METAL-WATER REACTIONS: 3 FUEL ELEMENT STRESSES DURING A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT

The purpose of this study was to show which forces or stresses in the fuel and cladding were sufficient to cause failure and produce a metal-water reaction during severe nuclear startup accidents. The sources of stress considered were internal pressure from fission product gases, relative expansion of fuel and cladding, and thermal gradients within the materials. Metallic fuel and cladding plates and oxide fuel and metallic cladding rods were the two types of fuel elements considered. Results indicate that the metallic plate type fuel will swell from internal fission gas pressure, rate of gas generation, and exposure to elevated central temperatures when stressed. The oxide clad core of the rod type fuel will expand more than the zircaloy cladding, but should not fail during the stresses considered. It is concluded that further experiments be performed to establish the mode of failure and to establish fuel element integrity under more severe conditions.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number GEAP-3191.
• Corporate Authors:

  General Electric

  Marine Turbine & Gear Engineer, 1100 Western Ave
  Lynn, MA  United States  01910
• Authors:
  • Horst, K M
• Publication Date: 1959-7-24

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 26 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Design; Fuel elements; Nuclear reactors
• Old TRIS Terms: Nuclear reactor accidents; Nuclear reactor design; Nuclear reactor fuel elements
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00026209
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: GEAP-3191
• Contract Numbers: AT(04-3)-189
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 4 1973 12:00AM