TY - GEN
T1 - Analysis of the FECR Al accident tolerant fuel concept benefits during BWR station blackout accidents
AU - Robb, K. R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright (2015) by American Nuclear Society All rights reserved.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are being considered for fuel concepts with enhanced accident tolerance. FeCrAl alloys have very slow oxidation kinetics and good strength at high temperatures. FeCrAl could be used for fuel cladding in light water reactors and/or as channel box material in boiling water reactors (BWRs). To estimate the potential safety gains afforded by the FeCrAl concept, the MELCOR code was used to analyze a range of postulated station blackout severe accident scenarios in a BWR/4 reactor employing FeCrAl. The simulations utilize the most recently known thermophysical properties and oxidation kinetics for FeCrAl. Overall, when compared to the traditional Zircaloy-based cladding and channel box, the FeCrAl concept provides a few extra hours of time for operators to take mitigating actions and/or for evacuations to take place. A coolable core geometry is retained longer, enhancing the ability to stabilize an accident. Finally, due to the slower oxidation kinetics, substantially less hydrogen is generated, and the generation is delayed in time. This decreases the amount of noncondensable gases in containment and the potential for deflagrations to inhibit the accident response.
AB - Iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are being considered for fuel concepts with enhanced accident tolerance. FeCrAl alloys have very slow oxidation kinetics and good strength at high temperatures. FeCrAl could be used for fuel cladding in light water reactors and/or as channel box material in boiling water reactors (BWRs). To estimate the potential safety gains afforded by the FeCrAl concept, the MELCOR code was used to analyze a range of postulated station blackout severe accident scenarios in a BWR/4 reactor employing FeCrAl. The simulations utilize the most recently known thermophysical properties and oxidation kinetics for FeCrAl. Overall, when compared to the traditional Zircaloy-based cladding and channel box, the FeCrAl concept provides a few extra hours of time for operators to take mitigating actions and/or for evacuations to take place. A coolable core geometry is retained longer, enhancing the ability to stabilize an accident. Finally, due to the slower oxidation kinetics, substantially less hydrogen is generated, and the generation is delayed in time. This decreases the amount of noncondensable gases in containment and the potential for deflagrations to inhibit the accident response.
KW - ATF
KW - Accident tolerant fuel
KW - FeCrAl
KW - MELCOR
KW - Severe accidents
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84962763599&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84962763599
T3 - International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics 2015, NURETH 2015
SP - 1183
EP - 1195
BT - International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics 2015, NURETH 2015
PB - American Nuclear Society
T2 - 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2015
Y2 - 30 August 2015 through 4 September 2015
ER -