Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The influence of radiation on the corrosion of the fuel claddings in a Light Water Reactor (LWR) has been the subject of many investigations, and different aspects of the overall phenomena have been studied by different techniques. Analysis of the evolution of Secondary-Phase Particles (SPPs) for different periods of immersion of the cladding in the reactor enables the rate of corrosion to the structure of the material to be correlated. In the case of Zircaloy-2 in a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), SPPs are dissolved under irradiation, and their dissolution affects the rate of oxidation and other correlated phenomena. In recent studies, the Zircaloy-2 in claddings loaded in the Leibstadt BWR are analysed after one, three and five cycles. Results are presented, and give an account of the changes which occurred in the materials under irradiation. ...
2000-07-01
Effects of irradiation on the microstructural evolution and corrosion resistance of zirconium alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4 tubing materials were irradiated with 1 MeV proton at 350 degrees C to doses of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 dpa respectively. Both microstructure examination and nodular corrosion test (500 degrees C, 1500 psi steam) were performed in order to understand the relationship between the microstructural evolution and the corrosion resistance of these alloys under irradiation. Neutron-irradiated Zircaloy-2 specimens which were obtained from a failed BWR fuel rod cladding were also studied. Specimens of three different neutron fluences were investigated; namely, 2.6x10"2"4, 3.2x10"2"5, 3.8x10"2"5, (E_n#>=#1MeV). The results indicated that the higher the irradiation dose the better the nodular corrosion resistance of both Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4. It is concluded that irradiation-induced precipitate dissolution and ...
1991-08-25
The effect of annealing parameter on corrosion resistance of Zircaloy-2
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The effects of equal #SIGMA#Ai for different combinations of the annealing temperature and annealing time on corrosion resistance and evolution of precipitates of Zircaloy-2 were investigated. Nodular corrosion resistance in the out-of-pile corrosion test was degraded with increasing #SIGMA#Ai only when it was increased by extending the annealing time at 894 K but did not depend on #SIGMA#Ai which was increased by raising the annealing temperature for a constant annealing time of 2.5 h. Extensive observation and micro-analysis of precipitates by analytical electron microscope (AEM) suggested the cause of degradation of nodular corrosion resistance to be the remarkable increase in volume fraction of Si-containing precipitates such as Zr_3Si and Zr_2Si, which were observed more frequently in large #SIGMA#Ai only when it was increased by extending the annealing time at 894 K. On the other hand, uniform corrosion resistance was improved with ...
Nickel alloy clad steel plate for flue gas desulfurization applications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The use of nickel alloys in Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) applications is described. Recently, nickel alloys 625 and C-276 have been clad to carbon steel plate. Production and properties of the clad plate are reviewed and a brief discussion is presented on production, fabrication and welding. Laboratory and field corrosion tests in SO/sub 2/ scrubber environments suggest that alloy 625 and C-276 clad steel plates are as corrosion resistant as the solid alloy plate.
1987-01-01
Mode theory of the plasma cladding waveguide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The plasma cladding waveguide, which is a cylindrical dielectric core surrounded by a plasma cladding, is developed, and the guided modes and their characteristics of this waveguide are displayed through the present detailed theoretical research. The conditions of the single mode existing in the plasma cladding waveguide have been given, and the defined forbidden gap of frequency is discussed. It is found that the usage characteristics of the plasma cladding waveguide vary strongly with plasma frequency, and changing the plasma parameters can control the propagation mode. This paper focuses on exhibiting the basic characteristics and the potential applications of this new type of waveguide.
2007-04-07
Study of Zircaloy-2 corrosion in high temperature water using ion beam methods
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Experiments have been carried out in water at 355 C to study transport of oxygen and hydrogen (as deuterium) in growing corrosion films. Composition of the films was also examined in 2.9 Mev and 3.9 Mev /alpha/-particle backscattering experiments. Corrosion occurs predominantly by oxygen diffusion through the film via grain boundary or similar short circuit diffusion paths, to form fresh oxide at the oxide metal interface. Increasing grain size within thick pre-breakaway films contributes to a decrease in diffusivity. The rate transition results from the generation of new diffusion pathways in previously protective oxide. Unexpectedly high concentrations of deuterium were observed. 26 refs.
1981-10-01
Evaluation method for corrosion resistance of zirconium alloy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The present invention concerns a method of evaluating corrosion resistance of a zirconium alloy easily and in a short period of time. An anode polarization curve of the zirconium alloy is measured to obtain an anode polarization curve expressed by logarithm. The curve is converted to a potential-current density curve expressed by absolute values. The peak area in the curve of the converted potential-current density is indicated by numerical values. Further, the corrosion resistance of the zirconium alloy is evaluated based on the peak area converted into the numerical values as a reference. This method is based on the finding that the peak area has a close relation with nodular corrosion resistance, and the corrosion resistance can be judged with respect to a specific zircaloy-2. (T.M.).
1993-03-26
Measurement of reactor tube cladding thickness by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
An x-ray fluorescence spectrometer was designed and fabricated which nondestructively determines the thickness of aluminum cladding at small suspected thin spots in the inner or outer surface of actinide reactor tubes. The analysis method is based on the difference in absorption of actinide L/sub #alpha#/ and L/sub #beta#/ fluorescent x-rays in passing through the cladding. Calibration plots of the logarithm of the L/sub #beta#//L/sub #alpha#/ x-ray intensity ratio versus cladding thickness are linear to at least 40 mils for U-Al, U_3O_8-Al, and PuO_2-Al substrates. Accuracy and precision of the experimentally determined cladding thickness and evaluated for both uranium and plutonium substrates. Experimental thickness data are reported for 618 quality assurance analyses on six Mark 41 PuO_2-Al target tubes. An x-ray fluorescence cladding thickness monitor operated with a ...
1978-01-01
Diffusion Zink Planting of Steels
International Science & Technology Center (ISTC)
Research on Diffusion Zinc Cladding of Structural Steels, as Well as Their Mechanical and Corrosion Properties to Replace Their Cyanic Cadmium Plating
Corrosion issues in the long term storage of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuels
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Approximately 8% of the spent nuclear fuel owned by the US Department of Energy is clad with aluminum alloys. The spent fuel must be either reprocessed or temporarily stored in wet or dry storage systems until a decision is made on final disposition in a repository. There are corrosion issues associated with the aluminum cladding regardless of the disposition pathway selected. This paper discusses those issues and provides data and analysis to demonstrate that control of corrosion induced degradation in aluminum clad spent fuels can be achieved through relatively simple engineering practices.
1996-03-24
FFTF criteria for run-to-cladding-breach experiments
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor, which is designed to test a variety of different structural and fuel materials. A safety analysis is performed for each experiment that is irradiated in FFTF. The FFTF final safety analysis report (FSAR) assumed that all driver fuel assemblies would maintain cladding integrity during normal operations and all design transients. Maintenance of cladding integrity retains three barriers to any fission gas release to the public and also prevents any potential contact between the fuel and coolant. Experiments are, in general, expected to meet the same criterion. Selected experiments can, however, be classified as run-to-cladding-breach experiments (RTCB). The purpose of this paper is to describe alternative acceptance criteria for RTCB experiments that they feel provide protection equivalent to the maintenance of cladding integrity.
1986-06-15
Studies on the CRUD Deposition on Fuel Cladding Surface Using AOA Water Chemistry Loop
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Axial offset anomaly (AOA) is caused by the deposition of crud on the fuel cladding of a PWR. When significant levels of crud build up on the cladding, boron can accumulate in the pores of the crud as a concentrated solution or solid phase, and cause the flux depression. Numerous studies have been conducted on the primary water chemistry to reduce the amount of crud in the primary circuit to avoid radioactivity buildup and unexpected power transition in the plant. However, experiments on the crud are restricted in the laboratory because the crud is a highly radioactive material. The objective of this study is to develop a test method for simulating the deposition of crud in a nuclear power plant
2010-10-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The paper provides a brief description of the fuel characterization for Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) and Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). The development and characterization of mechanical properties of Alloy D9 clad and wrapper tubes are discussed. The problems associated with fusion welding of Alloy D9 are outlined. Non-destructive characterization of cladding tubes by optimum encircling eddy current probes, on-line and off-line neural network methods is presented. Both the on-line and off-line neural network methods could readily detect and size defects specified by the designers
2004-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An Fe-19Cr-8Al-0.5Hf alloy has been roll bonded to Alloy 800 to form a protective clad material suitable for use in coal conversion atmospheres. The commercial producibility of both the Fe-19Cr-8Al-0.5Hf alloy and the clad composite has been demonstrated. The clad composite has been shown to exhibit resistance to sulfidation in high sulfur, coal gasification atmospheres low Btu for 2000 hrs at 1800/sup 0/F (1255K). The FeCrAlHf alloy must be preoxidized in the absence of sulfur to form fully protective alumina scales on all surfaces. Useful life of the composite at temperatures of 1400 to 2000/sup 0/F (1033 to 1366K) is governed by reactions at the FeCrAlHf clad alloy 800 interface. The rate of interdiffusion decreases with increasing Ni content and a high Ni alloy such as RA333 appears to be a better substrate than Alloy 800 for a FeCrAlHf composite. The mechanical properties of the ...
1981-12-01
Part Repairing Using A Hybrid Manufacturing System (Preprint ...
... [11]Richter, K., Orban, S., and Nowotny, S., Laser cladding of the titanium alloy TI6242 to restore damaged blades, Proceedings of the 23rd ...
2007-03-01
Technical development of double-clad process for thin strip casting of carbon steel
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report documents the technical development for a patent disclosure of a double-clad process for the continuous casting of thin-strip carbon steel. The fundamental idea of the disclosure is to form a product strip by depositing molten steel between two, cooled, clad strips of the same material. The claimed benefits include: (a) the conservation of energy in steel making through the elimination of soaking pits and reheat cycles, and (b) an improved surface on both sides of the as-cast product such that it will be suitable for direct feed to a cold-reduction mill. However, the process as conceived is not necessarily limited to the casting of carbon steel, but may be also applied to other metals and alloys. The work is described under three headings as follows. Preliminary Considerations and Scoping Analysis presents the basic idea of the double-clad, thin-strip casting process; the energy conservation potential; scoping ...
1984-08-01
PFB Coal Fired Combined Cycle Development Program: turbine materials evaluation, March 1980
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report presents the results of cladding technology development under the Coal-Fired Combined Cycle DOE Project. Clad Alloy Development, involved the selection, fabrication and burner rig evaluation of advanced clad alloy composition diffusion-bonded to IN-738. Testing was conducted for up to 5800 hours at 1600/sup 0/F in a simulated PFB environment. Metallographic evaluation showed Co-base cladding alloys PFB-5PM and PFB-6PM (aluminided) and Fe-base alloy GE-2541 to be the most corrosion resistant. The formability and fabricability of sheet material was significantly improved for these alloys by utilizing powder metallurgy techniques. Clad Process Development encompassed processing activities to evaluate sheet alloy formability, bucket surface preparation techniques, platform clad forming, and the activated diffusion bonding (ADB) of corrosion resistant ...
1980-03-01
PFB Coal Fired Combined Cycle Development Program: turbine materials evaluation, March 1980
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report presents the results of cladding technology development under the Coal-Fired Combined Cycle DOE Project for the period July 1976 through June 1978. Sub-task 3.1, Clad Alloy Development, involved the selection, fabrication and burner rig evaluation of advanced clad alloy compositions diffusion-bonded to IN-738. Testing was conducted for up to 5800 hours at 1600/sup 0/F in a simulated PFB environment. Metallographic evaluation showed Co-base cladding alloys PFB-5PM and PFB-6PM (aluminided) and Fe-base alloy GE-2541 to be the most corrosion resistant. The formability and fabricability of sheet material was significantly improved for these alloys by utilizing powder metallurgy techniques. Sub-task 3.2, Clad Process Development, encompassed processing activities to evaluate sheet alloy formability, bucket surface preparation techniques, platform clad ...
1980-03-01
... The structure comprises piled foundations supporting a steel frame, and is clad in both masonry and rainscreen cladding systems. The hotel is adjacent to the recently redeveloped bus station in the centre of Norwich. Related Services Structural Design Go View all Services Find Projects Sector All Sectors Buildings & Infrastructure Environment Natural Resources Transportation Sub Sector All Sub-Sectors Country All Countries Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Total hemispherical emittance was measured for the SP-100 reactor fuel cladding alloy (Nb-l% Zr). Based on a standard test method (ASTM C 835-82), experiments were conducted on a reference sample of oxidized stainless steel and then on a sample of actual cladding. The sample is heated in a vacuum by passing DC current through it until reaching equilibrium. Measurements are made of the electrical power dissipated in the sample and of the surface temperature. Using the Stefan-Boltzmann Law and some key assumptions concerning conductive and radiative heat transfer, the measured quantities are used to calculate emittance. Calculated values for unoxidized cladding range from 0.159 +/- 5.35% at 913 K to 0.200 +/- 4.51% at 1091 K. Highest value measured after onset of visible oxidation was 0.339 +/- 3.92% at 1269 K.... SP-100, Reactor, Emittance, Niobium, Fuel cladding, Emissivity.
