Facility Description: Investigate fission product release and transport during severe accident conditions in nuclear reactor
Test Identification: VERCORS 1 to 6 VERCORS HT-RT
SA-Related Topics / Phenomena: Measured Parameters: Release kinetics
Modelling: 1-1.5 bar; from RT to 2600°C; various atmosphere Ar, H2O (steam)/H2 (reducing or oxidising ratio), air, H2; irradiated and re-irradiated at low linear power (in order to recreate the short half-life FP) UO2 and MOX fuel
Simulation Code: ASTEC, AC2, MELCOR
Experimental Research Program: VERCORS
Link to PIRT: WP-1.5 ST-3, ST-5
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References: "[1] G. Ducros et al., « Fission product release under severe accidental conditions: general presentation of the program and synthesis of VERCORS 1–6 results », Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 208, no 2, p. 191‑203, sept. 2001, doi: 10.1016/S0029-5493(01)00376-4.
[2] Y. Pontillon et al., « Behaviour of fission products under severe PWR accident conditions VERCORS experimental programme—Part 1: General description of the programme », Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 240, no 7, p. 1843‑1852, juill. 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.06.028.
[3] Y. Pontillon et G. Ducros, « Behaviour of fission products under severe PWR accident conditions: The VERCORS experimental programme—Part 2: Release and transport of fission gases and volatile fission products », Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 240, no 7, p. 1853‑1866, juill. 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.06.024.
[4] Y. Pontillon et G. Ducros, « Behaviour of fission products under severe PWR accident conditions. The VERCORS experimental programme—Part 3: Release of low-volatile fission products and actinides », Nuclear Engineering and Design, vol. 240, no 7, p. 1867‑1881, juill. 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.06.025.
[5] G. Ducros et al., « Synthesis of the VERCORS experimental programme: Separate-effect experiments on Fission Product release, in support of the PHEBUS-FP programme », Annals of Nuclear Energy, vol. 61, p. 75‑87, nov. 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.anucene.2013.02.033.
[6] Y. Pontillon et al., « Lessons learnt from VERCORS tests.: Study of the active role played by UO2–ZrO2–FP interactions on irradiated fuel collapse temperature », Journal of Nuclear Materials, vol. 344, no 1, p. 265‑273, sept. 2005, doi: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2005.04.053
[7] A. Germain, « Etude de l’impact des équilibres chimiques locaux dans le combustible sur le terme source : de l’accidentel à la fusion du coeur », Thèse, vol. Université Aix-Marseille, 2022."
Comments: Test on dense fuel with original cladding; UO2 debris bed; UO2/ZrO2 debris bed Injection of boric acid
Contributed By: Y. Pontillon