. [CEA Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble, F-38054 (France); Ramasubramanian, N. [ECCATEC Inc., 92 Deburn Drive, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2006-07-01

An understanding of the limiting stress level for crack initiation and propagation in a fuel cladding material is a fundamental requirement for the development of water reactor clad materials. Conventional tests, in use to evaluate fracture properties, are of limited help, because they are adapted from ASTM standards designed for thick materials, which differ significantly from fuel cladding geometry (small diameter thin-walled tubing). The Internal Conical Mandrel (ICM) test described here is designed to simulate the effect of fuel pellet diametrical increase on a cladding with an existing axial through-wall crack. It consists in forcing a cone, having a tapered increase in diameter, inside the Zircaloy cladding with an initial axial crack. The aim of this work is to quantify the crack initiation and propagation criteria for fuel cladding material. The crack propagation is monitored by a video system for obtaining crack extension {delta}a. A finite-element (FE) simulation of the ICM test is performed in order to derive J integrals. A node release technique is applied during the FE simulation for crack propagation and the J-resistance curves (J-{delta}a) are generated. This paper presents the test methodology, the J computation validation, and results for cold-worked stress relieved Zircaloy-4 cladding at 20 deg. and 300 deg. C and also for Al 7050-T7651 aluminum alloy tubing at 20 deg. C. (authors)

Application of Coating Technology for Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyun-Gil; Kim, Il-Hyun; Jung, Yang-Il; Park, Dong-Jun; Park, Jeong-Yong; Koo, Yang-Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

To commercialize the ATF cladding concepts, various factors are considered, such as safety under normal and accident conditions, economy for the fuel cycle, and developing development challenges, and schedule. From the proposed concepts, it is known that the cladding coating, FeCrAl alloy, and Zr-Mo claddings are considered as a near/mid-term application, whereas the SiC material is considered as a long-term application. Among them, the benefit of cladding coating on Zr-based alloys is the fuel cycle economy regarding the manufacturing, neutron cross section, and high tritium permeation characteristics. However, the challenge of cladding coating on Zr-based alloys is the lower oxidation resistance and mechanical strength at high-temperature than other concepts. Another important point is the adhesion property between the Zr-based alloy and coating materials. As an improved coating technology compared to a previous study, a 3D laser coating technology supplied with Cr powders is considered to make a coated cladding because it is possible to make a coated layer on the tubular cladding surface by controlling the 3-diminational axis. We are systematically studying the laser beam power, inert gas flow, cooling of the cladding tube, and powder control as key points to develop 3D laser coating technology. After Cr-coating on the Zr-based cladding, ring compression and ring tensile tests were performed to evaluate the adhesion property between a coated layer and Zr-based alloy tube at room temperature (RT), and a high-temperature oxidation test was conducted to evaluate the oxidation behavior at 1200 .deg. C of the coated tube samples. A 3D laser coating method supplied with Cr powders was developed to decrease the high-temperature oxidation rate in a steam environment through a systematic study for various coating parameters, and a Cr-coated Zircaloy-4 cladding tube of 100 mm in length to the axial direction can be successfully manufactured.

Nuclear fuel rod with burnable plate and pellet-clad interaction fix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyle, R.F.

1987-01-01

This patent describes a nuclear fuel rod comprising a metallic tubular cladding containing nuclear fuel pellets, the pellets containing enriched uranium-235. The improvement described here comprises: ceramic wafers, each wafter comprising a sintered mixture of gadolinium oxide and uranium dioxide, the uranium oxide having no more uranium-235 than is present in natural uranium dioxide. Each of the wafers is axially disposed between a major portion of adjacent the nuclear fuel pellets, whereby the wafers freeze out volatile fission products produced by the nuclear fuel and prevent interaction of the fission products with the metallic tubing cladding

The M5 Fuel Rod Cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mardon, J.P.; Charquet, D.; Senevat, J.

1998-01-01

The large-scale program for the development and irradiation of new Zr alloys started by FRAMATOME and its industrial partners CEZUS and ZIRCOTUBE more than 10 years ago is now enabling FRAGEMA to offer the ternary M5 (ZrNbO) as the cladding material for PWR advanced fuel rods. Compared with the former product (low-tin-Zircaloy-4), this alloy exhibits impressive gains under irradiation at extended burnup (55 GWd/t) relatively to corrosion (factor 3 to 4), hydriding (factor 5 to 6), growth and creep (factor 2 to 3). In this paper, we shall successively address: - the industrial development and manufacturing experience - the corrosion, hydriding, creep and growth performances obtained over a wide range of PWR normal irradiation conditions (France and other countries) up to burnups of 55 GWd/t - The interpretation of these results by means of analytical experiments conducted in test reactors (free growth, creep) and microstructural observations on the irradiated material - and the behaviour under accident (LOCA) and severe environment and irradiation (Li, boiling) conditions. (Author)

Non-linear behaviour of multi-phase MOX fuels: a micro-mechanical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rousette, S.; Gatt, J.M.; Michel, J.C.

2005-01-01

The modelling of mechanical pellet-clad interaction requires knowledge of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of nuclear fuels. Some nuclear fuels such as MOX are composed of several phases. The mechanical properties of these phases, which are elasto-visco-plastic in-pile, are changing in-pile. The objective is to formulate a mechanical behaviour law taking all the physical phenomena into account in the different phases, which can easily be introduced into a fuel rod modelling code. Consequently, Non-uniform Transformation Field Analysis (NTFA) is used on the one hand, to correctly capture the heterogeneity of the anelastic strain in the different phases and, on the other hand, to provide a simple overall constitutive law for computational codes. This method is a good way to describe the behaviour of MOX fuel. Transformation Field Analysis (TFA), which corresponds to piecewise uniform transformation fields, is used to perform a sensitivity study. (authors)

FUMAC-a new model for light water reactor fuel relocation and pellet-cladding interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walton, L.A.; Matheson, J.E.

1984-01-01

An improved approach to the mechanical modeling of fuel rod performance is presented. Previous computer modeling has centered around a unified finite element approach with both fuel pellets and cladding being represented by ring elements. The fuel mechanical analysis code (FUMAC) departs from these approaches in two areas. The pellet model is an empirically based deterministic algorithm, while the cladding model uses both plane stress and plane strain finite elements. The work describes a semiempirical fuel cracking and fragment relocation model, which is burnup and power-level dependent. The interaction of the pellet with the cladding is treated classically. The resulting thick cylinder stresses are used in conjunction with an orthotropic creep model to predict cladding ridging. The resulting ridging compares well with experimental data for both steady-state and transient operating conditions. Future work planned includes the integration of the finite element cladding model with the pellet model and refinement of the pellet relocation and thermal models. Transient performance predictions will be emphasized

Method for the protection of the cladding tubes of fuel rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinberg, E.

1978-01-01

To present stress crack corrosion and to protect the cladding tubes of the fuel rods made of a circonium alloy from attack by iodine, the inward surfaces are provided with protective coatings. Therefore the casting tubes already filled with fuel element pellets are put under over-pressure at a temperature range between 300 and 500 0 C, until almost yield-point is reached. A small amount of H 2 O or H 2 O 2 , filled in, reacts with the cladding tube material to form the Zr-O 2 protective coating. Afterwards comes a pressure relief, and the cladding tube reaches its original dimensions. (DG) [de

Future possibilities of SUSEN technologies for R&D of nuclear fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikloš, M.

2015-01-01

R&D possibilities with nuclear fuel cladding were discussed in this paper. The availability of 10 MWT reactor with BWR and PWR loops having chemistry control was described. Activity transport and fuel cladding corrosion can be investigated in this facility including PIE. The facility has hot cells and the laboratory is expected to start in 2017

A state of the Art report on Manufacturing technology of high burn-up fuel cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyeong Ho; Nam, Cheol; Baek, Jong Hyuk; Choi, Byung Kwon; Park, Sang Yoon; Lee, Myung Ho; Jeong, Yong Hwan

1999-09-01

In order to manufacturing the prototype fuel cladding, overall manufacturing processes and technologies should be thoroughly understood on the manufacturing processes and technologies of foreign cladding tubes. Generally, the important technology related to fuel cladding tube manufacturing processes for PWRs/PHWRs is divided into three stages. The first stage is to produce the zirconium sponge from zirconium sand, the second stage is to produce the zircaloy shell or TREX from zirconium sponge ingot and finally, cladding is produced from TREX or zircaloy shell. Therefore, the manufacturing processes including the first and second stages are described in brief in this technology report in order to understand the whole fuel cladding manufacturing processes. (author)

Models for MOX fuel behaviour. A selective review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massih, Ali R.

2006-01-01

This report reviews the basic physical properties of light water reactor mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel comprising nuclear characteristics, thermal properties such as melting temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, and heat capacity, and compares these with properties of conventional UO 2 fuel. These properties are generally well understood for MOX fuel and are well described by appropriate models developed for engineering analysis. Moreover, certain modelling approaches of MOX fuel in-reactor behaviour, regarding densification, swelling, fission product gas release, helium release, fuel creep and grain growth, are evaluated and compared with the models for UO 2 . In MOX fuel the presence of plutonium rich agglomerates adds to the complexity of fuel behaviour on the micro scale. In addition, we survey the recent fuel performance experience and post irradiation examinations on several types of MOX fuel types. We discuss the data from these examinations, regarding densification, swelling, fission product gas release and the evolution of the microstructure during irradiation. The results of our review indicate that in general MOX fuel has a higher fission gas release and helium release than UO 2 fuel. Part of this increase is due to the higher operating temperatures of MOX fuel relative to UO 2 fuel due to the lower thermal conductivity of MOX material. But this effect by itself seems to be insufficient to make for the difference in the observed fission gas release of UO 2 vs. MOX fuel. Furthermore, the irradiation induced creep rate of MOX fuel is higher than that of UO 2 . This effect can reduce the pellet-clad interaction intensity in fuel rods. Finally, we suggest that certain physical based approaches discussed in the report are implemented in the fuel performance code to account for the behaviour of MOX fuel during irradiation

Models for MOX fuel behaviour. A selective review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massih, Ali R. [Quantum Technologies AB, Uppsala Science Park (Sweden)

2006-12-15

This report reviews the basic physical properties of light water reactor mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel comprising nuclear characteristics, thermal properties such as melting temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, and heat capacity, and compares these with properties of conventional UO{sub 2} fuel. These properties are generally well understood for MOX fuel and are well described by appropriate models developed for engineering analysis. Moreover, certain modelling approaches of MOX fuel in-reactor behaviour, regarding densification, swelling, fission product gas release, helium release, fuel creep and grain growth, are evaluated and compared with the models for UO{sub 2}. In MOX fuel the presence of plutonium rich agglomerates adds to the complexity of fuel behaviour on the micro scale. In addition, we survey the recent fuel performance experience and post irradiation examinations on several types of MOX fuel types. We discuss the data from these examinations, regarding densification, swelling, fission product gas release and the evolution of the microstructure during irradiation. The results of our review indicate that in general MOX fuel has a higher fission gas release and helium release than UO{sub 2} fuel. Part of this increase is due to the higher operating temperatures of MOX fuel relative to UO{sub 2} fuel due to the lower thermal conductivity of MOX material. But this effect by itself seems to be insufficient to make for the difference in the observed fission gas release of UO{sub 2} vs. MOX fuel. Furthermore, the irradiation induced creep rate of MOX fuel is higher than that of UO{sub 2}. This effect can reduce the pellet-clad interaction intensity in fuel rods. Finally, we suggest that certain physical based approaches discussed in the report are implemented in the fuel performance code to account for the behaviour of MOX fuel during irradiation.

Progress in Understanding of Fuel-Cladding Chemical interaction in Metal Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inagaki, Okenta; Nakamura, Kinya; Ogata, Takanari

2013-01-01

Conclusion: Representative phases formed in FCCI were identified: • The reaction between lanthanide elements and cladding; • The reaction between U-PU-Zr and cladding (Fe). Characteristics of the wastage layer were clarified: • Time and temperature dependency of the growth ratio of the wastage layer formed by lanthanide elements; • Threshold temperature of the liquid phase formation in the reaction between U-Pu-Zr and Fe. These results are used: - as a basis for the FCCI modeling; - as a reference data in post-irradiation examination of irradiated metallic fuels

Interim report on the creepdown of Zircaloy fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobson, D.O.; Dodd, C.V.

1977-01-01

This report describes the creepdown phenomenon in Zircaloy fuel cladding and the methods by which it will be measured and analyzed. Instrumentation for monitoring radial deformation in the cladding is described in detail--in terms of theory, design, and stability. The programs that control the microcomputer are listed, both to document the level of sophistication of the instrumentation and to indicate the flexibility of the test equipment

Fracture of Zircaloy cladding by interactions with uranium dioxide pellets in LWR fuel rods. Technical report 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, E.; Ranjan, G.V.; Cipolla, R.C.

1976-11-01

Power reactor fuel rod failures can be caused by uranium dioxide fuel pellet-Zircaloy cladding interactions. The report summarizes the current position attained in a detailed theoretical study of Zircaloy cladding fracture caused by the growth of stress corrosion cracks which form near fuel pellet cracks as a consequence of a power increase after a sufficiently high burn-up. It is shown that stress corrosion crack growth in irradiated Zircaloy must be able to proceed at very low stress intensifications if uniform friction effects are operative at the fuel-cladding interface, when the interfacial friction coefficient is less than unity, when a symmetric distribution of fuel cracks exists, and when symmetric interfacial slippage occurs (i.e., ''uniform'' conditions). Otherwise, the observed fuel rod failures must be due to departures from ''uniform'' conditions, and a very high interfacial friction coefficient and particularly fuel-cladding bonding, are means of providing sufficient stess intensification at a cladding crack tip to explain the occurrence of cladding fractures. The results of the investigation focus attention on the necessity for reliable experimental data on the stress corrosion crack growth behavior of irradiated Zircaloy, and for further investigations on the correlation between local fuel-cladding bonding and stress corrosion cracking

PCI resistant light water reactor fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, J.P.; Sabol, G.P.

1988-01-01

A tubular nuclear fuel element cladding tube is described, the fuel element cladding tube forming the entire fuel element cladding and consisting of: a single continuous wall, the single continuous wall consisting of a single alloy selected from the group consisting of zirconium base alloys, A, B, C, D, and E; the single continuous wall characterized by a cold worked and stress relieved microstructure throughout; wherein the zirconium base alloy A contains 0.2 - 0.6 w/o Sn, 0.03 - 0.11 w/o sum of Fe and Cr, section 600 ppm O and section 1500 ppm total impurities; the zirconium base alloy B contains 0.1 - 0.6 w/oo Sn, 0.04 - 0.24 w/o Fe, 0.05 - 0.15 w/o Cr, section 0.08 w/o Ni, section 600 ppm O and section 1500 ppm total impurities; the zirconium base alloy C contains 1.2 - 1.7 w/o Sn, 0.04 - 0.24 w/o Fe, 0.05 - 0.15 w/o Cr, section 0.08 w/o Ni, section 600 ppm O, and section 1500 ppm total impurities; the zirconium base alloy D contains 0.15 - 0.6 w/o Sn, 0.15 - 0.5 w/o Fe, section 600 ppm O, and section 1500 ppm total impurities; and the zirconium base alloy E contains 0.4 - 0.6 w/o Sn, 0.1 - 0.3 w/o Fe, 0.03 - 0.07 w/o Ni, section 600 ppm O, and section 1500 ppm total impurities

Improving Accident Tolerance of Nuclear Fuel with Coated Mo-alloy Cladding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Cheng

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA, similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconium alloy fuel cladding materials are rapidly heated due to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority in accident management, an accident tolerant fuel (ATF design may extend coping and recovery time for operators to restore emergency power, and cooling, and achieve safe shutdown. An ATF is required to possess high resistance to steam oxidation to reduce hydrogen generation and sufficient mechanical strength to maintain fuel rod integrity and core coolability. The initiative undertaken by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an ATF cladding with capability to maintain its integrity in 1,200–1,500°C steam for at least 24 hours. This ATF cladding utilizes thin-walled Mo-alloys coated with oxidation-resistant surface layers. The basic design consists of a thin-walled Mo alloy structural tube with a metallurgically bonded, oxidation-resistant outer layer. Two options are being investigated: a commercially available iron, chromium, and aluminum alloy with excellent high temperature oxidation resistance, and a Zr alloy with demonstrated corrosion resistance. As these composite claddings will incorporate either no Zr, or thin Zr outer layers, hydrogen generation under severe LOCA conditions will be greatly reduced. Key technical challenges and uncertainties specific to Mo alloy fuel cladding include: economic core design, industrial scale fabricability, radiation embrittlement, and corrosion and oxidation resistance during normal operation, transients, and severe accidents. Progress in each aspect has been made and key results are

About criteria of inadmissible embrittlement of zirconium fuel cladding during LOCA in the PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmachkin, V.S.

1999-01-01

According the licensing procedures the designers of the PWRs reactor have to prove the meeting of special safety requirements. One criteria on effectiveness of the Emergency Core Cooling System is not to exceeding some limited conditions of the fuel cladding during LOCA accidents (typical example T m ax o C, ECR<0,17 and oth.). The damage of fuel element in the core during LOCA is caused by the oxidation of the cladding, its embrittlement and thermal shock stresses after initiation of the heat removal by a cold water from emergency core cooling system. In the paper the conservatism in criteria to avoid brittle ruptures of the fuel elements is discussed. Taking into account the influence of fuel burnup on the property of the cladding and a potential presence of air in the steam, it is believed that criteria of survivability of the zircaloy fuel cladding during LOCA may not be enough conservative.(author)

Composite fuel behaviour under and after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehaudt, P.; Mocellin, A.; Eminet, G.; Caillot, L.; Delette, G.; Bauer, M.; Viallard, I.

