Model HTGR fuel elements were exposed to various concentrations of steam while being irradiated under several sets of temperature conditions in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor. In one test, catalysis by iron impurities in the graphite casing of the fuel element caused a highly localized attack on the graphite by the steam; this resulted in the formation of deep pits in the casing. Furthermore, the iron impurities were sufficiently mobile to cause pitting attack on the pyrolytic carbon coatings of the fuel particles as well. The presence of steam induced a rapid increase in the release of gaseous fission products. However, the cessation of steam ingress in the primary system resulted in a pronounced, but correspondingly smaller, reduction in the level of gaseous release. The incidence of fuel failure was greater than anticipated; however, even though the coatings of greater than 30% of the fuel had failed, the release of fission products beyond the fuel element itself was largely confined to iodine and the noble gases. A novel mode of fuel failure was observed under the rather severe conditions of the tests; this involved the attack of the pyrolytic carbon coatings on intact particles by uncoated fragments of uranium fuel kernel material from failed particles. (ERA citation 04:030038)
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