Avoiding blastout during shutdown with leaking oxide fuel at high power density

During summer 1959, GETR had a wild time with blastout of a leaking oxide fuel element that had center melting. On July 20, 1962, a recurrence was avoided by following the following Leyse procedure.

I addressed this note to Kornblith with a copy to Thorburn. Thorburn sent it to O’Rourke who sent it to Akin who returned it to O’Rourke with his note. The copy came back to me and I filed it.
This procedure made life a lot easier at GETR on July 20, 1962, when test fuel operating at very high power density developed a leak. When the fuel was removed from the PWL, a large blasted zone was not present, although the added fission products were released during removal of the fuel.
As usual, the regulators (then the AEC) did not appreciate initiative from the GETR staff as they followed this guidance. An inspector asked, “Are the operators afraid to scram this reactor?”

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