Development of a criterion for assessment of fuel washout during operation of WWER power units

Abstract

Fuel failures may occur during operation of nuclear power plants. One of the possible and most severe consequences of a fuel failure is that fuel may be washed out from the leaking fuel rod into the coolant. Reliable detection of fuel washout is important for handling of leaking fuel assemblies after irradiation is over. Detection of fuel washout is achievable in the framework of coolant activity evaluation during reactor operation. For this purpose, 134I activity is historically used in WWER power units. However, observed 134I activity may increase during operation even if leaking fuel in the core is absent, and fuel deposits are the only source of the fission products release. The paper describes a criterion which enables to reveal the cases when the increase in 134I activity results from the fuel washout from the leaking fuel rods during operation of the WWER-type reactor. Some examples of applications at nuclear power plants are discussed.