Analytical study of the cladding corrosion effect on the failure limit of SPERT-CDC Test 859 by using FEMAXI-7 and RANNS Codes

Taniguchi, Yoshinori 

In the current Japanese regulation concerning fuel safety, a part of Japanese PCMI failure criteria was determined based on the result of SPERT-CDC test 859 (SPERT859). In this study, the corrosion formed on the cladding outer surface of SPERT859 test rod and the fuel enthalpy increase at PCMI failure of the test rod under the corrosion condition were estimated by using fuel performance codes FEMAXI-7 and RANNS. The result of FEMAXI-7 indicated that the cladding of the test rod had probably excessive corrosion in consideration of the effect of pellet swelling. The result of RANNS suggested that the fuel enthalpy at failure of SPERT859 was affected by the excessive corrosion on the cladding of the test rod.