Correlation of creep and swelling with fuel pin performance

The HEDL PNL-11 experiment described was one in a series of fueled subassemblies irradiated in EBR-II to demonstrate the adequacy of the FFTF fuel pin design. The cladding material, dimensions, and fuel density are prototypic of FFTF. Because neutron flux in EBR-II is lower than in FFTF, the uranium enrichment is higher in these experimental fuel pins, irradiated in EBR-II, than the FFTF enrichment for comparable linear heat rates. Some pertinent oprating conditions for the center fuel pin in this experiment are listed. This 37-pin subassembly represents, at 110,000 MWd/MTM, the highest burnup yet attained by a prototypic FFTF subassembly. Similarly, this is the highest fluence presently attained by prototypic fuel pins. A cladding breach occurred in one fuel pin which is presently being examined. Results are presented and discussed.