Thermal-hydraulically controlled blowdown tests in the experimental facility COSIMA to study PWR fuel behavior: experimental and theoretical results

The fuel behavior in the blow-down phase of a LOCA is of importance for fuel rods with high internal pressure and high rod power, because of the effects on clad failure of the small cladding deformations occurring. The operating results of the COSIMA facility show that, on the basis of the new developments for measuring technique and fuel rod simulators performed, reactor relevant blow-down performances can be conducted in a controlled and reproduceable manner. The mechanical and thermal-hydraulic states occurring in the test bed may be subject to computational checking. This permits on one hand to improve the computing models and on the other yields a confirmation of the high state of development of the available computer codes. Therefore it appears that, with the results from COSIMA and the associated theoretical work in the field of the blow-down process, difficult to treat experimentally, an essential contribution to verifying the models for accident calculations is given. The work scheduled for the next about 1 1/2 years will serve to further support the rather preliminary results and to extend the range of then application. (orig.)