Fuel Rod Behavior in a Nine-Rod Bundle Tested in Film Boiling

摘要

Effects of film boiling on fuel rod behavior determined from posttest examination of the first nine-rod bundle test (Test PCM-5) conducted in the Power Burst Facility (PBF) are presented. The power-cooling-mismatch test was designed primarily to investigate the film boiling behavior of a fuel rod surrounded by other rods in film boiling, i.e., a center rod in an environment believed to be representative of that of a power reactor rod during a period of overpower or low flow operation. Secondary objectives were to investigate possible rod-to-rod film boiling propagation, and rod-to-rod failure propagation; and to provide baseline data on operation and response of bundles for future PBF bundle tests. (ERA citation 04:038796)