Testing pellet-cladding interaction.

摘要

A method and apparatus for testing characteristics of interaction of nuclear fuel pellets (12) with nuclear reactor fuel rod cladding (10) establishes a temperature profile within a nuclear fuel rod which is closely modelled on that found during operation in a nuclear reactor. To this end, high frequency microwave radiation from sources (24, 26) is used to heat the fuel pellets (12) within the cladding (10), using the cladding itself as a waveguide. Sensors (40, 42) monitor various operating parameters and a water jacket (16) cools the test cladding (10).