1997-01-01

Two kinds of composite fuels have been irradiated in the SILOE reactor. They are made of UO 2 particles dispersed in a molybdenum metallic (CERMET) or a MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic (CERCER) matrix. The irradiation conditions have allowed to reach a 50000 MWd/t U burn-up in these composite fuels after a hundred equivalent full power days long irradiation. The irradiation is controlled by a continuous measure of the pellet centre line temperature. It allows to have information about the TANOX rods thermal behaviour and the fuels thermal conductivities in comparing the centre line temperature versus linear power curves among themselves. Our results show that the CERMET centre line temperature is much lower than the CERCER and UO 2 ones: 520 deg. C against 980 deg. C at a 300W/cm linear power. After pin puncturing tests the rods are dismantled to recover each fuel pellet. In the CERCER case, the cladding peeling off has revealed that the fuel came into contact with the cladding and that some of the pellets were linked together. Optical microscopy observations show a changing of the MgAl 2 O 4 matrix state around the UO 2 particles at the pellets periphery. This transformation may have caused a swelling and would be at the origin of the pellet-cladding and the pellet-pellet interactions. No specific damage is seen after irradiation. The CERMET pellets are not cracked and remain as they were before irradiation. The CERCER crack network is slightly different from that observed in UO 2 . Kr retention was evaluated by annealing tests under vacuum at 1580 deg. C or 1700 deg. C for 30 minutes. The CERMET fission gas release is lower than the CERCER one. Inter- and intragranular fission gas bubbles are observed in the UO 2 particles after heat treatments. The CERCER pellet periphery has also cracked and the matrix has transformed again around UO 2 particles to present a granular and porous aspect. (author). 4 refs, 6 figs, 2 tabs

Standard recommended practice for examination of fuel element cladding including the determination of the mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1975-01-01

Guidelines are provided for the post-irradiation examination of fuel cladding and to achieve better correlation and interpretation of the data in the field of radiation effects. The recommended practice is applicable to metal cladding of all types of fuel elements. The tests cited are suitable for determining mechanical properties of the fuel elements cladding. Various ASTM standards and test methods are cited

Effect of burnup on the response of stainless steel-clad mixed-oxide fuels to simulated thermal transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenske, G.R.; Badyopadhyay, G.

1981-01-01

Direct electrical heating experiments were performed on irradiated fuel to study the fuel and cladding response as a function of burnup during a slow thermal transient. The results indicated that the nature and extent of the fuel and cladding behavior depended on the quantity of fission gas retained in the fuel. Fission-gas-driven fuel ejection occurred as the molten cladding flowed down the stack exposing bare, radially unrestrained fuel. The fuel dispersion occurred in the absence of molten fuel and the amount of fuel ejected increased with increasing burnup. 31 refs

Mechanical behaviour and failure of fuel cladding zirconium alloys in nuclear power plants under accidental RIA-type situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doan, D.T.

2009-01-01

In French Nuclear Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), most of structural parts of the fuel assembly consist of zirconium alloy tubes and plates. Optimizing the management of fuel in nuclear power plants led to the increase in the duration of fuel cycles and power. The use of high fuel burnups requires drastic changes in the rules for reactor design in the nuclear safety. The evaluation of nuclear reactors in accident situations is based on reference accident scenarios. One of these hypothetical accidents, examined in this study, is the 'Reactivity Initiated Accident'. In order to assess the structural integrity of these parts it is necessary to characterize both the plastic flow and fracture behaviour of the materials at various stages of the life cycle, (i.e. at increasing levels of hydriding, irradiation, oxidation or thermal mechanical loading). The purpose of this work is to provide experimental data and to develop a model of the thermo-mechanical behaviour and to propose a design analysis method in the case of non-irradiated clads, in RIA-type situations. Mechanical tests were conducted on Cold-Worked-Stress-Relieved and on Recrystallized Zircaloy-4 sheets using various kinds of samples including smooth and notched tensile specimens and small punch tests. Temperature was set to 25, 250 and 600 C with hydrogen contents between 0 and 1000 ppm. The model is based on a simplified description of a Zircaloy polycrystal in which scalar isotropic ductile damage including void nucleation and growth is added. The model is also physically based to easily transfer parameters determined for one material state to another (e.g. transfer between sheet and tube or between different levels of irradiation). The model was implemented in the Finite Element software Zebulon using either an explicit or an implicit time integration scheme. Uniaxial tension tests were used to tune the model parameters for both materials, considering various values of temperature and hydrogen levels

High temperature behaviour of E110G and E110 fuel claddings in various mixtures of steam and air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Feró, Erzsébet; Novotny, Tamás; Horváth, Márta; Kunstár, Mihály; Vér, Nóra; Hózer, Zoltán

2014-01-01

Experiments with sponge base E110G and the traditional E110 were carried out to compare the oxidation kinetics of these alloys in steam, in hydrogen rich steam, in steam-air and in air atmosphere and to study the effect of hydrogen- and nitrogen-containing environment on the oxidation. The effect of oxidizing atmosphere on the mechanical behaviour of the claddings was also investigated. The new and the traditional types of cladding rings were oxidised at high temperature (600°C – 1200°C). Oxidation of both alloys in steam-air mixture and in air atmosphere resulted in faster oxidation kinetics compared to steam. In many cases bumpy, porous oxide layer have been found. The presence of hydrogen in the steam atmosphere had no significant effect on the oxidation kinetics. Comparing the two alloys, more favourable behaviour of oxidised E110G was observed regarding the oxidation kinetics, breakaway oxidation and load bearing capability in all cases. (author)

Demonstration of fuel resistant to pellet-cladding interaction. Second semiannual report, January--June 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbaum, H.S.

1978-09-01

This program has as its ultimate objective the demonstration of an advanced fuel concept that is resistant to the failure mechanism known as fuel pellet-cladding interaction (PCI). Since currently used fuel in the nuclear power industry is subject to the PCI failure mechanism, reactor operators limit the rates of power increases and thus reduce their capacity factors in order to protect the fuel. Two concepts are being developed for possible demonstration within this program: (a) Cu-barrier fuel and (b) Zr-liner fuel. These advanced fuels (known collectively as ''barrier fuels'') have special fuel cladding designed to protect the Zircaloy cladding tube from the harmful effects of localized stress and reactive fission products during reactor service. The demonstration of one of these concepts in a commercial power reactor is planned for PHASE 2 of this program. The current plans for the demonstration will involve approximately 132 bundles of PCI-resistant fuel

Method of evaluation of stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of clad fuel tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takase, Iwao; Yoshida, Toshimi; Ikeda, Shinzo; Masaoka, Isao; Nakajima, Junjiro.

1986-01-01

Purpose: To determine, by an evaluation in out-pile test, the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of clad fuel tubes in the reactor environment. Method: A plurality of electrodes are mounted in the circumferential direction on the entire surface of cladding tubes. Of the electrodes, electrodes at two adjacent places are used as measuring terminals and electrodes at another two places adjacent thereto are used as constant-current terminals. With a specific current flowing in the constant-current terminals, measurements are made of a potential difference between the terminals to be measured, and from a variation in the potential difference the depth of cracking of the cladding tube surface is presumed to determine the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the cladding tube. To check the entire surface of the cladding tube, the cladding tube is moved by each block in the circumferential direction by a contact changeover system, repeating the measurements of the potential difference. Contact type electrodes are secured with an insulator and held in uniform contact with the cladding tube by a spring. It is detachable by use of a locking system and movable as desired. Thus the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility can be determined without mounting the cladding tube through and also a fuel failure can be prevented. (Horiuchi, T.)

Fuel rod behaviour during transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilsby, C.F.; Haste, T.J.; Garlick, A.; Cameron, R.F.

1982-04-01

The clad deformation code CANSWELL-2 is described. This is used, either as a stand-alone code or within MABEL-2, to predict and analyse the results of LOCA simulations in the Halden and NRU reactors and in the KfK and PROPAT rigs. Experimental evidence on fuel behaviour in RIA, PCM and ATWS events is presented with inclusion of certain FRAP-T5 results. Published calculations from the accident codes FRAP-T4 and FRAP-T5 are compared with experimental results in simulated loss of coolant tests in the Power Burst Facility. The limitations of this code in its treatment of RIA, PCM and ATWS events are considered. (U.K.)

Innovative coating of nanostructured vanadium carbide on the F/M cladding tube inner surface for mitigating the fuel cladding chemical interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Yong [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Phillpot, Simon [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2017-11-29

Fuel cladding chemical interactions (FCCI) have been acknowledged as a critical issue in a metallic fuel/steel cladding system due to the formation of low melting intermetallic eutectic compounds between the fuel and cladding steel, resulting in reduction in cladding wall thickness as well as a formation of eutectic compounds that can initiate melting in the fuel at lower temperature. In order to mitigate FCCI, diffusion barrier coatings on the cladding inner surface have been considered. In order to generate the required coating techniques, pack cementation, electroplating, and electrophoretic deposition have been investigated. However, these methods require a high processing temperature of above 700 oC, resulting in decarburization and decomposition of the martensites in a ferritic/martensitic (F/M) cladding steel. Alternatively, organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) can be a promising process due to its low processing temperature of below 600 oC. The aim of the project is to conduct applied and fundamental research towards the development of diffusion barrier coatings on the inner surface of F/M fuel cladding tubes. Advanced cladding steels such as T91, HT9 and NF616 have been developed and extensively studied as advanced cladding materials due to their excellent irradiation and corrosion resistance. However, the FCCI accelerated by the elevated temperature and high neutron exposure anticipated in fast reactors, can have severe detrimental effects on the cladding steels through the diffusion of Fe into fuel and lanthanides towards into the claddings. To test the functionality of developed coating layer, the diffusion couple experiments were focused on using T91 as cladding and Ce as a surrogate lanthanum fission product. By using the customized OMCVD coating equipment, thin and compact layers with a few micron between 1.5 µm and 8 µm thick and average grain size of 200 nm and 5 µm were successfully obtained at the specimen coated between 300oC and

Spent fuel cladding containment credit test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, C.N.

1983-01-01

As an initial step in addressing the effectiveness of breached cladding as a barrier to radionuclide release from the repository during the post-containment period, preliminary scoping tests have been initiated which compare radionuclide releases from spent fuel specimens with artificially induced cladding defects of various severities. The artificially induced defects are all more severe than the typical in-reactor type breaches which are expected to be the principal type of breach entering the repository for terminal storage. These preliminary scoping tests being conducted by Westinghouse Hanford Company for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Waste Package Development Program in support of the Tuff repository project at the Nevada Test Site are described. Also included in this presentation are selected initial results from these tests. 22 figures

Statistical mechanical analysis of LMFBR fuel cladding tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poncelet, J.-P.; Pay, A.

1977-01-01

The most important design requirement on fuel pin cladding for LMFBR's is its mechanical integrity. Disruptive factors include internal pressure from mixed oxide fuel fission gas release, thermal stresses and high temperature creep, neutron-induced differential void-swelling as a source of stress in the cladding and irradiation creep of stainless steel material, corrosion by fission products. Under irradiation these load-restraining mechanisms are accentuated by stainless steel embrittlement and strength alterations. To account for the numerous uncertainties involved in the analysis by theoretical models and computer codes statistical tools are unavoidably requested, i.e. Monte Carlo simulation methods. Thanks to these techniques, uncertainties in nominal characteristics, material properties and environmental conditions can be linked up in a correct way and used for a more accurate conceptual design. (Auth.)

Peak cladding temperature in a spent fuel storage or transportation cask

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, J.; Murakami, H.; Liu, Y.; Gomez, P.E.A.; Gudipati, M.; Greiner, M.

2007-01-01

From reactor discharge to eventual disposition, spent nuclear fuel assemblies from a commercial light water reactor are typically exposed to a variety of environments under which the peak cladding temperature (PCT) is an important parameter that can affect the characteristics and behavior of the cladding and, thus, the functions of the spent fuel during storage, transportation, and disposal. Three models have been identified to calculate the peak cladding temperature of spent fuel assemblies in a storage or transportation cask: a coupled effective thermal conductivity and edge conductance model developed by Manteufel and Todreas, an effective thermal conductivity model developed by Bahney and Lotz, and a computational fluid dynamics model. These models were used to estimate the PCT for spent fuel assemblies for light water reactors under helium, nitrogen, and vacuum environments with varying decay heat loads and temperature boundary conditions. The results show that the vacuum environment is more challening than the other gas environments in that the PCT limit is exceeded at a lower boundary temperature for a given decay heat load of the spent fuel assembly. This paper will highlight the PCT calculations, including a comparison of the PCTs obtained by different models.

Effect of PWR Re-start ramp rate on pellet-cladding interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagnik, S.K.; Chang, B.C.; Sunderland, D.J.

2005-01-01

To mitigate pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) leading to fuel rod failures, fuel suppliers specify reactor power ramp rate limitations during reactor start-up after an outage. Typical re-start ramp rates are restricted and range between 3-4% per hour of full reactor power above a threshold power level. Relaxation of threshold power and ramp rate restrictions has the potential to improve plant economics. The paper will compare known re-start power ascension procedures employed in the US, German, French and Korean PWRs after a refuelling outage. A technical basis for optimising power ascension procedures during reactor start-up can be developed using analytical modelling. The main objective of the modelling is to determine the potential for PCI failure for various combinations of threshold power levels and ramp rate levels. A key element of our analysis is to estimate the decrease in margin to cladding failure by ISCC based on a time-temperature-stress failure criterion fashioned Act a cumulative cladding damage index. The analysis approach and the cladding damage model will be described and the results from three case studies based on the FALCON fuel rod behaviour code will be reported. We conclude that the PCI behaviour is more affected by ramp rate and threshold power than by the fuel design and that the fuel power history is the most important parameter. (authors)

Computer code SICHTA-85/MOD 1 for thermohydraulic and mechanical modelling of WWER fuel channel behaviour during LOCA and comparison with original version of the SICHTA code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bujan, A.; Adamik, V.; Misak, J.

1986-01-01

A brief description is presented of the expansion of the SICHTA-83 computer code for the analysis of the thermal history of the fuel channel for large LOCAs by modelling the mechanical behaviour of fuel element cladding. The new version of the code has a more detailed treatment of heat transfer in the fuel-cladding gap because it also respects the mechanical (plastic) deformations of the cladding and the fuel-cladding interaction (magnitude of contact pressure). Also respected is the change in pressure of the gas filling of the fuel element, the mechanical criterion is considered of a failure of the cladding and the degree is considered of the blockage of the through-flow cross section for coolant flow in the fuel channel. The LOCA WWER-440 model computation provides a comparison of the new SICHTA-85/MOD 1 code with the results of the original 83 version of SICHTA. (author)

Study on the Standard Establishment for the Integrity Assessment of Nuclear Fuel Cladding Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, S-S; Kim, S-H; Jung, Y-K; Yang, C-Y; Kim, I-G; Choi, Y-H; Kim, H-J; Kim, M-W; Rho, B-H [KINS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-02-15

Fuel cladding material plays important role as a primary structure under the high temperature, high pressure and neutron environment of nuclear power plant. According to this environment, cladding material can be experienced several type aging phenomena including the neutron irradiation embrittlement. On the other hand, although the early nuclear power plant was designed to fitting into the 40MWd/KgU burn-up, the currently power plant intends to go to the high burn-up range. In this case, the safety criteria which was established at low burn-up needs to conform the applicability at the high burn-up. In this study, the safety criteria of fuel cladding material was reviewed to assess the cladding material integrity, and the material characteristics of cladding were reviewed. The current LOCA criterial was also reviewed, and the basic study for re-establishment of LOCA criteria was performed. The time concept safety criteria was also discussed to prevent the breakaway oxidation. Through the this study, safety issues will be produced and be helpful for integrity insurance of nuclear fuel cladding material. This report is the final report.

Microstructural Characterization of the U-9.1Mo Fuel/AA6061 Cladding Interface in Friction-Bonded Monolithic Fuel Plates Irradiated in the RERTR-6 Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Keiser, Dennis D.; Jue, Jan-Fong; Miller, Brandon; Gan, Jian; Robinson, Adam; Medvedev, Pavel; Madden, James; Wachs, Dan; Clark, Curtis; Meyer, Mitch

2015-09-01

Low-enrichment (235U < 20 pct) U-Mo monolithic fuel is being developed for use in research and test reactors. The earliest design for this fuel that was investigated via reactor testing consisted of a nominally U-10Mo fuel foil encased in AA6061 (Al-6061) cladding. For a fuel design to be deemed adequate for final use in a reactor, it must maintain dimensional stability and retain fission products throughout irradiation, which means that there must be good integrity at the fuel foil/cladding interface. To investigate the nature of the fuel/cladding interface for this fuel type after irradiation, fuel plates were fabricated using a friction bonding process, tested in INL's advanced test reactor (ATR), and then subsequently characterized using optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Results of this characterization showed that the fuel/cladding interaction layers present at the U-Mo fuel/AA6061 cladding interface after fabrication became amorphous during irradiation. Up to two main interaction layers, based on composition, could be found at the fuel/cladding interface, depending on location. After irradiation, an Al-rich layer contained very few fission gas bubbles, but did exhibit Xe enrichment near the AA6061 cladding interface. Another layer, which contained more Si, had more observable fission gas bubbles. In the samples produced using a focused ion beam at the interaction zone/AA6061 cladding interface, possible indications of porosity/debonding were found, which suggested that the interface in this location is relatively weak.

Development of Diffusion barrier coatings and Deposition Technologies for Mitigating Fuel Cladding Chemical Interactions (FCCI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sridharan, Kumar; Allen, Todd; Cole, James

2013-02-27

The goal of this project is to develop diffusion barrier coatings on the inner cladding surface to mitigate fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI). FCCI occurs due to thermal and radiation enhanced inter-diffusion between the cladding and fuel materials, and can have the detrimental effects of reducing the effective cladding wall thickness and lowering the melting points of the fuel and cladding. The research is aimed at the Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR), a sodium-cooled fast reactor, in which higher burn-ups will exacerbate the FCCI problem. This project will study both diffusion barrier coating materials and deposition technologies. Researchers will investigate pure vanadium, zirconium, and titanium metals, along with their respective oxides, on substrates of HT-9, T91, and oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) steels; these materials are leading candidates for ABR fuel cladding. To test the efficacy of the coating materials, the research team will perform high-temperature diffusion couple studies using both a prototypic metallic uranium fuel and a surrogate the rare-earth element lanthanum. Ion irradiation experiments will test the stability of the coating and the coating-cladding interface. A critical technological challenge is the ability to deposit uniform coatings on the inner surface of cladding. The team will develop a promising non-line-of-sight approach that uses nanofluids . Recent research has shown the feasibility of this simple yet novel approach to deposit coatings on test flats and inside small sections of claddings. Two approaches will be investigated: 1) modified electrophoretic deposition (MEPD) and 2) boiling nanofluids. The coatings will be evaluated in the as-deposited condition and after sintering.

Cladding tube of fuel rod for a BWR type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, Hitoshi; Fujie, Kunio; Kuwahara, Heikichi; Hirai, Tadamasa; Kakizaki, Kimio.

1976-01-01

Object: To form a cladding tube wall with tunnels in communication with the exterior through a number of small-diameter openings to rapidly disperse a large quantity of heat thereby providing high density of the fuel rod. Structure: Tunnels adjacent to each other are provided under the skin in contact with cooling liquid of a cladding tube, and a number of openings through which said tunnels and the periphery of the cladding tube are placed in communication are formed, said openings each having its section smaller than that of said tunnel. With this arrangement, the cooling water entered the tunnel through some of small diameter openings absorbs heat of the fuel rod to be vaporized, which is flown out into the cooling water through the other small diameter openings and formed into vapor bubbles which move up for release of heat. (Taniai, N.)

