Research Needs to Resolve Pending LOCA Issues

Alain MAILLIAT, Claude GRANDJEAN, Bernard CLEMENT. Colloquium on High Burnup Fuels for LWRs. January 23, 2003 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Studies performed in IPSN and elsewhere pointed out that high burnup may induce specific effects under LOCA conditions, especially those related with fuel relocation. Uncertainties exist regarding how much these effects might affect the late evolution of the accident transient and the associated safety issues. IPSN estimates that a better knowledge of specific phenomena is required in order to resolve the pending uncertainties related to LOCA criteria.