1992-12-01
Breached fuel location in FFTF by delayed neutron monitor triangulation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) features a three-loop, sodium-cooled 400 MWt mixed oxide fueled reactor designed for the irradiation testing of fuels and materials for use in liquid metal cooled fast reactors. To establish the ultimate capability of a particular fuel design and thereby generate information that will lead to improvements, many of the fuel irradiations are continued until a loss of cladding integrity (failure) occurs. When the cladding fails, fission gas escapes from the fuel pin and enters the reactor cover gas system. If the cladding failure permits the primary sodium to come in contact with the fuel, recoil fission products can enter the sodium. The presence of recoil fission products in the sodium can be detected by monitoring for the presence of delayed neutrons in the coolant. It is the present philosophy to not operate FFTF when a failure has occurred that permits fission fragments to enter the ...
1985-11-10
Advanced Fuel/Cladding Testing Capabilities in the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The ability to test advanced fuels and cladding materials under reactor operating conditions in the United States is limited. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the newly expanded post-irradiation examination (PIE) capability at the ORNL Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory provide unique support for this type of advanced fuel/cladding development effort. The wide breadth of ORNL's fuels and materials research divisions provides all the necessary fuel development capabilities in one location. At ORNL, facilities are available from test fuel fabrication, to irradiation in HFIR under either thermal or fast reactor conditions, to a complete suite of PIEs, and to final product disposal. There are very few locations in the world where this full range of capabilities exists. New testing capabilities at HFIR have been developed that allow testing of advanced nuclear fuels and ...
2009-09-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The addition of rhenium clad pins to the FSP-1R test matrix is shown in this revision. Also attached are other updates to the TDD-IB, Part 1.
1989-12-20
Study of nuclear materials by neutron scattering.
Following studies on fiber and sheet texture of hexagonal crystal system in 1988, work has been extended to tube texture. Using the zircaloy-4 fuel cladding of Wolsung-type reactor as specimen, six pole figures for different crystallographic planes were m...
1990-01-01
Metallography of pitted aluminum-clad, depleted uranium fuel
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The storage of aluminum-clad fuel and target materials in the L-Disassembly Basin at the Savannah River Site for more than 5 years has resulted in extensive pitting corrosion of these materials. In many cases the pitting corrosion of the aluminum clad has penetrated in the uranium metal core, resulting in the release of plutonium, uranium, cesium-137, and other fission product activity to the basin water. In an effort to characterize the extent of corrosion of the Mark 31A target slugs, two unirradiated slug assemblies were removed from basin storage and sent to the Savannah River Technology Center for evaluation. This paper presents the results of the metallography and photographic documentation of this evaluation. The metallography confirmed that pitting depths varied, with the deepest pit found to be about 0.12 inches (3.05 nun). Less than 2% of the aluminum cladding was found to be breached resulting in less than 5% of ...
1994-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Information is presented concerning GCFR design and limiting faulted events; selection of PC-5 temperature limit; and verification test programs.
1980-02-01
Characterization of spent fuel approved testing material--ATM-104
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The characterization data obtained to date are described for Approved Testing Material 104 (ATM-104), which is spent fuel from Assembly DO47 of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (Unit 1), a pressurized-water reactor. This report is one in a series being prepared by the Materials Characterization Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on spent fuel ATMs. The ATMs are receiving extensive examinations to provide a source of well-characterized spent fuel for testing in the US Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program. ATM-104 consists of 128 full-length irradiated fuel rods with rod-average burnups of about 42 MWd/kgM and expected fission gas release of about 1%. A variety of analyses were performed to investigate cladding characteristics, radionuclide inventory, and redistribution of fission products. Characterization data include (1) fabricated fuel design, irradiation history, and subsequent storage and handling ...
1991-12-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The applicability of the thermal response of an electrically heated simulated rod mostly used in loss-of-coolant-accident (LOCA) experiments to that of a nuclear fuel rod is a concern for the safety evaluation of a reactor. The present analysis describes the characteristics of the thermal response for both electrically heated and nuclear fuel rods during typical reflood conditions for a PWR-LOCA. A model describing the radial temperature field in the rod is developed based on the scheme in HETRAP code by Malang and incorporated into a reflood analysis code, REFLA for that purpose. The calculations applied to the existing reflood tests gave good agreement with experiments, showing the validity of the present model. The analysis has shown that the nuclear fuel rod tends to give a lower clad temperature and a sooner quench time than the electrically heated rod in a typical reflood condition, due to the smaller gap heat transfer and smaller heat capacity of the ...
Analysis of in-pile heat transfer tests: Final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report presents the results of analysis of selected data from the NRU test series dealing with heatup and reflood heat transfer during postulated PWR LOCA conditions. These tests used nuclear fuel rods and some considered clad ballooning and rupture. Also included was an electrically-heated rod ballooning test, REBEKA-6. The COBRA-TF computer program, renamed PYTHONS, was modified and used for the analytical tool. Modifications included provisions for fuel rod gas flow and pressure, creep deformation and rupture, channel blockage, and blockage heat transfer. Calculated clad temperatures for NRU unpressurized rods show quite good agreement with experimental data. The calculated amount and axial extent of clad ballooning for pressurized rods agrees reasonably well with post-test examinations of the NRU bundles. Time to failure was underpredicted in the MT-3 test as a result of the high strength of NRU ...
1986-11-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This study does not recommend the use of a pressure vessel made of integral stainless steel, due to the failure mechanisms under stress corrosion assisted by chlorides or polythionic acid. Are presented case studies of literature and analysis of reports of proceedings of RLAM reactors, showing that the materials produced by bimetallic clad overlay or are more appropriate, in terms of integrity, for use in equipment that the internal environment requires austenitic stainless steel specification.
2008-07-01
Dependence of laser assisted cleaning of clad surfaces on the laser fluence
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The decontamination factor is studied as a function of laser fluence for three kinds of clad surfaces viz., plain zircaloy, autoclaved zircaloy and SS with cesium as the test contamination. It has been found that the decontamination factor exhibits a maximal behaviour with the laser fluence and its maximum value occurs at different laser fluences in the three cases. The maximal behaviour is attributed to reduced coupling of energy from the laser beam to the substrate due to the initiation of surface-assisted optical breakdown. The results obtained in the experiment carried out in helium environment qualitatively support this explanation (author)
2005-11-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) plays a major role in ensuring the safe and reliable operation of PHWRs which are the mainstay of India's nuclear power programme. An important in-service inspection (ISI) requirement in these reactors is carried out through Eddy Current Testing (ECT) of the pressure tube (PT)/calandria tube (CT) assemblies. The material of construction of these assemblies is zircaloy-2. The two main objectives of this ISI are the detection of garter spring between CT and PT and the profiling of gap between CT and PT. The paper discusses the work carried out at the authors' laboratory on the development of ECT probes for ISI of PT/CT assemblies. Emphasis has been given on the work done on the design and optimisation of the probes using computer modeling. A 2-D finite element code has been developed for this purpose. The code is developed around a diffusion equation which can be derived from Maxwell's equations governing the ...
1991-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In order to obtain highly reliable InGaP/InGaAlP inner stripe (IS) lasers, the authors have clarified the relation between the maximum CW operation temperature and other laser characteristics, such as the pulsed threshold current, characteristic temperature, series resistance, and thermal resistance. The Al composition of the cladding layer, the carrier concentration of the p-cladding layer, and the thicknesses of the active layer and cladding layer have been optimized. It was found that an Al composition of 0.7 was the most suitable for the cladding layer, and the optimized carrier concentration was 4 x 10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/. A maximum temperature of 90/sup 0/C was obtained for a 0.1 /mu/m active layer thickness and a 0.6 /mu/m cladding layer thickness. This is the highest value for InGaP/InGaAlP IS lasers, to our knowledge. In the case of a 0.06 /mu/m active layer thickness and a ...
1989-06-01
SIMS study of compositional changes observed in a PuO_2 heat source cladding alloy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used to investigate changes that occur in an advanced Ir-0.3W alloy during high temperature aging. This alloy is used to clad "2"3"8PuO_2 heat sources used in thermoelectric generators for deep space reconnaissance satellites. Long-term direct contact with PuO_2 at 1400"0C leads to physical and chemical changes within the cladding alloy that affect its metallurgical properties. SIMS was used to show that Cr, Fe, Ni, and in some cases O, diffuse from the PuO_2 into the alloy. Thorium and aluminum diffuse out of the alloy in these same regions. This SIMS study suggests that inward O diffusion and subsequent formation of ThO_2 on grain boundaries may stabilize the alloy against enhanced grain growth.
1983-10-11
SIMS study of compositional changes observed in a PuO/sub 2/ heat source cladding alloy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used to investigate changes that occur in an advanced Ir-0.3W alloy during high temperature aging. This alloy is used to clad /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ heat sources used in thermoelectric generators for deep space reconnaissance satellites. Long-term direct contact with PuO/sub 2/ at 1400/sup 0/C leads to physical and chemical changes within the cladding alloy that affect its metallurgical properties. SIMS was used to show that Cr, Fe, Ni, and in some cases O, diffuse from the PuO/sub 2/ into the alloy. Thorium and aluminum diffuse out of the alloy in these same regions. This SIMS study suggests that inward O diffusion and subsequent formation of ThO/sub 2/ on grain boundaries may stabilize the alloy against enhanced grain growth.
1983-01-01
Reactor fuel cladding tube with excellent corrosion resistance and method of manufacturing the same
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The present invention provides a fuel cladding tube having an excellent corrosion resistance and thus a long life, and a suitable manufacturing method therefor. Namely, in the fuel cladding tube, the outer circumference of an inner layer made of a zirconium base alloy is coated with an outer layer made of a metal more corrosion resistant than the zirconium base alloy. Ti or a titanium alloy is suitable for the corrosion resistant metal. In addition, the outer layer can be coated by a method such as vapor deposition or plating, not limited to joining of the inner layer material and the outer layer material. Specifically, a composite material having an inner layer made of a zirconium alloy coated by the outer material made of a titanium alloy is applied with hot fabrication at a temperature within a range of from 500 to 850degC and at a fabrication rate of not less than 5%. The fabrication method includes any of extrusion, rolling, drawing, and ...
1993-07-14
Characterization of spent fuel approved testing material: ATM-106
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The characterization data obtained to date are described for Approved Testing Material (ATM)-106 spent fuel from Assembly BT03 of pressurized-water reactor Calvert Cliffs No. 1. This report is one in a series being prepared by the Materials Characterization Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory on spent fuel ATMs. The ATMs are receiving extensive examinations to provide a source of well- characterized spent fuel for testing in the US Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCWRM) program. ATM-106 consists of 20 full-length irradiated fuel rods with rod-average burnups of about 3700 GJ/kgM (43 MWd/kgM) and expected fission gas release of /approximately/10%. Characterization data include (1) as-fabricated fuel design, irradiation history, and subsequent storage and handling; (2) isotopic gamma scans; (3) fission gas analyses; (4) ceramography of the fuel and metallography of the cladding; (5) calculated nuclide inventories and ...
1988-10-01
Characterization of spent fuel approved testing material: ATM-103
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The characterization data obtained to date are described for Approved Testing Material (ATM)-103, which is spent fuel from Assembly D101 of pressurized-water reactor Calvert Cliffs, No. 1. This report is one in a series being written by the Materials Characterization Center (MCC) at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on spent fuel ATMs. The ATMs are receiving extensive examinations to provide a source of well-characterized spent fuel for testing in the US nuclear waste repository program. ATM-103 consists of 176 full-length irradiated fuel rods with rod-average burnups of about 2600 GJ/kgM (30 MWd/kgM) and less than 1% fission gas release. Characterization data include 1) as-fabricated fuel design, irradiation history, and subsequent storage and handling; 2) isotopic gamma scans; 3) fission gas analyses; 4) ceramography of the fuel and metallography of the cladding; 5) special fuels studies involving analytical transmission electron microscopy (AEM); 6) calculated ...
1988-04-01
Characterization of spent fuel approved testing material---ATM-105
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The characterization data obtained to data are described for Approved Testing Material 105 (ATM-105), which is spent fuel from Bundles CZ346 and CZ348 of the Cooper Nuclear Power Plant, a boiling-water reactor. This report is one in a series being prepared by the Materials Characterization Center at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on spent fuel ATMs. The ATMs are receiving extensive examinations to provide a source of well-characterized spent fuel for testing in the US Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program. ATM-105 consists of 88 full-length irradiated fuel rods with rod-average burnups of about 2400 GJ/kgM (28 MWd/kgM) and expected fission gas release of about 1%. Characterization data include (1) descriptions of as-fabricated fuel design, irradiation history, and subsequent storage and handling; (2) isotopic gamma scans; (3) fission gas analyses; (4) ceramography of the fuel and metallography of the cladding; (5) ...