Performance of cladding on MOX fuel with low 240Pu/239Pu ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, K.; Blanpain, P.; Morris, R.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy has decided to dispose of a portion of its surplus plutonium by reconstituting it into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and irradiating it in commercial power reactors. As part of fuel qualification, four lead assemblies were manufactured and irradiated to a maximum fuel rod average burnup of 47.3 MWd/kg heavy metal. This was the world's first commercial irradiation of MOX fuel with a 240 Pu/ 239 Pu ratio less than 0.10. Five fuel rods with varying burnups and plutonium contents were selected from one of the assemblies and shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for hot cell examination. This paper discusses the results of those examinations with emphasis on cladding performance. Exams relevant to the cladding included visual and eddy current exams, profilometry, microscopy, hydrogen analysis, gallium analysis, and mechanical testing. There was no discernible effect of the type of MOX fuel on the performance of the cladding. (authors)

Study on transport safety of fresh MOX fuel. Performance of the cladding tube of fresh MOX fuel against external water pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Chihiro

1999-01-01

It is important to know the ability of the cladding tube for fresh MOX fuel against external water pressure when they were hypothetically sunk into the sea for unknown reasons. In order to evaluate the ability of cladding tubes for MOX fresh fuel against external water pressure, external water pressure tests were carried out. Resistible limit of cladding tubes against external water pressure is defined when cladding tubes are deformed largely due to buckling etc. The test results show cladding tube of BWR type can resist an external water pressure of 69 MPa (a depth of water of 7,000 m) and that of PWR type fuel can resist an external water pressure of 54 MPa (a depth of water of 5,500 m). Moreover, leak tightness is maintained at an external water pressure of 73 MPa (a depth of water of 7,400 m) for BWR type cladding tubes and at an external water pressure of 98 MPa (a depth of water of 10,000 m) for PWR type cladding tubes. (author)

Diametral strain of fast reactor MOX fuel pins with austenitic stainless steel cladding irradiated to high burnup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uwaba, Tomoyuki, E-mail: uwaba.tomoyuki@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki 311-1393 (Japan); Ito, Masahiro; Maeda, Koji [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki 311-1393 (Japan)

2011-09-30

Highlights: > We evaluated diametral strain of fast reactor MOX fuel pins irradiated to 130 GWd/t. > The strain was due to cladding void swelling and irradiation creep. > The irradiation creep was caused by internal gas pressure and PCMI. > The PCMI was associated with pellet swelling by rim structure or by cesium uranate. > The latter effect tended to increase the cumulative damage fraction of the cladding. - Abstract: The C3M irradiation test, which was conducted in the experimental fast reactor, 'Joyo', demonstrated that mixed oxide (MOX) fuel pins with austenitic steel cladding could attain a peak pellet burnup of about 130 GWd/t safely. The test fuel assembly consisted of 61 fuel pins, whose design specifications were similar to those of driver fuel pins of a prototype fast breeder reactor, 'Monju'. The irradiated fuel pins exhibited diametral strain due to cladding void swelling and irradiation creep. The cladding irradiation creep strain were due to the pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) as well as the internal gas pressure. From the fuel pin ceramographs and {sup 137}Cs gamma scanning, it was found that the PCMI was associated with the pellet swelling which was enhanced by the rim structure formation or by cesium uranate formation. The PCMI due to cesium uranate, which occurred near the top of the MOX fuel column, significantly affected cladding hoop stress and thermal creep, and the latter effect tended to increase the cumulative damage fraction (CDF) of the cladding though the CDF indicated that the cladding still had some margin to failure due to the creep damage.

Corrosion behaviour of laser clad stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damborenea, J.J. de; Weerasinghe, V.M.; West, D.R.F.

1993-01-01

The present paper is focussed in the study of the properties of a clad layer of stainless steel on a mild steel. By blowing powder of the alloy into a melt pool generated by a laser of 2 KW, an homogeneous layer of 316 stainless steel can be obtained. Structure, composition and corrosion behaviour are similar to those of a stainless steel in as-received condition. (Author)

Characteristics of hydride precipitation and reorientation in spent-fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, H.M.; Daum, R.S.; Hiller, J.M.; Billone, M.C.

2002-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine Zircaloy fuel cladding, either discharged from several PWRs and a BWR after irradiation to fluence levels of 3.3 to 8.6 X 10 21 n cm -2 (E > 1 MeV) or hydrogen-charged and heat-treated under stress to produce radial hydrides; the goal was to determine the microstructural and crystallographic characteristics of hydride precipitation. Morphologies, distributions, and habit planes of various types of hydrides were determined by stereo-TEM. In addition to the normal macroscopic hydrides commonly observed by optical microscopy, small 'microscopic' hydrides are present in spent-fuel cladding in number densities at least a few orders of magnitude greater than that of macroscopic hydrides. The microscopic hydrides, observed to be stable at least up to 333 deg C, precipitate in association with -type dislocations. While the habit plane of macroscopic tangential hydrides in the spent-fuel cladding is essentially the same as that of unirradiated unstressed Zircaloys, i.e., the [107] Zr plane, the habit plane of tangential hydrides that precipitate under high tangential stress is the [104] Zr plane. The habit plane of radial hydrides that precipitate under tangential stress is the [011] Zr pyramidal plane, a naturally preferred plane for a cladding that has 30 basal-pole texture. Effects of texture on the habit plane and the threshold stress for hydride reorientation are also discussed. (authors)

COMETHE III J a computer code for predicting mechanical and thermal behaviour of a fuel pin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbeek, P.; Hoppe, N.

1976-01-01

The design of fuel pins for power reactors requires a realistic evaluation of their thermal and mechanical performances throughout their irradiation life. This evaluation involves the knowledge of a number of parameters, very intricate and interconnected, for example, the temperature, the restructuring and the swelling rates of the fuel pellets, the dimensions, the stresses and the strains in the clad, the composition and the properties of gases, the inner gas pressure etc. This complex problem can only be properly handled by a computer programme which analyses the fuel pin thermal and mechanical behaviour at successive steps of its irradiation life. This report presents an overall description of the COMETHE III-J computer programme, designed to calculate the integral performance of oxide fuel pins with cylindrical metallic cladding irradiated in thermal or fast flux. (author)

Fuel Behaviour at High During RIA and LOCA Accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrio del Juanes, M. T.; Garcia Cuesta, J. C.; Vallejo Diaz, I.; Herranz Puebla

2001-01-01

Safety analysis of high burnup fuel requires ensuring the acceptable performance under design basis accidents, in particular during conditions representative of Reactivity Accidents (RIA) and Loss-of-Coolant Accidents (LOCA). The report's objective is to compile the state of the art on these issues. This is mainly focused in the effort made to define the applicability of safety criteria to the high burnup fuel. Irradiation damage modifies fuel rod properties, thus the probability of fuel to withstand thermal and mechanical loads during an accident could be quite different compared with unirradiated fuel. From the thermal point of view, fuel conductivity is the most affected property, decreasing notably with irradiation. From the mechanical point of view, a change in the pellet microstructure at its periphery is observed at high burnup (remiffect). Cladding is also effected during operation, showing a significant external and internal corrosion. All these phenomena result in the decrease of efficiency in heat transfer an in the reduction of capability to accommodate mechanical loads; this situation is especially significant at high burnup, when pellet-cladding mechanical interaction is present. Knowledge about these phenomena is not possible without appropriate experimental programmes. The most relevant have been performed in France, Japan, United States and Russia. Results obtained with fuel at high burnup show significant differences with respect to the phenomena observed in fuel at the present discharge burnup. Indeed, this is the encouragement to research about this occurrence. This study is framed within the CSN-CIEMAT agreement, about Fuel Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour at High Burnup. (Author) 172 refs

Observations of in-reactor endurance and rupture life for fueled and unfueled FTR cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovell, A.J.; Christensen, B.Y.; Chin, B.A.

1979-01-01

Reactor component endurance limits are important to nuclear experimenters and operators. This paper investigates endurance limits of 316 CW fuel pin cladding. The objective of this paper is to compare and analyze two different sets of FTR fuel pin cladding data. The first data set is from unfueled pressurized cladding irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor No. II (EBR-II). This data set was generated in an assembly in which the temperature was monitored and controlled. The second data set contains observations of breached and unbreached EBR-II test fuel pins covering a large range of temperature, power and burnup conditions

An integrated approach to selecting materials for fuel cladding in advanced high-temperature reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rangacharyulu, C., E-mail: chary.r@usask.ca [Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada); Guzonas, D.A.; Pencer, J.; Nava-Dominguez, A.; Leung, L.K.H. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

2014-07-01

An integrated approach has been developed for selection of fuel cladding materials for advanced high-temperature reactors. Reactor physics, thermalhydraulic and material analyses are being integrated in a systematic study comparing various candidate fuel-cladding alloys. The analyses established the axial and radial neutron fluxes, power distributions, axial and radial temperature distributions, rates of defect formation and helium production using AECL analytical toolsets and experimentally measured corrosion rates to optimize the material composition for fuel cladding. The project has just been initiated at University of Saskatchewan. Some preliminary results of the analyses are presented together with the path forward for the project. (author)

Consolidation of cladding hulls from the electrometallurgical treatment of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keiser, D.D. Jr.

1998-01-01

To consolidate metallic waste that is residual from Argonne National Laboratory's electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel, waste ingots are currently being cast using an induction furnace located in a hot cell. These ingots, which have been developed to serve as final waste forms destined for repository disposal, are stainless steel (SS)-Zr alloys (the Zr is very near 15 wt.%). The charge for the alloys consists of stainless steel cladding hulls, Zr from the fuel being treated, noble metal fission products, and minor amounts of actinides that are present with the cladding hulls. The actual in-dated cladding hulls have been characterized before they were melted into ingots, and the final as-cast ingots have been characterized to determine the degree of consolidation of the charge material. It has been found that ingots can be effectively cast from irradiated cladding hulls residual from the electrometallurgical treatment process by employing an induction furnace located in a hot cell

Fuel rod behaviour during transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, H.; Haste, T.J.; Cameron, R.F.; Sinclair, J.E.

1982-04-01

The fuel pin performance code SLEUTH, the transient codes FRAP-T5 and TRAFIC and the clad deformation code CANSWEL-2 are described. It is shown how the codes treat gas release, pin cooling, cladding deformation and interaction, gap conductance etc. The materials properties used are indicated. (author)

AGR fuel pin pellet-clad interaction failure limits and activity release fractions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, H.; Hargreaves, R.

1985-01-01

The limiting conditions beyond which pellet-clad interaction can flail AGR fuel are described. They have been determined by many experiments involving post-irradiation examination and testing, loop experiments and cycling and up-rating of both individual fuel stringers and the whole WAGR core. The mechanisms causing this interaction are well understood and are quantitatively expressed in computer codes. Strain concentration effects over fuel cracks determine power cycling endurance while additional strain concentrations at clad ridges and from cross pin temperature gradients contribute to up-rating failures. An equation summarising tube burst test data so as to determine the ductility available at any transient is given. The hollow fuel and more ductile clad of the Civil AGR fuel pins leads to a much improved performance over the original fuel design. The Civil AGRs operate well within these limiting conditions and substantial increases beyond the design burn-up are confidently expected. The activity release on pin failure and its development during continued operation of failed fuel have also been investigated. A retention of radioiodine and caesium of 90-99% compared to the noble gases has been demonstrated. Measured fission gas releases into the free volume of Civil AGR fuel pins have been very low (< 0.1%)

Corrosion of research reactor Al-clad spent fuel in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendereskaya, O.S.; De, P.K.; Haddad, R.; Howell, J.P.; Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Laoharojanaphand, S.; Luo, S.; Ramanathan, L.V.; Ritchie, I.; Hussain, N.; Vidowsky, I.; Yakovlev, V.

2002-01-01

A significant amount of aluminium-clad spent nuclear fuel from research and test reactors worldwide is currently being stored in water-filled basins while awaiting final disposition. As a result of corrosion issues, which developed from the long-term wet storage of aluminium-clad fuel, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) implemented a Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) in 1996 on the 'Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium-Clad Spent Fuel in Water'. The investigations undertaken during the CRP involved ten institutes in nine different countries. The IAEA furnished corrosion surveillance racks with aluminium alloys generally used in the manufacture of the nuclear fuel cladding. The individual countries supplemented these racks with additional racks and coupons specific to materials in their storage basins. The racks were immersed in late 1996 in the storage basins with a wide range of water parameters, and the corrosion was monitored at periodic intervals. Results of these early observations were reported after 18 months at the second research co-ordination meeting (RCM) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pitting and crevice corrosion were the main forms of corrosion observed. Corrosion caused by deposition of iron and other particles on the coupon surfaces was also observed. Galvanic corrosion of stainless steel/aluminium coupled coupons and pitting corrosion caused by particle deposition was observed. Additional corrosion racks were provided to the CRP participants at the second RCM and were immersed in the individual basins by mid-1998. As in the first set of tests, water quality proved to be the key factor in controlling corrosion. The results from the second set of tests were presented at the third and final RCM held in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2000. An IAEA document giving details about this CRP and other guidelines for spent fuel storage is in pres. This paper presents some details about the CRP and the basis for its extension. (author)

The influence of cladding on fission gas release from irradiated U-Mo monolithic fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkes, Douglas E., E-mail: Douglas.Burkes@pnnl.gov; Casella, Amanda J.; Casella, Andrew M.

2017-04-01

The monolithic uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) alloy has been proposed as a fuel design capable of converting the world's highest power research reactors from use of high enriched uranium to low enriched uranium. However, a zirconium (Zr) diffusion barrier must be used to eliminate interactions that form between the U-Mo monolith and aluminum alloy 6061 (AA6061) cladding during fabrication and are enhanced during irradiation. One aspect of fuel development and qualification is to demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the extent of fission product release from the fuel under anticipated service environments. An exothermic reaction has previously been observed between the AA6061 cladding and Zr diffusion layer. In this paper, two fuel segments with different irradiation history were subjected to specified thermal profiles under a controlled atmosphere using a thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyzer coupled with a mass spectrometer inside a hot cell. Samples from each segment were tested with cladding and without cladding to investigate the effect, if any, that the exothermic reaction has on fission gas release mechanisms. Measurements revealed there is an instantaneous effect of the cladding/Zr exothermic reaction, but not necessarily a cumulative effect above approximately 973 K (700 °C). The mechanisms responsible for fission gas release events are discussed. - Highlights: •Complementary fission gas release events are reported for U-Mo fuel with and without cladding. •Exothermic reaction between Zr diffusion layer and cladding influences fission gas release. •Mechanisms responsible for fission gas release are similar, but with varying timing and magnitude. •Behavior of samples is similar after 800 °C signaling the onset of superlattice destabilization.

High Burnup Fuel Behaviour under LOCA Conditions as Observed in Halden Reactor Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolstad, E.; Wiesenack, W.; Oberlander, B.; Tverberg, T.

2013-01-01

In the context of assessing the validity of safety criteria for loss of coolant accidents with high burnup fuel, the OECD Halden Reactor Project has implemented an integral in-pile LOCA test series. In this series, fuel fragmentation and relocation, axial gas communication in high burnup rods as affected by gap closure and fuel- clad bonding, and secondary cladding oxidation and hydriding are of major interest. In addition, the data are being used for code validation as well as model development and verification. So far, nine tests with irradiated fuel segments (burnup 40-92 MW.d.kg -1 ) from PWR, BWR and VVER commercial nuclear power plants have been carried out. The in-pile measurements and the PIE results show a good repeatability of the experiments. The paper describes the experimental setup as well as the principal features and main results of these tests. Fuel fragmentation and relocation have occurred to varying degrees in these tests. The paper compares the conditions leading to the presence or absence of fuel fragmentation, e.g., burnup and loss of constraint. Axial gas flow is an important driving force for clad ballooning, fuel relocation and fuel expulsion. The experiments have provided evidence that such gas flow can be impeded in high burnup fuel with a potential impact on the ballooning and fuel dispersal. Although the results of the Halden LOCA tests are, to some extent, amplified by conditions and features deliberately introduced into the test series, the fuel behaviour identified in the Halden tests has an impact on the safety assessment of high burnup fuel and should give rise to improvements of the predictive capabilities of LOCA modelling codes. (author)

Development of a laser multi-layer cladding technology for damage mitigation of fuel spacers in Hanaro reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J. S.; Lee, D. H.; Hwang, S. S.; Suh, J. H.

2002-01-01

A laser multi-layer cladding technology was developed to mitigate the fretting wear damages occurred at fuel spacers in Hanaro reactor. The detailed experimental results are as follows. 1) Analyses of fretting wear damages and fabrication process of fuel spacers 2) Development and analysis of spherical Al 6061 T-6 alloy powders for the laser cladding 3) Analysis of parameter effects on laser cladding process for clad bids, and optimization of laser cladding process 4) Analysis on the changes of cladding layers due to overlapping factor change 5) Microstructural observation and phase analysis 6) Characterization of materials properties (hardness and wear tests) 7) Manufacture of prototype fuel spacers 8) Development of a vision system and revision of its related softwares

Study on the standard establishment for the integrity assessment of nuclear fuel cladding Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, S. S.; Kim, S. H.; Jung, Y. K.; Yang, C. Y.; Kim, I. G.; Choi, Y. H.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, M. W.; Rho, B. H. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2007-02-15

Fuel cladding material plays important role as a primary structure under the high temperature, high pressure and neutron environment of nuclear power plant. According to this environment, cladding material can be experienced several type aging phenomena including the neutron irradiation embrittlement. On the other hand, although the early nuclear power plant was designed to fitting into the 40MWd/KgU burn-up, the currently power plant intends to go to the high burn-up range. In this case, the safety criteria which was established at low burn-up needs to conform the applicability at the high burn-up. In this study, the safety criteria of fuel cladding material was reviewed to assess the cladding material integrity, and the material characteristics of cladding were reviewed. The current LOCA criterial was also reviewed, and the basic study for re-establishment of LOCA criteria was performed. The time concept safety criteria was also discussed to prevent the breakaway oxidation. Through the this study, safety issues will be produced and be helpful for integrity insurance of nuclear fuel cladding material. This report is 2nd term report.

