Observations of Irradiated Fuel Behavior Under Simulated Accident Heating Conditions
- 1 October 1975
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Nuclear Technology
- Vol. 27 (2) , 267-272
- https://doi.org/10.13182/nt75-a24294
Abstract
Modifications to the direct electrical heating apparatus have enabled it to be used successfully to heat irradiated mixed-oxide fuel pellets to melting in an α-γ hot cell. For this purpose, a fuel extrusion device was constructed to remove irradiated fuel from its cladding. Proof-testing was successfully conducted using two UO2-20 wt% PuO2 pellets irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II to 3.25 at.% burnup at ∼ 3.05 kW/m (∼10 kW/ft). The sequence of events leading to fuel failure—namely, melting, swelling, and fragmentation—agree with observations from inreactor accident simulations.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: