Transient behaviour of low-enriched uranium silicide plate-type fuel for research reactors during a reactivity-initiated accident
by Kazuaki Yanagisawa
International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST), Vol. 4, No. 2, 2008

Abstract: In many research reactors and test reactors, a low enriched (<20 wt% ²³⁵U) silicide fuel is to be used in the replacement of a high (93wt% ²³⁵U) to medium (45wt% ²³⁵U) enrichment aluminide fuel because a peaceful use of nuclear energy. At the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR), the pulse irradiation tests were conducted on silicide mini-plate fuels to study the fuel reliability under transient temperature conditions. In the study energy deposition ranged from 32 to 164 cal/g • fuel plate. The given energies were corresponded to the peak cladding surface temperatures ranged from 140°C to 970°C. The major findings from the study are: (1) neither failure nor degradation of dimensional stability of the tested silicide mini-plate fuel occurred in the temperature below 174°C (T_DNB; departure from nucleate boiling temperature). Above temperatures of T_DNB, the dimensional stability was gradually degraded with temperature; (2) the tested silicide mini-plate fuels were intact at energy depositions <82 cal/g • fuel plate but were damaged at energy depositions of >94 cal/g • fuel plate. A failure threshold must be existed between these two values.

Online publication date: Mon, 29-Sep-2008

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