In-cell Re-fabrication and Loss-of-coolant Accident (LOCA) Testing of High Burnup Commercial Spent Fuel

Abstract

A high burnup commercial spent fuel segment was re-fabricated into a pressurized test train for fuel safety testing in the Irradiated Fuels and Examination Laboratory (IFEL) hot cell facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Descriptions of the in-cell re-fabrication capabilities and assembly of the loss-ofcoolant-accident (LOCA) test train are provided. An in-cell integral LOCA test was performed in the Severe Accident Test Station (SATS) by subjecting the fuel segment to a steam environment, internal pressure, temperatures up to 1200ºC, and water quench. The successful in-cell re-fabrication and integral LOCA demonstration test restores a domestic capability for out-of-pile integral fuel safety testing. In addition, this work establishes the SATS system as a vital tool for evaluation of commercial spent fuel and future accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concepts subject to design basis accident (DBA) and beyond design basis accident (BDBA) scenarios. In-cell Re-fabrication and Loss-of-coolant Accident (LOCA) Testing of High Burnup Commercial Spent Fuel vi

Steam Oxidation and Burst Testing in the Severe Accident Test Station

“…The ORNL laboratory equipment for steam oxidation equipment was expanded and made available to the entire ATF research community as the Severe Accident Test Station (SATS) in 2012 [5,15], including the capability to conduct the standard integral loss of coolant accident (LOCA) experiment [9]. A second SATS has now been deployed in an ORNL hot cell for handling irradiated specimens including reprocessed UO2/Zr fuel [16]. The goal of an ATF cladding is to enhance safety margins in light water reactors (LWR) during beyond design basis accident scenarios by identifying materials with steam oxidation rates that are 100× slower than current Zr-based alloys at ≥1200°C.…”

FY23 Post-LOCA Characterization of Irradiated Fuel (NSUF Award 17-12985)

“…This Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)-led Nuclear Science User Facility (NSUF) project aims to disposition the high burnup fuel fragmentation issue in light-water reactor (LWR) fuels by (1) performing simulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) testing in-cell and (2) analyzing additional information collected using reconditioned fuel in transient reactor conditions. The in-cell simulated LOCA transient testing of fuel segments was performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) 3525 hot cell facility in the Severe Accident Test Station (SATS) [1][2][3][4]. Simulated LOCA tests were performed on two segments of fuel irradiated in the North Anna Nuclear Power Station [4].…”