Halden fuel and material experiments beyond operational and safety limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, Boris; Wiesenack, Wolfgang; McGrath, M.; Tverberg, T.

2014-01-01

One of the main tasks of any research reactor is to investigate the behavior of nuclear fuel and materials prior to their introduction into the market. For commercial NPPs, it is important both to test nuclear fuels at a fuel burn-up exceeding current limits and to investigate reactor materials for higher irradiation dose. For fuel vendors such tests enable verification of fuel reliability or for the safety limits to be found under different operational conditions and accident situations. For the latter, in-pile experiments have to be performed beyond some normal limits. The program of fuel tests performed in the Halden reactor is aimed mainly at determining: The thermal FGR threshold, which may limit fuel operational power with burn-up increase, the “lift-off effect” when rod internal pressure exceeds coolant pressure, the effects of high burn-up on fuel behavior under power ramps, fuel relocation under LOCA simulation at higher burn-up, the effect of dry-out on high burn-up fuel rod integrity. This paper reviews some of the experiments performed in the Halden reactor for understanding some of the limits for standard fuel utilization with the aim of contributing to the development of innovative fuels and cladding materials that could be used beyond these limits. (author)

Overview of fuel testing capabilities at the OECD Halden reactor project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiesenack, W [Institutt for Atomenergi, Halden (Norway). OECD Halden Reaktor Projekt

1994-12-31

Fuel performance and reliability investigations at the OECD Haiden Reactor Project are described. They are supported by a variety of irradiation rigs, suitable irradiation techniques and a range of instrumentation. Testing capabilities and applications are mainly aimed at exploring mechanisms of fuel behaviour and high burnup. Examples of fuel performance taken from data provided by the Halden Project for the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme FUMEX are presented. A number of heavily instrumented rigs to suit different test objects have been developed: base irradiation rig, gas meter rig, diameter measurement rig, ramp rig, gas flow rig, instrumented fuel assembly. In core-measurements and variety of sensors as : fuel thermocouples, bellows pressure transducers, fuel stack elongation detectors, cladding diameter gauge and cladding elongation detectors have been used. Techniques which make it possible to obtain reliable data for all relevant burnups from beginning-of-life to ultra high exposure reaching 100 Mwd/kg UO{sub 2} are described. 7 figs., 3 refs.

OECD: Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The work at the Project has continued in the two main fields: test fuel irradiation and fuel research, and computer based process supervision and control. Organizations participating in the Project continue to have their fuel irradiated in the Halden Reactor in instrumented test assemblies designed and manufactured by the Project. The Project's fuel studies continue to focus on specific subjects such as fuel pellet/cladding interaction and heat transfer, fission product release and fuel behavior under loss of coolant conditions. The work on process control and supervision continues in the highly relevant fields of core control and operator-process communication. A system for predictive core control is being developed while special mathematical methods for core power distribution control are being studied. Operator-process communication studies comprise use of computer simulation on colour display as important ingredients, while the work on developing a system for interactive plant disturbance analysis continues

OECD Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-01-01

A major part of the current research programme is devoted to irradiation experiments with a wide variety of heavily instrumented test fuel assemblies, in order to study the thermal and mechanical behavior of fuel rods through in-core measurements, in particular various forms of deformation of cladding and fuel as related to operational conditions and fuel rod design parameters. From these measurements mathematical models are being developed to explain quantitatively the deformation behavior, as well as the thermal properties of the fuel. During 1974, fifty-six instrumented fuel assemblies were irradiated in these experiments. Another major part of the Halden programme is aimed at the development and demonstration of advanced computer-based methods for plant and reactor core control, for safety and protection, and for overall supervision of nuclear power stations. Both the control methods themselves and the associated measurement and control apparatus are being elaborated, and during the year particular progress was made with the ''OPCOM'' process operator communication system

Review of WWER fuel and material tests in the Halden reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, B.; Kolstad, E.

2006-01-01

A review of the tests with WWER fuels and materials conducted in HBWR over the years of cooperation with Russia is presented. The first test with old generation WWER-440 fuel and PWR specification fuel was carried out from 1995 to 1998. Some differences between these fuels regarding irradiation induced densification and pellet design as well as similar fuel thermal behaviour, swelling and FGR were revealed during the test. The data from this test are reviewed and compared with PIE recently performed to confirm the in-pile measurements. The second test was started in March 1999 with the main objective to study different modified WWER fuels also in comparison with PWR fuel. The results indicated that all these modified WWER fuels exhibit improved densification properties relative to earlier tested fuel. In-pile data on fuel densification have been analysed with respect to as fabricated fuel microstructure and can be used for verification of fuel behaviour models. Corrosion and creep tests in the Halden reactor encompass WWER cladding alloys and some results are given. Prospective WWER fuel and material tests foreseen within the frame of the joint program of OECD HRP are also presented. (authors)

Spanish collaboration in the OECD Halden Reactor Project research on Gadolinia Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, M. I.; Jenssen, H. K.; Munoz-Reja, C.; Tverberg, T.

2011-01-01

Safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants benefit from research and development advances and related technical solutions. One research platform is the OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP), HRP is a joint undertaking of national organisations in 18 countries sponsoring a jointly financed programme under the auspices of the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). As a member state, Spain is participating HRP research programs with ENUSA as partner in the fuel research programs. Various experiments are developed and performed also by providing materials, ENUSA collaborates with HRP on various experiments investigating the fuel behaviour, especially on Gd-bearing fuel. 20 years of successful collaboration between HRP and ENUSA is continuing with promising and results to ensure and enhance the safe operation of the Spanish and all other NPPs in the world. (Author) 12 refs.

Summary of the OECD Halden Reactor Project Programme on high burn-up fuel performance relevant for BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGrath, M.A.

1998-01-01

The basis for the Halden Reactor Project Programme is presented together with an overview of the content of the programme for the time period 1997-1999. The concept of using both separate effects studies, to determine particular fuel properties, and integral rod behaviour studies of commercial fuel is explained. Each of the items in the programme relevant for BWRs are introduced, with most being discussed in further detail. (author)

Performance of MOX fuel: An overview of the experimental programme of the OECD Halden Reactor Project and review of selected results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiesenack, W.; McGrath, M.

2000-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project has defined an extensive experimental programme related to MOX fuels which is being executed with the objective to provide a performance data base similar to that available for UO 2 . In addition to utilising fresh MOX fuel and re-instrumented segments from LWR irradiations to high burnup, the concept of inert matrix fuel is being addressed. The irradiation in the Halden reactor is performed in rigs allowing steady state, power ramping and cyclic operation. In-pile data are obtained from instrumentation such as fuel centreline thermocouples, pressure transducers, fuel and cladding elongation detectors, and movable gauges for measuring the diametral deformation. Various phenomena can be assessed in this way, e.g. thermal performance, swelling and densification, PCMI and fission gas release. The paper describes the objectives of various experiments and provides examples of temperature, pressure and cladding elongation measurements performed on MOX fuel. Salient results are related to the threshold for the onset of significant fission gas release and the relaxation behaviour in a power ramp-PCMI situation. (author)

Fessenheim simulator for OECD Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oudot, G.; Bonnissent, B.

1998-01-01

A full scope NPP simulator is presently under manufacture by THOMSON TRAINING and SIMULATION (TTandS) in Cergy (France) for the OECD HALDEN REACTOR PROJECT. The reference plant of this simulator is the Fessenheim CP0 PWR power plant operated by the French utility EDF, for which TTandS has delivered a full scope training simulator in mid 1997. The simulator for HALDEN Reactor Project is based on a software duplication of the Fessenheim simulator delivered to EDF, ported on the most recent computers and O.S. available. This paper outlines the main features of this new simulator generation which reaps benefit of the advanced technologies of the SIPA design simulator introduced inside a full scope simulator. This kind of simulator is in fact the synthesis between training and design simulators and offers therefore added technical capabilities well suited to HALDEN needs. (author)

In-pile test results of HANA claddings in Halden research reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baek, Jong Hyuk; Choi, Byoung Kwon; Jeong, Yong Hwan; Jung, Yun Ho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

It is a kind of facing tasks in the nuclear industry to develop advanced claddings for high burn-up fuel which is safer and more economical than the existing conventional ones. Since 1997, taking an initiative in KAERI, the Zr cladding development team has carried out the R and D activities for the development of the advanced claddings to be used in the high burn-up fuel (>70,000 MWD.MTU). The team had produced the advanced claddings (HANA, High-performance Alloy for Nuclear Application) from the patented composition and manufacturing process in the international collaboration with U.S. and Japan. Now, the HANA claddings have being demonstrated their good performances from the out-of-pile tests including the corrosion, creep, burst, tensile, microstructures LOCA, RIA, wear, and so on. In parallel to the out-of-pile performance tests, the HANA claddings are being undertaken to evaluate their in-pile properties in Halden research reactor. In this study, it is included the test overviews, conditions, and results of the HANA claddings in the Halden reactor.

Fuel irradiation research of Japan at Halden reactor. Achievement of cooperative researches between JAERI and several organizations in the period from 2000 to 2002 (Joint research)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-03-01

JAERI has performed cooperative researches with several Japanese organizations utilizing the Halden Boiling Heavy Water Reactor(HBWR) which is located at Halden in Norway. These researches are carried out based on the contracts of the cooperative researches, which are revised every three years, in accordance with the renewal of the participation of JAERI to the OECD Halden Reactor Project. This report summarizes the objectives, contents and outlines of the achievements of the cooperative researches during the three years from 2000 January to 2002 December. During the period, seven cooperative researches had been carried out. Two of them had been completed and other five researches have been continued to the next three-year period. Most of them are irradiation test researches of advanced fuel and cladding in order to prepare the higher burnup utilization and introduction of LWR fuel and MOX fuel in LWRs of Japan. As the researches of fuel irradiation usually take long time for preparing test and irradiation, three years are usually not enough to obtain some achievements from the irradiation tests. Therefore, five cooperative researches have been continued to the next three-year period. In this report, the achievements of the researches continued to the next period are not final one but a kind of progress report. (author)

Spanish collaboration in the OECD Halden Reactor Project research on Gadolinia Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, M.; Munoz-Reja, C.; Tverberg, T.; Jenssen, H. K.

2010-01-01

Safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants benefit from research and development advances and related technical solutions. One research platform is the OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP). HRP is a joint undertaking of national organisations in 18 countries sponsoring a jointly financed programme under the auspices of the OECD - Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). As a member state, Spain is participating HRP research programs with ENUSA as a partner in the fuel research programs. Improving the NPP operations, fuel cycles were designed to increase fuel burnup. Higher fuel burnup reduces the number of spent fuel assemblies and thus the costs of new fuel as well as the costs of back-end management. Higher burnup is reached either by prolonging the reactor cycles or by increasing the number of reactor cycles for the fuel in the core. Both ways entail additional requirements concerning fuel enrichment and burnable absorbers as additives and adjustments on the cladding material properties, such as mechanical treatment and chemical composition of the alloys. For these demands and needs ENUSA promotes the research on high burnup effects, gadolinium doped fuels and cladding material behaviour under irradiation. Various experiments, called IFA, are developed and performed also by providing materials. ENUSA collaborates with HRP on various experiments investigating the fuel densification and swelling, fission gas release, pressure limits on UO 2 and (U,Gd)O 2 fuels (IFA-504, -515, -636, -681); the cladding creep, lift-off, corrosion and hydrides on different tubing materials (IFA-567, -610, -638); instrumentation of the experiments, especially on pre-irradiated materials (IFA-533). These experiments are combined with model calculations to improve predictions for higher burnups and to maintain safety margins (IFA-515, -636, -681). Besides these unique in-pile experiments PIEs are performed as well on fuel and structural materials to complete the scope of these studies (IFA

Irradiation of inert matrix and mixed oxide fuel in the Halden test reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellwig, Ch.; Kasemeyer, U.

2001-01-01

In a new type of fuel, called Inert Matrix Fuel (IMF), plutonium is embedded in a U-free matrix. This offers advantages for more efficient plutonium consumption, higher proliferation resistance, and for inert behaviour later in a waste repository. In the fuel type investigated at PSI, plutonium is dissolved in yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ), a highly radiation-resistant cubic phase, with addition of erbium as burnable poison for reactivity control. A first irradiation experiment of YSZ-based IMF is ongoing in the OECD Material Test Reactor in Halden (HBWR), together with MOX fuel (Rig IFA-651.1). The experiment is described herein and results are presented of the first 120 days of irradiation with an average assembly burnup of 47 kWd/cm 3 . The results are compared with neutronic calculations performed before the experiment, and are used to model the fuel behaviour with the PSI-modified TRANSURANUS code. The measured fuel temperatures are within the expected range. An unexpectedly strong densification of the IMF during the first irradiation cycle does not alter the fuel temperatures. An explanation for this behaviour is proposed. The irradiation at higher linear heat rates during forthcoming cycles will deliver information about the fission gas release behaviour of the IMF. (author)

Irradiation of inert matrix and mixed oxide fuel in the Halden test reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellwig, Ch.; Kasemeyer, U

2001-03-01

In a new type of fuel, called Inert Matrix Fuel (IMF), plutonium is embedded in a U-free matrix. This offers advantages for more efficient plutonium consumption, higher proliferation resistance, and for inert behaviour later in a waste repository. In the fuel type investigated at PSI, plutonium is dissolved in yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ), a highly radiation-resistant cubic phase, with addition of erbium as burnable poison for reactivity control. A first irradiation experiment of YSZ-based IMF is ongoing in the OECD Material Test Reactor in Halden (HBWR), together with MOX fuel (Rig IFA-651.1). The experiment is described herein and results are presented of the first 120 days of irradiation with an average assembly burnup of 47 kWd/cm{sup 3}. The results are compared with neutronic calculations performed before the experiment, and are used to model the fuel behaviour with the PSI-modified TRANSURANUS code. The measured fuel temperatures are within the expected range. An unexpectedly strong densification of the IMF during the first irradiation cycle does not alter the fuel temperatures. An explanation for this behaviour is proposed. The irradiation at higher linear heat rates during forthcoming cycles will deliver information about the fission gas release behaviour of the IMF. (author)

Preliminary analysis of in-reactor behavior of three MOX fuel rods in the halden reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Yang Hyun; Lee, Byung Ho; Sohn, Dong Seong; Joo, Hyung Kook

1999-09-01

Preliminary analysis of in-reactor thermal performance for three MOX fuel rods that are going to be irradiated in the Halden reactor from the first quarter of the year 2000 have been conducted by using the computer code COSMOS. Using the assumption that microstructure of MOX fuel fabricated by SBR and dry milling method is the same, parametric studies have been carried out considering four kinds of uncertainties, which are thermal conductivity, linear power, manufacturing parameters, and model constant, to investigate the effect of each of uncertainty on in-reactor behavior. It is found that the uncertainty of model constants for FGR has a greatest impact of the all because the amount of gas released to the gap is one of the parameters that dominantly affects the gap conductance. The parametric analysis shows that, tn the case of MOX-1, calculational results vary widely depending on the choice of model constants for FGR. Therefore, the model constants for FGR for the present test need to be established through the measured fuel centerline temperature, rod internal pressure, stack length if any, and finally thermal conductivity derived from measured data during irradiation. On the other hand, the difference in thermal performance of MOX-3 resulting from the choice of FGR model constants is not so large as that for MOX-1. This might arise, since the temperature of the MOX-3 is high, the capacity of grain boundaries to retain gas atoms is not sufficient enough to accommodate the large amount of gas atoms reaching the grain boundaries through diffusion. (Author). 20 refs., 7 tabs., 47 figs

Preliminary analysis of in-reactor behavior of three MOX fuel rods in the halden reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Yang Hyun; Lee, Byung Ho; Sohn, Dong Seong; Joo, Hyung Kook

1999-09-01

Preliminary analysis of in-reactor thermal performance for three MOX fuel rods that are going to be irradiated in the Halden reactor from the first quarter of the year 2000 have been conducted by using the computer code COSMOS. Using the assumption that microstructure of MOX fuel fabricated by SBR and dry milling method is the same, parametric studies have been carried out considering four kinds of uncertainties, which are thermal conductivity, linear power, manufacturing parameters, and model constant, to investigate the effect of each of uncertainty on in-reactor behavior. It is found that the uncertainty of model constants for FGR has a greatest impact of the all because the amount of gas released to the gap is one of the parameters that dominantlyaffects the gap conductance. The parametric analysis shows that, tn the case of MOX-1, calculational results vary widely depending on the choice of model constants for FGR. Therefore, the model constants for FGR for the present test need to be established through the measured fuel centerline temperature, rod internal pressure, stack length if any, and finally thermal conductivity derived from measured data during irradiation. On the other hand, the difference in thermal performance of MOX-3 resulting from the choice of FGR model constants is not so large as that for MOX-1. This might arise, since the temperature of the MOX-3 is high, the capacity of grain boundaries to retain gas atoms is not sufficient enough to accommodate the large amount of gas atoms reaching the grain boundaries through diffusion. (Author). 20 refs., 7 tabs., 47 figs.

OECD Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project is both the oldest and the only one still in operation of the three major joint undertakings established at the inception of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. This publication has been printed in connection with its twenty-fifth anniversary as an international project. After presentation of the history and organization of the project, a thorough description of the past and present activities in the field of fuel performance and process control and surveillance is given. The projects's fuel testing programme is now focuessed on an investigation to define safety margins under normal operations as well as under various kinds of accident situations. Fuel research is also concerned with the characterisation of long term effects with regard to efficiency, operational safety and mapping of reliability and durability in the case of accidents with loss of coolant. In the field of process control and surveillance, research work is directly linked to the use of computers and colour graphics as tools in the control room. A fullscale simulator-based model and experimental control room has been constructed. The first experiments to be carried out in this laboratory will investigate the advantage of analysing alarms before they are presented to the operator. (RF)

Review of Halden Reactor Project high burnup fuel data that can be used in safety analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiesenack, W.