Safety of some fuel cladding materials, alternative to Zr-alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hache, Georges; Clement, Bernard; Barrachin, Marc

2013-01-01

The Fukushima accident underlined the impact of hydrogen production on LWR core melt accident behaviour. New fuel cladding and structural materials are under development by the industry. IRSN performed a bibliographic study on the behaviour of these materials during LWR core melt accidents. Method This presentation is focused on cladding oxidation by steam and more precisely on: - number of H 2 moles produced per cladding length unit at thermochemical equilibrium; - oxidation kinetics; - heat of reaction; - physic-chemical interactions between material or oxidation products and fuel. Silicon carbide (SiC) - During SiC oxidation by steam, nearly 3 times more explosive gases (CO+H 2 ) moles are produced per cladding length unit at thermochemical equilibrium than for Zr-alloys. - SiC oxidation kinetics below 1700 deg. C: According to early tests performed by NASA and ORNL, the oxidation is linear but slow, there is an effective protection by a thin vitreous SiO 2 layer; these tests underlined the importance of the steam pressure and flow rate. Recently, published MIT and ORNL tests confirm that under large break LOCA conditions (∼5 bars) and up to 1200 deg. C, SiC recession is much slower than for Zr-alloys. Tests under small break conditions (3 inches LOCA: ∼40 bars) were not performed or not published. - SiC oxidation kinetics above 1700 deg. C (melting point of SiO 2 ): Molten SiO 2 loses its protective effect; this is known in the literature as 'catastrophic oxidation by molten oxides'. There will be a cliff-edge effect. For un-inerted containments, H 2 recombiners will be saturated, leading to a risk of CO+H 2 explosion in these containments. - During SiC oxidation by steam, the heat of reaction produced per cladding length unit at thermochemical equilibrium is of the same order of magnitude as for Zr alloys. Molten SiO 2 will interact with UO 2 to form molten mixtures at temperatures well below UO 2 melting temperature. - Calculations were

Models for the Configuration and Integrity of Partially Oxidized Fuel Rod Cladding at High Temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siefken, L.J.

1999-01-01

Models were designed to resolve deficiencies in the SCDAP/RELAP5/MOD3.2 calculations of the configuration and integrity of hot, partially oxidized cladding. These models are expected to improve the calculations of several important aspects of fuel rod behavior. First, an improved mapping was established from a compilation of PIE results from severe fuel damage tests of the configuration of melted metallic cladding that is retained by an oxide layer. The improved mapping accounts for the relocation of melted cladding in the circumferential direction. Then, rules based on PIE results were established for calculating the effect of cladding that has relocated from above on the oxidation and integrity of the lower intact cladding upon which it solidifies. Next, three different methods were identified for calculating the extent of dissolution of the oxidic part of the cladding due to its contact with the metallic part. The extent of dissolution effects the stress and thus the integrity of the oxidic part of the cladding. Then, an empirical equation was presented for calculating the stress in the oxidic part of the cladding and evaluating its integrity based on this calculated stress. This empirical equation replaces the current criterion for loss of integrity which is based on temperature and extent of oxidation. Finally, a new rule based on theoretical and experimental results was established for identifying the regions of a fuel rod with oxidation of both the inside and outside surfaces of the cladding. The implementation of these models is expected to eliminate the tendency of the SCDAP/RELAP5 code to overpredict the extent of oxidation of the upper part of fuel rods and to underpredict the extent of oxidation of the lower part of fuel rods and the part with a high concentration of relocated material. This report is a revision and reissue of the report entitled, Improvements in Modeling of Cladding Oxidation and Meltdown

Corrosion and protection of spent Al-clad research reactor fuel during extended wet storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramanathan, Lalgudi V.

2009-01-01

A variety of spent research reactor fuel elements with different fuel meats, geometries and 235 U enrichments are presently stored under water in basins throughout the world. More than 90% of these fuels are clad in aluminum (Al) or its alloy and are susceptible to corrosion. This paper presents an overview of the influence of Al alloy composition, galvanic effects (Al alloy/stainless steel), crevice effects, water parameters and synergism between these parameters as well as settled solids on the corrosion of typical Al alloys used as fuel element cladding. Pitting is the main form of corrosion and is affected by water conductivity, chloride ion content, formation of galvanic couples with rack supports and settled solid particles. The extent to which these parameters influence Al corrosion varies. This paper also presents potential conversion coatings to protect the spent fuel cladding. (author)

Biaxial creep deformation of Zircaloy-4 PWR fuel cladding in the alpha,(alpha + beta) and beta phase temperature ranges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donaldson, A.T.; Healey, T.; Horwood, R.A.L.

1985-01-01

The biaxial creep behaviour of Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding has been determined at temperatures between 973 - 1073 K in the alpha phase range, in the duplex (alpha + beta) region between 1098 - 1223 K and in the beta phase range between 1323 - 1473 K. This paper presents the creep data together with empirical equations which describe the creep deformation response within each phase region. (author)

In-pile observations of fuel and clad relocation during LMFBR initiation phase accident experiments - the STAR experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, S.A.; Schumacher, G.; Henkel, P.R.; Royl, P.

1987-01-01

A series of seven in-pile experiments (the STAR experiments) were performed in which clad motion and fuel dispersal were observed in small pin bundles with high-speed cinematography. The experimental heating conditions reproduced a range of Loss of Flow (LOF) accident scenarios for the lead subassemblies in LMFBRs. The experiments show strong tendencies for limited clad motion in multiple pin bundles, early fuel disruption and dispersal (prior to fuel melting) in moderate power transients having simultaneous clad melting and fuel disruption. The more recent experiments indicate a possibility of steel vapor driven fuel dispersal after fuel breakup and intimate fuel/steel mixing. (author)

Criteria for Corrosion Protection of Aluminum-Clad Spent Nuclear Fuel in Interim Wet Storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howell, J.P.

1999-01-01

Storage of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and other locations in the U. S. and around the world has been a concern over the past decade because of the long time interim storage requirements in water. Pitting corrosion of production aluminum-clad fuel in the early 1990''s at SRS was attributed to less than optimum quality water and corrective action taken has resulted in no new pitting since 1994. The knowledge gained from the corrosion surveillance testing and other investigations at SRS over the past 8 years has provided an insight into factors affecting the corrosion of aluminum in relatively high purity water. This paper reviews some of the early corrosion issues related to aluminum-clad spent fuel at SRS, including fundamentals for corrosion of aluminum alloys. It updates and summarizes the corrosion surveillance activities supporting the future storage of over 15,000 research reactor fuel assemblies from countries over the world during the next 15-20 years. Criteria are presented for providing corrosion protection for aluminum-clad spent fuel in interim storage during the next few decades while plans are developed for a more permanent disposition

A Prediction Study of Aluminum Alloy Oxidation of the Fuel Cladding in Jordan Research and Training Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tahk, Y. W.; Oh, J. Y.; Lee, B. H.; Seo, C. G.; Chae, H. T.; Yim, J. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al dispersion fuel with Al cladding will be used for Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR). Aluminum alloy cladding experiences the oxidation layer growth on the surface during the reactor operation. The formation of oxides on the cladding affects fuel performance by increasing fuel temperature. According to the current JRTR fuel management scheme and operation strategy for 5 MW power, a fresh fuel is discharged after 900 effective full power days (EFPD) with 18 cycles of 50 days loading. For the proper prediction of the aluminum oxide thickness of fuel cladding during the long residence time, a reliable model is needed. In this work, several oxide thickness prediction models are compared with the measured data from in-pile test by RERTR program. Moreover, specific parametric studies and a preliminary prediction of the aluminum alloy oxidation using the latest model are performed for JRTR fuel

On the dynamic phase transition for Nb-containing cladding alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uffelen, P. van; Benes, O.; Laar, J. van der; Gyoeri, C.

2009-01-01

The licensing of new materials requires modifications to fuel performance codes that are extensively used by industry and safety authorities to verify compliance with the fuel safety criteria. Nevertheless, two types of fuel performance codes are generally being applied in the licensing process, corresponding to the normal operation and the design basis accident (DBA) conditions respectively. In order to simplify the code management by limiting the number of programs and in order to take advantage of the hardware improvements, one should generate a single fuel performance code that can cope with the different conditions. On one hand, extending the application range of a fuel performance code originally developed for steady-state conditions to accident conditions requires modifications to the basic equations in the thermalmechanical description of the fuel rod behaviour, stable numerical algorithms and a proper time-step control, in addition to the implementation of specific models dealing with the high temperature behaviour of cladding such as observed under loss of coolant (LOCA) conditions. On the other hand, for fuel performance codes developed to simulate some aspects of the nuclear fuel behaviour under accident conditions, such as TESPA, MFPR, or FRAPTRAN, either the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the fuel must be incorporated and/or the extension of models to normal operating conditions is necessary to consider burnup dependent phenomena such as thermal conductivity degradation, fission gas release and swelling as well as cladding corrosion. Such a posteriori modifications of the fuel performance code may entail difficulties in terms of convergence and calculation time. (orig.)

Modelling spent fuel and HLW behaviour in repository conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esparza, A. M.; Esteban, J. A.

2003-01-01

The aim of this report is to give the reader an overall insight of the different models, which are used to predict the long-term behaviour of the spent fuels and HLW disposed in a repository. The models must be established on basic data and robust kinetics describing the mechanisms controlling spent fuel alteration/dissolution in a repository. The UO2 matrix, or source term, contains embedded in it the , majority of radionuclides of the spent fuel (some are in the gap cladding). For this reason the SF radionuclides release models play a significant role in the performance assessment of radioactive waste disposal. The differences existing between models published in the literature are due to the conceptual understanding of the processes and the degree of the conservatism used with the parameter values, and the boundary conditions. They mainly differ in their level of simplification and their final objective. Sometimes are focused the show compliance with regulatory requirements, other to support decision making, to increase the level of confidence of public and scientific community, could be empirical, semi-empirical or analytical. The models take into account the experimental results from radionuclides releases and their extrapolation to the very long term. Its necessary a great statistics for have a representative dissolution rate, due at the number of experimental results is not very high and many of them show a great scatter, independently of theirs different compositions by axial and radial variations, due to linear power or local burnup. On the other hand, it is difficult to predict the spent fuel behaviour over the long term, based in short term experiments. In this report is given a little description of the radionuclides distribution in the spent fuel and also in the cladding/pellet gap, grain boundary, cracks and rim zones (the matrix rim zone can be considered with an especial characteristics very different to the rest of the spent fuel), and structural

Modelling spent fuel and HLW behaviour in repository conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esparza, A M; Esteban, J A

2003-07-01

The aim of this report is to give the reader an overall insight of the different models, which are used to predict the long-term behaviour of the spent fuels and HLW disposed in a repository. The models must be established on basic data and robust kinetics describing the mechanisms controlling spent fuel alteration/dissolution in a repository. The UO2 matrix, or source term, contains embedded in it the , majority of radionuclides of the spent fuel (some are in the gap cladding). For this reason the SF radionuclides release models play a significant role in the performance assessment of radioactive waste disposal. The differences existing between models published in the literature are due to the conceptual understanding of the processes and the degree of the conservatism used with the parameter values, and the boundary conditions. They mainly differ in their level of simplification and their final objective. Sometimes are focused the show compliance with regulatory requirements, other to support decision making, to increase the level of confidence of public and scientific community, could be empirical, semi-empirical or analytical. The models take into account the experimental results from radionuclides releases and their extrapolation to the very long term. Its necessary a great statistics for have a representative dissolution rate, due at the number of experimental results is not very high and many of them show a great scatter, independently of theirs different compositions by axial and radial variations, due to linear power or local burnup. On the other hand, it is difficult to predict the spent fuel behaviour over the long term, based in short term experiments. In this report is given a little description of the radionuclides distribution in the spent fuel and also in the cladding/pellet gap, grain boundary, cracks and rim zones (the matrix rim zone can be considered with an especial characteristics very different to the rest of the spent fuel), and structural

Investigation and basic evaluation for ultra-high burnup fuel cladding material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioka, Ikuo; Nagase, Fumihisa; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

2001-03-01

In ultra-high burnup of the power reactor, it is an essential problem to develop the cladding with excellent durability. First, development history and approach of the safety assessment of Zircaloy for the high burnup fuel were summarized in the report. Second, the basic evaluation and investigation were carried out on the material with high practicability in order to select the candidate materials for the ultra-high burnup fuel. In addition, the basic research on modification technology of the cladding surface was carried out from the viewpoint of the addition of safety margin as a cladding. From the development history of the zirconium alloy including the Zircaloy, it is hard to estimate the results of in-pile test from those of the conventional corrosion test (out-pile test). Therefore, the development of the new testing technology that can simulate the actual environment and the elucidation of the corrosion-controlling factor of the cladding are desired. In cases of RIA (Reactivity Initiated Accident) and LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident), it seems that the loss of ductility in zirconium alloys under heavy irradiation and boiling of high temperature water restricts the extension of fuel burnup. From preliminary evaluation on the high corrosion-resistance materials (austenitic stainless steel, iron or nickel base superalloys, titanium alloy, niobium alloy, vanadium alloy and ferritic stainless steel), stabilized austenitic stainless steels with a capability of future improvement and high-purity niobium alloys with a expectation of the good corrosion resistance were selected as candidate materials of ultra-high burnup cladding. (author)

Fabrication and use of zircaloy/tantalum-sheathed cladding thermocouples and molybdenum/rhenium-sheathed fuel centerline thermocouples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkins, S.C.; Sepold, L.K.

1985-01-01

The thermocouples described in this report are zircaloy/tantalum-sheathed and molybdenum/rhenium alloy-sheathed instruments intended for fuel rod cladding and fuel centerline temperature measurements, respectively. Both types incorporate beryllium oxide insulation and tungsten/rhenium alloy thermoelements. These thermocouples, operated at temperatures of 2000 0 C and above, were developed for use in the internationally sponsored Severe Fuel Damage test series in the Power Burst Facility. The fabrication steps for both thermocouple types are described in detail. A laser-welding attachment technique for the cladding-type thermocouple is presented, and experience with alternate materials for cladding and fuel therocouples is discussed

DUPIC fuel irradiation test and performance evaluation; the performance analysis of pellet-cladding contact fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ho, K. I.; Kim, H. M.; Yang, K. B.; Choi, S. J. [Suwon University, Whasung (Korea)

2002-04-01

Thermal and mechanical models were reviewed, and selected for the analysis of nuclear fuel performance in reactor. 2 dimensional FEM software was developed. Thermal models-gap conductances, thermal conductivity of pellets, fission gas release, temperature distribution-were set and packaged into a software. Both thermal and mechanical models were interrelated to each other, and the final results, fuel performance during irradiation is obtained by iteration calculation. Also, the contact phenomena between pellet and cladding was analysed by mechanical computer software which was developed during this work. dimensional FEM program was developed which estimate the mechanical behavior and the thermal behaviors of nuclear fuel during irradiation. Since there is a importance during the mechanical deformation analysis in describing pellet-cladding contact phenomena, simplified 2 dimensional calculation method is used after the contact. The estimation of thermal fuel behavior during irradiation was compared with the results of other. 8 refs., 17 figs. (Author)

Duplex-cladding: Siemens answer to the requirements of extended burnup in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Swam, L.F.; Sell, H.J.; Eberle, R.; Seibold, A.

1994-01-01

One important goal of nuclear fuel development is to increase the cost-effectiveness of the nuclear fuel cycle by burnup extension. A prerequisite for this goal is a cladding tube with high resistance to corrosion under the operating conditions of modern PWRs. Therefore, in the early eighties Siemens started to investigate the material behaviour of Zirconium based alloys also outside the composition range of Zry-4. The examination included out-of-pile corrosion testing in water and steam, with and without chemical addition, such as LiOH, in-pile testing of path finder fuel rods in a hot PWR up to 80 MWd/kgU and the investigation of mechanical behaviour, growth and creep under normal and the postulated conditions of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). The evaluation of in-pile and out-of-pile experiments on alternative Zr-alloys revealed that improvements in corrosion resistance are frequently accompanied by undesirable changes in material properties which affect mechanical design and LOCA behaviour. To fulfill all requirements - the mechanical and corrosion related ones - and to retain the large experience base with Zry-4, a DUPLEX cladding was selected. The selected ELS DUPLEX cladding consists of a Zircaloy-4 tubing with a thin outer layer of an Extra Low tin (Sn) Zr-alloy. The ELS layer improves the stability against LiOH and allows operation with voided coolant. This advanced product has been engineered for use in highly enriched fuel assemblies in high efficiency plants operating with low neutron leakage core management and high coolant temperatures. It has become the accepted fuel rod cladding for many plants in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. (authors). 6 figs., 2 refs

SIFAIL: a subprogram to calculate cladding deformation and damage for fast reactor fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, D.R.; Dutt, D.S.

1979-05-01

SIFAIL is a series of subroutines used in conjunction with the thermal performance models of SIEX to assist in the evaluation of mechanical performance of mixed uranium plutonium oxide fuel pins. Cladding deformations due to swelling and creep are calculated. These have been compared to post-irradiation data from fuel pin tests in EBR-II. Several fuel pin cladding failure criteria (cumulative damage, total strain, and thermal creep strain) are evaluated to provide the fuel pin designer with a basis to select design parameters. SIFAIL allows the user many property options for cladding material. Code input is limited to geometric and environmental parameters, with a consistent set of material properties provided by the code. The simplified, yet adequate, thin wall stress--strain calculations provide a reliable estimate of fuel pin mechanical performance, while requiring a small amount of core storage and computer running time

Long term wet spent nuclear fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-04-01

The meeting showed that there is continuing confidence in the use of wet storage for spent nuclear fuel and that long-term wet storage of fuel clad in zirconium alloys can be readily achieved. The importance of maintaining good water chemistry has been identified. The long-term wet storage behaviour of sensitized stainless steel clad fuel involves, as yet, some uncertainties. However, great reliance will be placed on long-term wet storage of spent fuel into the future. The following topics were treated to some extent: Oxidation of the external surface of fuel clad, rod consolidation, radiation protection, optimum methods of treating spent fuel storage water, physical radiation effects, and the behaviour of spent fuel assemblies of long-term wet storage conditions. A number of papers on national experience are included

Deformation, oxidation and embrittlement of PWB fuel cladding in a loss-of-coolant accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parsons, P.D.; Hindle, E.D.; Mann, C.A.

1986-09-01

The scope of this report is limited to the oxidation, embrittlement and deformation of PWB fuel in a loss of coolant accident in which the emergency core coolant systems operate in accordance with the design, ie accidents within the design basis of the plant. A brief description is given of the thermal hydraulic events during large and small breaks of the primary circuit, followed by the correct functioning and remedial action of the emergency core cooling systems. The possible damage to the fuel cladding during these events is also described. The basic process of oxidation of zircaloy-4 fuel cladding by steam, and the reaction kinetics of the oxidation are reviewed in detail. Variables having a possible influence on the oxidation kinetics are also considered. The embrittlement of zircaloy-4 cladding by oxidation is also reviewed in detail. It is related to fracture during the thermal shock of rewetting or by the ambient impact forces as a result of post-accident fuel handling. Criteria based both on total oxidation and on the detailed distribution of oxygen through the oxidised cladding wall are considered. The published computer codes for the calculation of oxygen concentration are reviewed in terms of the model employed and the limitations apparent in these models when calculating oxygen distribution in cladding in the actual conditions of a loss of coolant accident. The factors controlling the deformation and rupture of cladding in a loss of coolant accident are reviewed in detail.

