Fuel and Coolant Motions Following Pin Failure: EPIC Models and the PBE-5S Experiment

摘要

The EPIC computer code has been used to analyze the post-fuel-pin-failure behavior in the PBE-5S experiment performed at Sandia Laboratories. The effects of modeling uncertainties on the calculation are examined. The calculations indicate that the majority of the piston motion observed in the test is due to the initial pressurization of the coolant channel by fuel vapor at cladding failure. A more definitive analysis requires improvements in calculational capabilities and experiment diagnostics. (ERA citation 04:040935)