1996-01-01

The fuels and materials testing programmes carried out at the OECD Halden Reactor Project are aimed at providing data in support of a mechanistic understanding of phenomena, especially as related to high burnup fuel. The investigations are focused on identifying long term property changes, and irradiation techniques and instrumentation have been developed over the years which enable to assess fuel behaviour and properties in-pile. The fuel-cladding gap has an influence on both thermal and mechanical behaviour. Improved gap conductance due to gap closure at high exposure is observed even in the case of a strong contamination with released fission gas. On the other hand, pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, which is measured with cladding elongation detectors and diameter gauges, is re-established after a phase with less interaction and is increasing. These developments are exemplified with data showing changes of fuel temperature, hydraulic diameter and cladding elongation with burnup. Fuel swelling and cladding primary and secondary creep have been successfully measured in-pile. They provide data for, e.g., the possible cladding lift-off to be accounted for at high burnup. Fuel conductivity degradation is observed as a gradual temperature increase with burnup. This affects stored heat, fission gas release and temperature dependent fuel behaviour in general. The Halden Project's data base on fission gas release shows that the phenomenon is associated with an accumulation of gas atoms at the grain boundaries to a critical concentration before appreciable release occurs. This is accompanied by an increase of the surface-to-volume ratio measured in-pile in gas flow experiments. A typical observation at high burnup is also that a burst release of fission gas may occur during a power decrease. Gas flow and pressure equilibration experiments have shown that axial communication is severely restricted at high burnup

Fuel irradiation research of Japan at OECD Halden Reactor Project. Achievement of joint researches between JAERI and other organizations in the period from 1994 to 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uetsuka, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Jinichi; Kinoshita, Motoyasu

1998-01-01

JAERI has performed cooperative researches with many Japanese agencies and companies by means of the Halden Boiling Heavy Water Reactor (HBWR) which is located at Halden in Norway. These cooperative researches are carried out based on the contracts of the cooperative researches, which are revised every three years, in accordance with the renewal of the participation of JAERI to the OECD Halden Reactor Project. This report summaries the objectives, contents and the outlines of the achievements of the cooperative researches during the three years from 1994 January to 1996 December. During the period, ten cooperative researches had been carried out, and two of them had finished during the period and other eight researches has been continued to the next three year period. There are many research items, and most of them are irradiation test researches of advanced fuel and cladding concerned with the high burnup utilization of LWR fuel or MOX fuel irradiation researches to prepare for the introduction of Plutonium utilization in LWRs. The researches of fuel irradiation usually take long time because of the characteristics of these kind of research work, and three years are usually not enough to obtain some achievements from the irradiation tests. Therefore, eight tests have been continued after the three year period. In this report, the achievements of the continued researches to the next three year period are not final one but a kind of progress report. (author) kind of progress report. (author)

Lessons learned in process control at the Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, W.G.

1989-12-01

This report provides a list of those findings particularly relevant to regulatory authorities that can be derived from the research and development activities in computerized process control conducted at the Halden Reactor Project. The report was prepared by a staff member of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission working at Halden. It identifies those results that may be of use to regulatory organizations in three main areas: as support for new requirements, as part of regulatory evaluations of the acceptability of new methods and techniques, and in exploratory research and development of new approaches to improve operator performance. More than 200 findings arranged in nine major categories are presented. The findings were culled from Halden Reactor Project documents, which are listed in the report

The post irradiation examination of three fuel rods from the IFA 429 experiment irradiated in the Halden Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.

1979-11-01

A series of fuel rod irradiation experiments were performed in the Halden Heavy Boiling Water Reactor in Norway. These were designed to provide a range of fuel property data as a function of burn-up. One of these experiments was the IFA-429. This was designed to study the absorption of helium filling gas by the UO 2 fuel pellets, steady state and transient fission gas release and fuel thermal behaviour to high burn-up. This data was to be obtained as a function of fuel density, fuel grain size, initial fuel/cladding gap, average linear heat rating, burn-up and overpower transients. All the fuel is in the form of pressed and sintered UO 2 pellets enriched to 13 weight percent 235 U. All the rods were clad in Zircaloy 4 tube. The details of the experiment are given. The post irradiation examination included: visual examination, neutron radiography, dimensional measurements, gamma scanning, measurement of gases in fuel rods and internal free volume, burn-up analysis, metallographic examination, measurement of retained gas in UO 2 pellets, measurement of bulk density of UO 2 . The results are given and discussed. (U.K.)

IFPE/IFA-432, Fission Gas Release, Mechanical Interaction BWR Fuel Rods, Halden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, J.A.

1996-01-01

Description: It contains data from experiments that have been performed at the IFE/OECD Halden Reactor Project, available for use in fuel performance studies. It covers experiments on thermal performance, fission product release, clad properties and pellet clad mechanical interaction. It includes also experimental data relevant to high burn-up behaviour. IFA-432: Measurements of fuel temperature response, fission gas release and mechanical interaction on BWR-type fuel rods up to high burn-ups. The assembly featured several variations in rod design parameters, including fuel type, fuel/cladding gap size, fill gas composition (He and Xe) and fuel stability. It contained 6 BWR-type fuel rods with fuel centre thermocouples at two horizontal planes, rods were also equipped with pressure transducers and cladding extensometers. Only data from 6 rods are compiled here

The second eddy current testing of zircaloy tube samples from the OECD Halden reactor project at Reactor Fuel Examination Facility, Tokai, JAERI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohwada, Isao; Nishino, Yasuharu

1986-07-01

The Reactor Fuel Examination Facility in Tokai/JAERI (Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute) joined to the second round robin programme on eddy current test of the Halden/IFE. In the programme, two zircaloy tube samples with some artificial defects were provided for measurements. To clarify the locations in axial and azimuthal directions, types and dimensions of the provided artificial defects, measured signals from eddy current test were analysed in comparison with the known defects on the calibration tube. As a result, fourteen defects were determined from the measurements. Then, the location, the type and the relative dimension of them were also revealed. The results of those eddy current test are described in this paper. (author)

Status and further plans for the Halden project MMS activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oewre, Fridtjov

2004-01-01

The Halden Reactor Project is a joint undertaking of nuclear organizations in 19 countries sponsoring a jointly financed research programme under the auspices of the OECD NEA. The programme is renewed every third year. The three main research areas at the Halden Project are: Fuels-, Materials- and Man-Machine Systems (MMS) research. The MMS research addresses issues related to human-machine interaction in computerized control rooms as well as the development and test of new technology related to safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants. The MMS research at the Halden Project is closely tied with experimental work in two laboratories constituting what is now called the MTO-labs (MTO=Man-Technology-Organization). The new MTO-lab building was opened in the spring 2004. One of the laboratories is the nuclear simulator-based Halden Man-Machine Laboratory (HAMMLAB). The other laboratory is called the Halden Virtual Reality Centre (HVRC). The paper first introduces the new MTO-lab and outlines Halden's capabilities of perform MMS research. Furthermore the paper discusses three selected topics addressed within the current Halden MMS programme focusing on our approach to obtain data for human reliability assessment, the work on design and evaluation of innovative human system interfaces and our work on integrated wearable computing technologies for field operators. A short overview of our plans for future research as part of the international Halden Reactor Project concludes the paper. (author)

Halden Boiling Water Reactor. Plant Performance and Heavy-Water Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aas, S.; Jamne, E.; Wullum, T.; Fjellestad, K. [Institutt for Atomenergi, OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway)

1968-04-15

The Halden boiling heavy-water reactor, designed and built by the Norwegian Institutt for Atomenergi, has since June 1958 been operated as an international project. On its second charge the reactor was operated at power levels up to 25 MW and most of the time at a pressure of 28.5 kg/cm{sup 2}. During the period from July 1964 to December 1966 the plant availability was close to 64% including shutdowns because of test fuel failures and loading/unloading of fuel. Disregarding such stops, the availability was close to 90%. The average burnup of the core is about 6200 MWd/t UO{sub 2} : the most highly exposed elements have reached 10000 MWd/t UO{sub 2}. The transition temperature of the reactor tank has been followed closely. The results of the surveillance programme and the implication on the reactor operation are discussed. The reactor is located in a cave in a rock. Some experiences with such a containment are given. To locate failed test-fuel elements a fuel failure location system has been installed. A fission gas collection system has saved valuable reactor time during clean-up of the reactor system following test fuel failures. Apart from one incident with two of the control stations, the plant control and instrumentation systems have functioned satisfactorily. Two incidents with losses of 150 and 200 kg of heavy water have occurred. However, after improved methods for leakage detection had been developed, the losses have been kept better than 50 g/h . Since April 1962 the isotopic purity of the heavy water (14 t) has decreased from 99.75 to 99.62%. The tritium concentration is now slightly above 700 {mu}C/cm{sup 3}. This activity level has not created any serious operational or maintenance problems. An extensive series of water chemistry experiments has been performed to study the influence of various operating parameters on radiolytic gas formation. The main results of these experiments will be reported. Different materials such as mild steel, ferritic steel

I and C safety research at the OECD Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gran, B.A.

2007-01-01

The overall objective of the Halden Reactor Project research on software systems dependability is to contribute to the successful introduction of digital I and C systems into NPPs. When celebrating the 50 years of the Halden Project in 2008, about 100 written reports have been delivered within this research. This research covers a number of topics covering safety, reliability, validation and verification, quality assurance, risk assessment, requirement engineering, error propagation, qualitative and quantitative assessment. In the paper some activities are described, pinpointing the importance of good joint projects with organisations in the member countries

A Study of the Temperature Distribution in UO2 Reactor Fuel Elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devold, I.

1968-05-01

Thermal conductivity is one of the most important properties of nuclear reactor fuels. Accurate knowledge of this property is vital because, among other things, it determines the maximum power that can be taken out of the fuel element per unit length of the material without exceeding the safety limits of the fuel elements. This report consists of a study of the thermal behaviour of uranium dioxide in the form of reactor fuel. The experimental part of the report describes measurements performed at the OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden, Norway. The experiment was originally set up in order to measure the temperature at the center of a UO 2 fuel element as a function of element power, in order to determine the safe operation limit of the fuel assembly. However, in analysing the data obtained, very interesting thermal conductivity values were obtained and comparison with existing correlations could be performed. This comparison shows that a certain agreement is obtained between the measured data at Halden and a theory published by J.L. Bates in 1961, which predicts an increase in the thermal conductivity above 1500 deg C. The data obtained below 1300 deg C are also in good agreement with measurements performed by Vogt, Grandell and Runfors in 1964. The report contains a mathematical description of the heat transfer mechanisms in cylindrical fuel elements. The model is coded in FORTRAN IV-code and referred to as FUELTEMP

Verification of HELIOS-MASTER system through benchmark of Halden boiling water reactor (HBWR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ha Yong; Song, Jae Seung; Cho, Jin Young; Kim, Kang Seok; Lee, Chung Chan; Zee, Sung Quun

2004-01-01

To verify the HELIOS-MASTER computer code system for a nuclear design, we have been performed benchmark calculations for various reactor cores. The Halden reactor is a boiling, heavy water moderated reactor. At a full power of 18-20MWt, the moderator temperature is 240 .deg. C and the pressure is 33 bar. This study describes the verification of the HELIOS-MASTER computer code system for a nuclear design and the analysis of a hexagonal and D 2 O moderated core through a benchmark of the Halden reactor core. HELIOS, developed by Scandpower A/S, is a two-dimensional transport program for the generation of group cross-sections, and MASTER, developed by KAERI, is a three-dimensional nuclear design and analysis code based on the two-group diffusion theory. It solves the neutronics model with the TPEN (Triangle based Polynomial Expansion Nodal) method for a hexagonal geometry

Evaluation of strategies for end storage of high-level reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This report evaluates a national strategy for end-storage of used high-level reactor fuel from the research reactors at Kjeller and in Halden. This strategy presupposes that all the important phases in handling the high-level material, including temporary storage and deposition, are covered. The quantity of spent fuel from Norwegian reactors is quite small. In addition to the technological issues, ethical, environmental, safety and economical requirements are emphasized

Overview of the OECD Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitanza, C.

2000-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project is an international network dedicated to enhancing the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. The project operates under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and aims at addressing and resolving issues relevant to safety as they emerge in the nuclear community. This paper gives a concise presentation of the project's goals and of its technical infrastructure. The paper also contains a brief overview of results from the ongoing programme and of the main issues contemplated for the next three-year programme period (2000-2002). (author)

A Study of the Temperature Distribution in UO{sub 2} Reactor Fuel Elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devold, I

1968-05-15

Thermal conductivity is one of the most important properties of nuclear reactor fuels. Accurate knowledge of this property is vital because, among other things, it determines the maximum power that can be taken out of the fuel element per unit length of the material without exceeding the safety limits of the fuel elements. This report consists of a study of the thermal behaviour of uranium dioxide in the form of reactor fuel. The experimental part of the report describes measurements performed at the OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden, Norway. The experiment was originally set up in order to measure the temperature at the center of a UO{sub 2} fuel element as a function of element power, in order to determine the safe operation limit of the fuel assembly. However, in analysing the data obtained, very interesting thermal conductivity values were obtained and comparison with existing correlations could be performed. This comparison shows that a certain agreement is obtained between the measured data at Halden and a theory published by J.L. Bates in 1961, which predicts an increase in the thermal conductivity above 1500 deg C. The data obtained below 1300 deg C are also in good agreement with measurements performed by Vogt, Grandell and Runfors in 1964. The report contains a mathematical description of the heat transfer mechanisms in cylindrical fuel elements. The model is coded in FORTRAN IV-code and referred to as FUELTEMP.

Analysis of fuel relocation for the NRC/PNL Halden assemblies IFA-431, IFA-432, and IFA-513. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williford, R.E.; Mohr, C.L.; Lanning, D.D.; Cunningham, M.E.; Rausch, W.N.

1980-06-01

The effects of the thermally-induced cracking and subsequent relocation of UO2 fuel pellets on the thermal and mechanical behavior of light-water reactor fuel rods during irradiation are quantified in this report. Data from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Pacific Northwest Laboratory Halden experiments on instrumented fuel assemblies (IFA) IFA-431, IFA-432, and IFA-513 are analyzed. Beginning-of-life in-reactor measurements of fuel center temperatures, linear heat ratings, and cladding axial elongations are used in a new model to solve for the effective thermal conductivity and elastic moduli of the cracked fuel column. The primary assumptions of the new model are that (1) the cracked fuel is in a hydrostatic state of stress in the (r,theta) plane, and that (2) there is no axial slipping between fuel and cladding. Three basic parameters are used to describe the cracked fuel: (1) the crack pattern, (2) the crack roughness, and (3) the fuel surface (gap) roughness. Recommendations are made on refining the model

Report On Design And Preliminary Data Of Halden In-Pile Creep Rig

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terrani, Kurt A [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Karlsen, T. M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Yamamoto, Yukinori [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-01

A set of in-pile creep tests is ongoing in the Halden reactor on ORNL’s candidate accident tolerant fuel cladding materials. These tests are meant to provide essential material property information that is needed for an informed analysis of these fuel concepts under normal operating conditions. These tests provide detailed information regarding swelling, thermal creep, and irradiation creep rates of these materials. The results to date have been compared with the limited set of information available in literature that is form irradiation tests in other reactors or out-of-pile tests. Most of the results are in good agreement with prior literature, except for irradiation creep rate of SiC. To elucidate the difference between the HFIR and Halden test results continued testing is necessary. The tests describe in this progress report are ongoing and will continue for at least another year.

Overview of the OECD-Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitanza, Carlo

2001-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project is an international network dedicated to enhanced safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. The Project operates under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and aims at addressing and resolving issues relevant to safety as they emerge in the nuclear community. This paper gives a concise presentation of the Project goals and of its technical infrastructure. The paper contains also a brief overview of results from the programme carried out in the time period 1997-1999 and of the main issues contemplated for the 3-year programme period 2000-2002

Description of the quality system and the organisation of activities at the Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiseth, Ann Katrine

1996-04-01

The Halden Reactor Project is a joint undertaking of national organisations in 19 countries sponsoring a jointly financed programme under the auspices of the OECD - Nuclear Energy Agency. The quality assurance routines in force at the Halden Reactor Project are based on long term experience and are devised to ensure product quality and meeting of programme goals, customers expectations and authority requirements. Quality is an overall connotation related to all activities carried out at the Project and concerns all individuals performing such activities. It is also related to subcontractors and suppliers of parts and components. The results of the work depend very strongly on the quality level of each component, regardless how small it is. The activities at the Halden Reactor Project are organised in eight technical divisions, one advisory group and one administrative group. This report describes the quality system, the organisation of the activities in the divisions and the technical and administrative infrastructures. The quality system is built according to the international standards ISO 9001 and ISO 9000-3. Iso 9000-3 is ISO 9001 applied to software development, supply and maintenance. (author)

Enlarged Halden programme group meeting on high burn-up fuel performance, safety and reliability and degradation of in-core materials and water chemistry effects and man-machine systems research. Volume II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

An Enlarged Halden Programme Group Meeting on Fuel Performance and Materials Testing and Man-Machine Research was held at Loen, Norway 24 to 29 May, 1999. The papers presented covered work performed at the OECD Halden Reactor Project during the years up to April 1999 as well as studies conducted within organisations participating in the Halden Project. The Halden Boiling Water Reactor, HBWR, was built in the years 1955 - 1958 by the Norwegian Institutt for Atomenergi, and has since 1958 been operated internationally as one of the joint undertakings of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. The experimental operation of the Halden Boiling Water Reactor and associated programmes are sponsored through an international agreement by Institute for energy technology, Norway, the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK/CEN, acting also on behalf of other public or private organisations in Belgium, the Risoe National Laboratory in Denmark, the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Electricite de France, the Gesellschaft fur Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, representing a German group of companies working in agreement with the German Federal Ministry for Education, Science, Research and Technology, the Italian Ente per le Nouve Tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Spanish Centre de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologias, representing a group of national and industry organisations in Spain, the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, representing also the Swiss nuclear utilities and the Paul Scherrer Institute, the Nuclear Electric pic, representing a group of nuclear research and industry organisations in the United Kingdom, and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and as associated parties: the Brazilian Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), the Czech Nuclear Research Institute, the Hungarian

Measurement station for interim inspections of Lightbridge metallic fuel rods at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, C.; Totemeier, A.; Holcombe, S.; Liverud, J.; Limi, M.; Hansen, J. E.; Navestad, E. AB(; )

2018-01-01

Lightbridge Corporation has developed a new Uranium-Zirconium based metallic fuel. The fuel rods aremanufactured via a co-extrusion process, and are characterized by their multi-lobed (cruciform-shaped) cross section. The fuel rods are also helically-twisted in the axial direction. Two experimental fuel assemblies, each containing four Lightbridge fuel rods, are scheduled to be irradiated in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) starting in 2018. In addition to on-line monitoring of fuel rod elongation and critical assembly conditions (e.g. power, flow rates, coolant temperatures, etc.) during the irradiation, several key parameters of the fuel will be measured out-of-core during interim inspections. An inspection measurement station for use in the irradiated fuel handling compartment at the HBWR has therefore been developed for this purpose. The multi-lobed cladding cross section combined with the spiral shape of the Lightbridge metallic fuel rods requires a high-precision guiding system to ensure good position repeatability combined with low-friction guiding. The measurement station is equipped with a combination of instruments and equipment supplied from third-party vendors and instruments and equipment developed at Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). Two sets of floating linear voltage differential transformer (LVDT) pairs are used to measure swelling and diameter changes between the lobes and the valleys over the length of the fuel rods. Eddy current probes are used to measure the thickness of oxide layers in the valleys and on the lobe tips and also to detect possible surface cracks/pores. The measurement station also accommodates gamma scans. Additionally, an eddy-current probe has been developed at IFE specifically to detect potential gaps or discontinuities in the bonding layer between the metallic fuel and the Zirconium alloy cladding. Potential gaps in the bonding layer will be hidden behind a 0.5-1.0 mm thick cladding wall. It has therefore been

Post-irradiation data analysis for NRC/PNL Halden assembly IFA-431

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nealley, C.; Lanning, D.D.; Cunningham, M.E.; Hann, C.R.