Oxidation behavior of fuel cladding tube in spent fuel pool accident condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Ogawa, Chihiro; Nakashima, Kazuo; Tojo, Masayuki

2017-01-01

In spent fuel pool (SFP) under loss-of-cooling or loss-of-coolant severe accident condition, the spent fuels will be exposed to air and heated by their own residual decay heat. Integrity of fuel cladding is crucial for SFP safety therefore study on cladding oxidation in air at high temperature is important. Zircaloy-2 (Zry2) and zircaloy-4 (Zry4) were applied for thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) in different temperatures in air at different flow rates to evaluate oxidation behavior. Oxidation rate increased with testing temperature. In a range of flow rate of air which is predictable in spent fuel lack during a hypothetical SFP accident, influence of flow rate was not clearly observed below 950degC for the Zry2, or below 1050degC for Zry4. In higher temperature, oxidation rate was higher in high rate condition, and this trend was seen clearer when temperature increased. Oxide layers were carefully examined after the TGA analyses and compared with mass gain data to investigate detail of oxidation process in air. It was revealed that the mass gain data in pre-breakaway regime reflects growth of dense oxide film on specimen surface, meanwhile in post-breakaway regime, it reflects growth of porous oxide layer beneath fracture of the dense oxide film. (author)

Radionuclide release from PWR spent fuel specimens with induced cladding defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, C.N.; Oversby, V.M.

1984-03-01

Radionuclide releases from pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel rod specimens containing various artificially induced cladding defects were compared by leach testing. The study was conducted in support of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) Waste Package Task to evaluate the effectiveness of failed cladding as a barrier to radionuclide release. Test description and results are presented

Construction of in-situ creep strain test facility for the SFR fuel cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sang Gyu; Heo, Hyeong Min; Kim, Jun Hwan; Kim, Sung Ho [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In this study, in-situ laser inspection creep test machine was developed for the measuring the creep strain of SFR fuel cladding materials. Ferritic-martensitic steels are being considered as an attractive candidate material for a fuel cladding of a SFR due to their low expansion coefficients, high thermal conductivities and excellent irradiation resistances to a void swelling. HT9 steel (12CrMoVW) is initially developed as a material for power plants in Europe in the 1960. This steel has experienced to expose up to 200dpa in FFTE and EBR-II. Ferritic-Martensitic steel's maximum creep strength in existence is 180Mpa for 106 hour 600 .deg., but HT9 steel is 60Mpa. Because SFR is difficult to secure in developing and applying materials, HT9 steel has accumulated validated data and is suitable for SFR component. And also, because of its superior dimensional stability against fast neutron irradiation, Ferritic-martensitic steel of 9Cr and 12Cr steels, such as HT9 and FC92(12Cr-2W) are preferable to utilize in the fuel cladding of an SFR in KAERI. The pressurized thermal creep test of HT9 and FC92 claddings are being conducted in KAERI, but the change of creep strain in cladding is not easy to measure during the creep test due to its pressurized and closed conditions. In this paper, in-situ laser inspection pressurized creep test machine developed for SFR fuel cladding specimens is described. Moreover, the creep strain rate of HT9 at 650 .deg. C was examined from the in-situ laser inspection pressurized creep test machine.

Experimental creep behaviour determination of cladding tube materials under multi-axial loadings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosjean, Catherine; Poquillon, Dominique; Salabura, Jean-Claude; Cloue, Jean-Marc

2009-01-01

Cladding tubes are structural parts of nuclear plants, submitted to complex thermomechanical loadings. Thus, it is necessary to know and predict their behaviour to preserve their integrity and to enhance their lifetime. Therefore, a new experimental device has been developed to control the load path under multi-axial load conditions. The apparatus is designed to determine the thermomechanical behaviour of zirconium alloys used for cladding tubes. First results are presented. Creep tests with different biaxial loadings were performed. Results are analysed in terms of thermal expansion and of creep strain. The anisotropy of the material is revealed and iso-creep strain curves are given.

Molten fuel behaviour during slow overpower transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerin, Y.; Boidron, M.

1985-01-01

In large commercial reactors as Super-Phenix, if we take into account all the uncertainties on the pins and on the core, it is no longer possible to guarantee the absence of fuel melting during incidental events such as slow overpower transients. We have then to explain what happens in the pins when fuel melting occurs and to demonstrate that a limited amount of molten fuel generates no risk of clad failure. For that purpose, we may use the results of a great number of experiments (about 40) that have been performed at C.E.A., most of them in thermal reactor, but some experiments have also been performed in Rapsodie, especially during the last run of this reactor. In a great part of these experiments, fuel melting occurred at beginning of life, but we have also some results at different burnups up to 5 at %. It is not the aim of this paper to describe all these experiments and the results of their post irradiation examination, but to summarize the main conclusions that have been set out of them and that have enabled us to determine the main characteristics of fuel element behaviour when fuel melting occurs

Impact of fission gas on irradiated PWR fuel behaviour at extended burnup under RIA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemoine, F.; Schmitz, F.

1996-01-01

With the world-wide trend to increase the fuel burnup at discharge of the LWRs, the reliability of high burnup fuel must be proven, including its behaviour under energetic transient conditions, and in particular during RIAs. Specific aspects of irradiated fuel result from the increasing retention of gaseous and volatile fission products with burnup. The potential for swelling and transient expansion work under rapid heating conditions characterizes the high burnup fuel behaviour by comparison to fresh fuel. This effect is resulting from the steadily increasing amount of gaseous and volatile fission products retained inside the fuel structure. An attempt is presented to quantify the gas behaviour which is motivated by the results from the global tests both in CABRI and in NSRR. A coherent understanding of specific results, either transient release or post transient residual retention has been reached. The early failure of REP Na1 with consideration given to the satisfactory behaviour of the father rod of the test pin at the end of the irradiation (under load follow conditions) is to be explained both by the transient loading from gas driven fuel swelling and from the reduced clad resistance due to hydriding. (R.P.)

In-reactor measurements of thermo mechanical behaviour and fission gas release of water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolstad, E.; Vitanza, C.

1983-01-01

the fuel performance during and after a power ramp can be investigated by direct in-pile measurements related to the thermal, mechanical and fission gas release behaviour. The thermal response is examined by thermocouples placed at the centre of the fuel. Such measurements allow the determination of thermal feedback effects induced by the simultaneous liberation of fission gases. The thermal feedback effect is also being separately studied out-of-pile in a specially designed rod where the fission gas release is simulated by injecting xenon in known quantities at different axial positions within the rod. Investigations on the mechanical behaviour are based on axial and diametral cladding deformation measurements. This enables the determination of the amount of local cladding strain and ridging during ramping, the extent of relaxation during the holding time and the amount of residual (plastic) deformation. Gap width measurements are also performed in operating fuel rods using a cladding deflection technique. Fission gas release data are obtained, besides from post-irradiation puncturing, by continuous measurements of the rod internal pressure. This type of measurement leads to the description of the kinetics of the fission gas release process at different powers. The data tend to indicate that the time-dependent release can be reasonably well described by simple diffusion. The paper describes measuring techniques developed and currently in use in Halden, and presents and discusses selected experimental results obtained during various power ramps and transients. (author)

Proceedings of the specialist meeting on the safety of water reactors fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1973-01-01

This specialist meeting on the safety of water reactors fuel elements was held in Saclay (France) in October 1973, and was organized by CSNI and CEA. It attracted specialists from 14 countries. Session I was devoted to normal operating conditions (coolant-cladding and fuel-cladding interactions, fission product release, effects of cladding deformation on fuel element performances and reactor operating limits); Session II was devoted to operating reactor accidents and failures, anomalous transients and handling accidents; Session III was devoted to modifications to be applied to fuel elements in order to enhance their safety and reliability; Session IV was devoted to Loss-of-Coolant Accidents (LOCA)(cladding behaviour during the accident, assembly behaviour during the accident, criteria to be considered for the study of fuel element behaviour during a LOCA)

The behaviour of water-cooled reactor fuel rods in steady state and transient conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strupczewski, A.; Marks, P.

1997-01-01

In this report, the results of temperature field and filling gas pressure calculations by means of contemporary calculational models for a WWER-440 and WWER-1000 type fuel rod at low and high burnup operating under steady-state conditions are presented. A review of in-core temperature and pressure measurements for various types of LWR fuel is also included. Basing on calculational and collected measured data, the behaviour of fuel cladding during large and small break LOCA, is estimated with special emphasis on their oxidation and failure resistance. (author)

Corrosion of aluminium-clad spent fuel at RA research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pesic, M.; Maksin, T.; Dobrijevic, R.; Idjakovic, Z.

2003-01-01

Almost 95% of all spent fuel elements of the RA research reactor in the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, are stored in 30 aluminium barrels and about 300 stainless steel channel-holders in the temporary spent fuel storage water pool. The first activities of sludge and water samples, taken from the pool, were measured in 1996-1997 and were followed by analysis of chemical composition of samples. Visual inspections of fuel elements in some stainless steel tubes and of the fuel channels stored in the reactor core have shown that some deposits cover aluminium cladding. Stains and surface discoloration are noted on many of the spent fuel elements that were examined visually during the core unloading and inspections carried out in 1979 - 1984. Some of water samples, taken from pool, about a 150 stainless steel tubes and 16 barrels have shown very high 137-Cs activity compared to low activity measured in pool water. It was concluded that aluminium cladding of the fuel elements was penetrated due to corrosion process. Study on influence of water corrosion processes in the RA reactor storage pool was started within the framework of the IAEA CRP 'Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium-Clad Spent Fuel in Water' in 2002. The first test rack with various aluminium and stainless steel coupons, supplied by the IAEA, was immersed in the pool already in 1996. New racks were immersed in 2002 and 2003. The rack immersed in 1996 was taken out from the pool in 2002 and the rack immersed in 2002 was taken out in 2003. Results of the examination of these racks, carried out according to the strategy and the protocol, proposed by the IAEA, are described in this paper. (author)

Modelling the release behaviour of cesium during severe fuel degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, B.J.; Andre, B.; Morel, B.

1995-01-01

An analytical model has been applied to describe the diffusional release of fission product cesium from Zircaloy-clad fuel under high-temperature reactor accident conditions. The present treatment accounts for the influence of the atmosphere (i.e., changing oxygen potential) on the state of fuel oxidation and the release kinetics. The effects of fuel dissolution on the volatile release behaviour (under reducing conditions) is considered in terms of earlier crucible experiments and a simple model based on bubble coalescence and transport in metal pools. The model has been used to interpret the cesium release kinetics observed in steam and hydrogen experiments at the Vertical Irradiation (VI) Facility in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and at the HEVA/VERCORS Facility in the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. (author)

Investigation of likely causes of white patch formation on irradiated WWER fuel rod claddings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibilashvili, Yu.K.; Velioukhanov, V.P.; Ioltoukhovski, A.Y.; Pogodin, V.P.

1999-01-01

The information concerning white patches observed on fuel cladding surfaces has been analytically treated. The analysis shows at least three kinds of the white patch appearance: bright white spots which appear to be loose corrosion product deposits disclosing corrosion pits upon spalling; indistinct streaks with separate pronounced spots 1-2 in dia. The spots seem to be thin superficial deposits; light-coloured dense uniform crud distributed over the surface of fuel claddings and fuel assembly jackets. (author)

PHEBUS program: first results on PWR fuel behaviour in LOCA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Negro, R.; Reocreux, M.; Pelce, J.; Legrand, B.; Berna, P.

1982-09-01

In the first PHEBUS test with pressurized rods some rods burst and clad temperature reached 1100 0 C in the 25 rods bundle. There is now a lot of valuable experimental results and their analysis is in progress. The phase II on fuel behaviour in case of a large LOCA will start at the beginning of 83. The onset of the SFD program is foreseen to take place on the first months of 85

Radionuclide release from PWR spent fuel specimens with induced cladding defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, C.N.; Oversby, V.M.

1984-03-01

Radionuclide releases from pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel rod specimens containing various artificially induced cladding defects were compared by leach testing. The study was conducted in support of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) Waste Package Task to evaluate the effectiveness of failed cladding as a barrier to radionuclide release. Test description and results are presented. 6 references, 4 figures

Models for fuel rod behaviour at high burnup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jernkvist, Lars O.; Massih, Ali R. [Quantum Technologies AB, Uppsala Science Park, Uppsala (Sweden)

2004-12-01

This report deals with release of fission product gases and irradiation-induced restructuring in uranium dioxide nuclear fuel. Waterside corrosion of zirconium alloy clad tubes to light water reactor fuel rods is also discussed. Computational models, suitable for implementation in the FRAPCON-3.2 computer code, are proposed for these potentially life-limiting phenomena. Hence, an integrated model for the calculation or thermal fission gas release by intragranular diffusion, gas trapping in grain boundaries, irradiation-induced re-solution, grain boundary saturation, and grain boundary sweeping in UO{sub 2} fuel, under time varying temperature loads, is formulated. After a brief review of the status of thermal fission gas release modelling, we delineate the governing equations for the aforementioned processes. Grain growth kinetic modelling is briefly reviewed and pertinent data on grain growth of high burnup fuel obtained during power ramps in the Third Risoe Fission Gas Release Project are evaluated. Sample computations are performed, which clearly show the connection between fission gas release and gram growth as a function of time at different isotherms. Models are also proposed for the restructuring of uranium dioxide fuel at high burnup, the so-called rim formation, and its effect on fuel porosity build-up, fuel thermal conductivity and fission gas release. These models are assessed by use of recent experimental data from the High Burnup Rim Project, as well as from post irradiation examinations of high-burnup fuel, irradiated in power reactors. Moreover, models for clad oxide growth and hydrogen pickup in PWRs, applicable to Zircaloy-4, ZIRLO or M5 cladding, are formulated, based on recent in-reactor corrosion data for high-burnup fuel rods. Our evaluation of these data indicates that the oxidation rate of ZIRLO-type materials is about 20% lower than for standard Zircaloy-4 cladding under typical PWR conditions. Likewise, the oxidation rate of M5 seems to be

Reactor water chemistry relevant to coolant-cladding interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-09-01

The report is a summary of the work performed in a frame of a Coordinated Research Program organized by the IAEA and carried out from 1981 till 1986. It consists of a survey on our knowledge on coolant-cladding interaction: the basic phenomena, the relevant parameters, their control and the modelling techniques implemented for their assessment. Based upon the results of this Coordinated Research Program, the following topics are reviewed on the report: role of water chemistry in reliable operation of nuclear power plants; water chemistry specifications and their control; behaviour of fuel cladding materials; corrosion product behaviour and crud build-up in reactor circuits; modelling of corrosion product behaviour. This report should be of interest to water chemistry supervisors at the power plants, to experts in utility engineering departments, to fuel designers, to R and D institutes active in the field and to the consultants of these organizations. A separate abstract was prepared for each of the 3 papers included in the Annex of this document. Refs, figs, tabs

Flow-Induced Vibration Measurement of an Inner Cladding Tube in a Simulated Dual-Cooled Fuel Rod

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kang Hee; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Lee, Young Ho; Kim, Jae Yong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2009-05-15

To create an internal coolant flow passage in a dual cooled fuel rod, an inner cladding tube cannot have intermediate supports enough to relieve its vibration. Thus it can be suffered from a flow-induced vibration (FIV) more severely than an outer cladding tube which will be supported by series of spacer grids. It may cause a fatigue failure at welding joints on the cladding's end plug or fluid elastic instability of long, slender inner cladding due to decrease of a critical flow velocity. This is one of the challenging technical issues when a dual cooled fuel assembly is to be realized into a conventional reactor core To study an actual vibration phenomenon of a dual cooled fuel rod, FIV tests using a small-scale test bundle are being carried out. Measurement results of inner cladding tube of two typically simulated rods are presented. Causes of the differences in the vibration amplitude and response spectrum of the inner cladding tube in terms of intermediate support condition and pellet stacking are discussed.

Examination of stainless steel-clad Connecticut Yankee fuel assembly S004 after storage in borated water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langstaff, D.C.; Bailey, W.J.; Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Landow, M.P.; Pasupathi, V.; Klingensmith, R.W.

1982-09-01

A Connecticut Yankee fuel assembly (S004) was tested nondestructively and destructively. It was concluded that no obvious degradation of the 304L stainless steel-clad spent fuel from assembly S004 occurred during 5 y of storage in borated water. Furthermore, no obvious degradation due to the pool environment occurred on 304 stainless steel-clad rods in assemblies H07 and G11, which were stored for shorter periods but contained operationally induced cladding defects. The seam welds in the cladding on fuel rods from assembly S004, H07, and G11 were similar in that they showed a wrought microstructure with grains noticeably smaller than those in the cladding base metal. The end cap welds showed a dendritically cored structure, typical of rapidly quenched austenitic weld metal. Some intergranular melting may have occurred in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the cladding adjacent to the end cap welds in rods from assemblies S004 and H07. However, the weld areas did not show evidence of corrosion-induced degradation

The role of a fuel element and its cladding in water cooled reactor dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randles, J.

1963-10-01

To clarify the role of fuel element cladding in water reactor dynamics, the heat diffusion and transfer equations are solved in slab geometry for (a) an oscillatory fission power, (b) an oscillatory coolant temperature. From the resulting transfer functions a clear description of the effect of the cladding on the heat flow is obtained. A Mercury autocode programme for evaluating the transfer functions is described. In addition to the slab element, the heat diffusion equations are also solved for a cylindrical system exposed to an oscillatory fission power. The solutions are expressed as transfer functions and are obtainable numerically from another autocode programme. Both of these programmes are used to obtain the power out/ power in transfer function for a typical cylindrical and slab UO 2 fuel pellet clad in zircaloy. The results give a further indication of the effect of the cladding heat capacity over a wide frequency range. It is shown also that the effect of the geometrical difference between a slab and cylindrical fuel element is unimportant provided the surface to volume ratio of the fuel is the same in each case. (author)

The role of a fuel element and its cladding in water cooled reactor dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Randles, J [Technical Assessments and Services Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1963-10-15

To clarify the role of fuel element cladding in water reactor dynamics, the heat diffusion and transfer equations are solved in slab geometry for (a) an oscillatory fission power, (b) an oscillatory coolant temperature. From the resulting transfer functions a clear description of the effect of the cladding on the heat flow is obtained. A Mercury autocode programme for evaluating the transfer functions is described. In addition to the slab element, the heat diffusion equations are also solved for a cylindrical system exposed to an oscillatory fission power. The solutions are expressed as transfer functions and are obtainable numerically from another autocode programme. Both of these programmes are used to obtain the power out/ power in transfer function for a typical cylindrical and slab UO{sub 2} fuel pellet clad in zircaloy. The results give a further indication of the effect of the cladding heat capacity over a wide frequency range. It is shown also that the effect of the geometrical difference between a slab and cylindrical fuel element is unimportant provided the surface to volume ratio of the fuel is the same in each case. (author)

Vanadium diffusion coating on HT-9 cladding for mitigating the fuel cladding chemical interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Wei-Yang; Yang, Yong

2014-08-01

Fuel cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) has been identified as one of the crucial issues for developing Ferritic/Martensitic (F/M) stainless steel claddings for metallic fuels in a fast reactor. The anticipated elevated temperature and high neutron flux can significantly aggravate the FCCI, in terms of formation of inter-diffusion and lower melting point eutectic phases. To mitigate the FCCI, vanadium carbide coating as a diffusion barrier was deposited on the HT-9 substrate using a pack cementation diffusion coating (PCDC) method, and the processing temperature was optimized down to 730 °C. A solid metallurgical bonding between the coating layer and substrate was achieved, and the coating is free from through depth cracks. The microstructural characterizations using SEM and TEM show a nanostructured grain structure. EDS/WDS and XRD analysis confirm the phase of coating layer as V2C. Diffusion couple tests at 660 °C for 100 h demonstrate that V2C layer with a thickness of less than 5 μm can effectively eliminate the inter-diffusion between the lanthanide cerium and HT-9 steel.