1991-12-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The super simulator 'SAMPSON' has been developed to show that there exist certain safety margins for light water reactors under hypothetical severe accidents and to investigate realistic measures of accident management by simulating accidents with a parallel computer. Heat-up of fuel rods and release of fission products from fuels are important factors to evaluate source terms. Models for fuel rod heat-up, hydrogen production due to cladding oxidation and cladding deformation and failure in the core region have been developed in the fuel rod heat-up analysis module. Fuel temperatures were calculated by solving the heat conduction equation. The calculated results for fuel temperature and hydrogen production were compared with CORA-13 experiment results. The comparisons showed prediction capability for the heat-up of fuel rods. The fission product release analysis module incorporates with models for fission product transport within fuel pellets, ...
1999-04-19
Transient testing of FFTF fuel pins in TREAT
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A series of six transient tests was performed on FFTF irradiated fuel pins to demonstrate their transient performance capability. The tests were performed in the TREAT reactor using sodium loops and instrumented test trains. The TEMECH computer code was used to design overpower transients which would simulate FFTF fuel pin thermal conditions during slow and fast unprotected transients. Some tests were run to substantial overpower levels but terminated prior to fuel pin failure, while other tests were intentionally extended to fuel failure to establish failure thresholds and characteristics. Post-test examination data provided significant cladding strain and fuel melting information used for performance code calibration and validation. These data showed that cladding damage caused by fuel melting is related to the steady state condition of the fuel.
1986-09-07
SP-100 fuel pin performance: Results from irradiation testing
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A total of 86 experimental fuel pins with various fuel, liner, and cladding candidate materials have been irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor as part of the SP-100 fuel pin irradiation testing program. Postirradiation examination results from these fuel pin are key in establishing performance correlations and demonstrating the lifetime and safety of the reactor fuel system. This paper provides a brief description of the in-reactor fuel pin tests and presents the most recent irradiation data on the performance of wrought rhenium (Re) liner material and high density UN fuel at goal burnup of 6 atom percent (at. %). It also provides an overview of the significant variety of other fuel/liner/cladding combinations which were irradiated as part of this program and which may be of interest to more advanced efforts.
1993-09-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The LWR fuel performance analysis computer code, FRAPCON-1, are evaluated to investigate the performance of CANDU fuel elements loaded in Wolsung-1 reactor. The FRAPCON-1 models of neutron flux depression in fuel and of fuel-to-cladding heat transfer are modified, and the validity of fission gas release model for CANDU fuel is evaluated. And the heavy water properties are provided in calculating the heat transfer coefficient between cladding and coolant. By using the modified code, FRAPCON-1-CSK, the sensitivity studies are carried out for Wolsung-1 fuel element design parameters. The performance analysis is also performed for Wolsung-1 fuel elements. The calculated results are discussed in terms of LWR fuel design criteria because of unavailability of CANDU fuel design criteria. (Author).
1983-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ppercase(femaxi-iv) is a computer code for the analysis of thermal and mechanical behavior of light water reactor fuel rods during steady-state and transient conditions. The main purpose of ppercase(femaxi-iv) is to calculate the stress and strain distributions in the fuel and cladding due to the pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, and the fission gas release rate during operations, especially power transients. The capability of ppercase(femaxi-iv) was extensively tested with a number of experimental results obtained in some international fuel irradiation programs. This paper provides a general description of the various models involved in ppercase(femaxi-iv) and some results of applications on the experimental data. ((orig.)).
1994-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Femaxi-iv is a computer code for the analysis of thermal and mechanical behavior of light water reactor fuel rods during steady-state and transient conditions. The main purpose of femaxi-iv is to calculate the stress and strain distributions in the fuel and cladding due to the pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, and the fission gas release rate during operations, especially power transients. The capability of femaxi-iv was extensively tested with a number of experimental results obtained in some international fuel irradiation programs. This paper provides a general description of the various models involved in femaxi-iv and some results of applications on the experimental data. ((orig.))
1994-06-01
Comparisons of the SCDAP computer code with bundle data under severe accident conditions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The SCDAP computer code, which is being developed under the sponsorship of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, models the progression of light water reactor core damage including core heatup, core disruption and debris formation, debris heatup, and debris melting. SCDAP is being used to help identify and understand the phenomena that control core behavior during a severe accident, to help quantify uncertainties in risk assessment analysis, and to support planning and interpretation of severe fuel damage experiments and data. Comparisons between SCDAP calculations and the experimental data showed good agreement. Calculated and measured bundle temperatures for SFD-ST were within 200 K for the entire bundle and within 20 K for maximum cladding temperatures. For ESSI-2, calculated and measured maximum cladding temperatures were within 50 K, and the extensive liquefaction and relocation that was calculated was in agreement with ...
1983-08-22
Powder composites for gas-plasma ceramic coatings
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The method of production of xAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}-yTiO{sub 2} compositions provides for the depth distribution of coating components and specifies its mechanical properties. In case of the composition obtained by cladding, titanium is mainly concentrated at the substrate. In case of mechanical mixture or composition obtained by sintering the oxides, the depth distribution of coating components is random.
1995-12-31
PWR FISSION PRODUCT ACTIVITY LEVELS
Recent radiochemical investigations of the PWR reactor coolant have corfirmed earlier observations that the level of activities of 33 m Cs/sup 138/, 2.8 hr Kr , and 8.1 day 1/sup 131/ are more than ten times higher than those predicted for the estimated U contamination of the Zircaloy cladding. The present fission product activity levels have not, as yet, presented any problems in the PWR. (W.L.H.)
1958-05-01
Gamma scanning of FBTR fuel pins
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This paper presents the results obtained in the gamma scanning of two fuel pins from the bent subassembly of the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) using a segmented gamma scanning system employing segment correlation developed for the assay of glove box solid waste. In addition to the actinide profiles, the paper also discusses the fission products and clad activation product profiles and tries to correlate the experimental values of the latter with computed values. (author). 4 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
Fast reactor fuel pin performance requirements for off-normal events
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
HEDL is conducting an experimental transient testing program to evaluate the performance of prototypic Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins up to the cladding integrity limit. The relationship is described of the HEDL/TREAT transient overpower test program to the confirmation of FFTF fuel pin design bases via the FFTF fuel pin design procedure.
Electron-beam cladding of wear-resistant composite coatings on the base of titanium carbide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The structure and properties of composite powder coatings on the base of titanium carbide are studied. It is shown the electron-beam welding deposition of powders on the base of nickel and titanium carbide allows to produce of high-quality wear-resistant coatings which superior in density and hardness compared with sputtered ones. Changes of hardening phase volume percentage as well as composition of metal matrix make possible to control coatings hardness
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An austenitic alloy having good thermal stability and resistance to sodium corrosion at 700.degree. C. consists essentially of 35-45% nickel 7.5-14% chromium 0.8-3.2% molybdenum 0.3-1.0% silicon 0.2-1.0% manganese 0-0.1% zirconium 2.0-3.5% titanium 1.0-2.0% aluminum 0.02-0.1% carbon 0-0.01% boron and the balance iron.
1983-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Current trends in nuclear power generation (and particularly in pressurized water reactors) are toward plant life extension and extended fuel burnup. A higher heat generation rate can induce local boiling regimes at the fuel rod surface in the hottest channels of the core, which can strongly modify the chemical environment of the cladding and influence the oxidation rate of zirconium alloys. Tests performed in out-of-pile loops under severe chemical and thermal-hydraulic conditions (nucleate boiling, higher lithium contents compared to PWRs) reveal two important phenomena: an increase of the oxidation rate of Zircaloy-4 cladding materials in 'high' lithiated environments; an enrichment of the chemical additives in the primary water (boron, lithium) at the surface of the cladding under nucleate boiling conditions. The latter phenomenon, also called 'hideout effect', is mainly controlled by some thermal hydraulic parameters ...
1999-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The US National Energy Policy of 2001 advocated the development of advanced fuel and fuel cycle technologies that are cleaner, more efficient, less waste-intensive, and more proliferation resistant. The need for advanced fuel development is emphasized in on-going DOE-supported programs, e.g., Global Nuclear Energy Initiative (GNEI), Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), and GEN-IV Technology Development. The Directorates of Energy & Environment (E&E) and Chemistry & Material Sciences (C&MS) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are interested in advanced fuel research and manufacturing using its multi-disciplinary capability and facilities to support a design concept of a small, secure, transportable, and autonomous reactor (SSTAR). The E&E and C&MS Directorates co-sponsored this Laboratory Directed Research & Development (LDRD) Project on Mono-Uranium Nitride Fuel Development for SSTAR and Space Applications. In fact, three out ...
2006-02-09
Updated TRAC analysis of an 80% double-ended cold-leg break for the AP600 design
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An updated TRAC 80% large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA) has been calculated for the Westinghouse AP600 advanced reactor design, The updated calculation incorporates major code error corrections, model corrections, and plant design changes. The 80% break size was calculated by Westinghouse to be the most severe large-break size for the AP600 design. The LBLOCA transient was calculated to 144 s. Peak cladding temperatures (PCTS) were well below the Appendix K limit of 1,478 K (2,200 F), but very near the cladding oxidation temperature of 1,200 K (1,700 F). Transient event times and PCT for the TRAC calculation were in reasonable agreement with those calculated by Westinghouse using their {und W}COBRA/TRAC code. However, there were significant differences in the detailed phenomena calculated by the two codes, particularly during the blowdown phase. The reasons for these differences are still being investigated. Additional break sizes and ...
1995-07-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The RESF is utilized for storage of spent fuel under emergency conditions as well as for testing of FM heads. It receives cooling supply from the PHT Pressurizing pumps and after removal of decay heat from the spent fuel it goes to the D2O Storage Tank. The geometry of the RESF system is such that it can not sustain the thermosyphon loop during SBO, due to high frictional forces. To achieve the sustained thermosyphon, modifications in the design were suggested viz., removal of the steam trap and the relief valve above it and replacement by a solenoid valve (SV-16). In the event of SBO, SV-16 will open on 'RESF channel temperature high' signal and connect to FT D2O tank. The tank, being at atmospheric pressure and at lower elevation, will provide higher cooling flow rate through the RESF channel. D2O is periodically removed from the FT D2O tank by operating a Class-II pump intermittently. The analysis was done for the modified RESF system configuration to estimate the flow rate through ...
2006-11-13
Study of iodine migration in zirconia using stable and radioactive ion implantation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The large uranium fission cross section leading to iodine and the behaviour of this element in the cladding tube during energy production and afterwards during waste storage is a crucial problem, especially for {sup 129}I which is a very long half-life isotope (T=1.59 x 10{sup 7} yr). Since a combined external and internal oxidation of the zircaloy cladding tube occurs during the reactor processing, iodine diffusion parameters in zirconia are needed. In order to obtain these data, stable iodine atoms were first introduced by ion implantation into zirconia with an energy of 200 keV and a dose equal to 8 x 10{sup 15} at cm{sup -2}. Diffusion profiles were measured using 3 MeV alpha-particle Rutherford backscattering spectrometry at each step of the annealing procedure between 700 C and 900 C. In such experiments a reduced iodine concentration was observed, which correlated to a diffusion-like process. Similar analysis has been performed using ...
1998-03-01
A high power AlGaInP single quantum well graded index separate confinement heterostructure. It comprises a substrate and a multiplicity of layers deposited thereon comprising a single Ga{sub x}In{sub x}P quantum well where x has a value from about 0.4 to about 0.6; multiple graded index regions on both sides of the quantum well and cladding layers adjacent to each graded region of the well, the graded region comprising Al{sub y}(Ga{sub 1{minus}y}){sub 0.5}In{sub 0.5}P quaternary alloy; wherein the value of y in the graded region varies from about 0.2 at the quantum well/graded region interface to up to about 0.6 for the cladding layers/graded index regions; the heterostructure having a low broad area threshold current with pulsed thresholds in the range from about 1 to about 2 Amps/cm{sup 2} and a differential efficiency of from about 20 to about 60 percent.