1979-10-01

Results are presented for the post irradiation examination performed on IFA-431, which was a 6-rod test fuel assembly irradiated in Halden Reactor, Norway, under sponsorship of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The irradiation conditions included: peak powers of 33 kW/m; coolant pressure and temperature of 3.3 MPa and 240 0 C, respectively; and peak burnup of 4300 MWd/MTM. IFA-431 included instrumented rods of basic boiling water reactor design, with variations in fill gas composition, gap size, and UO 2 fuel type. The irradiation was designed to measure the effect of these variations upon fuel rod thermal and mechanical performance. The post irradiation examination assessed the permanent changes to the rods, including induced radioactivity, cladding deformation, fission gas release, and fuel densification

Implementation of MOAS II diagnosis system at the OECD Halden Reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, I.S.; Grini, R.E.; Nilsen, S.

1995-01-01

MOAS II is a surveillance and diagnosis system that uses several techniques for knowledge acquisition and diagnostic reasoning, e.g., goal tree-success tree, simplified directed graphs, diagnosis trees, and detailed knowledge of the process, such as mass or energy balance. This new approach was used at the Halden Man-Machine Laboratory of the OECD Halden Reactor Project. The performance of MOAS II, developed in G2 real-time expert system shell for the high-pressure preheaters of the NORS process, was tested against a variety of transient scenarios, including failures of control valves and sensors, and leakage of tubes of the preheaters. These tests showed that MOAS II successfully carried out its intended functions, i.e., quickly recognizing an occurring disturbance, correctly diagnosing its cause, and presenting advice on its control to the operator. The insights gained during the implementation are discussed

Evaluation of strategies for end storage of high-level reactor fuel; Vurdering av strategier for sluttlagring av hoeyaktivt reaktorbrensel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

This report evaluates a national strategy for end-storage of used high-level reactor fuel from the research reactors at Kjeller and in Halden. This strategy presupposes that all the important phases in handling the high-level material, including temporary storage and deposition, are covered. The quantity of spent fuel from Norwegian reactors is quite small. In addition to the technological issues, ethical, environmental, safety and economical requirements are emphasized.

Human machine interaction research experience and perspectives as seen from the OECD Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oewre, F.

1999-01-01

In this paper a short review is given on important safety issues in the field of human machine interaction as expressed by important nuclear organisations such as USNRC, IAEA and the OECD NEA. Further on, a presentation is offered of research activities at the OECD Halden Reactor Project in the field of human machine interaction aiming to clarify some of the issues outlined by the above mentioned organisations. The OECD Halden Reactor Project is a joint undertaking of national nuclear organisations in 19 countries sponsoring a jointly financed research programme under the auspices of the OECD - Nuclear Energy Agency. One of the research areas is the man-machine systems research addressing the operator tasks in a control room environment. The overall objective is to provide a basis for improving today's control rooms through introduction of computer-based solutions for effective and safe execution of surveillance and control functions in normal as well as off-normal plant situations. (author)

International Summer School on Nuclear Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

In cooperation with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the Halden Reactor Project organised a Summer School on nuclear fuel in the period August 28 September 1, 2000. The summer school was primarily intended for people who wanted to become acquainted with fuel-related subjects and issues without being experts. It was especially hoped that the summer school would serve to transfer knowledge to the ''young generation'' in the field of nuclear fuel. Experts from Halden Project member organisations gave the following presentations: (1) Overview of the nuclear community, (2) Criteria for safe operation and design of nuclear fuel, (3) Fuel design and fabrication, (4) Cladding Manufacturing, (5) Overview of the Halden Reactor Project, (6) Fuel performance evaluation and modelling, (7) Fission gas release, and (8) Cladding issues. Except for the Overview, which is a written paper, the other contributions are overhead figures from spoken lectures.

USNRC-OECD Halden Project fuel behavior test program: experiment data report for test assemblies IFA-226 and IFA 239

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laats, E.T.; MacDonald, P.E.; Quapp, W.J.

1975-12-01

The experimental data which were obtained from the IFA-226 and IFA-239 test assemblies during operation in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor are reported. Included are cladding elongation, fuel centerline temperature, internal gas pressure, and power history data from IFA-226 which were obtained from November 1971 through April 1974, and cladding elongation, diametral profile, and power history data from IFA-239 covering the period from March 1973 through April 1974. The data, presented in the form of composite graphs, have been analyzed only to the extent necessary to assure that they are reasonable and correct. A description of these mixed oxide fuel test assemblies and their instrumentation is presented. Test pin fabrication history, instrument calibration data, assembly power calibration methods, and the neutron detector data reduction technique are included as appendices

OECD - HRP Summer School on Nuclear Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

In cooperation with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the Halden Reactor Project organised a Summer School on nuclear fuel in the period August 28 September 1, 2000. The summer school was primarily intended for people who wanted to become acquainted with fuel-related subjects and issues without being experts. It was especially hoped that the summer school would serve to transfer knowledge to the ''young generation'' in the field of nuclear fuel. Experts from Halden Project member organisations gave the following presentations: (1) Overview of the nuclear community, (2) Criteria for safe operation and design of nuclear fuel, (3) Fuel design and fabrication, (4) Cladding Manufacturing, (5) Overview of the Halden Reactor Project, (6) Fuel performance evaluation and modelling, (7) Fission gas release, and (8) Cladding issues. Except for the Overview, which is a written paper, the other contributions are overhead figures from spoken lectures.

OECD - HRP Summer School on Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

In cooperation with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the Halden Reactor Project organised a Summer School on nuclear fuel in the period August 28 September 1, 2000. The summer school was primarily intended for people who wanted to become acquainted with fuel-related subjects and issues without being experts. It was especially hoped that the summer school would serve to transfer knowledge to the ''young generation'' in the field of nuclear fuel. Experts from Halden Project member organisations gave the following presentations: (1) Overview of the nuclear community, (2) Criteria for safe operation and design of nuclear fuel, (3) Fuel design and fabrication, (4) Cladding Manufacturing, (5) Overview of the Halden Reactor Project, (6) Fuel performance evaluation and modelling, (7) Fission gas release, and (8) Cladding issues. Except for the Overview, which is a written paper, the other contributions are overhead figures from spoken lectures

3. Halden Reactor Project Workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louka, Michael N.

2005-09-01

A workshop was held in Halden 2nd-3rd March 2005 to discuss 'VR in the Future Industrial Workplace: Working Together - Regardless of Distance'. The workshop sessions and discussions focused on design, operations and maintenance, training, and engineering virtual reality systems, and provided useful insights into the current state of the art of research and development in the fields of virtual and augmented reality. (Author)

Research on software systems dependability at the OECD Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivertsen, Terje; Owre, Fridtjov

2011-01-01

Two central issues related to software systems dependability are those of safety integrity and safety demonstration. A proper understanding of these two issues are important for the selection of process, methods, techniques and tools to be used in the different life cycle phases of the software. Following a brief discussion on the concept of software safety integrity and its relationship to software systems dependability, this paper gives an introduction to research problems addressed by the OECD Halden Reactor Project within this area. The paper concludes with a discussion on the important role of safety demonstration in this context. (author)

Implementation of an integrated on-line process surveillance and diagnostic system at the Halden reactor project: MOAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, I.S.; Grini, R.-E.; Nilsen, S.

2001-01-01

MOAS is an integrated on-line process surveillance and diagnostic system that uses several different models for knowledge acquisition and diagnostic reasoning, such as goal-tree success-tree model, process monitor trees, and sensor failure diagnosis trees. Within these models, the knowledge of the process and its operation, including deep knowledge, like mass balance or controller algorithm, is incorporated. During an extensive review, made as part of the integrated diagnosis system project of the Halden reactor project, MOAS (Maryland Operator Advisory System) was identified as one of the most thorough systems developed thus far. MOAS encompasses diverse functional aspects that are required for an effective process disturbance management: (1) intelligent process monitoring and alarming, (2) on-line sensor data validation and sensor failure diagnosis, (3) on-line hardware (besides sensors) failure diagnosis, and (4) real-time corrective measure synthesis. The MOAS methodology was used for the NORS (Nokia Research Simulator) process at the Halden man-machine laboratory HAMMLAB of the OECD Halden reactor project. The performance tests of MOAS, implemented in G2 real-time expert system shell, show that MOAS successfully carries out its intended functions, i.e. quickly recognizing an occurring disturbance, correctly diagnosing its cause, and presenting advice on its control to the operator. The lessons learned and insights gained during the implementation and performance tests also are discussed

A summary of lessons learned activities conducted at the OECD Halden Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallbert, B.P.

1997-01-01

A series of lessons learned studies have been conducted at the OECD Halden Reactor Project. The purpose of these lessons learned reports are to summarize knowledge and experience gained across a number of research project. This paper presents a summary of main issues addressed in four of these lessons learned projects. These are concerned with software development and quality assurance, software reliability, methods for test and evaluation of developed systems, and the evaluation of system design features

Man-machine systems research at the OECD Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owre, F.; Bjorlo, T.J.; Haugset, K.

1994-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project is a jointly financed research programme under the auspices of the OECD - Nuclear Energy Agency with fifteen participating countries. One of the main research topics focuses on man-machine systems. Particular attention is paid to the operator's tasks in the reactor control room environment. The overall objective of the research in this field is to provide a basis for improving today's control rooms through the introduction of computer-based solutions for the effective and safe execution of surveillance and control functions in normal as well as off-normal plant situations. The programme comprises four main activities: the verification and validation of safety critical software systems; man-machine interaction research emphasizing improvements in man-machine interfaces on the basis of human factors studies; computerised operator support systems assisting the operator in fault detection/diagnosis and planning of control actions; and control room development providing a basis for retrofitting of existing control rooms and for the design of advanced concepts

Fuel Element Experience at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aas, S. [OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); Videm, K.; Hanevik, A. [Institutt for Atomenergi, Kjeller (Norway)

1968-04-15

The penalty for neutron absorbing materials is higher for a reactor moderated with heavy water than one with light water. As Zircaloy and enriched uranium were not readily available in 1954 when the design of the first fuel charge for HBWR was frozen, fuel elements of natural uranium metal clad in a specially developed aluminium alloy (A 1 0.3% Fe, 0.03% Si) were used. The temperature was limited to 150 Degree-Sign C and with this limitation the general behaviour of the elements was good. In I960, in another effort to maintain a good neutron economy, a couple of elements with as thin cladding as 0.25 mm A1S1 316, stainless steel with an unsegmented length of 2 m supported by wire grid spacers were tested. These elements with 1.5% enriched UO{sub 2} behaved satisfactorily at 150'C. Elements of a rather similar construction failed due to stress corrosion during the later operation at 230 'C. The reason for the different behaviour is probably the higher stresses in the cladding, due to the increased pressure, possibly combined with a short period with a high chloride content in the heavy water. The second fuel core with 1.5% enriched UO{sub 2} clad in Zircaloy-2 was installed in order to permit an increase in temperature to 230 Degree-Sign C and in power from 5 to 20 MW(th). The maximum burnup obtained is 11000 MWd/t and the maximum heat rating 375 W/cm with no fracture failure and practically no change in appearance according to the post-irradiation examination. One element was deliberately taken to burn-out conditions by throttling the water flow. After a series of burn-outs, the element finally failed because of over-temperature. The successful use of aluminium cladding at 150 Degree-Sign C mitiated an effort for making aluminium alloys suitable for normal power reactor operation. Promising properties were found for an alloy (designated IFA 3 aluminium) with A1 10% Si, 1% Ni, 1% Mg, 0.3% Fe + Ti. Despite increase in corrosion rate under heat transfer conditions

Radial power density distribution of MOX fuel rods in the HBWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Yang Hyun; Joo, Hyung Kook; Lee, Byung Ho; Sohn, Dong Seong

1999-07-01

Two MOX fuel rods, which ar being fabricated in the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland in cooperation with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), are going to be irradiated in the HBWR (Halden Boiling Water Reactor) from the beginning of 2000 in the framework of OECD Halden Reactor Programme (HRP) together with a reference MOX fuel rod supplied by the BNFL. Since fuel temperature, which is influenced by radial power distribution, is a basic property in analyzing fuel behavior, it is required to consider radial power distribution in the HBWR. A subroutine FACTOR H BWR that calculates radial power density distribution for three MOX fuel rods have been developed subroutine FACTOR H BWR gives good agreement with the physics calculation except slight underprediction in the central part and a little overprediction at the outer part of the pellet. The subroutine will be incorporated into a computer code COSMOS and used to analyze the in-reactor behavior of the three MOX fuel rods during the Halden irradiation test. (author). 5 refs., 3 tabs., 24 figs

Benchmark Calculations on Halden IFA-650 LOCA Test Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ek, Mirkka; Kekkonen, Laura; Kelppe, Seppo; Stengaard, J.O.; Josek, Radomir; Wiesenack, Wolfgang; Aounallah, Yacine; Wallin, Hannu; Grandjean, Claude; Herb, Joachim; Lerchl, Georg; Trambauer, Klaus; Sonnenburg, Heinz-Guenther; Nakajima, Tetsuo; Spykman, Gerold; Struzik, Christine

2010-01-01

The assessment of the consequences of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) is to a large extent based on calculations carried out with codes especially developed for addressing the phenomena occurring during the transient. Since the time of the first LOCA experiments, which were largely conducted with fresh fuel, changes in fuel design, the introduction of new cladding materials and in particular the move to high burnup have not only generated a need to re-examine the LOCA safety criteria and to verify their continued validity, but also to confirm that codes show an appropriate performance especially with respect to high burnup phenomena influencing LOCA fuel behaviour. As part of international efforts, the OECD Halden Reactor Project program implemented a test series to address particular LOCA issues. Based on recommendations of a group of experts from the US NRC, EPRI, EDF, FRAMATOME-ANP and GNF, the primary objective of the experiments were defined as 1. Measure the extent of fuel (fragment) relocation into the ballooned region and evaluate its possible effect on cladding temperature and oxidation. 2. Investigate the extent (if any) of 'secondary transient hydriding' on the inner side of the cladding above and below the burst region. The Halden LOCA series, using high burnup fuel segments, contains test cases well suited for checking the ability of LOCA analysis codes to predict or reproduce the measurements and to provide clues as to where the codes need to be improved. The NEA Working Group on Fuel Safety, WGFS, therefore decided to conduct a code benchmark based on the Halden LOCA test series. Emphasis was on the codes' ability to predict or reproduce the thermal and mechanical response of fuel and cladding. Before starting the benchmark, participants were given the opportunity to tune their codes to the experimental system applied in the Halden LOCA tests. To this end, the data from the two commissioning runs were made available. The first of these runs went

Analysis of selected Halden overpressure tests using the FALCON code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khvostov, G., E-mail: grigori.khvostov@psi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Wiesenack, W. [Institute for Energy Technology – OECD Halden Reactor Project, P.O. Box 173, N-1751 Halden (Norway)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • We analyse four Halden overpressure tests. • We determine a critical overpressure value for lift-off in a BWR fuel sample. • We show the role of bonding in over-pressurized rod behaviour. • We analytically quantify the degree of bonding via its impact on cladding elongation. • We hypothesize on an effect of circumferential cracks on thermal fuel response to overpressure. • We estimate a thermal effect of circumferential cracks based on interpretation of the data. - Abstract: Four Halden overpressure (lift-off) tests using samples with uranium dioxide fuel pre-irradiated in power reactors to a burnup of 60 MWd/kgU are analyzed. The FALCON code coupled to a mechanistic model, GRSW-A for fission gas release and gaseous-bubble swelling is used for the calculation. The advanced version of the FALCON code is shown to be applicable to best-estimate predictive analysis of overpressure tests using rods without, or weak pellet-cladding bonding, as well as scoping analysis of tests with fuels where stronger pellet-cladding bonding occurs. Significant effects of bonding and fuel cracking/relocation on the thermal and mechanical behaviour of highly over-pressurized rods are shown. The effect of bonding is particularly pronounced in the tests with the PWR samples. The present findings are basically consistent with an earlier analysis based on a direct interpretation of the experimental data. Additionally, in this paper, the specific effects are quantified based on the comparison of the data with the results of calculation. It is concluded that the identified effects are largely beyond the current traditional fuel-rod licensing analysis methods.

Results of eddy current test for second round robin by Halden reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwai, Takashi; Souzawa, Shizuo; Miyata, Seiichi; Sakai, Haruyuki; Sakakura, Atsushi

1986-08-01

JMTR Hot Laboratory has executed the eddy current test of two PWR type zircaloy cladding tubes for the second round robin by Halden Reactor Project. Defects manufactured on the test specimen were revealed on a fair way to success as a function of local position, phase character and size. Influence of the fatigue crack between the two different tubes was studied through the phase angle analysis. More effort should be needed for detecting rather smaller internal defect when it was combined with external and other various type of defects. (author)

Investigation of the resonant power oscillation in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor by autoregressive modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguma, Ritsuo

1980-01-01

In the HBWR (Halden Boiling Water Reactor), there exists a resonant power oscillation with period about 0.04 Hz at power levels higher than about 9.5 MWt. While the resonant oscillation in not so large as to affect the normal reactor operation, it is significant, from the viewpoint of reactor diagnosis, to grasp its characteristics and find the cause. Noise analysis based on the autoregressive (AR) modeling technique has been made to reveal the driving source for this oscillation which led to the suggestion that it is attributed to the dynamic interference of heat exchange process between two parallel-connected steam transformers against the reactor. The present study demonstrates that the method used here is highly effective for tracing back to a noise source inducing the variation of quantities in a system, and also applicable to problems of reactor noise analysis and diagnosis. (author)

Parametric study of the behaviour of a pre irradiated BWR fuel rod under conditions of LOCA simulated in the halden in pile test system with the FALCON code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khvostov, G.; Zimmermann, M. A. [Laboratory for Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen (Switzerland); Ledergerber, G. [Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt AG, Leibstadt (Switzerland); Kolstad, E. [Institute for Energy Technology - OECD Halden Reactor Project, Halden (Norway); Montgomery, R. O. [Anatech Corporation, San Diego (United States)

2008-10-15

A new LOCA test at Halden was planned as the first experiment within the Halden LOCA program addressing the behaviour of commercially irradiated BWR fuel of medium burn up with burst of the cladding expected to occur at a temperature of about 1050.deg.C, which is essentially higher than in the preceding experiments. The specific measures to be adopted have been suggested based upon a parametric study using the FALCON fuel behaviour code and aimed at an optimized design of the test fuel rod for the given high target cladding temperature of 1150 .deg. C (peak local). The analysis has shown a reasonable agreement with the fundamental experimental findings, such as correlations of NUREG 0630, as well as consistency with the data from Halden LOCA testing available so far. Thus, a general conclusion is drawn about the applicability of the methodology developed at PSI to the analysis of LWR fuel rod behaviour during LOCA, in consideration of the effects of fuel burn up.