Vanadium diffusion coating on HT-9 cladding for mitigating the fuel cladding chemical interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lo, Wei-Yang; Yang, Yong, E-mail: yongyang@ufl.edu

2014-08-01

Fuel cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) has been identified as one of the crucial issues for developing Ferritic/Martensitic (F/M) stainless steel claddings for metallic fuels in a fast reactor. The anticipated elevated temperature and high neutron flux can significantly aggravate the FCCI, in terms of formation of inter-diffusion and lower melting point eutectic phases. To mitigate the FCCI, vanadium carbide coating as a diffusion barrier was deposited on the HT-9 substrate using a pack cementation diffusion coating (PCDC) method, and the processing temperature was optimized down to 730 °C. A solid metallurgical bonding between the coating layer and substrate was achieved, and the coating is free from through depth cracks. The microstructural characterizations using SEM and TEM show a nanostructured grain structure. EDS/WDS and XRD analysis confirm the phase of coating layer as V{sub 2}C. Diffusion couple tests at 660 °C for 100 h demonstrate that V{sub 2}C layer with a thickness of less than 5 μm can effectively eliminate the inter-diffusion between the lanthanide cerium and HT-9 steel.

Metallurgical and mechanical behaviours of PWR fuel cladding tube oxidised at high temperature; Comportements metallurqigue et mecanique des materiaux de gainage du combustible REP oxydes a haute temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stern, A

2007-12-15

Zirconium alloys are used as cladding materials in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). As they are submitted to very extreme conditions, it is necessary to check their behaviour and especially to make sure they meet the safety criteria. They are therefore studied under typical in service-loadings but also under accidental loadings. In one of these accidental scenarios, called Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) the cladding temperature may increase above 800 C, in a steam environment, and decrease before a final quench of the cladding. During this temperature transient, the cladding is heavily oxidised, and the metallurgical changes lead to a decrease of the post quench mechanical properties. It is then necessary to correlate this drop in residual ductility to the metallurgical evolutions. This is the problem we want to address in this study: the oxidation of PWR cladding materials at high temperature in a steam environment and its consequences on post quench mechanical properties. As oxygen goes massively into the metallic part - a zirconia layer grows at the same time - during the high temperature oxidation, the claddings tubes microstructure shows three different phases that are the outer oxide layer (zirconia) and the inner metallic phases ({alpha}(O) and 'ex {beta}') - with various mechanical properties. In order to reproduce the behaviour of this multilayered material, the first part of this study consisted in creating samples with different - but homogeneous in thickness - oxygen contents, similar to those observed in the different phases of the real cladding. The study was especially focused on the {beta}-->{alpha} phase transformation upon cooling and on the resulting microstructures. A mechanism was proposed to describe this phase transformation. For instance, we conclude that for our oxygen enriched samples, the phase transformation kinetics upon cooling are ruled by the oxygen partitioning between the two allotropic phases. Then, these materials

The MOX fuel behaviour test IFA-597.4/.5/.6/.7; Summary of in-pile fuel temperature and gas release data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koike, Hisashi

2003-11-15

It is considered important to study the in-reactor behaviour of MOX fuel in order to enhance the database on such fuel. For this reason, IFA-597.4/.5/.6/.7 were included in the joint research programme of the Halden Project. The series of tests, containing two MIMAS-MOX fuel rods, both equipped with a fuel centre thermocouple and a pressure bellows transducer, has been irradiated in the Halden Reactor since July 1997 under HBWR conditions. The objectives of the test series were to study the thermal and fission gas release (FGR) behaviour of MOX fuel and to explore potential differences in behaviour between solid and hollow pellets. One of the rods had mainly solid pellets, while the other contained only hollow pellets. Both rods had an initial Pu-fissile enrichment of 6.07%. The cladding outside diameter was 9.50 mm, and the initial fuel-clad gap was 180 mum. In the course of the test, power upratings for FGR studies of the MOX fuel were planned at burnup intervals of about 10 MWd/kg MOX. The power uprating was successfully performed at approx10 MWd/kg MOX, where the estimated fuel peak temperature of the solid pellets exceeded the FGR threshold temperature for UO{sub 2} fuel, while that of the hollow pellets remained below the threshold. For the solid fuel, the temperature at onset of FGR was consistent with the empirical threshold temperature for UO{sub 2} fuel. For the hollow fuel, gas release was observed at temperatures below the threshold. FGRs at the end-of-life were approx17% for the solid pellet rod and approx14% for the hollow pellet rod, respectively. As a result of discussions in HPG meetings, IFA-597.7 was unloaded in January 2002. PIE was carried out to check in-pile pressure measurements and examine fuel structural characteristics. The discharge burn-up of the MOX fuel was 32 MWd/kg MOX as determined from in-pile power data. This report supersedes HWR-712 (June 2002) previously issued on in-pile data from IFA-597.4/5/6/7. (Author)

BISON Investigation of the Effect of the Fuel- Cladding Contact Irregularities on the Peak Cladding Temperature and FCCI Observed in AFC-3A Rodlet 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Medvedev, Pavel G. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-09-01

The primary objective of this report is to document results of BISON analyses supporting Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) activities. Specifically, the present report seeks to provide explanation for the microstructural features observed during post irradiation examination of the helium-bonded annular U-10Zr fuel irradiated during the AFC-3A experiment. Post irradiation examination of the AFC-3A rodlet revealed microstructural features indicative of the fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) at the fuel-cladding interface. Presence of large voids was also observed in the same locations. BISON analyses were performed to examine stress and temperature profiles and to investigate possible correlation between the voids and FCCI. It was found that presence of the large voids lead to a formation of circumferential temperature gradients in the fuel that may have redirected migrating lanthanides to the locations where fuel and cladding are in contact. Resulting localized increase of lanthanide concentration is expected to accelerate FCCI. The results of this work provide important guidance to the post irradiation examination studies. Specifically, the hypothesis of lanthanides being redirected from the voids to the locations where the fuel and the cladding are in contact should be verified by conducting quantitative electron microscopy or Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer (EPMA). The results also highlight the need for computer models capable of simulating lanthanide diffusion in metallic fuel and establish a basis for validation of such models.

The use of eddy current testing for nuclear fuel rods cladding evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva Junior, Silverio F. da; Alencar, Donizete A.; Brito, Mucio Jose D. de

2007-01-01

Nuclear fuel rods cladding must be tested after their manufacture and during their operational life. This paper describes a study about the use of eddy current test method as a nondestructive tool for nuclear fuel rods cladding evaluation. The experiments were carried out using two different probes: an external probe and an internal probe. The main goal was to verify the sensitivity of the eddy current test system, to develop calibration and reference standards and to establish the main capabilities and limitations presented by this test method for this application. (author)

Development and fabrication of seamless Aluminium finned clad tubes for metallic uranium fuel rods for research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, A.K.; Hussain, M.M.; Jayachandran, N.K.; Abdulla, K.K.

2012-01-01

Natural uranium metal or its alloy is used as fuel in nuclear reactors. Usually fuel is clad with compatible material to prevent its direct contact with coolant which prevents spread of activity. One of the methods of producing fuel for nuclear reactor is by co-drawing finished uranium rods with aluminum clad tube to develop intimate contact for effective heat removal during reactor operation. Presently seam welded Aluminium tubes are used as clad for Research Reactor fuel. The paper will highlight entire fabrication process followed for the fabrication of seamless Aluminium finned tubes along with relevant characterisation results

Cladding temperature measurement by thermocouples at preirradiated LWR fuel rod samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leiling, W.

1981-12-01

This report describes the technique to measure cladding temperatures of test fuel rod samples, applied during the in-pile tests on fuel rod failure in the steam loop of the FR2 reactor. NiCr/Ni thermocouples with stainless steel and Inconel sheaths, respectively,of 1 mm diameter were resistance spot weld to the outside of the fuel rod cladding. For the pre-irradiated test specimens, welding had to be done under hot-cell conditions, i.e. under remote handling. In order to prevent the formation of eutectics between zirconium and the chemical elements of the thermocouple sheath at elevated temperatures, the thermocouples were covered with a platinum jacket of 1.4 mm outside diameter swaged onto the sheath in the area of the measuring junction. This thermocouple design has worked satisfactorily in the in-pile experiments performed in a steam atmosphere. Even in the heatup phase, in which cladding temperatures up to 1050 0 C were reached, only very few failures occured. This good performance is to a great part due to a careful control and a thorough inspection of the thermocouples. (orig.) [de

Parametric study of the behaviour of a pre irradiated BWR fuel rod under conditions of LOCA simulated in the halden in pile test system with the FALCON code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khvostov, G.; Zimmermann, M. A. [Laboratory for Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen (Switzerland); Ledergerber, G. [Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt AG, Leibstadt (Switzerland); Kolstad, E. [Institute for Energy Technology - OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); Montgomery, R. O. [Anatech Corporation, San Diego (United States)

2008-10-15

A new LOCA test at Halden was planned as the first experiment within the Halden LOCA program addressing the behaviour of commercially irradiated BWR fuel of medium burn up with burst of the cladding expected to occur at a temperature of about 1050.deg.C, which is essentially higher than in the preceding experiments. The specific measures to be adopted have been suggested based upon a parametric study using the FALCON fuel behaviour code and aimed at an optimized design of the test fuel rod for the given high target cladding temperature of 1150 .deg. C (peak local). The analysis has shown a reasonable agreement with the fundamental experimental findings, such as correlations of NUREG 0630, as well as consistency with the data from Halden LOCA testing available so far. Thus, a general conclusion is drawn about the applicability of the methodology developed at PSI to the analysis of LWR fuel rod behaviour during LOCA, in consideration of the effects of fuel burn up.

Manufacturing process for the metal ceramic hybrid fuel cladding tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Yang Il; Kim, Sun Han; Park, Jeong Yong

2012-01-01

For application in LWRs with suppressed hydrogen release, a metal-ceramic hybrid cladding tube has been proposed. The cladding consists of an inner zirconium tube and outer SiC fiber matrix SiC ceramic composite. The inner zirconium allows the matrix to remain fully sealed even if the ceramic matrix cracks through. The outer SiC composite can increase the safety margin by taking the merits of the SiC itself. However, it is a challenging task to fabricate the metal-ceramic hybrid tube. Processes such as filament winding, matrix impregnation, and surface costing are additionally required for the existing Zr based fuel cladding tubes. In the current paper, the development of the manufacturing process will be introduced

Manufacturing process for the metal ceramic hybrid fuel cladding tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Yang Il; Kim, Sun Han; Park, Jeong Yong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

For application in LWRs with suppressed hydrogen release, a metal-ceramic hybrid cladding tube has been proposed. The cladding consists of an inner zirconium tube and outer SiC fiber matrix SiC ceramic composite. The inner zirconium allows the matrix to remain fully sealed even if the ceramic matrix cracks through. The outer SiC composite can increase the safety margin by taking the merits of the SiC itself. However, it is a challenging task to fabricate the metal-ceramic hybrid tube. Processes such as filament winding, matrix impregnation, and surface costing are additionally required for the existing Zr based fuel cladding tubes. In the current paper, the development of the manufacturing process will be introduced.

Instrument for measuring fuel cladding strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billeter, T.R.

1976-01-01

Development work to provide instrumentation for the continuous measurement of strain of material specimens such as nuclear fuel cladding has shown that a microwave sensor and associated instrumentation hold promise. The cylindrical sensor body enclosing the specimen results in a coaxial resonator absorbing microwave energy at frequencies dependent upon the diameter of the specimen. Diametral changes of a microinch can be resolved with use of the instrumentation. Very reasonable values of elastic strain were measured at 75 0 F and 1000 0 F for an internally pressurized 20 percent C.W. 316 stainless steel specimen simulating nuclear fuel cladding. The instrument also indicated the creep strain of the same specimen pressurized at 6500 psi and at a temperature of 1000 0 F for a period of 700 hours. Although the indicated strain appears greater than actual, the sensor/specimen unit experienced considerable oxidation even though an inert gas purge persisted throughout the test duration. By monitoring at least two modes of resonance, the measured strain was shown to be nearly independent of sensor temperature. To prevent oxidation, a second test was performed in which the specimen/sensor units were contained in an evacuated enclosure. The strain of the two prepressurized specimens as indicated by the microwave instrumentation agreed very closely with pre- and post-test measurements obtained with use of a laser interferometer

The deformation, oxidation and embrittlement of PWB fuel cladding in a loss-of-coolant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parsons, P.D.; Hindle, E.D.; Mann, C.A.

1986-09-01

The scope of this report is limited to the oxidation, embrittlement and deformation of PWB fuel in a loss of coolant accident in which the emergency core coolant systems operate in accordance with the design, ie accidents within the design basis of the plant. A brief description is given of the thermal hydraulic events during large and small breaks of the primary circuit, followed by the correct functioning and remedial action of the emergency core cooling systems. The possible damage to the fuel cladding during these events is also described. The basic process of oxidation of zircaloy-4 fuel cladding by steam, and the reaction kinetics of the oxidation are reviewed in detail. Variables having a possible influence on the oxidation kinetics are also considered. The embrittlement of zircaloy-4 cladding by oxidation is also reviewed in detail. It is related to fracture during the thermal shock of rewetting or by the ambient impact forces as a result of post-accident fuel handling. Criteria based both on total oxidation and on the detailed distribution of oxygen through the oxidised cladding wall are considered. The published computer codes for the calculation of oxygen concentration are reviewed in terms of the model employed and the limitations apparent in these models when calculating oxygen distribution in cladding in the actual conditions of a loss of coolant accident. The factors controlling the deformation and rupture of cladding in a loss of coolant accident are reviewed in detail. (author)

Eutectic reaction analysis between TRU-50%Zr alloy fuel and HT-9 cladding, and temperature prediction of eutectic reaction under steady-state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Woan; Lee, Byoung Oon; Lee, Bong Sang; Park, Won Seok

2001-02-01

Blanket fuel assembly for HYPER contains a bundle of pins arrayed in triangular pitch, which has hexagonal bundle structure. The reference blanket fuel pin consists of the fuel slug of TRU-50wt%Zr alloy and the cladding material of ferritic martensite steel, HT-9. Chemical interaction between fuel slug and cladding is one of the major concerns in metallic fuel rod design. The contact of metallic fuel slug and stainless steel cladding in a fuel rod forms a complex multi-component diffusion couple at elevated temperatures. The potential problem of inter-diffusion of fuel and cladding components is essentially two-fold weakening of cladding mechanical strength due to the formation of diffusion zones in the cladding, and the formation of comparatively low melting point phases in the fuel/cladding interface to develop eutectic reaction. The main components of fuel slug are composed of zirconium alloying element in plutonium matrix, including neptunium, americium and uranium additionally. Therefore basic eutectic reaction change of Pu-Fe binary system can be assessed, while it is estimated how much other elements zirconium, uranium, americium and neptunium influence on plutonium phase stability. Afterwards it is needed that eutectic reaction is verified through experimental necessarily.

Eutectic reaction analysis between TRU-50%Zr alloy fuel and HT-9 cladding, and temperature prediction of eutectic reaction under steady-state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Woan; Lee, Byoung Oon; Lee, Bong Sang; Park, Won Seok

2001-02-01

Blanket fuel assembly for HYPER contains a bundle of pins arrayed in triangular pitch, which has hexagonal bundle structure. The reference blanket fuel pin consists of the fuel slug of TRU-50wt%Zr alloy and the cladding material of ferritic martensite steel, HT-9. Chemical interaction between fuel slug and cladding is one of the major concerns in metallic fuel rod design. The contact of metallic fuel slug and stainless steel cladding in a fuel rod forms a complex multi-component diffusion couple at elevated temperatures. The potential problem of inter-diffusion of fuel and cladding components is essentially two-fold weakening of cladding mechanical strength due to the formation of diffusion zones in the cladding, and the formation of comparatively low melting point phases in the fuel/cladding interface to develop eutectic reaction. The main components of fuel slug are composed of zirconium alloying element in plutonium matrix, including neptunium, americium and uranium additionally. Therefore basic eutectic reaction change of Pu-Fe binary system can be assessed, while it is estimated how much other elements zirconium, uranium, americium and neptunium influence on plutonium phase stability. Afterwards it is needed that eutectic reaction is verified through experimental necessarily

CEA studies on advanced nuclear fuel claddings for enhanced accident tolerant LWRs fuel (LOCA and beyond LOCA conditions)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brachet, J.C.; Lorrette, C.; Michaux, A.; Sauder, C.; Idarraga-Trujillo, I.; Le Saux, M.; Le Flem, M.; Schuster, F.; Billard, A.; Monsifrot, E.; Torres, E.; Rebillat, F.; Bischoff, J.; Ambard, A.

2015-01-01

This paper gives an overview of CEA studies on advanced nuclear fuel claddings for enhanced Accident Tolerant LWR Fuel in collaboration with industrial partners AREVA and EDF. Two potential solutions were investigated: chromium coated zirconium based claddings and SiC/SiC composite claddings with a metallic liner. Concerning the first solution, the optimization of chromium coatings on Zircaloy-4 substrate has been performed. Thus, it has been demonstrated that, due in particular to their slower oxidation rate, a significant additional 'grace period( can be obtained on high temperature oxidized coated claddings in comparison to the conventional uncoated ones, regarding their residual PQ (Post-Quench) ductility and their ability to survive to the final water quenching in LOCA and, to some extent, beyond LOCA conditions. Concerning the second solution, the innovative 'sandwich' SiC/SiC cladding concept is introduced. Initially designed for the next generation of nuclear reactors, it can be adapted to obtain high safety performance for LWRs in LOCA conditions. The key findings of this work highlight the low sensitivity of SiC/SiC composites under the explored steam oxidation conditions. No signification degradation of the mechanical properties of CVI-HNI SiC/SiC specimen is particularly acknowledged for relatively long duration (beyond 100 h at 1200 Celsius degrees). Despite these very positive preliminary results, significant studies and developments are still necessary to close the technology gap. Qualification for nuclear application requires substantial irradiation testing, additional characterization and the definition of design rules applicable to such a structure. The use of a SiC-based fuel cladding shows promise for the highest temperature accident conditions but remains a long term perspective

Axisymmetric whole pin life modelling of advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mella, R.; Wenman, M.R.

