Crack formation in cladding under LOCA quench conditions

Wu, H.; Udagawa, Yutaka  ; Narukawa, Takafumi ; Amaya, Masaki  

Loss-of-Coolant-Accident (LOCA) is a design basis accident that is considered in the safety analyses for LWR. This paper discusses crack formation in one-side oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding with LOCA one-side oxidation quench experimental data. The experimental data suggest that the order of cracks formed in cladding during LOCA quench conditions should be, first in the alpha-Zr(O) layer, and then in the oxide, finally in the prior-beta layer when the fracture of cladding occurs. Both the experimental data and RANNS computation suggest that the formation of crack in the oxide could be related to the heat capacity inside the cladding and off-center pellets during quench.