Data report for the NRC/PNL Halden assembly IFA-431

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hann, C.R.; Bradley, E.R.; Cunningham, M.E.; Lanning, D.D.; Marshall, R.K.; Williford, R.E.

1978-04-01

The report presents the in-reactor data collected from the NRC/PNL Halden Assembly IFA-431 as a part of the program entitled ''Experimental Verification of Steady State Fuel Codes,'' sponsored by the Fuel Behavior Research Branch of the USNRC. The purpose of this program is to reduce the uncertainties of calculating the thermal stored energy in an operating nuclear fuel rod. The report presents fuel centerline thermocouple readings, cladding elongation monitor readings, rod internal pressure readings, and neutron detector readings. The neutron detector readings were corrected to represent rod local powers at the thermocouple locations. These data are presented in the form of plots of the variables versus time during the irradiation period from June 1975 to February 1976. Also included are descriptions of the test rationale, assembly and rod designs, test facility, instrument array and calibration, and data processing methods. Topical reports discussing specific aspects and results of the data analysis are referenced

Halden project activities on software dependability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahll, G.; Sivertsen.

1994-01-01

Since 1977, the OECD Halden Reactor Project has been working in the field of software dependability. Special emphasis has been put on the use of software in safety critical systems. All phases in software development, from specification through software development, verification, and validation have been covered and are discussed in this article

Modelling of the Gadolinium Fuel Test IFA-681 using the BISON Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pastore, Giovanni [Idaho National Laboratory; Hales, Jason Dean [Idaho National Laboratory; Novascone, Stephen Rhead [Idaho National Laboratory; Spencer, Benjamin Whiting [Idaho National Laboratory; Williamson, Richard L [Idaho National Laboratory

2016-05-01

In this work, application of Idaho National Laboratory’s fuel performance code BISON to modelling of fuel rods from the Halden IFA-681 gadolinium fuel test is presented. First, an overview is given of BISON models, focusing on UO2/UO2-Gd2O3 fuel and Zircaloy cladding. Then, BISON analyses of selected fuel rods from the IFA-681 test are performed. For the first time in a BISON application to integral fuel rod simulations, the analysis is informed by detailed neutronics calculations in order to accurately capture the radial power profile throughout the fuel, which is strongly affected by the complex evolution of absorber Gd isotopes. In particular, radial power profiles calculated at IFE–Halden Reactor Project with the HELIOS code are used. The work has been carried out in the frame of the collaboration between Idaho National Laboratory and Halden Reactor Project. Some slide have been added as an Appendix to present the newly developed PolyPole-1 algorithm for modeling of intra-granular fission gas release.

Two-dimensional DORT discrete ordinates X-Y geometry neutron flux calculations for the Halden Heavy Boiling Water Reactor core configurations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slater, C.O.

1990-07-01

Results are reported for two-dimensional discrete ordinates, X-Y geometry calculations performed for seven Halden Heavy Boiling Water Reactor core configurations. The calculations were performed in support of an effort to reassess the neutron fluence received by the reactor vessel. Nickel foil measurement data indicated considerable underprediction of fluences by the previously used multigroup removal- diffusion method. Therefore, calculations by a more accurate method were deemed appropriate. For each core configuration, data are presented for (1) integral fluxes in the core and near the vessel wall, (2) neutron spectra at selected locations, (3) isoflux contours superimposed on the geometry models, (4) plots of the geometry models, and (5) input for the calculations. The initial calculations were performed with several mesh sizes. Comparisons of the results from these calculations indicated that the uncertainty in the calculated fluxes should be less than 10%. However, three-dimensional effects (such as axial asymmetry in the fuel loading) could contribute to much greater uncertainty in the calculated neutron fluxes. 7 refs., 22 figs., 11 tabs.

Evaluating usability of the Halden Reactor Large Screen Display. Is the Information Rich Design concept suitable for real-world installations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braseth, Alf Ove

2013-01-01

Large Screen Displays (LSDs) are beginning to supplement desktop displays in modern control rooms, having the potential to display the big picture of complex processes. Information Rich Design (IRD) is a LSD concept used in many real-life installations in the petroleum domain, and more recently in nuclear research applications. The objectives of IRD are to provide the big picture, avoiding keyhole related problems while supporting fast visual perception of larger data sets. Two LSDs based on the IRD concept have been developed for large-scale nuclear simulators for research purposes; they have however suffered from unsatisfying user experience. The new Halden Reactor LSD, used to monitor a nuclear research reactor, was designed according to recent proposed Design Principles compiled in this paper to mitigate previously experienced problems. This paper evaluates the usability of the Halden Reactor LSD, comparing usability data with the replaced analogue panel, and data for an older IRD large screen display. The results suggest that the IRD concept is suitable for use in real-life applications from a user experience point of view, and that the recently proposed Design Principles have had a positive effect on usability. (author)

Some insights into the role of axial gas flow in fuel rod behaviour during the LOCA based on Halden tests and calculations with the FALCON-PSI code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khvostov, G.; Wiesenack, W.; Zimmermann, M.A.; Ledergerber, G.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A model for the dynamics of axial gas redistribution in fuel rods during the LOCA is developed and coupled to the FALCON fuel behaviour code. → The first verification of the model is carried out using the data of the selected Halden LOCA tests. → According to calculation, the short rods used in the Halden tests show a small effect of the delayed gas redistribution during the clad ballooning. → The predicted effect is significant in the full length rods, eventually resulting in a considerable delay of the predicted moment of cladding rupture. → The predicted delay of cladding burst may be large enough to eventually affect the efficiency of the emergency core cooling system. - Abstract: A model for axial gas flow in a fuel rod during the LOCA is integrated into the FRELAX model that deals with the thermal behaviour and fuel relocation in the fuel rods of the Halden LOCA test series. The first verification was carried out using the experimental data for the inner pressure during the gas outflow after cladding rupture in tests 3, 4 and 5. Furthermore, the modified FRELAX model is implicitly coupled to the FALCON fuel behaviour code. The analysis with the new methodology shows that the dynamics of axial gas-flow along the rod and through the cladding rupture can have a strong influence on the fuel rod behaviour. Specifically, a delayed axial gas redistribution during the heat-up phase of the LOCA can result in a drop of local pressure in the ballooned area, which is eventually able to affect the cladding burst. The results of the new model seem to be useful when analysing some of the Halden LOCA tests (showing considerable fuel relocation) and selected cases of LOCA in full-length fuel rods. While the short rods used in the Halden tests only show a very small effect of the delayed gas redistribution during the clad ballooning, such an effect is predicted to be significant in the full-scale rods - with a power peak located sufficiently away from

Achievements of Japanese fuel irradiation experiments in HBWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

OECD NEA Halden Reactor Project started in 1958, and JAERI has been participated in the Project since 1967 on behalf of Japanese Government. During the participation period, not only JAERI but also many Japanese companies and PNC, which cooperated with JAERI, have carried out many irradiation tests of fuel at HBWR. The Committee of the Halden Joint Research Programme was organized by agencies and companies, which joined the cooperative researches, and the committee has worked to promote the cooperative researches. This report summarizes the achievements of the Halden Joint Research Programme on fuel irradiation tests between Jan. 1988 and Dec. 1990., as the Halden Project renews the agreement every three years. Some researches, which have not yet been completed in the period, are also included in this report. (author)

Thermal behaviour of high burnup PWR fuel under different fill gas conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tverberg, T.

2001-01-01

During its more than 40 years of existence, a large number of experiments have been carried out at the Halden Reactor Project focusing on different aspects related to nuclear reactor fuel. During recent years, the fuels testing program has mainly been focusing on aspects related to high burnup, in particular in terms of fuel thermal performance and fission gas release, and often involving reinstrumentation of commercially irradiated fuel. The paper describes such an experiment where a PWR rod, previously irradiated in a commercial reactor to a burnup of ∼50 MWd/kgUO 2 , was reinstrumented with a fuel central oxide thermocouple and a cladding extensometer together with a high pressure gas flow line, allowing for different fill gas compositions and pressures to be applied. The paper focuses on the thermal behaviour of such LWR rods with emphasis on how different fill gas conditions influence the fuel temperatures and gap conductance. Rod growth rate was also monitored during the irradiation in the Halden reactor. (author)

Development of LWR fuel performance code FEMAXI-6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Motoe

2006-01-01

LWR fuel performance code: FEMAXI-6 (Finite Element Method in AXIs-symmetric system) is a representative fuel analysis code in Japan. Development history, background, design idea, features of model, and future are stated. Characteristic performance of LWR fuel and analysis code, what is model, development history of FEMAXI, use of FEMAXI code, fuel model, and a special feature of FEMAXI model is described. As examples of analysis, PCMI (Pellet-Clad Mechanical Interaction), fission gas release, gap bonding, and fission gas bubble swelling are reported. Thermal analysis and dynamic analysis system of FEMAXI-6, function block at one time step of FEMAXI-6, analytical example of PCMI in the output increase test by FEMAXI-III, analysis of fission gas release in Halden reactor by FEMAXI-V, comparison of the center temperature of fuel in Halden reactor, and analysis of change of diameter of fuel rod in high burn up BWR fuel are shown. (S.Y.)

Modelization Post-test experiment IFA-650.10 HALDEN with FRAP series codes; Modelizacion post-test del experimento HALDEN IFA-650.10 con los codigos de la serie FRAP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vallejo, I.; Herranz, L. E.

2013-07-01

There is a need to review the criteria for security relating to LOCA accidents , including the effect of different materials of pod, as well as conditions of high burned as fuel. In this work is modeled with code FRAPTRAN-1.4 the IFA-650.10 experiment executed in the experimental reactor HALDEN. It is an approximation to the thermo-hydraulic rod-refrigerant and the results are compared with experimental measurements. The thermal behavior shows good agreement with the experimental measures; mechanical parameters are observed light quality deviations in pod and very good quantitative agreement in the maximum elongation; the diameter calculated at the end of the simulation above - predicts the post-irradiation values and oxide presents a good deal.

Beginning-of-Life Data Report for the Instrumented Fuel Assembly (IFA)-527

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lanning, D. D.

1981-09-01

This report presents beginning-of-life (BOL) data from the first four months of operation of the six-rod instrumented fuel assembly (IFA)-527 in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR), Halden, Norway. This assembly is the last in a series of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-sponsored tests to verify steady-state fuel performance computer codes. IFA-527 contains five identical rods with high-density stable fuel pellets and 0.23-mm diametral gaps and one rod with similar fuel pellets but with a 0.06-mm diametral gap. All six rods were xenon-filled to provide simulation of the effects of fission gas and to enhance the observable effects of fuel cracking and relocation on fuel temperatures. The assembly operated successfully from July 1, 1980, to August 15, 1980; and then the reactor was shut down until September 10, 1980. Sometime during the shutdown, four of the six rods suffered pressure boundary failure. The decision was made to restart the reactor to collect operating data with failed rods. This report presents both pre- and postfailure data for IFA-527.

Safety Significance of the Halden IFA-650 LOCA Test Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuketa, Toyoshi; Nagase, Fumihisa; Grandjean, Claude; Petit, Marc; Hozer, Zoltan; Kelppe, Seppo; Khvostov, Grigori; Hafidi, Biya; Therache, Benjamin; Heins, Lothar; Valach, Mojmir; Voglewede, John; Wiesenack, Wolfgang

2010-01-01

The safety criteria for loss-of-coolant accidents were defined to ensure that the core would remain coolable. Since the time of the first LOCA experiments, which were largely conducted with fresh fuel, changes in fuel design, the introduction of new cladding materials and in particular the move to high burnup have generated a need to re-examine these criteria and to verify their continued validity. As part of international efforts to this end, the OECD Halden Reactor Project program implemented a LOCA test series. Based on recommendations of a group of experts from the US NRC, EPRI, EDF, IRSN, FRAMATOME-ANP and GNF, the primary objective of the experiments were defined as 1. Measure the extent of fuel (fragment) relocation into the ballooned region and evaluate its possible effect on cladding temperature and oxidation. 2. Investigate the extent (if any) of 'secondary transient hydriding' on the inner side of the cladding above and below the burst region. The fourth test of the series, IFA-650.4 conducted in April 2006, caused particular attention in the international nuclear community. The fuel used in the experiment had a high burnup, 92 MWd/kgU, and a low pre-test hydrogen content of about 50 ppm. The test aimed at and achieved a peak cladding temperature of 850 deg. C. The rod burst occurred at 790 deg. C. The burst caused a marked temperature increase at the lower end and a decrease at the upper end of the system, indicating that fuel relocation had occurred. Subsequent gamma scanning showed that approximately 19 cm of the fuel stack were missing from the upper part of the rod and that fuel had fallen to the bottom of the capsule. PIE at the IFE-Kjeller hot cells corroborated this evidence of substantial fuel relocation. The fact that fuel dispersal could occur upon ballooning and burst, i.e. at cladding temperatures as low as 800 deg. C and thus far lower than the temperature entailed by the current 1200 deg. C / 17% ECR limit, caused concern. The

Nuclear Fuel Design Technology Development for the Future Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Yang Hyun; Lee, Byung Ho; Cheon, Jin Sik; Oh, Je Yong; Yim, Jeong Sik; Sohn, Dong Seong; Lee, Byung Uk; Ko, Han Suk; So, Dong Sup; Koo, Dae Seo

2006-04-15

The test MOX fuels have been irradiated in the Halden reactor, and their burnup attained 40 GWd/t as of October 2005. The fuel temperature and internal pressure were measured by the sensors installed in the fuels and test rig. The COSMOS code, which was developed by KAERI, well predicted in-reactor behavior of MOX fuel. The COSMOS code was verified by OECD-NEA benchmarks, and the result confirmed the superiority of COSMOS code. MOX in-pile database (IFA-629.3, IFA-610.2 and 4) in Halden was also used for the verification of code. The COSMOS code was improved by introducing Graphic User Interface (GUI) and batch mode. The PCMI analysis module was developed and introduced by the new fission gas behavior model. The irradiation test performed under the arbitrary rod internal pressure could also be analyzed with the COSMOS code. Several presentations were made for the preparation to transfer MOX fuel performance analysis code to the industry, and the transfer of COSMOS code to the industry is being discussed. The user manual and COSMOS program (executive file) were provided for the industry to test the performance of COSMOS code. To envisage the direction of research, the MOX fuel research trend of foreign countries, specially focused on USA's GENP policy, was analyzed.

The Halden Reactor Project workshop meeting on control room development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miberg, Ann Britt; Green, Marie; Haukenes, Hanne; Larsen, Marit; Seim, Lars Aage; Veland, Oeystein

1999-03-01

The 'Control Room Development' workshop was organised in. Halden, November 5-6, 1998. The purpose of the workshop was to bring forward recommendations for the future use of HAMMLAB with respect to control room development. The workshop comprised thirteen presentations summarising current issues and status in control room development projects and related projects. Following the presentations, five working groups were formed. The purpose of the working groups was to establish a set of recommendations for the future use of HAMMLAB. Each working group developed a set of recommendations. The outcomes of the working groups' discussions were summarised in plenum by the working group chairs. During the workshop, all participants excluding the Halden Project staff were asked to fill in a questionnaire indicating which research topics they found most interesting to pursue in future HAMMLAB research. The purpose of this report is to summarise the workshop participants' presentations, the working groups' discussions, and the recommendations given by the workshop participants concerning the future use of HAMMLAB (author) (ml)

Fuel analysis code FAIR and its high burnup modelling capabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, P.S.; Dutta, B.K.; Kushwaha, H.S.; Mahajan, S.C.; Kakodkar, A.

1995-01-01

A computer code FAIR has been developed for analysing performance of water cooled reactor fuel pins. It is capable of analysing high burnup fuels. This code has recently been used for analysing ten high burnup fuel rods irradiated at Halden reactor. In the present paper, the code FAIR and its various high burnup models are described. The performance of code FAIR in analysing high burnup fuels and its other applications are highlighted. (author). 21 refs., 12 figs

Lessons learned from development and quality assurance of software systems at the Halden Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjorlo, T.J.; Berg, O.; Pehrsen, M.; Dahll, G.; Sivertsen, T.