2013-01-01

Thermo-mechanical contributions to pellet–clad interaction (PCI) in advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs) are modelled in the ABAQUS finite element (FE) code. User supplied sub-routines permit the modelling of the non-linear behaviour of AGR fuel through life. Through utilisation of ABAQUS’s well-developed pre- and post-processing ability, the behaviour of the axially constrained steel clad fuel was modelled. The 2D axisymmetric model includes thermo-mechanical behaviour of the fuel with time and condition dependent material properties. Pellet cladding gap dynamics and thermal behaviour are also modelled. The model treats heat up as a fully coupled temperature-displacement study. Dwell time and direct power cycling was applied to model the impact of online refuelling, a key feature of the AGR. The model includes the visco-plastic behaviour of the fuel under the stress and irradiation conditions within an AGR core and a non-linear heat transfer model. A multiscale fission gas release model is applied to compute pin pressure; this model is coupled to the PCI gap model through an explicit fission gas inventory code. Whole pin, whole life, models are able to show the impact of the fuel on all segments of cladding including weld end caps and cladding pellet locking mechanisms (unique to AGR fuel). The development of this model in a commercial FE package shows that the development of a potentially verified and future-proof fuel performance code can be created and used

Analysis of fuel rod behaviour within a rod bundle of a pressurized water reactor under the conditions of a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) using probabilistic methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengpiel, W.

1980-12-01

The assessment of fuel rod behaviour under PWR LOCA conditions aims at the evaluation of the peak cladding temperatures and the (final) maximum circumferential cladding strains. Moreover, the estimation of the amount of possible coolant channel blockages within a rod bundle is of special interest, as large coplanar clad strains of adjacent rods may result in strong local reductions of coolant channel areas. Coolant channel blockages of large radial extent may impair the long-term coolability of the corresponding rods. A model has been developed to describe these accident consequences using probabilistic methodology. This model is applied to study the behaviour of fuel rods under accident conditions following the double-ended pipe rupture between collant pump and pressure vessel in the primary system of a 1300 MW(el)-PWR. Specifically a rod bundle is considered consisting of 236 fuel rods, that is subjected to severe thermal and mechanical loading. The results obtained indicate that plastic clad deformations with circumferential clad strains of more than 30% cannot be excluded for hot rods of the reference bundle. However, coplanar coolant channel blockages of significant extent seem to be probable within that bundle only under certain boundary conditions which are assumed to be pessimistic. (orig./RW) [de

International Standard problem ISP 14: behaviour of a fuel bundle simulator during a specified heatup and flooding period (Rebeka experiment): results of post-test analyses: final comparison report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karwat, H.

1985-02-01

The test consisted in investigating the non-steady material behaviour of a bundle of electrically heated fuel rod simulators with respect to local fuel temperatures, cladding strain, time to burst and local strain at location of burst, together with the thermal hydraulic boundary conditions. The original aim has not been fully achievable. The applied codes for mechanical fuel behaviour largely demonstrated their capabilities for pretest predictions when certain local fluid dynamic parameters are well known to the code users. The difficulties expected with proper analysis of thermal hydraulics of the test were confirmed, caused by the coupling between pin cooling conditions, rod upper plenum calculations and the feedback to clad deformation and burst simulation

Behavior of high burnup fuel rod cladding during long-term dry storage in CASTOR casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaberg, A.; Spilker, H.; Goll, W.

2000-01-01

Short-time creep and rupture tests were performed to assess the strain potential of cladding of high burnt rods under conditions of dry storage. The tests comprised optimized Zr y-4 cladding samples from fuel rods irradiated to burnups of up to 64 MWd/kg U and were carried out at temperatures of 573 and 643 K at cladding stresses of about 400 and 600 MPa. The stresses, much higher than those occurring in a fuel rod, were chosen to reach circumferential elongations of about 2% within an envisaged testing time of 3-4 days. The creep tests were followed by a low temperature test at 423 K and 100 MPa to assess the long-term behavior of the cladding ductility especially with regard to the effect of a higher hydrogen content in the cladding due to the high burnup. The creep tests showed considerable uniform plastic elongations at these high burnups. It was demonstrated that around 600 K a uniform plastic strain of a least 2% is reached without cladding failure. The low temperature tests at 423 K for up to 5 days revealed no cladding failure under these conditions of reduced cladding ductility. It can be concluded that the increased hydrogen content has no adverse effect on cladding performance. (Authors)

Fuel-cladding interaction. Framatome CEA experiment on pencils preirradiated in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atabek, Rosemarie; Vignesoult, Nicole

1979-01-01

The study of the fuel-cladding interaction is the subject of an important joint research programme between Framatome and the CEA. Tests are performed either on whole fuel rods, not exceeding two metres in length, from BR3 or the CAP (PRISCA experiment) or on fuel rods refabricated in hot cells from fuel rods of power reactors (FABRICE experiment). The first results reveal the two mechanical and chemical aspects of the interaction phenomenon: the permissible power surge of the fuel elements passes through a minimum for an integrated fast dose (E>1MeV) of around 1.5x10 21 n/cm 2 ; a study made with the electronic microprobe and the scanning microscope shows that the Te, I and Cs fission products are the corrosive agents of the cladding [fr

Development of Cr cold spray–coated fuel cladding with enhanced accident tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Ševeček

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs are currently of high interest to researchers in the nuclear industry and in governmental and international organizations. One widely studied accident-tolerant fuel concept is multilayer cladding (also known as coated cladding. This concept is based on a traditional Zr-based alloy (Zircaloy-4, M5, E110, ZIRLO etc. serving as a substrate. Different protective materials are applied to the substrate surface by various techniques, thus enhancing the accident tolerance of the fuel. This study focuses on the results of testing of Zircaloy-4 coated with pure chromium metal using the cold spray (CS technique. In comparison with other deposition methods, e.g., Physical vapor deposition (PVD, laser coating, or Chemical vapor deposition techniques (CVD, the CS technique is more cost efficient due to lower energy consumption and high deposition rates, making it more suitable for industry-scale production. The Cr-coated samples were tested at different conditions (500°C steam, 1200°C steam, and Pressurized water reactor (PWR pressurization test and were precharacterized and postcharacterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX, or nanoindentation; results are discussed. Results of the steady-state fuel performance simulations using the Bison code predicted the concept's feasibility. It is concluded that CS Cr coating has high potential benefits but requires further optimization and out-of-pile and in-pile testing. Keywords: Accident-Tolerant Fuel, Chromium, Cladding, Coating, Cold Spray, Nuclear Fuel

An allowable cladding peak temperature for spent nuclear fuels in interim dry storage

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Hyun-Jin; Jang, Ki-Nam; Kim, Kyu-Tae

2018-01-01

Allowable cladding peak temperatures for spent fuel cladding integrity in interim dry storage were investigated, considering hydride reorientation and mechanical property degradation behaviors of unirradiated and neutron irradiated Zr-Nb cladding tubes. Cladding tube specimens were heated up to various temperatures and then cooled down under tensile hoop stresses. Cool-down specimens indicate that higher heat-up temperature and larger tensile hoop stress generated larger radial hydride precipitation and smaller tensile strength and plastic hoop strain. Unirradiated specimens generated relatively larger radial hydride precipitation and plastic strain than did neutron irradiated specimens. Assuming a minimum plastic strain requirement of 5% for cladding integrity maintenance in interim dry storage, it is proposed that a cladding peak temperature during the interim dry storage is to keep below 250 °C if cladding tubes are cooled down to room temperature.

Model for incorporating fuel swelling and clad shrinkage effects in diffusion theory calculations (LWBR Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schick, W.C. Jr.; Milani, S.; Duncombe, E.

1980-03-01

A model has been devised for incorporating into the thermal feedback procedure of the PDQ few-group diffusion theory computer program the explicit calculation of depletion and temperature dependent fuel-rod shrinkage and swelling at each mesh point. The model determines the effect on reactivity of the change in hydrogen concentration caused by the variation in coolant channel area as the rods contract and expand. The calculation of fuel temperature, and hence of Doppler-broadened cross sections, is improved by correcting the heat transfer coefficient of the fuel-clad gap for the effects of clad creep, fuel densification and swelling, and release of fission-product gases into the gap. An approximate calculation of clad stress is also included in the model

Initial Cladding Condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegmann, E.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to describe the condition of commercial Zircaloy clad fuel as it is received at the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) site. Most commercial nuclear fuel is encased in Zircaloy cladding. This analysis is developed to describe cladding degradation from the expected failure modes. This includes reactor operation impacts including incipient failures, potential degradation after reactor operation during spent fuel storage in pool and dry storage and impacts due to transportation. Degradation modes include cladding creep, and delayed hydride cracking during dry storage and transportation. Mechanical stresses from fuel handling and transportation vibrations are also included. This Analysis and Model Report (AMR) does not address any potential damage to assemblies that might occur at the YMP surface facilities. Ranges and uncertainties have been defined. This analysis will be the initial boundary condition for the analysis of cladding degradation inside the repository. In accordance with AP-2.13Q, ''Technical Product Development Planning'', a work plan (CRWMS M andO 2000c) was developed, issued, and utilized in the preparation of this document. There are constraints, caveats and limitations to this analysis. This cladding degradation analysis is based on commercial Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel with Zircaloy cladding but is applicable to Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) fuel. Reactor operating experience for both PWRs and BWRs is used to establish fuel reliability from reactor operation. It is limited to fuel exposed to normal operation and anticipated operational occurrences (i.e. events which are anticipated to occur within a reactor lifetime), and not to fuel that has been exposed to severe accidents. Fuel burnup projections have been limited to the current commercial reactor licensing environment with restrictions on fuel enrichment, oxide coating thickness and rod plenum pressures. The information provided in this analysis will be used in

Electrochemical behaviour of laser-clad Ti6Al4V with CP Ti in 0.1 M oxalic acid solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obadele, Babatunde Abiodun, E-mail: obadele4@gmail.com [Institute for NanoEngineering Research, Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); Olubambi, Peter A. [Institute for NanoEngineering Research, Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); Andrews, Anthony [Institute for NanoEngineering Research, Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); Department of Materials Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (Ghana); Pityana, Sisa [Institute for NanoEngineering Research, Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); National Laser Center, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria (South Africa); Mathew, Mathew T. [Institute for NanoEngineering Research, Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa); Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612 (United States)

2015-10-15

The relationship between the microstructure and corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V alloy and laser-clad commercially pure (CP) Ti coating was investigated. The microstructure, phases and properties of the clad layers were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Electrochemical measurement techniques including open circuit potential (OCP) and potentiodynamic polarisation were used to evaluate the corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V alloy in 0.1 M oxalic acid solution and the results compared to the behaviour of laser-clad CP Ti at varying laser scan speed. Results showed that laser-clad CP Ti at scan speed of 0.4 m/min formed a good cladding layer without defects such as cracks and pores. The phase present in the cladding layer was mostly α′-Ti. The microstructures of the clad layer were needle like acicular/widmanstätten α. An improvement in the microhardness values was also recorded. Although the corrosion potentials of the laser-clad samples were less noble than Ti6Al4V alloy, the polarisation measurement showed that the anodic current density was lower and also increases with increasing laser scanning speed. - Highlights: • The microstructure and corrosion behaviour of laser-clad CP Ti was investigated. • Laser-clad CP Ti 0.4 m/min scan speed gave a good coating without cracks and pores. • The phase present in the clad layer was mostly α′-Ti. • An improvement in the microhardness values was also recorded. • Anodic current density for coatings increases with increasing laser scan speed.

Electrochemical behaviour of laser-clad Ti6Al4V with CP Ti in 0.1 M oxalic acid solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obadele, Babatunde Abiodun; Olubambi, Peter A.; Andrews, Anthony; Pityana, Sisa; Mathew, Mathew T.

2015-01-01

The relationship between the microstructure and corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V alloy and laser-clad commercially pure (CP) Ti coating was investigated. The microstructure, phases and properties of the clad layers were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Electrochemical measurement techniques including open circuit potential (OCP) and potentiodynamic polarisation were used to evaluate the corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V alloy in 0.1 M oxalic acid solution and the results compared to the behaviour of laser-clad CP Ti at varying laser scan speed. Results showed that laser-clad CP Ti at scan speed of 0.4 m/min formed a good cladding layer without defects such as cracks and pores. The phase present in the cladding layer was mostly α′-Ti. The microstructures of the clad layer were needle like acicular/widmanstätten α. An improvement in the microhardness values was also recorded. Although the corrosion potentials of the laser-clad samples were less noble than Ti6Al4V alloy, the polarisation measurement showed that the anodic current density was lower and also increases with increasing laser scanning speed. - Highlights: • The microstructure and corrosion behaviour of laser-clad CP Ti was investigated. • Laser-clad CP Ti 0.4 m/min scan speed gave a good coating without cracks and pores. • The phase present in the clad layer was mostly α′-Ti. • An improvement in the microhardness values was also recorded. • Anodic current density for coatings increases with increasing laser scan speed

An example of coupling behaviour-damage-environment in polycrystals. Application to Pellet-Cladding Interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diard, Olivier

2001-01-01

Zircaloy-4 cladding is the first containment barrier for fission products, and its integrity must therefore be ensured in nominal and accidental situations. However, stress corrosion induced cracks may appear due to a strong pellet-cladding interaction. It is therefore important to model this interaction and crack growth and propagation to establish non-damage criteria. Thus, this research thesis aims at developing a modelling covering both issues (pellet-cladding interaction, and stress corrosion cracking) and allowing macroscopic and microscopic scales to be coupled. After a bibliographical synthesis on iodine-induced stress corrosion cracking and similar phenomena, the author presents the model proposed for the pellet-cladding interaction: phenomena to be taken into account, phenomenological and macroscopic behaviour laws used respectively for pellet and cladding. An extended version of an existing cladding viscoplastic model is proposed. Stress and strain fields in the cladding are obtained, notably in the contact zone. In the next part, the author presents various numerical tools developed or used to model multi-crystalline aggregates, and the model of crystalline plasticity used to simulate cladding behaviour at the microstructure scale. Effects of mesh density, element types and anisotropic elasticity are also discussed. The next chapter addresses the mechanical-chemical coupling. Some coupling formulas are presented for simple cases in order to define the effective diffusion coefficient. The last part reports the modelling of intergranular damage: definition of a damage criterion at the granular scale, assessment of stresses at grain boundaries, and effect of crystallographic neighbouring. A model of grain boundary damage is also proposed. This model is assessed on Failure Mechanics test samples and on simple microstructures. The application of the whole numerical model is reported [fr

FeCrAl/Zr dual layer fuel cladding for improved safety margin under accident scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, D.J.; Park, J.H.; Jung, Y.I.; Kim, H.G.; Park, J.Y.; Koo, Y.H.

2014-01-01

For application of advanced steel as a cladding material in light water reactor (LWR), FeCrAl/Zr dual layer tube was manufactured by using a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method. To optimize HIP condition for joining both FeCrAl and Zr alloys, HIP was carried out under various temperature conditions. Tensile test and 3-point bend test performed for measuring mechanical properties of HIPed sample. To better understand microstructural characteristics in interface region between two alloys, SEM and TEM study were conducted by using HIPed sample with different process conditions. Based on this optimization study and analyzed results, optimized HIP condition was determined and FeCrAl/Zr dual layer fuel cladding having same wall thickness with current LWR fuel cladding was manufactured. Simulated loss-of-coolant accident test was carried out using FeCrAl/Zr dual layer cladding sample and fuel integrity was measured by mechanical test. (authors)

FY 2014 Status Report: of Vibration Testing of Clad Fuel (M4FT-14OR0805033)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bevard, Bruce Balkcom [ORNL

2014-03-28

The DOE Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) tasked Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to investigate the behavior of light-water-reactor (LWR) fuel cladding material performance related to extended storage and transportation of UNF. ORNL has been tasked to perform a systematic study on UNF integrity under simulated normal conditions of transportation (NCT) by using the recently developed hot-cell testing equipment, Cyclic Integrated Reversible-Bending Fatigue Tester (CIRFT). To support the testing on actual high-burnup UNF, fast-neutron irradiation of pre-hydrided zirconium-alloy cladding in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at elevated temperatures will be used to simulate the effects of high-burnup on fuel cladding for help in understanding the cladding materials properties relevant to extended storage and subsequent transportation. The irradiated pre-hydrided metallic materials testing will generate baseline data to benchmark hot-cell testing of the actual high-burnup UNF cladding. More importantly, the HFIR-irradiated samples will be free of alpha contamination and can be provided to researchers who do not have hot cell facilities to handle highly contaminated high-burnup UNF cladding to support their research projects for the UFDC.

Status Report on the Fabrication of Fuel Cladding Chemical Interaction Test Articles for ATR Irradiations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field, Kevin G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Howard, Richard H. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-28

FeCrAl alloys are a promising new class of alloys for light water reactor (LWR) applications due to their superior oxidation and corrosion resistance in high temperature environments. The current R&D efforts have focused on the alloy composition and processing routes to generate nuclear grade FeCrAl alloys with optimized properties for enhanced accident tolerance while maintaining properties needed for normal operation conditions. Therefore, the composition and processing routes must be optimized to maintain the high temperature steam oxidation (typically achieved by increasing the Cr and Al content) while still exhibiting properties conducive to normal operation in a LWR (such as radiation tolerance where reducing Cr content is favorable). Within this balancing act is the addition of understanding the influence on composition and processing routes on the FeCrAl alloys for fuel-cladding chemical interactions (FCCI). Currently, limited knowledge exists on FCCI for the FeCrAl-UO₂ clad-fuel system. To overcome the knowledge gaps on the FCCI for the FeCrAl-UO2 clad-fuel system a series of fueled irradiation tests have been developed for irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) housed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The first series of tests has already been reported. These tests used miniaturized 17x17 PWR fuel geometry rodlets of second-generation FeCrAl alloys fueled with industrial Westinghouse UO₂ fuel. These rodlets were encapsulated within a stainless steel housing.To provide high fidelity experiments and more robust testing, a new series of rodlets have been developed deemed the Accident Tolerant Fuel Experiment #1 Oak Ridge National Laboratory FCCI test (ATF-1 ORNL FCCI). The main driving factor, which is discussed in detail, was to provide a radiation environment where prototypical fuel-clad interface temperatures are met while still maintaining constant contact between industrial fuel and the candidate cladding alloys

A statistical analysis of pellet-clad interaction failures in water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, S.G.; Fardo, R.D.; Sipush, P.J.; Kaiser, R.S.

