Thus far, existing computer programs have been adequate to predict the behavior of the loss-of-fluid test facility (LOFT) non-nuclear loss-of-coolant experiments. The work presented here describes a predictive capability for modeling nuclear experiments to determine if the same fuel can be used in several experiments. This is analogous to determining if fuel may be reused after a pressurized water reactor loss-of-coolant accident. We are concerned here with discussing only best-estimate calculations for experimental predictions and not the conservative models used for licensing. It was found that an adequate analysis procedure could be established by modeling accurately the fuel stored energy before the experiment is initiated. The initial stored energy in the fuel was found to be the most important fuel rod parameter influencing the maximum cladding temperature obtained in the transient.