1996-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project has developed a number of software systems within the research programmes. These programmes have comprised a wide range of topics, like studies of software for safety-critical applications, development of different operator support systems, and software systems for building and implementing graphical user interfaces. The systems have ranged from simple prototypes to installations in process plants. In the development of these software systems, Halden has gained much experience in quality assurance of different types of software. This paper summarises the accumulated experience at the Halden Project in quality assurance of software systems. The different software systems being developed at the Halden Project may be grouped into three categories. These are plant-specific software systems (one-of-a-kind deliveries), generic software products, and safety-critical software systems. This classification has been found convenient as the categories have different requirements to the quality assurance process. In addition, the experience from use of software development tools and proprietary software systems at Halden, is addressed. The paper also focuses on the experience gained from the complete software life cycle, starting with the software planning phase and ending with software operation and maintenance

PLUTON: A Three-Group Model for the Radial Distribution of Plutonium, Burnup, and Power Profiles in Highly Irradiated LWR Fuel Rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemehov, Sergei; Nakamura, Jinichi; Suzuki, Motoe

2001-01-01

A three-group model (PLUTON) is described, which predicts the power density distribution, plutonium buildup, and burnup profiles across the fuel pellet radius as a function of in-pile time and parameters characterizing the type of reactor system with respect to fuel temperature and changes of density during the irradiation period. The PLUTON model is a part of two fuel performance codes (ASFAD and FEMAXI-V), which provide all necessary input for this model, mainly local temperatures and fuel matrix density across the radius. Comparisons between measurements and predictions of the PLUTON model are made on fuels with enrichments in the range 2.9 to 8.25% and with burnup between 21 000 and 64 000 MWd/t. It is shown that the PLUTON predictions are in good agreement with measurements as well as with predictions of the well-known TUBRNP model. The proposed model is flexibly applicable for all types of light water reactor (LWR) fuels, including mixed oxide, and for fuel tested in the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development's Halden heavy water reactor. The PLUTON three-group model is based on analytical (theoretical) consideration of neutron absorption in a resonant region of the fuel in its apparent form. It makes the model more flexible in comparison with the semi-empirical TUBRNP one-group model and allows the physically based model analysis of commercial LWR-type fuels at high burnup as well as analysis of experimental fuel rods tested in the Halden heavy water reactor, which is one of the main test reactors in the world. The differences in fuel behavior in the Halden reactor in terms of burnup distribution and plutonium buildup can be more clearly understood with the PLUTON model

Crown Prince Regent's Resolution extending the authority of the Institute for Energy Technology regarding Kjeller and Halden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This Resolution extends the authority of the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) to own and operate nuclear reactors to 31 December 1999. The Institute owns and operates the JEEP II research reactor and the Halden Boiling Water Reactor, a research reactor established as an OECD-sponsored international project. (NEA) [fr

FCI: remedy development for the fuel performance improvement program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckman, F.W.; Crouthamel, C.E.; Freshley, M.D.

1979-01-01

Out-of-reactor experiments and irradiations are being utilized to develop and demonstrate the efficacy of specific advanced fuel designs to improve FCI behavior. The advanced light water reactor fuel designs being evaluated combine annular pellets, graphite coating on the inner surface of the cladding, and helium pressurization. A sphere-pac fuel design is also being developed. Characterization of the graphite coatings includes studies of composition, application methods, thickness control, moisture control, thermal conductivity, compatibility with the zircaloy cladding, strain-to-failure, and friction and wear characteristics. Rods of the different fuel designs, as well as reference rods, are being irradiated in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor and the Big Rock Point Reactor to accumulate burnup prior to ramping tests

Fuel performance improvement program. Quarterly/annual progress report, October 1977--September 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crouthamel, C.E.

1978-10-01

This quarterly/annual report reviews and summarizes the activities performed in support of the Fuel Performance Improvement Program (FPIP) during Fiscal Year 1978 with emphasis on those activities that transpired during the quarter ending September 30, 1978. Significant progress has been made in achieving the primary objectives of the program, i.e., to demonstrate commercially viable fuel concepts with improved fuel - cladding interaction (FCI) behavior. This includes out-of-reactor experiments to support the fuel concepts being evaluated, initiation of instrumented test rod experiments in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR), and fabrication of the first series of demonstration rods for irradiation in the Big Rock Point Reactor

Data report for the NRC/PNL Halden Assembly IFA-432

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hann, C.R.; Bradley, E.R.; Cunningham, M.E.; Lanning, D.D.; Marshall, R.K.; Williford, R.E.

1978-08-01

The report presents the in-reactor data collected from the NRC/PNL Halden Assembly IFA-432 as a part of the program entitled ''Experimental Vertification of Steady State Fuel Codes,'' sponsored by the Fuel Behavior Research Branch of the USNRC. The purpose of this program is to reduce the uncertainties of calculating the thermal stored energy in an operating nuclear fuel rod. The report presents fuel centerline thermocouple readings, cladding elongation monitor readings, rod internal pressure readings, and neutron detector readings. The neutron detector readings were corrected to represent rod local powers at the thermocouple locations. These data are presented in the form of plots of the variables versus time during the portion of the irradiation period from December 1975 to January 1978. Also included are descriptions of the test rationale, assembly and rod designs, test facility, instrument array and calibration, and data processing methods. Topical reports discussing specific aspects and results of the data analysis are referenced. As of May 1978, the assembly burnup had reached its design goal of 20,000 MWd/MTM. However, it has been decided to leave the assembly in core to collect high burnup fission gas release data. The xenon-filled Rod 4 was replaced with the non-instrumented Rod 8 (Rod 1 design) after the first cycle. Six of the twelve original thermocouples, four of the six cladding elongation monitors, all SPND'S and all pressure transducers remain operable at this writing

The achivements of Japanese fuel irradiation experiments in HBWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichikawa, Michio; Yanagisawa, Kazuaki; Domoto, Kazunari

1984-02-01

OECD Halden Reactor Project celebrated the 25th anniversary in 1983. The JAERI has been participating in the Project since 1967 on behalf of Japanese Government. Since the participation, thirty-six Japanese instrumented fuel assemblies have been irradiated in HBWR. The irradiation experiments were either sponsored by JAERI or by domestic organizations under the joint research agreements with JAERI, beeing steered by the Committee for the Joint Research Programme. The cooperative efforts have attained significant contributions to the development of water reactor fuel technology in Japan. This report review the irradiation experiments of Japanese fuel assemblies. (author)

Analysis of pellet center temperatures measured in HALDEN IFA-224 using program FREG-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harayama, Yasuo; Izumi, Fumio

1977-01-01

To verify the program FREG-3, we compared the calculations by FREG-3 with those by measurement in a HALDEN instrumented fuel assembly, IFA-224. FREG-3 generally gives higher pellet center temperatures than the measurement. The temperature distribution calculated by FREG-3 to estimate the stored energy in fuel rods results in safety side. (auth.)

Cracking and relocation of UO2 fuel during nuclear operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appelhans, A.D.; Dagbjartsson, S.J.

1981-01-01

Cracking and relocation of light water reactor (LWR) fuel pellets affect the axial gas flow path within nuclear reactor fuel rods and the thermal performance of the fuel. As part of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Water Reactor Safety Research Fuel Behavior Program, the Thermal Fuels Behavior Program of EG and G Idaho, Inc., is conducting fuel rod behavior studies in the Heavy Boiling Water Reactor in Halden, Norway. The Instrumental Fuel Assembly-430 (IFA-430) operated in that facility is a multipurpose assembly designed to provide information on fuel cracking and relocation, the long-term thermal response of LWR fuel rods subjected to various internal pressures and gas compositions, and the release of fission gases. This report presents the results of an analysis of fuel cracking and relocation phenomena as deduced from fuel rod axial gas flow and fuel temperature data from the first 6.5 GWd/tUO 2 burnup of the IFA-430

Innovative inert matrix-thoria fuels for in-reactor plutonium disposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vettraino, F.; Padovani, E.; Luzzi, L.; Lombardi, C.; Thoresen, H.; Oberlander, B.; Iversen, G.; Espeland, M.

1999-01-01

The present leading option for plutonium disposition, either civilian or weapons Pu, is to burn it in LWRs after having converted it to MOX fuel. However, among the possible types of fuel which can be envisaged to burn plutonium in LWRs, innovative U-free fuels such as inert matrix and thoria fuel are novel concept in view of a more effective and ultimate solution from both security and safety standpoint. Inert matrix fuel is an non-fertile oxide fuel consisting of PuO 2 , either weapon-grade or reactor-grade, diluted in inert oxides such as for ex. stabilized ZrO 2 or MgAl 2 O 4 , its primary advantage consisting in no-production of new plutonium during irradiation, because it does not contain uranium (U-free fuel) whose U-238 isotope is the departure nuclide for breeding Pu-239. Some thoria addition in the matrix (thoria-doped fuel) may be required for coping with reactivity feedback needs. The full thoria-plutonia fuel though still a U-free variant cannot be defined non-fertile any more because the U-233 generation. The advantage of such a fuel option consisting basically on a remarkable already existing technological background and a potential acceleration in getting rid of the Pu stocks. All U-free fuels are envisaged to be operated under a once-through cycle scheme being the spent fuel outlooked to be sent directly to the final disposal in deep geological formations without requiring any further reprocessing treatment, thanks to the quality-poor residual Pu and a very high chemical stability under the current fuel reprocessing techniques. Besides, inert matrix-thoria fuel technology is suitable for in-reactor MAs transmutation. An additional interest in Th containing fuel refers to applicability in ADS, the innovative accelerated driven subcritical systems, specifically aimed at plutonium, minor actnides and long lived fission products transmutation in a Th-fuel cycle scheme which enables to avoid generations of new TRUs. A first common irradiation experiment

The Halden Reactor Project Workshop on Studies of Operator Performance During Night Shift's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morisseau, Dolores S.; Braarud, Per Oeyvind; Collier, Steve; Droeivoldsmo, Asgeir; Larsen, Marit; Lirvall, Peter

1996-01-01

A workshop on Studies of Operator Performance during Nights Shifts was organised in Halden, February 27-28, 1996. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss and make recommendations on specific needs for the study of operator cognitive performance at night and identify the relevant research issues for which Halden could provide resolution. The workshop began with presentations by several invited speakers with expertise in studies of shift work and was then divided into three working groups that discussed the following issues in parallel: (1) Lines of Research to Be Pursued; (2) Methods and Measures to Be Used in Research on Cognitive Performance at Nights; and (3) Products of the Research on Operator Performance at Night. Each group produced specific recommendations that were summarised by the group's facilitator in a joint session of the workshop. This report summarises the presentation of the invited speakers, and the discussions and recommendations of the individual working groups. (author)

The Halden Reactor Project workshop on HAMMLAB 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebok, Angelia L.; Grini, Rolf-Einar; Larsen, Marit; Ness, Eyvind; Soerensen, Aimar

1998-01-01

A workshop on HAMMLAB 2000 was organised in Halden, May 26-27, 1997. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss and make recommendations on requirements for the design of HAMMLAB 2000 and to discuss the future research agenda. The workshop began with several presentations summarising the status of the current HAMMLAB 2000 project. Three invited speakers with expertise in human-machine laboratories and simulators delivered presentations of their experiences. Later, the workshop was divided into five working groups that discussed the following issues in parallel: (1) Technical Studies, Research Agenda; (2) Human Factors Research Agenda; (3) Data Collection; (4) Synergy with Other Industries; (5) Virtual Reality. Each group produced specific recommendations that were summarised by the group's facilitator in a joint session of the workshop. This report summarises the presentation of the invited speakers, and the discussions and recommendations of the individual working groups. (author)

High performance fuel technology development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koon, Yang Hyun; Kim, Keon Sik; Park, Jeong Yong; Yang, Yong Sik; In, Wang Kee; Kim, Hyung Kyu [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-01-15

{omicron} Development of High Plasticity and Annular Pellet - Development of strong candidates of ultra high burn-up fuel pellets for a PCI remedy - Development of fabrication technology of annular fuel pellet {omicron} Development of High Performance Cladding Materials - Irradiation test of HANA claddings in Halden research reactor and the evaluation of the in-pile performance - Development of the final candidates for the next generation cladding materials. - Development of the manufacturing technology for the dual-cooled fuel cladding tubes. {omicron} Irradiated Fuel Performance Evaluation Technology Development - Development of performance analysis code system for the dual-cooled fuel - Development of fuel performance-proving technology {omicron} Feasibility Studies on Dual-Cooled Annular Fuel Core - Analysis on the property of a reactor core with dual-cooled fuel - Feasibility evaluation on the dual-cooled fuel core {omicron} Development of Design Technology for Dual-Cooled Fuel Structure - Definition of technical issues and invention of concept for dual-cooled fuel structure - Basic design and development of main structure components for dual- cooled fuel - Basic design of a dual-cooled fuel rod.

The Halden Reactor Project workshop meeting on human centred automation and function allocation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebok, Angelia; Green, Marit; Larsen, Marit; Miberg, Ann Britt; Morisseau, Dolores

1998-02-01

A workshop on Human Centred Automation (HCA) and Function Allocation Methods was organised in Halden, September 29-30, 1997. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss and make recommendations on requirements for the Halden Project research agenda. The workshop meeting began with several presentations summarising current issues in HCA, Function Allocation Methods and Functional Modelling. Invited speakers presented their research or modelling efforts. Following the presentations, the workshop was divided into three working groups, all tasked with answering the same four questions: (1) What are the most important issues in Human Centred Automation? (2) Which strengths could be achieved by integrating Functional Modelling Methods into experimental Human Centred Automation research? (3) How should analytical and experimental methods be balanced? (4) What are the most important aspects in automation design methodology? Each group discussed the questions and produced specific recommendations that were summarised by the group's facilitator in a joint session of the workshop. (author)

Imminent: Irradiation Testing of (Th,Pu)O{sub 2} Fuel - 13560

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, Julian F. [Thor Energy AS, Sommerrogaten 13-15, Oslo 0255 (Norway); Franceschini, Fausto [Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, 1000 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (United States)

2013-07-01

Commercial-prototype thorium-plutonium oxide (Th-MOX) fuel pellets have been loaded into the material test reactor in Halden, Norway. The fuel is being operated at full power - with instrumentation - in simulated LWR / PHWR conditions and its behaviour is measured 'on-line' as it operates to high burn-up. This is a vital test on the commercialization pathway for this robust new thoria-based fuel. The performance data that is collected will support a fuel modeling effort to support its safety qualification. Several different samples of Th-MOX fuel will be tested, thereby collecting information on ceramic behaviours and their microstructure dependency. The fuel-cycle reasoning underpinning the test campaign is that commercial Th- MOX fuels are an achievable intermediate / near-term SNF management strategy that integrates well with a fast reactor future. (authors)

Fission gas release from UO2 pellet fuel at high burn-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vitanza, C.; Kolstad, E.; Graziani, U.

1979-01-01

Analysis of in-reactor measurements of fuel center temperature and rod internal pressure at the OECD Halden Reactor Project has led to the development of an empirical fission gas release model, which is described. The model originally derived from data obtained in the low and intermediate burn-up range, appears to give good predictions for rods irradiated to high exposures as well. PIE puncturing data from seven fuel rods, operated at relatively constant powers and peak center temperatures between 1900 and 2000 0 C up to approx. 40,000 MWd/t UO 2 , did not exhibit any burn-up enhancement on the fission gas release rate

Investigation of the ramp testing behaviour of fuel pins with different diameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pott, G.; Herren, M.; Wigger, B.

1979-09-01

The aim of these experiments was the investigation of the influence of different fuel pin diameter on the ramp testing behaviour. Fuel elements with diameter between 10,75 and 15,6 mm and different cladding thickness had been ramptested in the HBWR (Halden Boiling Water Reactor) after preirradiated in the same facility. Fuel pins with the smallest diameter of 10,75 mm failed. This was indicated by fission gas release measurement. Metallographic examination showed these failure were caused by hydride blisters. A systematic influence of fuel pin diameter and cladding thickness on the ramptesting behaviour was not observed. (orig.) [de

Cermet fuel reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowan, C.L.; Palmer, R.S.; Van Hoomissen, J.E.; Bhattacharyya, S.K.; Barner, J.O.

1987-09-01

Cermet fueled nuclear reactors are attractive candidates for high performance space power systems. The cermet fuel consists of tungsten-urania hexagonal fuel blocks characterized by high strength at elevated temperatures, a high thermal conductivity and resultant high thermal shock resistance. Key features of the cermet fueled reactor design are (1) the ability to achieve very high coolant exit temperatures, and (2) thermal shock resistance during rapid power changes, and (3) two barriers to fission product release - the cermet matrix and the fuel element cladding. Additionally, thre is a potential for achieving a long operating life because of (1) the neutronic insensitivity of the fast-spectrum core to the buildup of fission products and (2) the utilization of a high strength refractory metal matrix and structural materials. These materials also provide resistance against compression forces that potentially might compact and/or reconfigure the core. In addition, the neutronic properties of the refractory materials assure that the reactor remains substantially subcritical under conditions of water immersion. It is concluded that cermet fueled reactors can be utilized to meet the power requirements for a broad range of advanced space applications. 4 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

Modelling of LOCA Tests with the BISON Fuel Performance Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williamson, Richard L [Idaho National Laboratory; Pastore, Giovanni [Idaho National Laboratory; Novascone, Stephen Rhead [Idaho National Laboratory; Spencer, Benjamin Whiting [Idaho National Laboratory; Hales, Jason Dean [Idaho National Laboratory

2016-05-01

BISON is a modern finite-element based, multidimensional nuclear fuel performance code that is under development at Idaho National Laboratory (USA). Recent advances of BISON include the extension of the code to the analysis of LWR fuel rod behaviour during loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs). In this work, BISON models for the phenomena relevant to LWR cladding behaviour during LOCAs are described, followed by presentation of code results for the simulation of LOCA tests. Analysed experiments include separate effects tests of cladding ballooning and burst, as well as the Halden IFA-650.2 fuel rod test. Two-dimensional modelling of the experiments is performed, and calculations are compared to available experimental data. Comparisons include cladding burst pressure and temperature in separate effects tests, as well as the evolution of fuel rod inner pressure during ballooning and time to cladding burst. Furthermore, BISON three-dimensional simulations of separate effects tests are performed, which demonstrate the capability to reproduce the effect of azimuthal temperature variations in the cladding. The work has been carried out in the frame of the collaboration between Idaho National Laboratory and Halden Reactor Project, and the IAEA Coordinated Research Project FUMAC.

Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, Shungo; Ogiya, Shunsuke.

1990-01-01

In a fuel assembly, if the entire fuels comprise mixed oxide fuels, reactivity change in cold temperature-power operation is increased to worsen the reactor shutdown margin. The reactor shutdown margin has been improved by increasing the burnable poison concentration thereby reducing the reactivity of the fuel assembly. However, since unburnt poisons are present at the completion of the reactor operation, the reactivity can not be utilized effectively to bring about economical disadvantage. In view of the above, the reactivity change between lower temperature-power operations is reduced by providing a non-boiling range with more than 9.1% of cross sectional area at the inside of a channel at the central portion of the fuel assembly. As a result, the amount of the unburnt burnable poisons is decreased, the economy of fuel assembly is improved and the reactor shutdown margin can be increase. (N.H.)