1991-03-26
Head-end and solvent extraction studies using fast-flux test facility fuel
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
High-burnup mixed oxide fuel pins from the Fast-Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor were sheared in a single-pin shear, dissolved in nitric acid, and then used in solvent extraction tests to assist in establishing operating parameters for fuel recycle facilities. The fuel burnups were 2, 36, 55, and 90 MWd/kg for initial cooling times of 2.5, 1.3, 1, and 1 year, respectively. These tests include the first experiments using fuel of approximately the reference burnup (80-MWd/kg peak burnup) irradiated under reference conditions. The FFTF is a sodium-cooled reactor with stainless steel-clad fuel; the oxide fuel, which is of two compositions, has Pu/(U + Pu) ratios of approx.0.225 and 0.275. The peak fuel center temperature was about 1640/sup 0/C, the peak internal cladding temperature was approx.530/sup 0/C, the peak heat rating was approx.300 W/cm, and the peak fluence (E > 0.1 MeV) was approx.15.7 x 10/sup 22/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/.
1986-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Laser consolidation (LC) developed by National Research Council???s Industrial Materials Institute (NRC-IMI-London) since mid-1990s, is a laser cladding based rapid manufacturing and material additive process that could fabricate a ???net-shape??? functional metallic shape through a ???layer-upon-layer??? deposition directly from a computer aided design model without using molds or dies. In order to evaluate the LC processability of different materials, some representative nickel-based superalloys (IN-625, IN-718, IN-738, and Waspaloy), stainless steels (austenitic SS316L and martensitic SS420), and lightweight alloys (Ti???6Al???4V titanium alloy and Al-4047 aluminum alloy) have been investigated. Like other laser cladding based processes, due to process-induced rapid directional solidifi...
2011-01-01
Development of CANDU Void Reactivity Uncertainty Evaluation Methodology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
One of inherent characteristics of CANDU reactor is positive void reactivity in contrast to other pressurized light water reactors. During the large break loss of coolant accident, power pulse will be occurred during short time of early phase of accident due to positive void reactivity. However the duration of this power pulse is short, energy due to power pulse would be accumulated in the cladding material and will affect the peak cladding temperature or number of failed fuel elements. Recently, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) indicated that the amount of void reactivity might be larger than the assumed values in safety analysis and this indication was based on the experimental data from ZED-2 facility. Based on that, the estimation of uncertainties due to the void reactivity during LBLOCA is the most important issue for CANDU safety analysis. In this study, a framework of uncertainty evaluation methodology for CANDU void reactivity ...
2010-10-01
Data report of BWR post-CHF tests. Transient core thermal-hydraulic test program. Contract research
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
JAERI has been performing transient core thermal-hydraulic test program. In the program, authors performed BWR/ABWR DBE simulation tests with a test facility, which can simulate BWR/ABWR transients. The test facility has a 4 x 4 bundle core simulator with 15-rod heaters and one non-heated rod. Through the tests, authors quantified the thermal safety margin for core cooling. In order to quantify the thermal safety margin, authors collected experimental data on post-CHF. The data are essential for the evaluation of clad temperature transient when core heat-up occurs during DBEs. In comparison with previous post-CHF tests, present experiments were performed in much wider experimental condition, covering high clad temperature, low to high pressure and low to high mass flux. Further, data at wider elevation (lower to higher elevation of core) were obtained in the present experiments, which make possible to discuss the effect of axial position on ...
2001-03-01
Corrosion of aluminum cladding under optimized water conditions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Experience at SRS, ORNL, BNL, and Georgia Institute of Technology involving irradiated aluminum clad fuel and target elements, as well as studies of non-irradiated aluminum indicate that some types of aluminum assemblies can be kept in a continually well-deionized water atmosphere for up to 25 years without problems. SRS experience ranges from 2.75 years for the L-1.1 charge kept in deionized D[sub 2]O[sup 1] to greater than 10 years for assemblies stored in the Receiving Basin for Off-site Fuel (RBOF)[sup 2]. Experience at Georgia Institute of Technology reactor in Atlanta yielded the longest value of 25 years without problems. The common denominators in all of the reports is that the water is continually deionized to approximately 2 M[Omega] (2 [times] 10[sup 6]ohms) resistivity and the containers for the water are stainless steel or other non-porous material. This resistivity value is equivalent to a value of 0.5 micromhos or microSiemens conductivity and is ...
1992-07-08
Corrosion of aluminum cladding under optimized water conditions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Experience at SRS, ORNL, BNL, and Georgia Institute of Technology involving irradiated aluminum clad fuel and target elements, as well as studies of non-irradiated aluminum indicate that some types of aluminum assemblies can be kept in a continually well-deionized water atmosphere for up to 25 years without problems. SRS experience ranges from 2.75 years for the L-1.1 charge kept in deionized D{sub 2}O{sup 1} to greater than 10 years for assemblies stored in the Receiving Basin for Off-site Fuel (RBOF){sup 2}. Experience at Georgia Institute of Technology reactor in Atlanta yielded the longest value of 25 years without problems. The common denominators in all of the reports is that the water is continually deionized to approximately 2 M{Omega} (2 {times} 10{sup 6}ohms) resistivity and the containers for the water are stainless steel or other non-porous material. This resistivity value is equivalent to a value of 0.5 micromhos or microSiemens conductivity and is ...
1992-07-08
Control rod ejection accident analysis for the high burnup fuel in Daya Bay NPS
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A lot of recent experimental results show that cladding failure limits to the RCCA ejection accident will be changed because of the impact of the high irradiation on the fuel rod behavior in the reactor. The maximal assembly discharge burnup in Daya Bay unit 1 and 2 will reach up to 52 GMd/tU with 18 month fuel cycle. It is necessary to perform the specific RCCA ejection accident analysis for the high burnup fuel assembly in order to evaluate the maximal enthalpy in the fuel rods. There is no definite design limit of maximal enthalpy for high burnup assembly during the RCCA ejection accident. One could perform the rod ejection accident analysis for the high burnup assemblies and compare the analytical results with the specific experimental results. The RCCA ejection accident analysis for the high burnup assemblies for Daya Bay NPS has been performed based on the conventional methodology (2D-1D). For each anticipated cycle in Daya Bay unit 1 and 2, all the fuel ...
2004-10-04
Testing of a refuelable zinc/air bus battery
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We report tests of a refuelable zinc/air battery of modular, bipolar-cell design, intended for fleet electric busses and vans. The stack consists of twelve 250-cm{sup 2} cells built of two units: (1) a copper-clad glass-reinforced epoxy board supporting anode and cathode current collectors, and (2) polymer frame providing for air- and electrolyte distribution and zinc fuel storage. The stack was refueled in 4 min. by a hydraulic transfer of zinc particles entrained in solution flow.
1995-02-22
Summary on performance study of corrosion resistance of zirconium alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zirconium-base alloys are used primarily as fuel cladding material and other core structure material in water cooled nuclear power reactors. Main research achievements and problems about corrosion of zirconium alloys are reviewed; the present theories and challenge are summarized. In the 1980s, great progress had been made towards correlating alloy composition, microstructure and irradiation with corrosion resistance. In the 1990s, main researches are focused on exploring actual mechanism of corrosion, optimizing both alloy composition and microstructure in order to minimize the fuel cycle costs through burnup optimization.
Lateral optical confinement of the heterostructure semiconductor Raman laser
This letter describes the first lasing experiment of the heterostructure semiconductor Raman laser with lateral confinement of both the Stokes and pump fields. It has a GaP Raman active layer with thickness of 10 ..mu..m and Al/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/P cladding layers. The stripe of the active layer has been fabricated by a plasma etching technique. Steps should be taken to realize the semiconductor Raman laser pumped by an injection laser, applicable to wideband optical communication.
1987-11-02
Continuous wave lasing operation with the shortest wavelength for semiconductor lasers was obtained from AlGaInP double heterostructure lasers at 77 K. The structure was grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Lasing wavelength was 583.6 nm (yellow). Threshold current was 43 mA (1.9 kA/cm/sup 2/). Magnesium was adopted as a p-type dopant, and was proved to be preferable for a high aluminum composition AlGaInP cladding layer.
1986-03-03
Failed nuclear fuel rod analysis by gamma computed tomography
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fuel rod failures produce a release of fission products into primary coolant system. Since nuclear power plants have licensing limits for the release of volatile fission products to the environment (off-gas limits) detailed monitoring of the development of clad failure is necessary. In case of fuel rod failure a release of fission products into the primary coolant system arises. Fission gases accumulated in the free volume of a fuel rod escape through the clad defect. Water entering the fuel rod reacts with fission products, forming volatile chemical compounds. These may escape in a similar manner into the fission gases. Other compounds may dissolve and may be carried outside the fuel rod as dissolved species. Consequently, the distribution of these fission products, in the cross section of the fuel rod, is modified. An implementation of the maximum entropy gamma computed tomography technique is used to obtain such distributions in the area of ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Full text: The transmutation of nuclear waste to reduce the burden on a geological repository is a relevant topic within the Program of Nuclear Safety Research of the Research Centre Karlsruhe. Several studies have confirmed that a high efficiency of transmutation of actinides is reached in fast neutron spectrum reactor system. Therefore, an important effort is dedicated to the study of transmutation strategies with different fast reactors and their associated technologies. Moreover, in international contexts as Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP), fast reactors are considered in the frame of sustainable development of nuclear energy and reduction of waste. The systems that are currently under investigation, in the frame of the different fuel cycle scenarios, are liquid metal cooled and gas cooled fast reactors as well as Accelerator Driven Sub-critical Transmutation devices (ADS). These innovative reactor systems, call for ...
2009-10-05
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The General Electric Test Reactor emergency cooling system performance was tested by intentionally scramming the reactor and then terminating the power to the primary pump. Certain transient thermal-hydraulic data were obtained preceding and during the established natural convection cooling loop composed of the upward flow through the core and the downward flow through the pool. An analysis was performed to permit the data to be extrapolated to obtain distributed fuel element flow rates and bulk temperature rises during the established cooling loop. The earliest time for the quasi-steady natural cooling loop to develop is about 2.5 min following scram. The cladding hot-spot temperature does not exceed the local saturation temperature after quasi-steady flow is established. Data are presented to assist in the modeling of the GETR natural convection loop. Semi-empirical relationships for friction factor and Nusselt number are also presented.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Since 1999, several studies on nuclear fuels were realised in C11/C12 Atalante Hot Cell. This paper presents firstly an overview of the apparatus used for fuel dissolution and characterisation like reactor design, gas trapping flask and solid/liquid separation. Then, the general methodology is described as a function of fuel, temperature, reagents, showing for each step, the reachable experimental data: Dissolution rate, chemical and radiochemical fuel composition including volatile LLRN, insoluble mass, composition, morphology, cladding chemical, radiochemical and physical characterisation using SIMS (made in Cadarache/LECA facilities), MEB. To conclude, some of the obtained results on 129I and 14C composition of oxide fuels, rate of dissolution and first results on dissolution studies of RERTR UMo fuel will be detailed. (Author)
2005-01-01
New developments in vertical spiral chute transport
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This paper summarizes the results of a long-term research project by SKBV which aimed to find ways of increasing spiral chute capacity while minimizing particle degradation, and also to extend the life of chute linings. Spiral chutes have been redesigned in such a way that chute speeds are considerably slower. The most wear-resistant and economic material for the inlet area was found to be slabs of tempered alloy cast steel, and for normal chute sections, cast basalt plates. Vertical rom bunkers can now be lined with thin cladding sections of GRC. Staple pit spiral chutes have been considerably improved in respect to wear and abrasion by the use of toughened steel as the chute lining material. Several of the innovations developed during the course of the research project are in use in West German mines and some have also been introduced abroad. (In German)
1982-06-24
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This research aims to develop reliable, advanced system thermal-hydraulic computer code and to quantify the uncertainties of code to introduce the best estimate methodology of ECCS for LBLOCA. Although the one of best estimate code, RELAP5/MOD3.1 was introduced from USNRC, several deficiencies in its reflood model and some improvements have been made. The improvements consist of modification of reflood wall heat transfer package and adjusting the drop size in dispersed flow regime. The tome smoothing of wall vaporization and level tracking model are also added to eliminate the pressure spike and level oscillation. For the verification of improved model and quantification of associated uncertainty, the FLECHT-SEASET data were used and upper limit of uncertainty at 95% confidence level is evaluated. (Author) 30 refs., 49 figs., 2 tabs.
1994-06-01
Fuel cost analysis of CANDU-PHWR Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant unit 1
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Being based on the Segal method, calculation was carried out for the natural uranium nuclear fuel cost with Zircaloy-4 cladding having design parameters of Wolsung Nuclear Power Plant, CANDU-PHWR (Unit 1), currently under construction in Korea aiming at its completion in 1982. An attempt was also made for the sensitivity analysis of each fuel component; i.e., depreciation of fuel manufacturing plant caused by its life time, its load factor, production scale expansion of plant facilities, variations of construction and operating costs of fuel manufacturing plant, fluctuation of interest rates, extent of uranium ore price increases and effect of learning factor. (author).
