Abstract

In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi
and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconium alloy fuel cladding materials are rapidly heated due
to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating
causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate
large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority
in accident management, an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) design may extend coping and recovery
time for operators to restore emergency power, and cooling, and achieve safe shutdown. An ATF
is required to possess high resistance to steam oxidation to reduce hydrogen generation and
sufficient mechanical strength to maintain fuel rod integrity and core cool ability.
Metallic clad ATF concept contain characterization of advanced steels as accident tolerant fuel
cladding for light water reactors, Development of MO-based accident tolerant LWR fuel
cladding, development of CO-pilgering process for manufacturing double clad tubes for accident
tolerant fuel.
Ferric alloys with sufficient amounts of Cr and Al additions can exhibit significantly lower
oxidation kinetics in high temperature steam environments when compared to Zr-based alloys.
Environmental test results show that FeCrAl alloys extremely resistant to attack by steam under
accident conditions. Molybdenum (Mo) is also a candidate of ATF because of its very high
melting point and its high strength at elevated temperatures.
Double clad tube is one of the prime concepts which have to be explored to develop ATF
cladding. Two different clad materials- one oxidant resistant (like FeCrAl) and the other, fuel
compatible (like Zr-4) constitute together as outer and inner tube to form ATF cladding.
Advanced ATF pellets involve micro-cell UO2 pellets and high density composite pellets for
accident tolerant fuel. Micro-cell UO2 pellets are characterized by enhanced retention capability
of their fission products and/or thermal conductivity. High-density pellets are composite pellets
consisting of oxide and nitride components and they are expected to offer enhanced uranium
density and thermal conductivity.
Si/C based ATF concept considers SiC/SiC composite-based accident tolerant LWR fuel
cladding and core structures. High purity and crystalline SiC fiber/SiC matrix ceramic matrix
composites (CMCs) are nuclear grade ceramic materials that do not undergo significant strength
degradation up to at least many tons of dPa in neutron irradiation environments. Accordingly,
they have been active subjects of research for high-temperature and high dose applications such
as fusion reactor components. Given no degradation of strength up to at least 1400C and high-
temperature steam oxidation resistance, SiC/SiC CMCs are considered as attractive materials to
substitute Zr alloys as accident tolerant LWR fuel and core constituents.