Annual report 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. Nuclear power research at the Institute is performed within the international OECD Halden Reactor Project. The nuclear reactor fuel experiments conducted in 1988 included investigations of the corrosion of fuel cladding materials and measurements of gas pressures inside fuel rods. The effect of fuel pellets roughness on heat transfer to the fuel cladding, and the use of different filler gases in the fuel rods were also studied. Work continiued on the development of a new thermometer to measure fuel temperatures and on other instruments. The second major research function of the Halden Project involves the development of computerized reactor process controls. This represents over one-third of the total research programme and emphasizes analysis of human performance and computer-based control and monitoring of the operational aspects of nuclear power plants. This work has resulted in the development of a monitoring system to help operators diagnose and mitigate the consequences of an accident. In addition, the SCORPIO Core Surveillance System, which was developed in Halden, was installed in the control room of a Swedish reactor at Ringhals in 1988

Advanced Research Reactor Fuel Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, C. K.; Park, H. D.; Kim, K. H. (and others)

2006-04-15

RERTR program for non-proliferation has propelled to develop high-density U-Mo dispersion fuels, reprocessable and available as nuclear fuel for high performance research reactors in the world. As the centrifugal atomization technology, invented in KAERI, is optimum to fabricate high-density U-Mo fuel powders, it has a great possibility to be applied in commercialization if the atomized fuel shows an acceptable in-reactor performance in irradiation test for qualification. In addition, if rod-type U-Mo dispersion fuel is developed for qualification, it is a great possibility to export the HANARO technology and the U-Mo dispersion fuel to the research reactors supplied in foreign countries in future. In this project, reprocessable rod-type U-Mo test fuel was fabricated, and irradiated in HANARO. New U-Mo fuel to suppress the interaction between U-Mo and Al matrix was designed and evaluated for in-reactor irradiation test. The fabrication process of new U-Mo fuel developed, and the irradiation test fuel was fabricated. In-reactor irradiation data for practical use of U-Mo fuel was collected and evaluated. Application plan of atomized U-Mo powder to the commercialization of U-Mo fuel was investigated.

Research reactor de-fueling and fuel shipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ice, R.D.; Jawdeh, E.; Strydom, J.

1998-01-01

Planning for the Georgia Institute of Technology Research Reactor operations during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games began in early 1995. Before any details could be outlined, several preliminary administrative decisions had to be agreed upon by state, city, and university officials. The two major administrative decisions involving the reactor were (1) the security level and requirements and (2) the fuel status of the reactor. The Georgia Tech Research Reactor (GTRR) was a heavy-water moderated and cooled reactor, fueled with high-enriched uranium. The reactor was first licensed in 1964 with an engineered lifetime of thirty years. The reactor was intended for use in research applications and as a teaching facility for nuclear engineering students and reactor operators. Approximately one year prior to the olympics, the Georgia Tech administration decided that the GTRR fuel would be removed. In addition, a heightened, beyond regulatory requirements, security system was to be implemented. This report describes the scheduling, operations, and procedures

NOMAGE4 activities 2011. Part I, Nordic Nuclear Materials Forum for Generation IV Reactors: Status and activities in 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Nieuwenhove, R.

2012-01-01

A network for materials issues has been initiated in 2009 within the Nordic countries. The original objectives of the Generation IV Nordic Nuclear Materials Forum (NOMAGE4) were to form the basis of a sustainable forum for Gen-IV issues, especially focusing on fuels, cladding, structural materials and coolant interaction. Over the last years, other issues such as reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, safety and waste have gained in importance (within the network) and therefore the scope of the forum has been enlarged and a more appropriate and more general name, NORDIC-GEN4, has been chosen for the forum. Further, the interaction with non-Nordic countries (such as The Netherlands (JRC, NRG) and Czech Republic (CVR)) will be increased. Within the NOMAGE4 project, a seminar was organized by IFE-Halden during 31 October - 1 November 2011. The seminar attracted 65 participants from 12 countries. The seminar provided a forum for exchange of information, discussion on future research reactor needs and networking of experts on Generation IV reactor concepts. The participants could also visit the Halden reactor site and the workshop. (Author)

NOMAGE4 activities 2011. Part I, Nordic Nuclear Materials Forum for Generation IV Reactors: Status and activities in 2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Nieuwenhove, R. (Institutt for Energiteknikk, OECD Halden Reactor Project (Norway))

2012-01-15

A network for materials issues has been initiated in 2009 within the Nordic countries. The original objectives of the Generation IV Nordic Nuclear Materials Forum (NOMAGE4) were to form the basis of a sustainable forum for Gen-IV issues, especially focusing on fuels, cladding, structural materials and coolant interaction. Over the last years, other issues such as reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, safety and waste have gained in importance (within the network) and therefore the scope of the forum has been enlarged and a more appropriate and more general name, NORDIC-GEN4, has been chosen for the forum. Further, the interaction with non-Nordic countries (such as The Netherlands (JRC, NRG) and Czech Republic (CVR)) will be increased. Within the NOMAGE4 project, a seminar was organized by IFE-Halden during 31 October - 1 November 2011. The seminar attracted 65 participants from 12 countries. The seminar provided a forum for exchange of information, discussion on future research reactor needs and networking of experts on Generation IV reactor concepts. The participants could also visit the Halden reactor site and the workshop. (Author)

Material test reactor fuel research at the BR2 reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dyck, Steven Van; Koonen, Edgar; Berghe, Sven van den [Institute for Nuclear Materials Science, SCK-CEN, Boeretang, Mol (Belgium)

2012-03-15

The construction of new, high performance material test reactor or the conversion of such reactors' core from high enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) based fuel requires several fuel qualification steps. For the conversion of high performance reactors, high density dispersion or monolithic fuel types are being developed. The Uranium-Molybdenum fuel system has been selected as reference system for the qualification of LEU fuels. For reactors with lower performance characteristics, or as medium enriched fuel for high performance reactors, uranium silicide dispersion fuel is applied. However, on the longer term, the U-Mo based fuel types may offer a more efficient fuel alternative and-or an easier back-end solution with respect to the silicide based fuels. At the BR2 reactor of the Belgian nuclear research center, SCK-CEN in Mol, several types of fuel testing opportunities are present to contribute to such qualification process. A generic validation test for a selected fuel system is the irradiation of flat plates with representative dimensions for a fuel element. By flexible positioning and core loading, bounding irradiation conditions for fuel elements can be performed in a standard device in the BR2. For fuel element designs with curved plates, the element fabrication method compatibility of the fuel type can be addressed by incorporating a set of prototype fuel plates in a mixed driver fuel element of the BR2 reactor. These generic types of tests are performed directly in the primary coolant flow conditions of the BR2 reactor. The experiment control and interpretation is supported by detailed neutronic and thermal-hydraulic modeling of the experiments. Finally, the BR2 reactor offers the flexibility for irradiation of full size prototype fuel elements, as 200mm diameter irradiation channels are available. These channels allow the accommodation of various types of prototype fuel elements, eventually using a dedicated cooling loop to provide the

Cermet fuel reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowan, C.L.; Palmer, R.S.; Van Hoomissen, J.E.; Bhattacharyya, S.K.

1987-01-01

Cermet fueled nuclear reactors are attractive candidates for high performance space power systems. The cermet fuel consists of tungsten-urania hexagonal fuel blocks characterized by high strength at elevated temperatures, a high thermal conductivity and resultant high thermal shock resistance. The concept evolved in the 1960's with the objective of developing a reactor design which could be used for a wide range of mobile power generation systems including both Brayton and Rankine power conversion cycles. High temperature thermal cycling tests and in-reactor irradiation tests using cermet fuel were carried out by General Electric in the 1960's as part of the 710 Development Program and by Argonne National laboratory in a subsequent activity. Cermet fuel development programs are currently underway at Argonne National laboratory and Pacific Northwest Laboratory as part of the Multi-Megawatt Space Power Program. Key features of the cermet fueled reactor design are 1) the ability to achieve very high coolant exit temperatures, and 2) thermal shock resistance during rapid power changes, and 3) two barriers to fission product release - the cermet matrix and the fuel element cladding. Additionally, there is a potential for achieving a long operating life because of 1) the neutronic insensitivity of the fast-spectrum core to the buildup of fission products and 2) the utilization of a high strength refractory metal matrix and structural materials. These materials also provide resistance against compression forces that potentially might compact and/or reconfigure the core

The fuel of nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-03-01

This booklet is a presentation of the different steps of the preparation of nuclear fuels performed by Cogema. The documents starts with a presentation of the different French reactor types: graphite moderated reactors, PWRs using MOX fuel, fast breeder reactors and research reactors. The second part describes the fuel manufacturing process: conditioning of nuclear materials and fabrication of fuel assemblies. The third part lists the different companies involved in the French nuclear fuel industry while part 4 gives a short presentation of the two Cogema's fuel fabrication plants at Cadarache and Marcoule. Part 5 and 6 concern the quality assurance, the safety and reliability aspects of fuel elements and the R and D programs. The last part presents some aspects of the environmental and personnel protection performed by Cogema. (J.S.)

Reactor transients tests for SNR fuel elements in HFR reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plitz, H.

1989-01-01

In HFR reactor, fuel pins of LMFBR reactors are putted in irradiation specimen capsules cooled with sodium for reactor transients tests. These irradiation capsules are instrumented and the experiences realized until this day give results on: - Fuel pins subjected at a continual variation of power - melting fuel - axial differential elongation of fuel pins

Ceramics as nuclear reactor fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeve, K.D.

1975-01-01

Ceramics are widely accepted as nuclear reactor fuel materials, for both metal clad ceramic and all-ceramic fuel designs. Metal clad UO 2 is used commercially in large tonnages in five different power reactor designs. UO 2 pellets are made by familiar ceramic techniques but in a reactor they undergo complex thermal and chemical changes which must be thoroughly understood. Metal clad uranium-plutonium dioxide is used in present day fast breeder reactors, but may eventually be replaced by uranium-plutonium carbide or nitride. All-ceramic fuels, which are necessary for reactors operating above about 750 0 C, must incorporate one or more fission product retentive ceramic coatings. BeO-coated BeO matrix dispersion fuels and silicate glaze coated UO 2 -SiO 2 have been studied for specialised applications, but the only commercial high temperature fuel is based on graphite in which small fuel particles, each coated with vapour deposited carbon and silicon carbide, are dispersed. Ceramists have much to contribute to many aspects of fuel science and technology. (author)

Fuel exchanger in FBR type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinden, Kazuhiko; Tanaka, Osamu.

1990-01-01

The present invention concerns a fuel exchanger for exchanging fuels in an LMFBR type reactor using liquid metals as coolants. An outer gripper cylinder rotating device for rotating an outer gripper cylinder that holds a gripper is driven, to lower the gripper driving portion and the outer gripper cylinder, fuels are caught by the finger at the top end of the outer gripper cylinder and elevated to extract the fuels from the reactor core. Then, the gripper driving portion casing and the outer gripper cylinder are rotated to rotate the fuels caught by the gripper. Subsequently, the gripper driving portion and the outer gripper cylinder are lowered to charge the fuels in the reactor core. This can directly shuffle the fuels in the reactor core without once transferring the fuels into a reactor storing pot and replacing with other fuels, thereby shortening the shuffling time. (I.N.)

Reactor fuel charging equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, Elman.

1977-01-01

In many types of reactor fuel charging equipment, tongs or a grab, attached to a trolley, housed in a guide duct, can be used for withdrawing from the core a selected spent fuel assembly or to place a new fuel assembly in the core. In these facilities, the trolley may have wheels that roll on rails in the guide duct. This ensures the correct alignment of the grab, the trolley and fuel assembly when this fuel assembly is being moved. By raising or lowering such a fuel assembly, the trolley can be immerged in the coolant bath of the reactor, whereas at other times it can be at a certain level above the upper surface of the coolant bath. The main object of the invention is to create a fuel handling apparatus for a sodium cooled reactor with bearings lubricated by the sodium coolant and in which the contamination of these bearings is prevented [fr

Power from plutonium: fast reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, J.F.W.

1981-01-01

Points of similarity and of difference between fast reactor fuel and fuels for AGR and PWR plants are established. The flow of uranium and plutonium in fast and thermal systems is also mentioned, establishing the role of the fast reactor as a plutonium burner. A historical perspective of fast reactors is given in which the substantial experience accumulated in test and prototype is indicated and it is noted that fast reactors have now entered the commercial phase. The relevance of the data obtained in the test and prototype reactors to the behaviour of commercial fast reactor fuel is considered. The design concepts employed in fuel are reviewed, including sections on core support styles, pin support and pin detail. This is followed by a discussion of current issues under the headings of manufacture, performance and reprocessing. This section includes a consideration of gel fuel, achievable burn-up, irradiation induced distortions and material choices, fuel form, and fuel failure mechanisms. Future development possibilities are also discussed and the Paper concludes with a view on the logic of a UK fast reactor strategy. (U.K.)

CANDU reactors with reactor grade plutonium/thorium carbide fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahin, Suemer [Atilim Univ., Ankara (Turkey). Faculty of Engineering; Khan, Mohammed Javed; Ahmed, Rizwan [Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad (Pakistan); Gazi Univ., Ankara (Turkey). Faculty of Technology

2011-08-15

Reactor grade (RG) plutonium, accumulated as nuclear waste of commercial reactors can be re-utilized in CANDU reactors. TRISO type fuel can withstand very high fuel burn ups. On the other hand, carbide fuel would have higher neutronic and thermal performance than oxide fuel. In the present work, RG-PuC/ThC TRISO fuels particles are imbedded body-centered cubic (BCC) in a graphite matrix with a volume fraction of 60%. The fuel compacts conform to the dimensions of sintered CANDU fuel compacts are inserted in 37 zircolay rods to build the fuel zone of a bundle. Investigations have been conducted on a conventional CANDU reactor based on GENTILLYII design with 380 fuel bundles in the core. Three mixed fuel composition have been selected for numerical calculation; (1) 10% RG-PuC + 90% ThC; (2) 30% RG-PuC + 70% ThC; (3) 50% RG-PuC + 50% ThC. Initial reactor criticality values for the modes (1), (2) and (3) are calculated as k{sub {infinity}}{sub ,0} = 1.4848, 1.5756 and 1.627, respectively. Corresponding operation lifetimes are {proportional_to} 2.7, 8.4, and 15 years and with burn ups of {proportional_to} 72 000, 222 000 and 366 000 MW.d/tonne, respectively. Higher initial plutonium charge leads to higher burn ups and longer operation periods. In the course of reactor operation, most of the plutonium will be incinerated. At the end of life, remnants of plutonium isotopes would survive; and few amounts of uranium, americium and curium isotopes would be produced. (orig.)

Research reactor fuel - an update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finlay, M.R.; Ripley, M.I.

2003-01-01

In the two years since the last ANA conference there have been marked changes in the research reactor fuel scene. A new low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, 'monolithic' uranium molybdenum, has shown such promise in initial trials that it may be suitable to meet the objectives of the Joint Declaration signed by Presidents Bush and Putin to commit to converting all US and Russian research reactors to LEU by 2012. Development of more conventional aluminium dispersion UMo LEU fuel has continued in the meantime and is entering the final qualification stage of multiple full sized element irradiations. Despite this progress, the original 2005 timetable for UMo fuel qualification has slipped and research reactors, including the RRR, may not convert from silicide to UMo fuel before 2007. The operators of the Swedish R2 reactor have been forced to pursue the direct route of qualifying a UMo lead test assembly (LTA) in order to meet spent fuel disposal requirements of the Swedish law. The LTA has recently been fabricated and is expected to be loaded shortly into the R2 reactor. We present an update of our previous ANA paper and details of the qualification process for UMo fuel

Asymptotic estimation of reactor fueling optimal strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonov, V.D.

1985-01-01

The problem of improving the technical-economic factors of operating. and designed nuclear power plant blocks by developino. internal fuel cycle strategy (reactor fueling regime optimization), taking into account energy system structural peculiarities altogether, is considered. It is shown, that in search of asymptotic solutions of reactor fueling planning tasks the model of fuel energy potential (FEP) is the most ssuitable and effective. FEP represents energy which may be produced from the fuel in a reactor with real dimensions and power, but with hypothetical fresh fuel supply, regime, providing smilar burnup of all the fuel, passing through the reactor, and continuous overloading of infinitely small fuel portion under fule power, and infinitely rapid mixing of fuel in the reactor core volume. Reactor fuel run with such a standard fuel cycle may serve as FEP quantitative measure. Assessment results of optimal WWER-440 reactor fresh fuel supply periodicity are given as an example. The conclusion is drawn that with fuel enrichment x=3.3% the run which is 300 days, is economically justified, taking into account that the cost of one energy unit production is > 3 cop/KW/h

Fast reactor fuel reprocessing. An Indian perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natarajan, R.; Raj, Baldev

2005-01-01

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) envisioned the introduction of Plutonium fuelled fast reactors as the intermediate stage, between Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors and Thorium-Uranium-233 based reactors for the Indian Nuclear Power Programme. This necessitated the closing of the fast reactor fuel cycle with Plutonium rich fuel. Aiming to develop a Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (FRFR) technology with low out of pile inventory, the DAE, with over four decades of operating experience in Thermal Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (TRFR), had set up at the India Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, R and D facilities for fast reactor fuel reprocessing. After two decades of R and D in all the facets, a Pilot Plant for demonstrating FRFR had been set up for reprocessing the FBTR (Fast Breeder Test Reactor) spent mixed carbide fuel. Recently in this plant, mixed carbide fuel with 100 GWd/t burnup fuel with short cooling period had been successfully reprocessed for the first time in the world. All the challenging problems encountered had been successfully overcome. This experience helped in fine tuning the designs of various equipments and processes for the future plants which are under construction and design, namely, the DFRP (Demonstration Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant) and the FRP (Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant). In this paper, a comprehensive review of the experiences in reprocessing the fast reactor fuel of different burnup is presented. Also a brief account of the various developmental activities and strategies for the DFRP and FRP are given. (author)

Fuel assembly and reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyama, Motoo; Koyama, Jun-ichi; Uchikawa, Sadao; Bessho, Yasunori; Nakajima, Akiyoshi; Maruyama, Hiromi; Ozawa, Michihiro; Nakamura, Mitsuya.

1990-01-01

The present invention concerns fuel assemblies charged in a BWR type reactor and the reactor core. The fuel assembly comprises fuel rods containing burnable poisons and fuel rods not containing burnable poisons. Both of the highest and the lowest gadolinia concentrations of the fuel rods containing gadolinia as burnable poisons are present in the lower region of the fuel assembly. This can increase the spectral shift effect without increasing the maximum linear power density. (I.N.)

Thermal performance of annular-coated and sphere-pac LWR fuel rod designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenther, R.J.; Hsieh, K.A.; Barner, J.O.; Freshley, M.D.