1981-01-01

The primary objective of the statistical analysis was to develop a mathematical function that would predict PCI fuel rod failures as a function of the imposed operating conditions. Linear discriminant analysis of data from both test and commercial reactors was performed. The initial data base used encompassed 713 data points (117 failures and 596 non-failures) representing a wide variety of water cooled reactor fuel (PWR, BWR, CANDU, and SGHWR). When applied on a best-estimate basis, the resulting function simultaneously predicts approximately 80 percent of both the failure and non-failure data correctly. One of the most significant predictions of the analysis is that relatively large changes in power can be tolerated when the pre-ramp irradiation power is low, but that only small changes in power can be tolerated when the pre-ramp irradiation power is high. However, it is also predicted that fuel rods irradiated at low power will fail at lower final powers than those irradiated at high powers. Other results of the analysis are that fuel rods with high clad operating temperatures can withstand larger power increases that fuel rods with low clad operating temperatures, and that burnup has only a minimal effect on PCI performance after levels of approximately 10000 MWD/MTU have been exceeded. These trends in PCI performance and the operating parameters selected are believed to be consistent with mechanistic considerations. Published PCI data indicate that BWR fuel usually operates at higher local powers and changes in power, lower clad temperatures, and higher local ramp rates than PWR fuel

Statistics of the acoustic emission signals parameters from Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveto, Maria E.; Lopez Pumarega, Maria I.; Ruzzante, Jose E.

2000-01-01

Statistic analysis of acoustic emission signals parameters: amplitude, duration and risetime was carried out. CANDU type Zircaloy-4 fuel claddings were pressurized up to rupture, one set of five normal pieces and six with defects included, acoustic emission was used on-line. Amplitude and duration frequency distributions were fitted with lognormal distribution functions, and risetime with an exponential one. Using analysis of variance, acoustic emission was appropriated to distinguish between defective and non-defective subsets. Clusters analysis applied on mean values of acoustic emission signal parameters were not effective to distinguish two sets of fuel claddings studied. (author)

Thermal gradient effects on the oxidation of Zircaloy fuel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, A.C.; Reyes, J.N. Jr.; Maguire, M.A.

1990-01-01

A Thermal Gradient Test Facility (TGTF) has been designed and constructed to measure the thermal gradient effect on pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel rod cladding. The TGTF includes a heat flux simulator assembly capable of producing a wide range of PWR operating conditions including water flow velocities and temperatures, water chemistry conditions, cladding temperatures, and heat fluxes ranging to 160 W/cm 2 . It is fully instrumented including a large number of thermocouples both inside the water flow channel and inside the cladding. Two test programs are in progress. First, cladding specimens are pre-oxidized in air at 500 deg. C and in 400 deg. C steam for various lengths of time to develop a range of uniform oxide thicknesses from 1 to 60 micrometers. The pre-oxidized specimens are placed in the TGTF to characterize the oxide thermal conductivity under a variety of water flow and heat flux conditions. Second, to overcome the long exposure times required under typical PWR conditions a series of tests with the addition of high concentrations of lithium hydroxide to the water are being considered. Static autoclave tests have been conducted with lithium hydroxide concentrations ranging from 0 to 2 moles per liter at 300, 330, and 360 deg. C for up to 36 hours. Results for zircaloy-4 show a considerable increase in the weight gain for the exposed samples with oxidation rate enhancement factors as high as 70 times that of pure water. Operation of the TGTF with elevated lithium hydroxide levels will yield real-time information concerning the effects of a heat flux on the oxidation kinetics of zircaloy fuel rod cladding. (author). 5 refs, 5 figs, 2 tabs

Fuel pin integrity assessment under large scale transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutta, B.K.

2006-01-01

The integrity of fuel rods under normal, abnormal and accident conditions is an important consideration during fuel design of advanced nuclear reactors. The fuel matrix and the sheath form the first barrier to prevent the release of radioactive materials into the primary coolant. An understanding of the fuel and clad behaviour under different reactor conditions, particularly under the beyond-design-basis accident scenario leading to large scale transients, is always desirable to assess the inherent safety margins in fuel pin design and to plan for the mitigation the consequences of accidents, if any. The severe accident conditions are typically characterized by the energy deposition rates far exceeding the heat removal capability of the reactor coolant system. This may lead to the clad failure due to fission gas pressure at high temperature, large- scale pellet-clad interaction and clad melting. The fuel rod performance is affected by many interdependent complex phenomena involving extremely complex material behaviour. The versatile experimental database available in this area has led to the development of powerful analytical tools to characterize fuel under extreme scenarios

The investigation of fast reactor fuel pin start up behaviour in the irradiation experiment DUELL II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freund, D.; Geithoff, D.

1988-04-01

The irradiation experiments DUELL-II within the SNR-300 operational Transient Experimental Program deal with the investigation of fresh mixed oxide fuel behaviour at start-up. The irradiation has been carried out in the HFR Petten in four so-called DUELL capsules with two fuel pin samples each. The fuel pins with a total length of 453 mm contained a fuel column of 150 mm length, consisting of high dense (U,Pu)O 2-x fuel with an initial porosity of 4%, a Pu-content of 20.9%, and an O/Me ratio of 1.96. The fuel pellet diameter was 6.37 mm, the outer diameter of the SS cladding, material No. 1.4970, was 7.6 mm. The irradiation included four phases, consisting of preconditioning at 85% nominal power (corresponds to 550 W/cm), a following increase to full power, and two following full power periods of 1 and 10 days, respectively. Post irradiation examination showed incomplete fuel restructuring in the first capsules with central void diameters of 800 μm in the hot plane, complete restructuring in the last capsule, leading to central voids of approximately 1 mm diameter. The residual gaps between fuel and clad varied between 25 and 44 μm. The clad inner surface did not show any corrosion attack. The analysis of fuel restructuring has been carried out with the computer code SATURN-S showing good agreement with the PIE results. The analysis led to a series of model improvements, especially for crack volume and relocation modelling. (orig./GL) [de

Experimental determination of fuel-cladding thermal contact resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maglic, K.; Zivotic, Z.

1968-01-01

Thermal resistance of the UO 2 fuel - Zr-2 cladding was measure by the same experimental apparatus which was used for measuring the thermal conductivity of ceramic fuel. Thermal resistance was measure for a series of heat flux values and the dependence of thermal resistance on the flux is given within in the range from 0.66 W/cm 2 to 13.3 W/cm 2 . The temperature drop on the contact surface was between 39 deg C and 181.7 deg C, proportional to the increase of the heat flux [sr

Corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent fuel in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This report describes research performed in ten laboratories within the framework of the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water. The project consisted of exposure of standard racks of corrosion coupons in the spent fuel pools of the participating research reactor laboratories and the evaluation of the coupons after predetermined exposure times, along with periodic monitoring of the storage water. A group of experts in the field contributed a state of the art review and provided technical supervision of the project. Localized corrosion mechanisms are notoriously difficult to understand, and it was clear from the outset that obtaining consistency in the results and their interpretation from laboratory to laboratory would depend on the development of an excellent set of experimental protocols. These experimental protocols are described in the report together with guidelines for the maintenance of optimum water chemistry to minimize the corrosion of aluminium clad research reactor fuel in wet storage. A large database on corrosion of aluminium clad materials has been generated from the CRP and the SRS corrosion surveillance programme. An evaluation of these data indicates that the most important factors contributing to the corrosion of the aluminium are: (1) High water conductivity (100-200 μS/cm); (2) Aggressive impurity ion concentrations (Cl - ); (3) Deposition of cathodic particles on aluminium (Fe, etc.); (4) Sludge (containing Fe, Cl - and other ions in concentrations greater than ten times the concentrations in the water); (5) Galvanic couples between dissimilar metals (stainless steel-aluminium, aluminium-uranium, etc); (6) Scratches and imperfections (in protective oxide coating on cladding); (7) Poor water circulation. These factors operating both independently and synergistically may cause corrosion of the aluminium. The single most important key to preventing corrosion is maintaining good

Experimental Setup for Reflood Quench of Accident Tolerant Fuel Claddings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Chan; Lee, Kwan Geun; In, Wang Kee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The concept of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) is a solution to suppress the hydrogen generation in loss of coolant accident (LOCA) situation without safety injection, which was the critical incident in the severe accident in the Fukushima. The changes in fuel and cladding materials may cause a significant difference in reactor performance in long term operation. Properties in terms of material science and engineering have been tested and showed promising results. However, numerous tests are still required to ensure the design performance and safety. Thermal hydraulic tests including boiling and quenching are partly confirmed, but not yet complete. We have been establishing the experimental setup to confirm the properties in the terms of thermal hydraulics. Design considerations and preliminary tests are introduced in this paper. An experimental setup to test thermal hydraulic characteristics of new ATF claddings are established and tested. The W heater set inside the cladding is working properly, exceeding 690 W/m linear power with thermocouples and insulating ceramic sheaths inside. The coolant injection control was also working in good conditions. The setup is about to complete and going to simulate quenching behavior of the ATF in the LOCA situation.

Production and quality control of fuel cladding tubes for LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Katsuhiko; Hagi, Shigeki; Anada, Hiroyuki; Abe, Hideaki; Hyodo, Shigetoshi

1994-01-01

This paper reviews the recent fabrication technology and corrosion resistance study of fuel cladding tubes for LWRs conducted by Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd. started the research on zircaloy in 1957. In 1980, the factory exclusively for the production of cladding tubes was founded, and the mass production system on full scale was established. Thereafter, the various improvement of the production technology, the development of new products, and the heightening of the performance mainly on the corrosion resistance have been tested and studied. Recently, the works in the production processes were almost automated, and the installation of the production lines advanced, and the stabilization of product quality and the rationalization of costs are promoted. Moreover, the development of the zircaloy cladding tubes having high corrosion resistance has been advanced to cope with the long term cycle operation of LWRs hereafter. The features of zircaloy cladding tubes, the manufacturing processes, the improvement of the manufacturing technology, the improvement of the corrosion resistance and so on are reported. (K.I.)

Improving Accident Tolerance of Nuclear Fuel with Coated Mo-alloy Cladding

OpenAIRE

Bo Cheng; Young-Jin Kim; Peter Chou

2016-01-01

In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconium alloy fuel cladding materials are rapidly heated due to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority in accident managem...

Achilles tests finally nail PWR fuel clad ballooning fears

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dore, P.; McMinn, K.

1992-01-01

A conclusive series of experiments carried out by AEA Reactor Services at its Achilles rig in the UK has finally allayed fears that fuel clad ballooning is a major safety problem for Sizewell B, Britain's first Pressurized Water Reactor. The experiments are described in this article. (author)

Characterization of SiC–SiC composites for accident tolerant fuel cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deck, C.P., E-mail: Christian.Deck@ga.com; Jacobsen, G.M.; Sheeder, J.; Gutierrez, O.; Zhang, J.; Stone, J.; Khalifa, H.E.; Back, C.A.

2015-11-15

Silicon carbide (SiC) is being investigated for accident tolerant fuel cladding applications due to its high temperature strength, exceptional stability under irradiation, and reduced oxidation compared to Zircaloy under accident conditions. An engineered cladding design combining monolithic SiC and SiC–SiC composite layers could offer a tough, hermetic structure to provide improved performance and safety, with a failure rate comparable to current Zircaloy cladding. Modeling and design efforts require a thorough understanding of the properties and structure of SiC-based cladding. Furthermore, both fabrication and characterization of long, thin-walled SiC–SiC tubes to meet application requirements are challenging. In this work, mechanical and thermal properties of unirradiated, as-fabricated SiC-based cladding structures were measured, and permeability and dimensional control were assessed. In order to account for the tubular geometry of the cladding designs, development and modification of several characterization methods were required.

Engineered zircaloy cladding modifications for improved accident tolerance of LWR fuel: US DOE NEUP Integrated Research Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuser, Brent

2013-01-01

An integrated research project (IRP) to fabricate and evaluate modified zircaloy LWR cladding under normal BWR/PWR operation and off-normal events has been funded by the US DOE. The IRP involves three US academic institutions, a US national laboratory, an intermediate stock industrial cladding supplier, and an international academic institution. A combination of computational and experimental protocols will be employed to design and test modified zircaloy cladding with respect to corrosion and accelerated oxide growth, the former associated with normal operation, the latter associated with steam exposure during loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs) and low-pressure core re-floods. Efforts will be made to go beyond design-base accident (DBA) scenarios (cladding temperature equal to or less than 1204 deg. C) during the experimental phase of modified zircaloy performance characterisation. The project anticipates the use of the facilities at ORNL to achieve steam exposure beyond DBA scenarios. In addition, irradiation of down-selected modified cladding candidates in the ATR may be performed. Cladding performance evaluation will be incorporated into a reactor system modelling effort of fuel performance, neutronics, and thermal hydraulics, thereby providing a holistic approach to accident-tolerant nuclear fuel. The proposed IRP brings together personnel, facilities, and capabilities across a wide range of technical areas relevant to the study of modified nuclear fuel and LWR performance during normal operation and off-normal scenarios. Two pathways towards accident-tolerant LWR fuel are envisioned, both based on the modification of existing zircaloy cladding. The first is the modification of the cladding surface by the application of a coating layer designed to shift the M + O→MO reaction away from oxide growth during steam exposure at elevated temperatures. This pathway is referred to as the 'surface coating' solution. The second is the modification of the bulk

Metallography of pitted aluminum-clad, depleted uranium fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, D.Z.; Howell, J.P.

1994-01-01

The storage of aluminum-clad fuel and target materials in the L-Disassembly Basin at the Savannah River Site for more than 5 years has resulted in extensive pitting corrosion of these materials. In many cases the pitting corrosion of the aluminum clad has penetrated in the uranium metal core, resulting in the release of plutonium, uranium, cesium-137, and other fission product activity to the basin water. In an effort to characterize the extent of corrosion of the Mark 31A target slugs, two unirradiated slug assemblies were removed from basin storage and sent to the Savannah River Technology Center for evaluation. This paper presents the results of the metallography and photographic documentation of this evaluation. The metallography confirmed that pitting depths varied, with the deepest pit found to be about 0.12 inches (3.05 nun). Less than 2% of the aluminum cladding was found to be breached resulting in less than 5% of the uranium surface area being affected by corrosion. The overall integrity of the target slug remained intact

Test plan for spent fuel cladding containment credit tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, C.N.

1983-11-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has chosen Westinghouse Hanford Company as a subcontractor to assist them in determining the requirements for successful disposal of spent fuel rods in the proposed Nevada Test Site repository. An initial scoping test, with the objective of determining whether or not the cladding of a breached fuel rod can be given any credit as an effective barrier to radionuclide release, is described in this test plan. 8 references, 2 figures, 4 tables

Numerical Ballooning and Burst Prediction of Fuel Cladding During LOCA Transients in LWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landau, E.; Weiss, Y.; Szanto, M.

2014-01-01

Modeling of nuclear fuel cladding behavior during a Loss of Coolant accident (LOCA) is a principal requirement in reactor safety analysis, most former safety criteria were obtained from experiments during the 1970's, conducted mainly with fresh fuels. Changes in modern fuel design, introduction of new cladding materials and motivation towards higher burn-ups have generated a need to re-examine safety criteria and their continued validity. This led to the growing development of both experiments and simulations meant to address this need. The Halden IFA-650 series of experiments for example, beginning in the early 2000's have clearly shown that existing criteria and experimental data are insufficient for the growing demand for higher burn-ups. Several codes for reactor core and fuel rod analysis exist nowadays, such as FRAPTRAN1.4 or RELAP5-3D . These are tailor-made codes, designed to predict general core behavior and fuel performance, and while they are also used in predicting core components behavior during accident conditions, including those of cladding ballooning and failure with good accuracy, they contain several limitations on modeling the full transient cladding thermo mechanical phenomena. Limitations such as mechanical models being one dimensional or in axisymmetric geometries only, relying mostly on analytical models therefore having further restricting assumptions in return for accuracy, etc. These limitations disable the simulation of several important aspects, such as modeling 3D azimuthal behavior for example. The objective of the current work is to develop a comprehensive numerical model for predicting zircalloy cladding thermo mechanical behavior during a LOCA. The model will eventually predicts full cladding ballooning and burst behavior followed by fuel relocation, for fuel rods that can be subjected to 3D distributed flux. The model is fully three dimensional and is created using the commercial FEM numerical simulation software ABAQUS© applying

Thermoelastic analysis for the fuel claddings of the nuclear power reactor at Atucha in the skid's region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez Sarmiento, Gustavo; Basombrio, F.G.

1979-01-01

For the fuel elements of the Nuclear Power Reactor at Atucha, a two-dimensional thermoelastic analysis has been made in the region of the skids of the fuel cladding, when the gap between them and the fuel rod separator's support becomes zero. In such a case the latter forces exert on the skids an elastic reaction opposite to the cladding's expansion. The internal pressure reaching the yield stress for the cladding material has been calculated, as a function of the initial gap; for several possible fuel rod locations within the separator; for the actual dimensions and also for reduced thickness of the cladding; with a given external pressure and, with a known temperature spatial distribution. The latter has been calculated by solving the heat conduction equation along the fuel element for a certain power level in the reactor. The calculations are made with two FORTRAN IV computer codes developed at C.A.B., using the finite-element method: the NOLICUARM, to solve the nonlinear quasi-harmonic equation, and the ELASTEF 3, for the solution of thermoelastic problems with plane symmetry. (author) [es

Effects of pellet-to-cladding gap design parameters on the reliability of high burnup PWR fuel rods under steady state and transient conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tas, Fatma Burcu; Ergun, Sule

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Fuel performance of a typical Pressurized Water Reactor rod is analyzed. • Steady state fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • Transient fuel rod behavior is examined to see the effects of pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure. • The optimum pellet to cladding gap thickness and gap gas pressure values of the simulated fuel are determined. • The effects of pellet to cladding gap design parameters on nuclear fuel reliability are examined. - Abstract: As an important improvement in the light water nuclear reactor operations, the nuclear fuel burnup rate is increased in recent decades and this increase causes heavier duty for the nuclear fuel. Since the high burnup fuel is exposed to very high thermal and mechanical stresses and since it operates in an environment with high radiation for about 18 month cycles, it carries the risk of losing its integrity. In this study; it is aimed to determine the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on reliability of high burnup nuclear fuel in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) under steady state operation conditions and suggest optimum values for the examined parameters only and validate these suggestions for a transient condition. In the presented study, fuel performance was analyzed by examining the effects of pellet–cladding gap thickness and gap pressure on the integrity of high burnup fuels. This work is carried out for a typical Westinghouse type PWR fuel. The steady state conditions were modeled and simulated with FRAPCON-3.4a steady state fuel performance code and the FRAPTRAN-1.4 fuel transient code was used to calculate transient fuel behavior. The analysis included the changes in the important nuclear fuel design limitations such as the centerline temperature, cladding stress, strain and oxidation with the change in pellet–cladding gap thickness and initial pellet–cladding gap gas