1977-01-01
Fabrication of core demonstration experiments for irradiation in the FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A major new initiative to develop and irradiate a long-lived, mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel system in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been implemented by Westinghouse Hanford Company for the U.S. Department of Energy. The purpose of this new fuel system, called the core demonstration experiment (CDE), is to demonstrate the capability of achieving a 3-yr life in a prototypical, heterogeneous reactor environment under prototypical power and temperature conditions. Ten fuel and six blanket CDEs are establishing the performance characteristics of entire fuel assemblies of wire-wrapped, large-diameter, annular-pellet, advanced MOX fuel pins with the tempered martensitic HT-9 alloy cladding and end caps, HT-9 wire wrap, and an HT-9 duct in a heterogeneous array with the blanket assemblies. The CDE performance characteristics are confirming the basis for design, fabrication, and irradiation of the CDE.
1990-06-10
Electrochemical noise in corrosion
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
By varying different variables (potential, chloride content, surface pretreatment etc.) it is possible to show the effect of increasingly harsher corrosion conditions on passive-layer stability. These changes will not be detected by conventional methods e.g. measurement of passive current density, until a very late stage. Electrochemical noise measurement will allow the action of inhibitors to be detected in a rapid and effective manner. High-alloy steels and titanium claddings subjected to pitting corrosion in chloride-containing media demonstrate how to use this method for problem solutions and to open up new practical applications. The effect of mechanical stresses (natural, tensile) on the corrosion system can be detected by electrochemical noise which opens up new methods for crack corrosion studying and monitoring. (orig./DG).
1993-10-07
Core demonstration lead experiments for irradiation in FFTF
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A major new initiative to develop and irradiate a long-life mixed oxide fuel system in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been implemented by the Westinghouse Hanford Company at the Hanford Engineering Development Lab. for the US Dept. of Energy. The purpose of this new fuel system, called the Core Demonstration Experiment (CDE), is to demonstrate the capability of achieving a 3-yr life in a prototypical heterogeneous reactor environment under prototypical power and temperature conditions. Three Core Demonstration Lead Experiments (CDLEs) will establish the performance characteristics of entire fuel assemblies of wire-wrapped, large diameter, advanced oxide fuel pins with HT-9 stainless steel alloy cladding and wire wrap and an HT-9 duct. Their performance characteristics provided the basis for design, fabrication, and irradiation of the CDE.
1987-06-07
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION. UNIT OPERATIONS SECTION MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT, FEBRURARY 1963
Development of a shear and leach complex for UO/sub 2/-SS clad fuel was continued with major emphasis on the operation of a rotary drum leacher. Flooding data for nozzle plate pulse columns at high A/O ratios are reported. Engineering tests of dissolution of Zr--6% U alloy with HF in molten salt demonstrated a dissolution rate of 0.8 to 1.5 mg/cm/sup 2//min. Subsequent fluorination with 100% F/sub 2/ proceeded at half times of 40 to 135 min. The results of a high level waste calcination (run R-72) made with formaldehyde treated simulated Purex waste are reported. (auth)
1963-10-01
Buried-heterostructure semiconductor Raman laser with threshold pump power less than 1 W
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The low-power operation of a semiconductor buried-heterostructure Raman laser is reported. We are developing these devices for very wide-band optical communication in the terahertz frequency region. It has a structure with a GaP active layer and Al{sub {ital x}}Ga{sub 1{minus}{ital x}}P cladding layers, which are grown by the temperature-difference method under controlled vapor pressure. By making the stripe width 30--40 {mu}m, we have obtained a threshold pump power of 500 mW. A low-threshold semiconductor Raman laser can be pumped by semiconductor injection lasers. We have measured the optical loss of the waveguide and detected the contribution from scattering and leakage at heterointerfaces.
1989-12-01
Behavior of Stress-Relaxation phenomena in Zr-1.1Nb-0.05Cu
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zirconium alloys have anisotropic mechanical properties depending on their physical orientations and are widely used as nuclear materials such as cladding tube material. An operation condition of the nuclear reactor requires a high creep resistance, because it is subjected to long period operations, high temperature and high pressure. Generally, it takes a few days or months to do the creep experiment, so it is difficult to get a data in short period. However, there is a way to predict a creep property by using the stress-relaxation in the short term. These studies realized the stress-relaxation through a compressive test of HANA-6 (Zr-1.1Nb-0.05Cu) alloy that was developed by KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute), and then predicted the creep property
2010-10-01
Application of mass spectrometry to fuels and materials testing at FFTF
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400 MW(th) sodium cooled reactor and is the largest test reactor of its type in the world. It was designed and is being operated to serve two purposes: gaining liquid metal system experience and serving as a test bed for fuels and materials. During test operations it is possible that cladding breaches and escape of fission gas to the reactor cover gas region can occur. To identify the source of such a leak all 78 fuel pin assemblies contain ''gas tag'' with a unique ''tag'' mixture in each assembly. The mass spectrometric identification of tag isotope ratios makes possible rapid location and thus faster removal (if required) of breached test pins.
Amorphization of Zr_6_0Al_1_5Ni_2_5 surface layers by laser processing for corrosion resistance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
It is generally known that a number of metallic glasses have excellent corrosion resistance in a variety of chemically hostile environments. Consequently, the use of laser cladding to coat a massive crystalline material such as aluminium with a layer of a metallic glass has obvious advantages. In this paper, the authors will show that the formation of a predominantly amorphous layer of Zr_6_0Al_1_5NI_2_5 alloy by laser processing is possible, if the obstacles to amorphization are overcome. In addition, evidence of the excellent corrosion resistance of this alloy in a NaCl solution will be given. A comparative study of the corrosion behavior of this amorphous alloy with pure aluminium and Al-Cr alloy will be done, in order to complete previous studies of laser processed coatings of aluminum substrates.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The desire to increase uranium utilization and to minimize spent fuel storage requirements provides an incentive to extend the average fuel rod discharge burnup to about 70,000MWd/MTU. For these higher burnups data are needed to determine if waterside corrosion of the cladding may be a life-limiting feature of fuel rod design. It is apparent that many factors can influence waterside corrosion, and these need to be better understood in order to minimize corrosion at these higher target burnups. The objective of this report is to review published data relevant to the corrosion of Zircaloy under PWR operating conditions. (author). 100 refs., 4 tabs., 21 figs.
1999-02-01
Thermal release of volatile fission products from irradiated nuclear fuel
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
An effective procedure for removing _3H, Xe and Kr from irradiated fuels was demonstrated using Shippingport UO"2 fuel. The release characteristics of _3H, Kr, Xe, and I from irradiated nuclear fuel have been determined as a function of temperature and gaseous environment. Vacuum outgassing and a flowing gas stream have been used to vary the gaseous environment. Vacuum outgassing released about 99% of the _3H and 20% of both Kr and Xe within a 3 h at 1500_0C. Similar results were obtained using a carrier gas of He containing 6% H"2. However, a carrier gas containing only He resulted in the release of approximately 80% of the _3H and 99% of both Kr and Xe. These results indicate that the release of these volatile fission products from irradiated nuclear fuel is a function of the chemical composition of the gaseous environment. The rate of tritium release increased with increasing temperature (1100 to 1500_0C) and with the addition of hydrogen to the gas stream. Using crushed UO"2 fuel ...
Thermal Hydraulics Analysis for the 3MW TRIGA MARK-II Research Reactor Under Transient Condition
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Some important thermal hydraulic parameters of the 3 MW TRIGA MARK-II research reactor operating under transient condition were investigated using two computer codes PULTRI and TEMPUL. Major transient parameters, such as, peak power and prompt energy released after pulse, maximum fuel and coolant temperature, surface heat flux, time and radial distribution of temperature within fuel element after pulse, fuel, fuel-cladding gap width variation, etc. were computer and compared with the experimental and operational values as reported in the safety Analysis Report (SAR). It was observed that pulsing of the reactor inserting an excess reactivity of $2.00 shoots the reactor power level to 854.353 MW compared to an experimental value of 852 MW; the maximum fuel temperature corresponding to this peak power was found to be 846.76"o C which is much less than the limiting maximum value of fuel temperature of 1150"0 C as reported in SAR. During a pulse if the film boiling ...
1985-07-01
TRIGA spent fuel bundles safe storage
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
TRIGA-SSR is a steady state research and material test reactor that has been in operation since 1980. The original TRIGA fuel was HEU (highly enriched uranium) with a U"2"3"5 enrichment of 93 per cent. Almost all TRIGA HEU fuel bundles are now burned-up. Part of the spent fuel was loaded and transferred to US, in a Romania - DOE arrangement. The rest of the TRIGA fuel bundles have to be temporarily stored in the TRIGA facility. As the storage conditions had to be established with caution, neutron and thermal hydraulic evaluations of the storage conditions were required. Some criticality evaluations were made based on the SAR (Safety Analysis Report) data. Fuel constant axial temperature approximation effect is usual for criticality computations. TRIGA-SSR fuel bundle geometry and materials model for SCALE5-CSAS module allows the introduction of a fuel temperature dependency for the entire fuel active height, using different materials for each fuel bundle region. Previous RELAP5 thermal ...
2007-05-13
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For higher U-loading in low-enriched U-10 wt.%Mo fuels, monolithic fuel plate clad in AA6061 is being developed as a part of Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program. This paper reports the first characterization results from a monolithic U-10 wt.%Mo fuel plate with a Zr diffusion barrier that was fabricated as part of a plate fabrication campaign for irradiation testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were employed for analysis. At the interface between the Zr barrier and U-10 wt.%Mo, going from Zr to U(Mo), UZr_2, #gamma#-UZr, Zr solid-solution and Mo_2Zr phases were observed. The interface between AA6061 cladding and Zr barrier plate consisted of four layers, going from Al to Zr, (Al, Si)_2Zr, (Al, Si)Zr_3 (Al, Si)_3Zr, and AlSi_4Zr_5. Irradiation behavior of these intermetallic phases is discussed based on their constituents. Characterization of ...
2010-07-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The first of three scheduled poolside fuel examinations at the Oyster Creek reactor conducted during February/March 1980, was directed at one of the four symmetrically loaded ENC 8 x 8 lead assemblies that had achieved a burnup of approx. 25,000 MWd/MTU. Forty-five of the fuel rods in assembly UD3-109 were removed and examined. In general, the individual fuel rods were in excellent condition. The average fuel rod diameter continued to decrease during the last cycle was assembly burnup increased from 19,500 to 25,700 MWd/MTU. The creepdown since the beginning of life (BOL) in the center of the fuel rods is about 0.003 in. The fuel rods bore no indication of cladding ridging. Fuel rod growth continued at a linear rate of about 0.02% per GWd/MTU burnup since BOL. Preliminary eddy current test data showed that the cladding was free of significant defects. Visual examination of fuel rods, spacers, and tie plate revealed no unusual conditions. An ...
1980-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Plans for the disposal of radioactive liquid and solid wastes presently stored in double-shell tanks at the Hanford Site call for retrieval and processing of the waste to create forms suitable for permanent disposal. Waste will be retrieved from a tank using a submerged slurry pump in conjunction with one or more rotating slurry jet mixer pumps. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has conducted tests using simulated waste slurries to assess the effects of a impinging slurry jet on the corrosion rate of the tank wall and floor, an action that could potentially compromise the tank's structural integrity. Corrosion processes were investigated on a laboratory scale with a simulated neutralized cladding removal waste (NCRW) slurry and in a subsequent test with simulated neutralized current acid waste (NCAW) slurry. The test slurries simulated the actual NCRW and NCAW both chemically and physically. The tests simulated those conditions expected to exist in the ...
1992-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Plans for the disposal of radioactive liquid and solid wastes presently stored in double-shell tanks at the Hanford Site call for retrieval and processing of the waste to create forms suitable for permanent disposal. Waste will be retrieved from a tank using a submerged slurry pump in conjunction with one or more rotating slurry jet mixer pumps. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has conducted tests using simulated waste slurries to assess the effects of a impinging slurry jet on the corrosion rate of the tank wall and floor, an action that could potentially compromise the tank`s structural integrity. Corrosion processes were investigated on a laboratory scale with a simulated neutralized cladding removal waste (NCRW) slurry and in a subsequent test with simulated neutralized current acid waste (NCAW) slurry. The test slurries simulated the actual NCRW and NCAW both chemically and physically. The tests simulated those conditions expected to exist in the respective ...
1992-01-01
Boil-off experiments with the EIR-NEPTUN Facility: Analysis and code assessment overview report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The NEPTUN data discussed in this report are from core uncovery (boil-off) experiments designed to investigate the mixture level decrease and the heat up of the fuel rod simulators above the mixture level for conditions simulating core boil-off for a nuclear reactor under small break loss-of-coolant accident conditions. The first series of experiments performed in the NEPTUN test facility consisted of ten boil-off (uncovery) and one adiabatic heat-up tests. In these tests three parameters were varied: rod power, system pressure and initial coolant subcooling. The NEPTUN experiments showed that the external surface thermocouples do not cause a significant cooling influence in the rods to which they are attached under boil-off conditions. The reflooding tests performed later on indicated that the external surface thermocouples have some effect during reflooding for NEPTUN electrically heated rod bundle. Peak cladding temperatures are reduced by about 30--40C and ...
