Results from simulated LOCA experiments with high burnup PWR fuel claddings

Nagase, Fumihisa ; Fuketa, Toyoshi

A systematic research program is being conducted at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), which aims at a wide range database for evaluating the influence of further burnup extension on fuel behavior under LOCA conditions. As a part of the program, integral thermal shock tests simulating the whole LOCA sequence have been conducted with Zircaloy-4 fuel claddings, irradiated to 39 and 44GWd/t at a PWR. One cladding, oxidized to about 30% ECR, fractured during the quench. The fracture condition agrees with the fracture criteria for non-irradiated claddings that have similar hydrogen concentrations (about 25% ECR). Two claddings, oxidized to about 16 and 18% ECR, survived the quench, indicating that fracture/non-fracture boundary is not reduced so significantly by irradiation for the examined burnup range. The present paper describes information obtained from the tests including oxidation kinetics and rupture behavior.