A generalized failure map for fuel elements subject to a power pulse

This paper reviews the various power pulse tests that have been conducted in research reactors over the past three decades and summarizes the dominant fuel failure modes that that have been observed in these tests. A map of failure limits for Zircaloy-clad uranium dioxide fuel is developed using physically based analytical models. This failure map is used to assess the experimental data from the power pulse tests. It is shown that the fuel failure map provides a good basis for establishing criteria that demarcate the observed fuel failure modes for the various fuel designs that have been used in these tests.