Transient performance of FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility] reference fuel
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fourteen irradiated Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins were subjected to representative overpower transients in six flowing sodium loop experiments conducted in the TREAT reactor. The transient tests were extended to substantial overpower levels well beyond protected levels, with some tests intentionally run to failure to identify failure thresholds and characteristics. Test variables included transient ramp rate (5, 50, and 100 cents/s) and burnup (2 to 58 MWd/kg). Performance limits and failure characteristics were identified, and cladding strain and fuel melting data were obtained for development and verification of transient analysis codes. The test results demonstrated that FFTF Reference fuel pins are capable of surviving overpower levels well beyond the FFTF secondary Plant Protection System (PPS) trip limit of 1.25 times normal rated power. Based on analytical evaluations to interpolate and extrapolate test results to the full range of burnups and ...
1986-09-07
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A pair of bundles is placed in a shuttle tube, which is enclosed by a carriage tube kept inside the Shuttle Transfer Station (STS). It takes about 90 minutes for the spent fuel bundles to travel from the reactor channel to Transfer Magazine (TM). Subsequently, the dry transfer operation takes about 4 minutes. An emergency air cooling flow rate of 600 m3/hr is supplied to cool the spent fuel bundles after they reach the STS, following lapse of 4 minutes of spent fuel dry transfer, in case the bundles are not submerged in the light water in STS. A thermal and hydraulic safety analysis has been done to estimate the maximum sheath temperature, if the spent fuel bundles are stuck at a location of 30 mm below the normal location aligned to the TM port. This position of the spent fuel will have least cooling from the emergency cooling airflow. At the same time, the shuttle tube carrying the spent fuel bundle is just above the water. From the analysis it has been concluded that peak ...
2006-11-13
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Continuous-wave (cw) operation at temperatures up to 23 /sup 0/C of an Al/sub 0.26/Ga/sub 0.26/In/sub 0.48/P/Ga/sub 0.52/In/sub 0.48/P/ Al/sub 0.26/Ga/sub 0.26/In/sub 0.48/P double heterostructure (DH) laser has been achieved for the first time. The threshold current was 160 mA at 20 /sup 0/C for a device with a 10-..mu..m-wide and 250-..mu..m-long ion-implanted stripe geometry. The emission wavelength was 671 nm during cw operation at 10 /sup 0/C. To reduce thermal resistance to a heat sink, a dually stacked structure made of a thin (approx.0.3 ..mu..m) p-AlGaInP layer and a p-Al/sub 0.76/Ga/sub 0.24/As layer was used as a cladding layer. The DH wafer was grown by atmospheric pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition.
1985-11-15
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A series of 27 reflood experiments has been carried out in a full-length electrically heated rod bundle facility. The primary objective of these tests was to study the effects of a simultaneous upper plenum and downcomer coolant injection and to provide data for the verification of computer codes. The experimental results indicate that an upper plenum injection alone cools the test rods slowly, a simultaneous coolant injection to the downcomer improves cooling significantly, and a downcomer injection alone cools the test rod bundle best if the total value of the coolant flow rate is the same in these three different cases. If the coolant injected to the upper plenum increases the total flow rate, the quench time of the test rods decreases at all elevations. Quenching time and clad temperature histories calculated with the computer codes NORCOOL-I and FLOOD4 are in a reasonable quantitative agreement with experiments in the case of pure downcomer injection. ...
1983-02-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In the VEGA program on radionuclide release from irradiated fuel under severe accident conditions, 10 tests in total were performed at JAEA from 1999 to 2004 under inert and steam atmospheres including the highest pressure or temperature conditions. These tests showed the increase in release rate above 2,800 K or at the fuel liquefaction and the decrease in release rate under elevated pressure, which was a first observation in the world. The data on low-volatility radionuclide release, release from MOX fuel, effect of fuel oxidation, and eutectic reaction with cladding on release were obtained from the tests. The mechanism of pressure effect on release was examined and a new release model with pressure effect was proposed. In addition, the pressure effect on source term evaluation and effectiveness of accident management measures were investigated. This article summarizes the major outcomes described above that have already been published and newly describes the ...
2011-01-01
New developments in dry spent fuel storage
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
As shown in various new examples, HABOG facility (Netherlands), CERNAVODA (Candu - Romania), KOZLODUY (WWER - Bulgaria), CHERNOBYL ( RMBK - Ukraine), MAYAK (Spent Fuel from submarine and Icebreakers - Russia), recent studies allow to confirm the flexibility and performances of the CASCAD system proposed by SGN, both in safety and operability, for the dry storage of main kinds of spent fuel. The main features are: A multiple containment barrier system: as required by international regulation, 2 independent barriers are provided (tight canister and storage pit); Passive cooling, while the Fuel Assemblies are stored in an inert atmosphere and under conditions of temperature preventing from degradation of rod cladding; Sub-criticality controlled by adequate arrangements in any conditions; Safe facility meeting ICPR 60 Requirements as well as all applicable regulations (including severe weather conditions and earthquake); Safe handling operations; Retrievability of the ...
2001-06-18
Irradiation-effects considerations for the SP-100 space reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Sp-100 reactor is a lithium-cooled high-temperature fast-spectrum reactor. The fuel is UN. The cladding is fabricated from PWC-11, a Nb alloy, as are all the primary structural components. A reactor lifetime of up to ten years with an operating temperature of 1370 K is required. The accumulated fluence is expected to be 6 x10"2"2 n/cm"2. The damage, which could result in swelling or embrittlement, anneals out as fast as it occurs for the majority of the structure. This has been confirmed by earlier radiation testing. A number of components, however, are exposed to lower temperatures and the reactor design and materials selection for these components must take this into consideration. Radiation effects must also be considered for the UN fuel, bearing materials, etc. To data an instrumented experiment, MOTO 1000A, has been conducted in the FFTF reactor and as uninstrumented experiment SPM-1 in the EBR-II reactor. In this paper the post-irradiation examination and ...
1992-03-01
In-pile measurements of fuel rod deformation and verification of the finite element model FEMAXI
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For safety evaluations and licensing procedures, fuel rod performance is predicted through model calculations. Due to the complexity of fuel rod performance and the insufficient availability of experimental data, such calculations necessarily reflect inaccuracies and conservatism. For verification and development of more realistic models and submodels, acquisition of reliable on-line data on fuel rod performance characteristics is imperative. The present paper describes the instruments and equipment applied in the Halden Reactor for on-line measurements of fuel rod and assembly power and power distribution, and fuel rod axial and diameter deformation. Recent results from evaluation of such fuel rod deformation measurements, covering fuel rods with different designs, subjected to various modes of operation, including startup ramps, steady state, and power shock, are presented. It is also shown how these data are used for verification and development of the axisymmetric finite element ...
1976-09-13
Hydrodynamic and thermal modeling of solid particles in a multi-phase, multi-component flow. [LMFBR
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This paper presents the new thermal hydraulic models describing the hydrodynamics of the solid fuel/steel chunks during an LMFBR hypothetical core-disruptive accident. These models, which account for two-way coupling between the solid and fluid phases, describe the mass, momentum, and energy exchanges which occur when the chunks are present at any axial location. They have been incorporated in LEVITATE, a code for the analysis of fuel and cladding dynamics under Loss-of-Flow (LOF) conditions. Their influence on fuel motion is presented in the context of the L6 TREAT experiment analysis. It is shown that the overall hydrodynamic behavior of the molten fuel and solid-fuel chunks is dependent on both the size of the chunks and the power level. At low and intermediate power levels the fuel motion is more dispersive when small chunks, rather than large ones, are present. At high power levels the situation is reversed. These effects are explained in detail.
1983-01-01
FFTF [Fast Flux Test Facility] cesium trap design, installation, and operating experience
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400-MWt, sodium-cooled reactor located on the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, USA. The FFTF is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy and is operated by the Westinghouse Hanford Company. The FFTF was designed to test fuels and materials for use in liquid metal reactors. Since initial operation in 1982, anticipated breaches of experimental fuel pins have released fission products, including cesium, into the primary sodium. Because of its high volatility, cesium vaporizes into the cover gas space, where it condenses on components and equipment and is transported into the cover gas outlet. Because of the long half-life of "1"3"7Cs, these deposits result in long-term, local radiation levels that make contact maintenance difficult. Thus, a cesium trap was installed in FFTF to reduce the cesium level in the sodium. The trap could also permit a Run Beyond Cladding Breach (RBCB) program without compromising the sodium purity. ...
1988-10-17
Electrometallurgical treatment of aluminum-matrix fuels
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The electrometallurgical treatment process described in this paper builds on our experience in treating spent fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-II). The work is also to some degree, a spin-off from applying electrometallurgical treatment to spent fuel from the Hanford single pass reactors (SPRs) and fuel and flush salt from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) in treating EBR-II fuel, we recover the actinides from a uranium-zirconium fuel by electrorefining the uranium out of the chopped fuel. With SPR fuel, uranium is electrorefined out of the aluminum cladding. Both of these processes are conducted in a LiCl-KCl molten-salt electrolyte. In the case of the MSRE, which used a fluoride salt-based fuel, uranium in this salt is recovered through a series of electrochemical reductions. Recovering high-purity uranium from an aluminum-matrix fuel is more challenging than treating SPR or EBR-II fuel because the aluminum- matrix fuel is typically -90% ...
1996-08-01
Effect of the fabrication process on fatigue performance of U3Si2 fuel plate with sandwich structure
U3Si2 Al fuel plate is one of the dispersion fuel structure materials recently developed and widely used in research reactors. The mechanical properties of this structural material, especially the fatigue performance, are strongly dependent on its fabrication process. To investigate the effects of these processing technologies, the fatigue tests for the different specimens were carried out. The S N curves indicate that the fabrication processing technologies of U3Si2 fuel plate, such as the addition of U3Si2 particles into aluminum powder to form the fuel meat, holding and rolling the processes of meat and cladding of 6061-Al alloy, plays an important role in improving the mechanical properties and fatigue performance of this fuel plate. In addition, some factors that influence the crack initiation and propagation are summarized based on the fatigue images that are in situ observations with SEM. The critical criterion for fatigue damage is proposed based on the ...
2005-06-01
Development of Improved Burnable Poisons for Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Burnable poisons are used in nuclear reactors to produce a more level distribution of power in the reactor core and to reduce to necessity for a large control system. An ideal burnable poison would burn at the same rate as the fuel. In this study, separation of neutron-absorbing isotopes was investigated in order to eliminate isotopes that remain as absorbers at the end of fuel life, thus reducing useful fuel life. The isotopes Gd-157, Dy-164, and Er-167 were found to have desirable properties. These isotopes were separated from naturally occurring elements by means of plasma separation to evaluate feasibility and cost. It was found that pure Gd-157 could save approximately $6 million at the end of four years. However, the cost of separation, using the existing facility, made separation cost- ineffective. Using a magnet with three times the field strength is expected to reduce the cost by a factor of ten, making isotopically separated burnable poisons a favorable method of increasing ...
2003-09-30
Development of HT-9 for liquid-metal reactor components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Alloy HT-9 is being used for both duct and cladding applications in advanced liquid-metal reactor (LMR) experiments. This tempered martensitic steel was selected for use as an LMR core component material primarily because of its excellent resistance to radiation-induced swelling. Experiments conducted in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at 410 degree C and exposures in the range of 150 to 175 displacements per atom (dpa) have shown that Ht-9 exhibits only a 0.2 to 0.3% increase in volume. Cold-worked austenitic steels exhibit volumetric increases of 20 to 30% at 410 degree C, Alloy HT-9 is being used for a series of fuel pin experiments in the FFTF, and these tests have achieved a burnup of 175 MWd/kg metal and a fluence of 25 x 10"2"2 n/cm"2 (E > 0.1 MeV) without fuel pin breach. The high confidence placed in HT-9 is based on a wide series of in- and ex-reactor experiments. Test results for these experiments are summarized in this paper.
1989-11-26
Decontamination factors of ceramic filter in radioactive waste incineration system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A suspension-firing type radioactive waste incineration system is developed and cold demonstration testing of ceramic filters for the system are carried out. The incineration system, which is useful for a wide variety of waste materials, can serve to simplify the facilities and to reduce the costs for waste disposal. The incineration system can be used for drying-processing of concentrated waste liquids and disposal of flame resistant materials including ion exchange resins and rubber, as well as for ordinary combustible solid materials. An on-line backwash system is adopted to allow the ceramic filters to operate stably for a long period of time. For one-step filtering using the ceramic filter, the decontamination factor is greater than 10"5 for the processing of various wastes. In a practical situation, there exist vapor produced by the spray drier and the cladding in used ion exchange resin, which act to increase the decontamination performance of the ceramic ...
