Abstract
Models are developed for predicting the rate and total amount of nuclear fuel discharged through a hole in the cladding of a failed fuel pin within which fuel degradation has occurred. Outside the fuel pin the fuel/fission gas release takes the form of a high-momentum fission gas jet submerged in the exterior metal (Pb) coolant stream, containing the hot escaped fuel plus entrained metal coolant drops. A model of this jet is constructed and used to address two phenomena of concern: (i) mixing of the expelled fuel with the entrained metal coolant drops within the fission gas jet resulting in rapid boiling of the metal and a local vapor explosion and/or a temporary reversal of the local metal coolant flow, and (ii) a severe gas blanketing effect due to the impingement of fuel-heated-metal-coolant drops upon a neighboring fuel pin.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