1980-01-01

Two FCI-resistant UO 2 fuel rod designs are being compared to a reference design in irradiation tests in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) as part of the DOE-sponsored Fuel Performance Improvement Program (FPIP). The primary fuel design (annular-coated-pressurized) incorporates annular pellets, a graphite coating on the inner surface of the Zircaloy cladding, and pressurized helium fill gas. Also being investigated is an 87% smear density sphere-pac design with pressurized helium fill gas. The solid pellet (reference) and annular-coated designs described had helium fill gas at approx. 100 kPa and the sphere-pac rods were pressurized at approx. 455 kPa

Method of reactor fueling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Toshiro.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To decrease the cost and shorten the working time by saving fueling neutron detectors and their components. Method: Incore drive tubes for the neutron source range monitor (SRM) and intermediate range monitor (IRM) are disposed respectively within in a reactor core and a SRM detector assembly is inserted to the IRM incore drive tube which is most nearest to the neutron source upon reactor fueling. The reactor core reactivity is monitored by the SRM detector assembly. The SRM detector asesembly inserted into the IRM drive tube is extracted at the time of charging fuels up to the frame connecting the SRM and, thereafter, IRM detection assembly is inserted into the IRM drive tube and the SRM detector assembly is inserted into the SRM drive tube respectively for monitoring the reactor core. (Sekiya, K.)

Gaseous fuel reactors for power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, J. S.; Rodgers, R. J.

1977-01-01

Gaseous-fuel nuclear reactors have significant advantages as energy sources for closed-cycle power systems. The advantages arise from the removal of temperature limits associated with conventional reactor fuel elements, the wide variety of methods of extracting energy from fissioning gases, and inherent low fissile and fission product in-core inventory due to continuous fuel reprocessing. Example power cycles and their general performance characteristics are discussed. Efficiencies of gaseous fuel reactor systems are shown to be high with resulting minimal environmental effects. A technical overview of the NASA-funded research program in gaseous fuel reactors is described and results of recent tests of uranium hexafluoride (UF6)-fueled critical assemblies are presented.

Nuclear reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butterfield, C.E.; Waite, E.

1982-01-01

A nuclear reactor fuel element comprising a column of vibration compacted fuel which is retained in consolidated condition by a thimble shaped plug. The plug is wedged into gripping engagement with the wall of the sheath by a wedge. The wedge material has a lower coefficient of expansion than the sheath material so that at reactor operating temperature the retainer can relax sufficient to accommodate thermal expansion of the column of fuel. (author)

Introduction to the Halden project and a short overview of the MMS activities at the project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owre, F.

2005-01-01

This presentation discusses the Man Machine System (MMS) research within the Halden Reactor Project located in Norway. This project is an International collaboration and the mission of this project is to improve safety at operating nuclear plants. The research activities include human reliability, knowledge management, design and evaluation of human system interfaces and control rooms, virtual reality for design, planning and training, operation and maintenance in a competitive electricity market as well as digital system safety research

Fast reactor fuel design and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, J.F.W.; Chamberlain, A.; Holmes, J.A.G.

1977-01-01

Fuel design parameters for oxide and carbide fast reactor fuels are reviewed in the context of minimising the total uranium demands for a combined thermal and fast reactor system. The major physical phenomena conditioning fast reactor fuel design, with a target of high burn-up, good breeding and reliable operation, are characterised. These include neutron induced void swelling, irradiation creep, pin failure modes, sub-assembly structural behaviour, behaviour of defect fuel, behaviour of alternative fuel forms. The salient considerations in the commercial scale fabrication and reprocessing of the fuels are reviewed, leading to the delineation of possible routes for the manufacture and reprocessing of Commercial Reactor fuel. From the desiderata and restraints arising from Surveys, Performance and Manufacture, the problems posed to the Designer are considered, and a narrow range of design alternatives is proposed. The paper concludes with a consideration of the development areas and the conceptual problems for fast reactors associated with those areas

Fuel assembly for FBR type reactor and reactor core thereof

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Kaoru.

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a fuel assembly to be loaded to a reactor core of a large sized FBR type reactor, in which a coolant density coefficient can be reduced without causing power peaking in the peripheral region of neutron moderators loaded in the reactor core. Namely, the fuel assembly for the FBR type reactor comprises a plurality of fission product-loaded fuel rods and a plurality of fertile material-loaded fuel rods and one or more rods loading neutron moderators. In this case, the plurality of fertile material-loaded fuel rods are disposed to the peripheral region of the neutron moderator-loaded rods. The plurality of fission product-loaded fuel rods are disposed surrounding the peripheral region of the plurality of fertile material-loaded fuel rods. The neutron moderator comprises zirconium hydride, yttrium hydride and calcium hydride. The fission products are mixed oxide fuels. The fertile material comprises depleted uranium or natural uranium. (I.S.)

The MOX fuel behaviour test IFA-597.4/.5/.6/.7; Summary of in-pile fuel temperature and gas release data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koike, Hisashi

2003-11-15

It is considered important to study the in-reactor behaviour of MOX fuel in order to enhance the database on such fuel. For this reason, IFA-597.4/.5/.6/.7 were included in the joint research programme of the Halden Project. The series of tests, containing two MIMAS-MOX fuel rods, both equipped with a fuel centre thermocouple and a pressure bellows transducer, has been irradiated in the Halden Reactor since July 1997 under HBWR conditions. The objectives of the test series were to study the thermal and fission gas release (FGR) behaviour of MOX fuel and to explore potential differences in behaviour between solid and hollow pellets. One of the rods had mainly solid pellets, while the other contained only hollow pellets. Both rods had an initial Pu-fissile enrichment of 6.07%. The cladding outside diameter was 9.50 mm, and the initial fuel-clad gap was 180 mum. In the course of the test, power upratings for FGR studies of the MOX fuel were planned at burnup intervals of about 10 MWd/kg MOX. The power uprating was successfully performed at approx10 MWd/kg MOX, where the estimated fuel peak temperature of the solid pellets exceeded the FGR threshold temperature for UO{sub 2} fuel, while that of the hollow pellets remained below the threshold. For the solid fuel, the temperature at onset of FGR was consistent with the empirical threshold temperature for UO{sub 2} fuel. For the hollow fuel, gas release was observed at temperatures below the threshold. FGRs at the end-of-life were approx17% for the solid pellet rod and approx14% for the hollow pellet rod, respectively. As a result of discussions in HPG meetings, IFA-597.7 was unloaded in January 2002. PIE was carried out to check in-pile pressure measurements and examine fuel structural characteristics. The discharge burn-up of the MOX fuel was 32 MWd/kg MOX as determined from in-pile power data. This report supersedes HWR-712 (June 2002) previously issued on in-pile data from IFA-597.4/5/6/7. (Author)

Quantities of actinides in nuclear reactor fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang, K.P.

1975-01-01

The quantities of plutonium and other fuel actinides have been calculated for equilibrium fuel cycles for 1000 MW reactors of the following types: water reactors fueled with slightly enriched uranium, water reactors fueled with plutonium and natural uranium, fast-breeder reactors, gas-cooled reactors fueled with thorium and highly enriched uranium, and gas-cooled reactors fueled with thorium, plutonium, and recycled uranium. The radioactivity levels of plutonium, americium, and curium processed yearly in these fuel cycles are greatest for the water reactors fueled with natural uranium and recycled plutonium. The total amount of actinides processed is calculated for the predicted future growth of the United States nuclear power industry. For the same total installed nuclear power capacity, the introduction of the plutonium breeder has little effect upon the total amount of plutonium processed in this century. The estimated amount of plutonium in the low-level process wastes in the plutonium fuel cycles is comparable to the amount of plutonium in the high-level fission product wastes. The amount of plutonium processed in the nuclear fuel cycles can be considerably reduced by using gas-cooled reactors to consume plutonium produced in uranium-fueled water reactors. These, and other reactors dedicated for plutonium utilization, could be co-located with facilities for fuel reprocessing and fuel fabrication to eliminate the off-site transport of separated plutonium. (U.S.)

Fission gas release in LWR fuel measured during nuclear operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appelhans, A.D.; Skattum, E.; Osetek, D.J.

1980-01-01

A series of fuel behavior experiments are being conducted in the Heavy Boiling Water Reactor in Halden, Norway, to measure the release of Xe, Kr, and I fission products from typical light water reactor design fuel pellets. Helium gas is used to sweep the Xe and Kr fission gases out of two of the Instrumented Fuel Assembly 430 fuel rods and to a gamma spectrometer. The measurements of Xe and Kr are made during nuclear operation at steady state power, and for 135 I following reactor scram. The first experiments were conducted at a burnup of 3000 MWd/t UO 2 , at bulk average fuel temperatures of approx. 850 K and approx. 23 kW/m rod power. The measured release-to-birth ratios (R/B) of Xe and Kr are of the same magnitude as those observed in small UO 2 specimen experiments, when normalized to the estimated fuel surface-to-volume ratio. Preliminary analysis indicates that the release-to-birth ratios can be calculated, using diffusion coefficients determined from small specimen data, to within a factor of approx. 2 for the IFA-430 fuel. The release rate of 135 I is shown to be approximately equal to that of 135 Xe

Fuel exchange device for FBR type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onuki, Koji.

1993-01-01

The device of the present invention can provide fresh fuels with a rotational angle aligned with the direction in the reactor core, so that the fresh fuels can be inserted being aligned with apertures of the reactor core even if a self orientation mechanism should fail to operate. That is, a rotational angle detection means (1) detects the rotational angle of fresh fuels before insertion to the reactor core. A fuel rotational angle control means (2) controls the rotational angle of the fresh fuels by comparing the detection result of the means (1) and the data for the insertion position of the reactor core. A fuel rotation means (3) compensates the rotational angel of the fresh fuels based on the control signal from the means (2). In this way, when the fresh fuels are inserted to the reactor core, the fresh fuels set at the same angle as that for the aperture of the reactor core. Accordingly, even if the self orientation mechanism should not operate, the fresh fuels can be inserted smoothly. As a result, it is possible to save loss time upon fuel exchange and mitigate operator's burden during operation. (I.S.)

Fusion reactor fuel processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.F.

1972-06-01

For thermonuclear power reactors based on the continuous fusion of deuterium and tritium the principal fuel processing problems occur in maintaining desired compositions in the primary fuel cycled through the reactor, in the recovery of tritium bred in the blanket surrounding the reactor, and in the prevention of tritium loss to the environment. Since all fuel recycled through the reactor must be cooled to cryogenic conditions for reinjection into the reactor, cryogenic fractional distillation is a likely process for controlling the primary fuel stream composition. Another practical possibility is the permeation of the hydrogen isotopes through thin metal membranes. The removal of tritium from the ash discharged from the power system would be accomplished by chemical procedures to assure physiologically safe concentration levels. The recovery process for tritium from the breeder blanket depends on the nature of the blanket fluids. For molten lithium the only practicable possibility appears to be permeation from the liquid phase. For molten salts the process would involve stripping with inert gas followed by chemical recovery. In either case extremely low concentrations of tritium in the melts would be desirable to maintain low tritium inventories, and to minimize escape of tritium through unwanted permeation, and to avoid embrittlement of metal walls. 21 refs

United States Domestic Research Reactor Infrastructure TRIGA Reactor Fuel Support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrell, Douglas

2011-01-01

The United State Domestic Research Reactor Infrastructure Program at the Idaho National Laboratory manages and provides project management, technical, quality engineering, quality inspection and nuclear material support for the United States Department of Energy sponsored University Reactor Fuels Program. This program provides fresh, unirradiated nuclear fuel to Domestic University Research Reactor Facilities and is responsible for the return of the DOE-owned, irradiated nuclear fuel over the life of the program. This presentation will introduce the program management team, the universities supported by the program, the status of the program and focus on the return process of irradiated nuclear fuel for long term storage at DOE managed receipt facilities. It will include lessons learned from research reactor facilities that have successfully shipped spent fuel elements to DOE receipt facilities.

Economic evaluation of fast reactor fuel cycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Ping; Zhao Fuyu; Yan Zhou; Li Chong

2012-01-01

Economic calculation and analysis of two kinds of nuclear fuel cycle are conducted by check off method, based on the nuclear fuel cycling process and model for fast reactor power plant, and comparison is carried out for the economy of fast reactor fuel cycle and PWR once-through fuel cycle. Calculated based on the current price level, the economy of PWR one-through fuel cycle is better than that of the fast reactor fuel cycle. However, in the long term considering the rising of the natural uranium's price and the development of the post treatment technology for nuclear fuels, the cost of the fast reactor fuel cycle is expected to match or lower than that of the PWR once-through fuel cycle. (authors)

Fast reactor fuel reprocessing in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allardice, R.H.; Williams, J.; Buck, C.

1977-01-01

Enriched uranium metal fuel irradiated in the Dounreay Fast Reactor has been reprocessed and refabricated in plants specifically designed for the purpose in the U.K. since 1961. Efficient and reliable fuel recycle is essential to the development of a plutonium based fast reactor system and the importance of establishing at an early stage fast reactor fuel reprocessing has been reinforced by current world difficulties in reprocessing high burn-up thermal reactor oxide fuel. In consequence, the U.K. has decided to reprocess irradiated fuel from the 250 MW(E) Prototype Fast Reactor as an integral part of the fast reactor development programme. Flowsheet and equipment development work for the small scale fully active demonstration plant have been carried out over the past 5 years and the plant will be commissioned and ready for active operation during 1977. In parallel, a comprehensive waste management system has been developed and installed. Based on this development work and the information which will arise from active operation of the plant a parallel development programme has been initiated to provide the basis for the design of a large scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plant to come into operation in the late 1980s to support the projected U.K. fast reactor installation programme. The paper identifies the important differences between fast reactor and thermal reactor fuel reprocessing technologies and describes some of the development work carried out in these areas for the small scale P.F.R. fuel reprocessing operation. In addition, the development programme in aid of the design of a larger scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plant is outlined and the current design philosophy is discussed

The integral fast reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Y.I.

1990-01-01

The liquid-metal reactor (LMR) has the potential to extend the uranium resource by a factor of 50 to 100 over current commercial light water reactors (LWRs). In the integral fast reactor (IFR) development program, the entire reactor system - reactor, fuel cycle, and waste process - is being developed and optimized at the same time as a single integral entity. A key feature of the IFR concept is the metallic fuel. The lead irradiation tests on the new U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II have surpassed 185000 MWd/t burnup, and its high burnup capability has now been fully demonstrated. The metallic fuel also allows a radically improved fuel cycle technology. Pyroprocessing, which utilizes high temperatures and molten salt and molten metal solvents, can be advantageously utilized for processing metal fuels because the product is metal suitable for fabrication into new fuel elements. Direct production of a metal product avoids expensive and cumbersome chemical conversion steps that would result from use of the conventional Purex solvent extraction process. The key step in the IFR process is electrorefining, which provides for recovery of the valuable fuel constituents, uranium and plutonium, and for removal of fission products. A notable feature of the IFR process is that the actinide elements accompany plutonium through the process. This results in a major advantage in the high-level waste management

Post-Irradiation Examination and In-Pile Measurement Techniques for Water Reactor Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

held from 27-30 November 2006 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while the second TM was organized on 3-5 September 2007 in Halden, Norway. The purpose of these technical meetings was to provide an overview of the status of in-pile and post irradiation techniques of water reactor fuel examination with an emphasis given to experimental methods applied to high burnup fuel. The majority of presentations made at the technical meeting in Argentina and at the sessions on post irradiation examination techniques in Norway either directly described the status of different national hot labs (methods, infrastructure) or described these labs by the examples of investigations carried out in and typical of these labs. Other papers presented at the meetings described the progress achieved in non destructive and destructive PIE techniques used for investigation of water reactor fuel. Recent practices in high burn up fuel investigation revealed the importance of advanced PIE techniques, such as 3-D tomography, secondary ion mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy, as well as advanced in-pile measurement techniques for better understanding of the mechanisms of fuel behaviour under irradiation. (author)

Fuel assembly for FBR type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Hideyuki.

1995-01-01

Ordinary sodium bond-type fuel pins using nitride fuels, carbide fuels or metal fuels and pins incorporated with hydride moderators are loaded in a wrapper tube at a ratio of from 2 to 10% based on the total number of fuel pins. The hydride moderators are sealed in the hydride moderator incorporated pins at the position only for a range from the upper end to a reactor core upper position of substantially 1/4 of the height of the reactor core from the upper end of the reactor core as a center. Then, even upon occurrence of ULOF (loss of flow rate scram failure phenomenon), it gives characteristic of reducing the power only by a doppler coefficient and not causing boiling of coolant sodium but providing stable cooling to the reactor core. Therefore, a way of thinking on the assurance of passive safety is simplified to make a verification including on the reactor structure unnecessary. In an LMFBR type reactor using the fuel assembly, a critical experiment for confirming accuracy of nuclear design is sufficient for the item required for study and development, which provides a great economical effect. (N.H.)

Inservice inspection of Halden BWR pressure vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foerli, O.; Hernes, T.

1978-01-01

A description is given of how the recertification inspection of the 20 years old Halden Reactor pressure vessel was carried out in accordance with the latest ASME-CODES, despite the fact that inspection accessibility was poor. As no volumetric inspection had been carried out since the preservice radiography in 1957, the ultrasonic inspection included the high flux region of all welds. In total 70% of longitudinal welds and 20% of bottom circumferential welds were inspected as well as the bottom nozzle connection. The vessel was not designed with provisions for inservice inspection, the welds are unaccessible from the outside and removal of the lid is virtually impossible. The ultrasonic probes could only be loaded through 77 mm diameter holes in the top lid and remotely positioned inside the vessel. The inspection was performed using 450C and 60OC 1 MHz angle probes and 2.25 MHz normal probes in immersion technique. In a zone around the welds, small regions with lack of bonding between the stainless steel cladding and the boiler steel were revealed. One root defect known and accepted from the preservice radiographs was examined. The defect was found to be 6x30mm as a maximum and well within acceptable limits according to the fracture mechanics analysis method recommended in ASME X1. The inspection required a period of three weeks' work in the reactor hall. (UK)

Russian research reactor fuel return program starts shipping fuel to Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dedik, T.; Bolshinsky, I.; Krass, A.

2003-01-01

For almost four years the United States (U.S), the Russian Federation (R.F.), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been discussing an initiative to return Soviet/Russian-origin research reactor fuel to the Russian Federation. In a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings in Vienna and Moscow, considerable progress has been made toward defining the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program as well as obtaining the necessary technical data to facilitate the return. More than 20 research reactors in 17 countries that have Soviet- or Russian-supplied fuel have identified. Most of these reactors have stocks of both fresh and irradiated HEU fuel that must be carefully stored and managed for many years to come. On September 21, 2003 the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return program shipped 14 kg of fresh Russian-origin HEU fuel from Romania to the nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Russia, which represented the beginning of the practical implementation of the program. (author)

Fuel assembly and reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuchi, Yoko; Aoyama, Motoo; Haikawa, Katsumasa; Yamanaka, Akihiro; Koyama, Jun-ichi.