Corrosion failure and its prevention in light water reactor power plants
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
During 17 years since the start of operation of the first commercial LWR in Japan, many LWRs have experienced various corrosion damages, but the causes of them were clarified, and the counter-measures were executed effectively in actual plants, as the results, the cause of corrosion damage decreased remarkably, and now, the high rate of operation has become to be maintained. In this paper, the major cases of corrosion damage experienced in LWRs in Japan and foreign countries, the causes of them and the countermeasures, the problems of hereafter and so on are described. The corrosion damage of metallic materials in the environment of LWRs occurs in the parts in contact with high temperature, high pressure water and steam, such as stainless steel piping in the primary cooling system of BWRs, and nickel alloy heating tubes of steam generators, carbon steel feed water piping and zirconium alloy fuel cladding tubes in PWRs. Recently, accompanying the advance of LWR ...
1988-01-01
Corrosion failure and its prevention in light water reactor power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
During 17 years since the start of operation of the first commercial LWR in Japan, many LWRs have experienced various corrosion damages, but the causes of them were clarified, and the counter-measures were executed effectively in actual plants, as the results, the cause of corrosion damage decreased remarkably, and now, the high rate of operation has become to be maintained. In this paper, the major cases of corrosion damage experienced in LWRs in Japan and foreign countries, the causes of them and the countermeasures, the problems of hereafter and so on are described. The corrosion damage of metallic materials in the environment of LWRs occurs in the parts in contact with high temperature, high pressure water and steam, such as stainless steel piping in the primary cooling system of BWRs, and nickel alloy heating tubes of steam generators, carbon steel feed water piping and zirconium alloy fuel cladding tubes in PWRs. Recently, accompanying the advance of LWR ...
CORMLT modeling of severe fuel damage in postulated accidents
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Recently, the capabilities of the CORMLT code, which was designed to predict heatup, degradation, and meltdown of core and Reactor Pressure VEssel (RPV) internals during postulated severe accidents, were enhanced to enable tracking of individual fission product species during core meltdown. In addition, a mechanistic treatment of the release and flow of molten materials was developed to replace the engineering models developed earlier. In the present paper, the improved models are described and predictions of melt progression for a postullated accident sequence (TMLB') are discussed. A key issue in the new modeling is the mechanical behavior of fuel pellet stacks during run-off of molten cladding. One view is that capillary forces result in ''welding'' of porous fuel, thereby promoting free-standing pellet stacks; another is that rubblization and slumping of fuel take place. Results are reported for the first view point ...
1987-01-01
CASCAD dry storage concept for spent fuel
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Further to a cost-benefit analysis of the various medium-term and long-term and H.L.W. storage possibilities, C.E.A. (French Atomic Energy Commission) and S.G.N. decided to develop an original dry storage process with natural convection cooling that offers many advantages: cut in the total investment and operating costs; high operating safety; natural convection cooling; existence of two containment barriers irrespective of the assumed clad conditions; flexible, modular and compact design. The process was first implemented in the so-called CASCAD Cadarache Facility (vault-type facility) constructed in Cadarache mainly to store fuel from Brennilis heavy water reactor. For the purpose, a large program was set up to develop and validate computer codes, in particular with the use of mockups. On the request of many clients, and owing to the outstanding operating results of the CASCAD Cadarache Facility, SGN was brought to adapt the process to the storage of other types ...
1994-08-01
Benchmarking of epithermal methods in the lattice-physics code EPRI-CELL
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The epithermal cross section shielding methods used in the lattice physics code EPRI-CELL (E-C) have been extensively studied to determine its major approximations and to examine the sensitivity of computed results to these approximations. The study has resulted in several improvements in the original methodology. These include: treatment of the external moderator source with intermediate resonance (IR) theory, development of a new Dancoff factor expression to account for clad interactions, development of a new method for treating resonance interference, and application of a generalized least squares method to compute best-estimate values for the Bell factor and group-dependent IR parameters. The modified E-C code with its new ENDF/B-V cross section library is tested for several numerical benchmark problems. Integral parameters computed by EC are compared with those obtained with point-cross section Monte Carlo calculations, and E-C fine group cross sections are ...
2008-09-21
BWNT assessment of TRAC/PF1-MOD2
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The TRAC/PFI-MOD2 Version 5.3 code was assessed against six FLECHT-SEASET forced reflood tests (31504, 31203, 31302, 31701, 34209, and 31922) and two cylindrical core test facility (CCTF) tests [C1-19 and C2-6]. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clad thermal response predictive capabilities of the code with the newly added reflood model under large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The TRAC model for the FLECHT-SEASET test facility was developed from a RELAP5 model. The test section was modeled using a vessel component with 23 axial levels, 1 radial ring, and 1 azimuthal cell. Test inlet and exit conditions were modeled using fill and break components, respectively. The measured lower and upper plenum test conditions were input to the model. The electrically heated rod was modeled using a rod component with 22 axial mesh points. The axial boundary of each mesh point coincided with a fluid cell ...
1993-11-14
AlGaInP single quantum well laser diodes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The properties and low pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy of Ga{sub x}In{sub 1{minus}x}P/(AlGa){sub 0.5}In{sub 0.5}P quantum well (QW) laser diode heterostructures with Al{sub 0.5}In{sub 0.5}P cladding layers, and having wavelength 614 < {lambda} < 690 nm, are described. At longer wavelengths ({lambda} > 660 nm), threshold current densities under 200 A/cm{sup 2} and efficiencies greater than 75% result from a biaxially-compressed GaInP QW active region. Although short wavelength laser performance is diminished by the poor electron confinement afforded by AlGaInP heterostructures, good 630 nm band performance, and extension into the 610 nm band, is achieved with strained, single QW active regions.
1994-12-31
Stresses commonly present in AlGaAs/GaAs laser heterostructures were reduced using Molecular Beam Epitaxy grown Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.01/As/sub 0.99/ cladding layers. The Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.01/As/sub 0.99/ alloy was grown using an incident P/sub 2/ flux of roughly-equal1 x 10/sup 14//cm/sup 2/ indicating a sticking coefficient of 0.1 at a substrate temperature of 600 /sup 0/C. X-ray automatic Bragg angle control curvature measurements were used to monitor the residual heteroepitaxial stress. Broadened double crystal x-ray linewidths indicated the occurrence of alloy grading and broadened interfaces. The effects of P concentration and film thickness on stress and on the existence of a misfit dislocation grid are discussed.
1982-09-01
Condition of research reactor spent nuclear fuel in wet storage
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The condition of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in wet storage at ten Soviet-designed research reactors has been assessed in the light of international experience in order to identify any associated safety issues. These reactors use Al-clad UO2-Al or U-Al alloy dispersion fuels of ?20% enrichment that were fabricated in Russia; the reactors have been in operation since 1955-70. Although originally sent for reprocessing, much of the SNF generated over the last 25-30 years has been stored in fuel storage pools (FSPs) of variable water quality. The external condition of wet-stored SNF assemblies from the reactors surveyed varied from significant failure due to galvanic corrosion that was driven by poor water quality, through gradual pitting caused by slightly impure water, to a stable condition of no observable change in the oxidized Al alloy surface of the irradiated fuel. SNF stability in wet storage seems to depend on three factors: Al being the sole metal in the FSP (to ...
2004-10-01
Basic research on cermet nuclear fuel
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Production of cermet nuclear fuel having fine uranium dioxide (UO{sub 2}) particles dispersed in matrix metal requires basic property data on the compatibility of matrix metal with fission product compounds. It is thermodynamically suggested that, as burnup increases, cesium in oxide fuel reacts with the fuel, other fission products or cladding pipe and produces cesium uranates, cesium molybdate, or cesium chromate in stainless steel cladding pipe. Attempt was made to measure the thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity of cesium uranates (Cs{sub 2}UO{sub 4} and Cs{sub 2}U{sub 2}O{sub 7}), cesium molybdate (Cs{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}) and cesium chromate (Cs{sub 2}CrO{sub 4}). Thermal expansion was measured by X-ray diffraction and determined by Cohen`s method. Thermal conductivity was obtained by measuring thermal diffusion by laser flash method. The thermal expansion of Cs{sub 2}UO{sub 4} and Cs{sub 2}U{sub 2}O{sub 7} is as low as 1.2% ...
1998-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Fuel irradiation leads to a swelling resulting from the formation of gaseous (Kr, Xe) or solid fission products which are found either in solution or as solid inclusions in the matrix. This phenomena has to be evaluated to be taken into account in fuel cladding Interaction. Fuel swelling was studied as a function of burn up by measuring the corresponding cell constant evolution by X-Ray diffraction. This study was realized on Mixed Oxide Fuels (MOX) irradiated in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) at different burn-up for 3 initial Pu contents. Lattice parameter evolutions were followed as a function of burn-up for the irradiated fuel with and without an annealing thermal treatment. These experimental evolutions are compared to the theoretical evolutions calculated from the hard sphere model, using the fission product concentrations determined by the APPOLO computer code. Contribution of varying parameters influencing the unit cell value is discussed. Thermal ...
1995-07-01
Special phased array applications for pipeline girth weld inspections
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pipeline automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) uses fully automated equipment that travels around a pipe on a welding band in a linear scan to allow array pulses to provide ultrasound information on weld zones. Pipeline AUT is also used for zone discrimination as well as with special calibration blocks, dual gate output displays, and rapid defect sizing. AUT allows for the inspection of welds soon after completion, and can save construction costs by process control when combined with engineering critical assessment (ECA) to minimize rejection rates. Ultrasonic phased arrays (UPA) use an array of elements that are all individually wired, pulsed, and time-shifted. Elements are pulsed in groups of approximately 16 elements at a time for pipeline welds. Phased arrays can be used to combine electronic scanning, sectorial scanning and precision focusing to give a practical combination of displays. Optimum angles can be selected for welds and other components, and the electronic scanning ...
2004-07-01
Simulation of natural convection cooling phenomena for research reactors using the code PARET
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This study deals with testing the capability of the code PARET to simulate natural convection cooling phenomena under different boundary conditions. In addition to applying and testing some new options related to simulation of the control rod movement and studying the reactivity effect of thermal expansion fuel elements. The experiments of the simple thermal hydraulic loop of Missouri university about natural cooling phenomena in two narrow paralled channels were used to validate the code. The study indicate good results regarding the distribution of coolant flux velocity and clad temperature. In particular the heat transfer coefficient of natural convection has been calculated in good agreement with the experiment. On the other hand, the core of MNSR reactor has been modelled to simulate the reactor dynamic behaviour under natural convection cooling conditions for different initial power level. The observed oscillation during the initial phase vanishes gradually ...
Simulation of natural convection cooling phenomena for research reactors using the code PARET
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This study deals with testing the capacity of the code PARET to simulate natural circulation phenomena under different boundary conditions in addition to assessment of some new options related to simulation of control rod movement and the reactivity effect of thermal expansion fuel elements. the experiments of the simple thermal hydraulic loop of Missouri University about natural circulation phenomena in narrow parallel channel were used to validate the code. The results indicate good agreements regarding the evolution of coolant velocity and clad temperature. In particular the heat transfer coefficient of natural convection has been calculated in good agreement with the experiment. On the other hand, the core of MNSR reactor has been modelled to stimulate the reactor dynamic behaviour under natural circulation condition for different initial power level. The observed oscillations during the initial phase vanish gradually with passing time. In this context three ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Full text of publication follows: As the coolant experiences no phase change in the core, SCWRs, unlike LWRs, cannot use design criteria based on the critical heat flux concept. The commonly accepted practice in SCWRs is to specify cladding temperature limits that must be met during transient and accident events. Therefore for the design of the SCWR, it is very important to predict the heat transfer coefficient to the supercritical water coolant with great accuracy. Our recent study focuses on the critical issue of measuring heat transfer to supercritical water at prototypical SCWR conditions and to develop the tools to predict the SCWR thermal behavior. A heat transfer test loop using a surrogate fluids, CO_2, is under construction. The reason of using CO_2 instead of water is that (i) valuable insight of the physical phenomena can be obtained with this fluid, and (ii) some existing facilities already used surrogate fluids, which in general have lower critical ...
2005-10-02
Investigation of thermohydraulic parameters during natural convection cooling of TRIGA reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Important steady-state thermohydraulic parameters of the TRIGA research reactor operating under natural convection mode of coolant flow were investigated using NCTRIGA computer code. Neutronic parameters used in preparing the input of NCTRIGA were taken from the analysis performed by 3-D Monte Carlo code MCNP4C. Benchmarking of the NCTRIGA calculated results were performed against the experimental data measured by the thermocouples in the instrumented fuel element (IFE) during the steady state operation of the reactor under natural convection mode of coolant flow. Various thermohydraulic parameters like the coolant velocity, flow rate and mass flow rate were generated for the hot channel as well as for the two channels comprising instrumented fuels. Calculated peak fuel temperatures at different power levels were compared with the measured values and also with the calculations performed by PARET code. Axial temperature profile at the fuel centreline, fuel surface and coolant in the hot ...
