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DOE OSTI · 3029197

A LOCA Analysis Tool: Coupling RELAP5-3D to BISON

Gamble, Kyle A. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000284878077)·Vanwasshenova, Daniel J. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:000000027224777X)·Cornelius Vermaak, Jan Izak [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Tano Retamales, Mauricio Eduardo [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000334173869)·Hales, Jason D. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000308360476)
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Abstract

Experimental evidence illustrates that at burnups slightly above the current regulatory limit of a rod-averaged burnup of 62 MWd/kgU, the ceramic UO 2 inside light-water reactor fuel rods becomes susceptible to a phenomenon known as fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal (FFRD) during a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) transient. The severity of FFRD is strongly influenced by the zirconium-based (Zircaloy) cladding behavior during the LOCA transient. A Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) project was awarded to an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)/Idaho National Laboratory team to create a LOCA analysis tool that couples BISON to the systems/thermal-hydraulics code RELAP5-3D [1] for analysis of LOCA scenarios. In addition, further refinements to existing BISON models were identified as necessary to more accurately represent more recent experimental evidence from the Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project (SCIP) and other experimental programs.

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BibTeXRIS

Gamble, Kyle A. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000284878077), Vanwasshenova, Daniel J. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:000000027224777X), Cornelius Vermaak, Jan Izak [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Tano Retamales, Mauricio Eduardo [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000334173869), Hales, Jason D. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000308360476). 2025-03-31. A LOCA Analysis Tool: Coupling RELAP5-3D to BISON. https://doi.org/10.2172/3029197

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