Phenomena identification ranking tables for accident tolerant fuel designs applicable to severe accident conditions

Khatib-Rahbar, M.*; Barrachin, M.*; Denning, R.*; Gabor, J.*; Gauntt, R.*; Herranz, L. E.*; Hobbins, R.*; Jacquemain, D.*; 丸山 結; Metcalf, J.*; et al.

NUREG/CR-7282, ERI/NRC 21-204 (Internet), 160 Pages, 2021/04

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing to accept anticipated licensing applications for the commercial use of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) in commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. It is the objective of the NRC to evaluate the effects of ATF designs on severe accident behavior, and to determine potential changes to the NRC severe accident analysis computer codes that would simulate plant conditions using ATFs commensurate with the accuracy in accident analyses involving conventional fuels. This report documents the development of Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRTs) for near-term ATFs under severe accident conditions in light water reactors (LWRs). The PIRTs were developed by a panel of experts for various near-term ATF design concepts (i.e., FeCrAl cladding, zirconium alloy cladding coated with chromium, and CrO dopants in uranium dioxide fuels) in addition to the impacts from fuel enrichment and burnup. Panel members also considered the severe accident implications of the longer-term ATF concepts. The main figures-of-merit considered in this ranking process are the amount of fission products released into the containment and the quantity of combustible gases generated during an accident. Special focus is given to whether existing severe accident codes and models would be sufficient as applied to LWRs employing these fuels, and whether additional experimental studies or model development would be warranted.