2006-09-01
Influence of phosphorus vapor ambient for InGaAsP growth on GaAs substrate
For visible-light-emitting laser diodes, InGaAsP double heterostructures have been grown on GaAs substrates using liquid-phase epitaxy. As the growth temperature is as high as about 780 /sup 0/C, a large amount of phosphorus evaporates from the solutions for the cladding layers during the growth process. The phosphorus vapor disturbs the solution composition for the active layer, so that very thin and uniform active layers cannot be obtained. By using In-P-Sn solution and supplying the phosphorus partial pressure around the graphite boat, the influence of phosphorus vapor ambient for InGaAsP (lambda/sub P//sub L/ = 805 nm) growth is confirmed. When the phosphorus partial pressure increases, the surface of epitaxial layer becomes rough and the substrate is partly etched back. From x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectral measurements, the composition of the grown layer is also found to be changed. As a result of increasing the flow rate of H/sub 2/ gas in ...
1986-12-01
We present results from the first studies of electric-field effects on optical transitions in visible-band-gap InGaP/InAlGaP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown at 775 [degree]C by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on (100) GaAs substrates misoriented 6[degree] towards P(111)[r angle][l angle]111[r angle]A, consist of nominally undoped MQWs surrounded by doped In[sub 0.49]Al[sub 0.51]P cladding layers to form [ital p]-[ital i]-[ital n] diodes. The Stark shifts of various allowed and forbidden quantum-well transitions were observed in bias-dependent electroreflectance spectra of In[sub 0.49]Ga[sub 0.51]P/In[sub 0.49](Al[sub 0.5]Ga[sub 0.5])[sub 0.51]P MQW samples with 10-nm-thick layers. We find the magnitude of these shifts to depend on the details of the Mg doping profile, confirming the importance of Mg diffusion and unintentional background doping in these materials. Our results show that (InAlGa)P materials are promising for ...
1994-04-04
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We present results from the first studies of electric-field effects on optical transitions in visible-band-gap InGaP/InAlGaP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown at 775 degree C by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on (100) GaAs substrates misoriented 6 degree towards P(111)right-angle left-angle 111 right-angle A, consist of nominally undoped MQWs surrounded by doped In_0_._4_9Al_0_._5_1P cladding layers to form p-i-n diodes. The Stark shifts of various allowed and forbidden quantum-well transitions were observed in bias-dependent electroreflectance spectra of In_0_._4_9Ga_0_._5_1P/In_0_._4_9(Al_0_._5Ga_0_._5)_0_._5_1P MQW samples with 10-nm-thick layers. We find the magnitude of these shifts to depend on the details of the Mg doping profile, confirming the importance of Mg diffusion and unintentional background doping in these materials. Our results show that (InAlGa)P materials are promising for visible-wavelength electro-optic ...
Development of next-generation light water reactor in Japan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In Japan, the development of next-generation Light Water Reactor has been launched since April 2008. The development program will be completed in 2015. The purpose of development is to cope with the replacement for existing nuclear power plants after 2030 in Japan and the expanding demand for nuclear power in the world; 'Nuclear Renaissance.' The reactor also aims to be global standard at around 2030. The requirements for global standard and domestic users have been investigated through the feasibility study of past 2 years, 2006-2007, and six innovative features or 'Core-Concepts' were established as follows. A) Reactor core system with uranium enrichment above 5% for significant decrease of spent fuel discharge and prominent higher availability B) Long-life materials and innovative water chemistry technologies for 80 years plant lifetime and significant reduction of occupational dose C) Seismic isolation technologies to standardize plant design independent from site conditions D) ...
2009-10-27
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Flowsheets for the dissolution of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel have been proposed using 0.002 M mercuric nitrate catalyst in 5 to 6 M nitric acid. Previous calculations for flammable gas control during the dissolution of spent nuclear fuel have been extended to cover a range of dissolver purge rates from 40 to 55 scfm. A range of dissolver solution volumes from 12000 to 15000 liters were considered for the large H-Canyon dissolver (6.4D). Depending on the purge rate, anywhere from four to six bundles of MURR fuel can be initially charged to the dissolver (6.4D). For successive charges where the dissolver solution already contains 0.002 M mercury catalyst and the dissolved aluminum from five bundles of MURR fuel, five to nine bundles of additional fuel can be charged depending on the purge rate and the dissolver solution volume. Similar calculations have been performed for the small H-Canyon dissolver (6.1D) for solution volumes that ranged from 6000 to 7500 ...
2010-07-22
Criticality calculations of the fixed bed nuclear reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Fixed Bed Nuclear Reactor (FBNR) is a small 40 MWe reactor based on the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) technology. FBNR is an integrated primary circuit and simple in design. It has the characteristics of being small, modular, proliferation resistant, inherently safe and passively cooled reactor with reduced adverse environmental impact. It utilizes the fuel designed for high temperature reactors operating in a relatively low temperature of PWR environment The 15 mm diameter spherical fuel elements are made of TRISO type microspheres embedded in graphite and cladded by SiC. The coolant flow transfers them from the fuel chamber into the core and become fixed forming a suspended core. Any accident signal will cut off the power to the coolant pump causing a stop in the flow. This results in making the fuel elements fall out of the reactor core by the force of gravity and return into the fuel chamber where they are passively cooled under subcritical condition. ...
2007-07-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Isothermal reaction experiments were performed in the temperature range of 1000 - 1300 C in order to determine the chemical interactions between Zircaloy-4 fuel rod cladding and Inconel-718 spacer grids of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) under severe accident conditions. It was not possible to apply even higher temperatures since fast and complete liquefaction of the components occurred as a result of eutectic interactions during heatup. The liquid reaction products formed enhance and accelerate the degradation of the material couples and the fuel elements, respectively. Only small amounts of Inconel are necessary to liquefy large amounts of Zircaloy. Thin oxide layers on the Zircaloy surface delay the beginning of the chemical interactions with Inconel but cannot prevent them. In this work the reaction kinetics have been determined for the system: as-received and pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4/Inconel 718. The interactions can be described by parabolic rate laws; the ...
1994-06-01
Cask consolidated spent fuel thermal analyses using the COBRA-SFS code
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The COBRA-SFS computer code was used to perform thermal-hydraulic analyses of consolidated spent fuel stored in casks. The ability of the COBRA-SFS code to model consolidated fuel was evaluated by comparing predictions with experimental data obtained from electrically heated rod bundles by Ridihalgh, Eggers, and Associates and Eggers Ridihalgh Partners, Inc. under sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute. The calculations agreed with the measured temperatures well within the bounds of experimental error. Based on the evaluation results, best-estimate temperature predictions were performed for consolidated fuel in several cask designs. Results are presented for the REA 2023 BWR cask, the CASTOR-1C BWR cask, and the Concrete Sealed Storage Cask designed for Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS). The cask simulation results indicate that consolidation of spent fuel results in a reduction of convection and radiation heat transfer from the fuel rods while enhancing conduction heat ...
1986-04-01
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION, UNIT OPERATIONS SECTION MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT, JULY 1960
A critical review of the literature revealed no experiments on uranyl ion transfer from an aqueous to a tributyl phosphate phase which positively measured the kinetics of the chemical reaction at the interphase. Drawing isorhythmic lines on a three component diagram gives a complex correlation for the compaction of three sizes of glass beads. Neither the use of thoria sols nor high feed solution concentrations of thorium nitrate gave any significant increase in mean particle diameters over those obtained from nitrate solutions of lower concentrations in flame denitration. A hydraulic film resistance has been detected in the anion exchange of uranyl sulfate into Dowex 2lK, and chloride elution was found to give a higher apparent uranium diffusion coefficient than nitrate elution. The rate of dissolution of mixed thorium-uranium oxides was determined as a function of the per cent of mixed oxides dissolved. Mixing in tanks packed with boron glass Raschig rings ...
1960-10-27
Analysis of a Fast Spectrum Irradiation Facility in the High Flux Isotope Reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is proposing to develop a sodium-cooled fast-spectrum reactor (SFR) to transmute and consume actinides from discharged nuclear fuel. To meet performance objectives, new and advanced fuels and targets need to be developed. The fuels to be irradiated include metal and oxide mixed actinides (U-Np-Pu-Am-Cm); for the target concept, Am-Cm has been considered. A significant part of the development process is the irradiation of the fuel and cladding in a prototypic fast reactor environment to determine the performance under irradiation. Analysis results are presented in this paper for a fast-neutron irradiation facility design based on the large fast neutron flux available in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) combined with the use of a strongly-absorbing thermal neutron shield. Several designs were assessed; the preferred concept consists of a three-pin design with an europium oxide ...
2008-09-01
AlGaInP double heterostructure laser diodes with a GaInP active layer constitute a basic laser structure for visible-light lasers using an AlGaInP alloy system. This paper gives a detailed description of (Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1 - x/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth, laser-fabrication processes, and basic device-characteristics for these lasers. The obtained pulsed-threshold-current was about 3.8 kA/cm/sup 2/(3.2 kA/cm/sup 2/ minimum) for laser diodes with an 8-10 /n//m wide and 150-300 ..mu..m long injection stripe. High characteristic-temperature T/sub o/ for the temperature dependence of pulsed threshold current was obtained and was found to be dependent on band-gap-energy differences between active layers and cladding layers. The maximum value for T/sub o/ was 222 K. The lasing wavelength of an AlGaInP double heterostructure laser diode with a GaInP active layer was found to depend on growth conditions and dopant behaviour during the ...
1987-06-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Micron-size Ni-base alloy (NBA) powders were mixed with both 1.5 wt.% (hereinafter %) micron-size CeO{sub 2} (m-CeO{sub 2}) and also 1.5% and 3.0% nano-size CeO{sub 2} (n- CeO{sub 2}) powders. These mixtures were coated on low-carbon steel (Q235) by 2.0 kW CO{sub 2} laser cladding. The effects on the microstructures, phases and electrochemical corrosion of the coatings upon the addition of m- and n- CeO{sub 2} powders to NBA (m- and n- CeO{sub 2} /NBA) have been investigated. The results showed that a smooth coating was prepared under suitable processing parameters (P= 2.0 kW, V= 180 mm min{sup -1}) by adding 1.5% n- CeO{sub 2}. In addition to the primary phases of {gamma}-Ni, Cr{sub 23} C{sub 6} and Ni{sub 3} B in the Ni-base alloy coating, CeNi{sub 3} was formed in Ni-base alloy coatings with both n- CeO{sub 2} and m-CeO{sub 2} particles, and CeNi{sub 5} appeared in the coating upon decreasing the size of CeO{sub 2} particles. Well-developed dendrites were ...
2008-07-01
Development of Guide System for a Reactor Head Maintenance Robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Control Rod Drive(CRD) nozzles for PWR nuclear power plants(NPP) house the control rod drives. The number of nozzle penetrations range from the mid-30's to over 100 in each reactor head. The integrity of CRD nozzles is very important, because the primary pressure boundary is established with the J-groove weld joining the nozzle to the head clad surface. The Alloy 600 PWSC CRD nozzle leaks discovered in the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001 in several US plants. Therefore the NRC has recommended a more proactive effort by US utilities to inspect similarly susceptible nozzles in all US plants. The primary safety concern is circumferential cracks that can permit the nozzles to separate from the head at high velocity and produce a large-break leak in the reactor vessel. A secondary concern is head leakage from any through-wall cracks in the nozzle or J-groove weld area. Numerous inspection and repair tools have been developed to address CRD nozzle inspection ...
2005-07-01
Regulatory Framework for Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility Using Pyroprocess in Korea
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nuclear power plants of 20 units of in Korea are generating about 700 MTU of spent fuels annually. The inventory of spent fuels in Korea were estimated about 10,087.07 MTU at end of 2008, and the storage space of spent fuels won't be available any more at 2016 due to the saturation of the spent fuel pools in the plants. In addition, in order to reduce carbon emission and correspond to the enormous electricity demand in Korea, 8 units of nuclear power plants are under construction and several more plants are under planning. The 100,000 MTU of spent fuel inventory are expected by the year of 2095 in Korea. Therefore, short term and long term of spent fuel management plans are under discussion and implementation in Korea. As a short term of spent fuel management strategy for the target year of 2016, central or local spent fuel dry interim storage options are mostly under discussion. As a long term of management plan, fast reactor and advanced fuel cycle R and D plan were approved by 255th ...
2010-10-01
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