1996-01-01

In a fuel assembly of a BWR type reactor, a region substantially containing burnable poison is divided into an upper region and a lower region having different average concentrations of burnable poison along a transverse cross section perpendicular to the axial direction. The ratio of burnable poison contents of both regions is determined to not more than 80%, and the average concentration of the burnable poison in the lower region is determined to not less than 9% by weight. An infinite multiplication factor at an initial stage of the burning of the fuel assembly is controlled effectively by the burnable poisons. Namely, the ratio of the axial power can be controlled by the distribution of the enrichment degree of uranium fuels and the distribution of the burnable poison concentration in the axial direction. Since the average enrichment degree of the reactor core has to be increased in order to provide an initially loaded reactor core at high burnup degree. Distortion of the power distribution in the axial direction of the reactor core to which fuel assemblies at high enrichment degree are loaded is flattened to improve thermal margin, to extend continuous operation period and increase a burnup degree upon take-out thereby improving fuel economy without worsening the reactor core characteristics of the initially loaded reactor core. (N.H.)

Facilities of fuel transfer for nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, E.E.

1977-01-01

This invention relates to sodium cooled fast breeder reactors. It particularly concerns facilities for the transfer of fuel assemblies between the reactor core and a fuel transfer area. The installation is simple in construction and enables a relatively small vessel to be used. In greater detail, the invention includes a vessel with a head, fuel assemblies housed in this vessel, and an inlet and outlet for the coolant covering these fuel assemblies. The reactor has a fuel transfer area in communication with this vessel and gear inside the vessel for the transfer of these fuel assemblies. These facilities are borne by the vessel head and serve to transfer the fuel assemblies from the vessel to the transfer area; whilst leaving the fuel assemblies completely immersed in a continuous mass of coolant. A passageway is provided between the vessel and this transfer area for the fuel assemblies. Facilities are provided for closing off this passageway so that the inside of the reactor vessel may be isolated as desired from this fuel transfer area whilst the reactor is operating [fr

BR2 Reactor: Irradiation of fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verwimp, A.

2005-01-01

Safe, reliable and economical operation of reactor fuels, both UO 2 and MOX types, requires in-pile testing and qualification up to high target burn-up levels. In-pile testing of advanced fuels for improved performance is also mandatory. The objectives of research performed at SCK-CEN are to perform Neutron irradiation of LWR (Light Water Reactor) fuels in the BR2 reactor under relevant operating and monitoring conditions, as specified by the experimenter's requirements and to improve the on-line measurements on the fuel rods themselves

Investigation of large grain and Gd-doped WWER fuels behaviour at BOL in the Halden reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, B.

2008-01-01

In this paper the following issues have been discussed: 1) WWER fuel tests in the HBWR; 2) Main objectives of the test with large grains and Gd-doped WWER fuel; 3) Analysis of of the the data at BOL focus on: Gd-doped fuel thermal behaviour, fuel elongation and dimension stability as well as cladding elongation early in life. At the end authors concluded that: 1) No indication of substantial effect of large grains on fuel thermal performance at BOL; 2) Densification observed in large grain fuel is similar to the ordinary uranium dioxide fuel with 95-96 % of theoretical density; 3) Dimension stability of large grain fuel is similar or even better than that in reference WWER fuel; 4) More stable dimension behaviour of large grain fuel at power could be attributed to its lower creep or densification at high temperature in the centre part of the fuel; 5) Cladding elongation detectors indicated identical early-in-life PCMI in both large grain and reference fuel rods, which reflected an accommodation effect of fuel pellets in claddings during first rise to power; no residual strains in either fuel types were observed; subsequent cladding elongation measurements show a trend to irradiation growth; 6) No clear evidence for densification of Gd-doped WWER fuel is observed during first irradiation cycle

Build-up and decay of fuel actinides in the fuel cycle of nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasaka, Kanji; Kikuchi, Yasuyuki; Shindo, Ryuichi; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Yasukawa, Shigeru

1976-05-01

For boiling water reactors, pressurized light-water reactors, pressure-tube-type heavy water reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and sodium-cooled fast breeder reactors, uranium fueled and mixed-oxide fueled, each of 1000 MWe, the following have been studied: (1) quantities of plutonium and other fuel actinides built up in the reactor, (2) cooling behaviors of activities of plutonium and other fuel actinides in the spent fuels, and (3) activities of plutonium and other fuel actinides in the high-level reprocessing wastes as a function of storage time. The neutron cross section and decay data of respective actinide nuclides are presented, with their evaluations. For effective utilization of the uranium resources and easy reprocessing and high-level waste management, a thermal reactor must be fueled with uranium; the plutonium produced in a thermal reactor should be used in a fast reactor; and the plutonium produced in the blanket of a fast reactor is more appropriate for a fast reactor than that from a thermal reactor. (auth.)

Fuel Fabrication and Nuclear Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpius, Peter Joseph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-02-02

The uranium from the enrichment plant is still in the form of UF₆. UF₆ is not suitable for use in a reactor due to its highly corrosive chemistry as well as its phase diagram. UF₆ is converted into UO₂ fuel pellets, which are in turn placed in fuel rods and assemblies. Reactor designs are variable in moderators, coolants, fuel, performance etc.The dream of energy ‘too-cheap to meter’ is no more, and now the nuclear power industry is pushing ahead with advanced reactor designs.

CANDU reactor experience: fuel performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Truant, P.T.; Hastings, I.J.

1985-07-01

Ontario Hydro has more than 126 reactor-years experience in operating CANDU reactors. Fuel performance has been excellent with 47 000 channel fuelling operations successfully completed and 99.9 percent of the more than 380 000 bundles irradiated operating as designed. Fuel performance limits and fuel defects have had a negligible effect on station safety, reliability, the environment and cost. The actual incapability charged to fuel is less than 0.1 percent over the stations' lifetimes, and more recently has been zero

Axial gas transport and loss of pressure after ballooning rupture of high burn-up fuel rods subjected to LOCA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiesenack, Wolfgang; Oberlaender, Barbara; Kekkonen, Laura

2008-01-01

The OECD Halden Reactor Project has implemented integral in-pile tests on issues related to fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions. In this test series, the interaction of bonded fuel and cladding, the behaviour of fragmented fuel around the ballooning area, and the axial gas communication in high burn-up rods as affected by gap closure and fuel-clad bonding are of major interest for the investigations. In the Halden reactor tests, the decay heat is simulated by a low level of nuclear heating, in contrast to the heating conditions implemented in hot laboratory set-ups, and the thermal expansion of fuel and cladding relative to each other is more similar to the real event. The paper deals with observations regarding the loss of rod pressure following the rupture of the cladding. In the majority of the tests conducted so far, the rod pressure dropped practically instantaneously as a consequence of ballooning rupture, while one test showed a remarkably slow pressure loss. The slow loss of pressure in this test was analysed, showing that the 'hydraulic diameter' of the rod over an un-distended upper part was about 30 - 35 μm which is typical of high burn-up fuel at hot-standby conditions. The 'plug' of fuel restricts the gas flow from the plenum through the fuel column and thus limits the availability of high pressure gas for driving the ballooning. This observation is relevant for the analysis of the behaviour of a full length fuel rod under LOCA conditions since restricted gas flow may influence bundle blockage and the number of failures. (authors)

Fuel handling system of nuclear reactor plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulstich, D.L.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a fuel handing system for nuclear reactor plants comprising a reactor vessel having an openable top and removable cover for refueling and containing therein, submerged in coolant water substantially filling the reactor vessel, a fuel core including a multiplicity of fuel bundles formed of groups of sealed tube elements enclosing fissionable fuel assembled into units. It comprises a fuel bundle handing platform moveable over the open top of the reactor vessel; a fuel bundle handing mast extendable downward from the platform with a lower end projecting into the open top reactor vessel to the fuel core submerged in water; a grapple head mounted on the lower end of the mast provided with grappling hook means for attaching to and transporting fuel bundles into and out from the fuel core; and a camera with a prismatic viewing head surrounded by a radioactive resisting quartz cylinder and enclosed within the grapple head which is provided with at least three windows with at least two windows provided with an angled surface for aiming the camera prismatic viewing head in different directions and thereby viewing the fuel bundles of the fuel core from different perspectives, and having a cable connecting the camera with a viewing monitor located above the reactor vessel for observing the fuel bundles of the fuel core and for enabling aiming of the camera prismatic viewing head through the windows by an operator

The uranium-plutonium breeder reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmon, A.; Allardice, R.H.

1979-01-01

All power-producing systems have an associated fuel cycle covering the history of the fuel from its source to its eventual sink. Most, if not all, of the processes of extraction, preparation, generation, reprocessing, waste treatment and transportation are involved. With thermal nuclear reactors more than one fuel cycle is possible, however it is probable that the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle will become predominant; in this cycle the fuel is mined, usually enriched, fabricated, used and then reprocessed. The useful components of the fuel, the uranium and the plutonium, are then available for further use, the waste products are treated and disposed of safely. This particular thermal reactor fuel cycle is essential if the fast breeder reactor (FBR) using plutonium as its major fuel is to be used in a power-producing system, because it provides the necessary initial plutonium to get the system started. In this paper the authors only consider the FBR using plutonium as its major fuel, at present it is the type envisaged in all, current national plans for FBR power systems. The corresponding fuel cycle, the uranium-plutonium breeder reactor fuel cycle, is basically the same as the thermal reactor fuel cycle - the fuel is used and then reprocessed to separate the useful components from the waste products, the useful uranium and plutonium are used again and the waste disposed of safely. However the details of the cycle are significantly different from those of the thermal reactor cycle. (Auth.)

The Canadian research reactor spent fuel situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernst, P.C.

1996-01-01

This paper summarizes the present research reactor spent fuel situation in Canada. The research reactors currently operating are listed along with the types of fuel that they utilize. Other shut down research reactors contributing to the storage volume are included for completeness. The spent fuel storage facilities associated with these reactors and the methods used to determine criticality safety are described. Finally the current inventory of spent fuel and where it is stored is presented along with concerns for future storage. (author). 3 figs

Candu reactors with thorium fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopwood, J.M.; Fehrenbach, P.; Duffey, R.; Kuran, S.; Ivanco, M.; Dyck, G.R.; Chan, P.S.W.; Tyagi, A.K.; Mancuso, C.

2006-01-01

Over the last decade and a half AECL has established a strong record of delivering CANDU 6 nuclear power plants on time and at budget. Inherently flexible features of the CANDU type reactors, such as on-power fuelling, high neutron economy, fuel channel based heat transport system, simple fuel bundle configuration, two independent shut down systems, a cool moderator and a defence-in-depth based safety philosophy provides an evolutionary path to further improvements in design. The immediate milestone on this path is the Advanced CANDU ReactorTM** (ACRTM**), in the form of the ACR-1000TM**. This effort is being followed by the Super Critical Water Reactor (SCWR) design that will allow water-cooled reactors to attain high efficiencies by increasing the coolant temperature above 550 0 C. Adaptability of the CANDU design to different fuel cycles is another technology advantage that offers an additional avenue for design evolution. Thorium is one of the potential fuels for future reactors due to relative abundance, neutronics advantage as a fertile material in thermal reactors and proliferation resistance. The Thorium fuel cycle is also of interest to China, India, and Turkey due to local abundance that can ensure sustainable energy independence over the long term. AECL has performed an assessment of both CANDU 6 and ACR-1000 designs to identify systems, components, safety features and operational processes that may need to be modified to replace the NU or SEU fuel cycles with one based on Thorium. The paper reviews some of these requirements and the associated practical design solutions. These modifications can either be incorporated into the design prior to construction or, for currently operational reactors, during a refurbishment outage. In parallel with reactor modifications, various Thorium fuel cycles, either based on mixed bundles (homogeneous) or mixed channels (heterogeneous) have been assessed for technical and economic viability. Potential applications of a

Proposed fuel cycle for the Integral Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burris, L.; Walters, L.C.

1985-01-01

One of the key features of ANL's Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept is a close-coupled fuel cycle. The proposed fuel cycle is similar to that demonstrated over the first five to six years of operation of EBR-II, when a fuel cycle facility adjacent to EBR-II was operated to reprocess and refabricate rapidly fuel discharged from the EBR-II. Locating the IFR and its fuel cycle facility on the same site makes the IFR a self-contained system. Because the reactor fuel and the uranium blanket are metals, pyrometallurgical processes (shortned to ''pyroprocesses'') have been chosen. The objectives of the IFR processes for the reactor fuel and blanket materials are to (1) recover fissionable materials in high yield; (2) remove fission products adequately from the reactor fuel, e.g., a decontamination factor of 10 to 100; and (3) upgrade the concentration of plutonium in uranium sufficiently to replenish the fissile-material content of the reactor fuel. After the fuel has been reconstituted, new fuel elements will be fabricated for recycle to the reactor

Fuel-management simulations for once-through thorium fuel cycle in CANDU reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, P.S.W.; Boczar, P.G.; Ellis, R.J.; Ardeshiri, F.

1999-01-01

High neutron economy, on-power refuelling and a simple fuel bundle design result in unsurpassed fuel cycle flexibility for CANDU reactors. These features facilitate the introduction and exploitation of thorium fuel cycles in existing CANDU reactors in an evolutionary fashion. Detailed full-core fuel-management simulations concluded that a once-through thorium fuel cycle can be successfully implemented in an existing CANDU reactor without requiring major modifications. (author)

Electrorefining open-quotes Nclose quotes reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gay, E.C.; Miller, W.E.

1995-01-01

Principles of purifying of uranium metal by electrorefining are reviewed. Metal reactor fuel after irradiation is a form of impure uranium. Dissolution and deposition electrorefining processes were developed for spent metal fuel under the Integral Fast Reactor Program. Application of these processes to the conditioning of spent N-reactor fuel slugs is examined

Nuclear reactors and fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The Nuclear Fuel Center (CCN) of IPEN produces nuclear fuel for the continuous operation of the IEA-R1 research reactor of IPEN. The serial production started in 1988, when the first nuclear fuel element was delivered for IEA-R1. In 2011, CCN proudly presents the 100 th nuclear fuel element produced. Besides routine production, development of new technologies is also a permanent concern at CCN. In 2005, U 3 O 8 were replaced by U 3 Si 2 -based fuels, and the research of U Mo is currently under investigation. Additionally, the Brazilian Multipurpose Research Reactor (RMB), whose project will rely on the CCN for supplying fuel and uranium targets. Evolving from an annual production from 10 to 70 nuclear fuel elements, plus a thousand uranium targets, is a huge and challenging task. To accomplish it, a new and modern Nuclear Fuel Factory is being concluded, and it will provide not only structure for scaling up, but also a safer and greener production. The Nuclear Engineering Center has shown, along several years, expertise in the field of nuclear, energy systems and correlated areas. Due to the experience obtained during decades in research and technological development at Brazilian Nuclear Program, personnel has been trained and started to actively participate in design of the main system that will compose the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB) which will make Brazil self-sufficient in production of radiopharmaceuticals. The institution has participated in the monitoring and technical support concerning the safety, licensing and modernization of the research reactors IPEN/MB-01 and IEA-R1. Along the last two decades, numerous specialized services of engineering for the Brazilian nuclear power plants Angra 1 and Angra 2 have been carried out. The contribution in service, research, training, and teaching in addition to the development of many related technologies applied to nuclear engineering and correlated areas enable the institution to fulfill its mission that is

Nuclear reactors and fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-07-01

The Nuclear Fuel Center (CCN) of IPEN produces nuclear fuel for the continuous operation of the IEA-R1 research reactor of IPEN. The serial production started in 1988, when the first nuclear fuel element was delivered for IEA-R1. In 2011, CCN proudly presents the 100{sup th} nuclear fuel element produced. Besides routine production, development of new technologies is also a permanent concern at CCN. In 2005, U{sub 3}O{sub 8} were replaced by U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-based fuels, and the research of U Mo is currently under investigation. Additionally, the Brazilian Multipurpose Research Reactor (RMB), whose project will rely on the CCN for supplying fuel and uranium targets. Evolving from an annual production from 10 to 70 nuclear fuel elements, plus a thousand uranium targets, is a huge and challenging task. To accomplish it, a new and modern Nuclear Fuel Factory is being concluded, and it will provide not only structure for scaling up, but also a safer and greener production. The Nuclear Engineering Center has shown, along several years, expertise in the field of nuclear, energy systems and correlated areas. Due to the experience obtained during decades in research and technological development at Brazilian Nuclear Program, personnel has been trained and started to actively participate in design of the main system that will compose the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB) which will make Brazil self-sufficient in production of radiopharmaceuticals. The institution has participated in the monitoring and technical support concerning the safety, licensing and modernization of the research reactors IPEN/MB-01 and IEA-R1. Along the last two decades, numerous specialized services of engineering for the Brazilian nuclear power plants Angra 1 and Angra 2 have been carried out. The contribution in service, research, training, and teaching in addition to the development of many related technologies applied to nuclear engineering and correlated areas enable the institution to

Status of research reactor spent fuel world-wide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritchie, I.G.

2004-01-01

Results compiled in the research reactor spent fuel database are used to assess the status of research reactor spent fuel world-wide. Fuel assemblies, their types, enrichment, origin of enrichment and geological distribution among the industrialised and developed countries of the world are discussed. Fuel management practices in wet and dry storage facilities and the concerns of reactor operators about long-term storage of their spent fuel are presented and some of the activities carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency to address the issues associated with research reactor spent fuel are outlined. (author)

United States Domestic Research Reactor Infrastructure - TRIGA Reactor Fuel Support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrell, Douglas

2008-01-01

The purpose of the United State Domestic Research Reactor Infrastructure Program is to provide fresh nuclear reactor fuel to United States universities at no, or low, cost to the university. The title of the fuel remains with the United States government and when universities are finished with the fuel, the fuel is returned to the United States government. The program is funded by the United States Department of Energy - Nuclear Energy division, managed by Department of Energy - Idaho Field Office, and contracted to the Idaho National Laboratory's Management and Operations Contractor - Battelle Energy Alliance. Program has been at Idaho since 1977 and INL subcontracts with 26 United States domestic reactor facilities (13 TRIGA facilities, 9 plate fuel facilities, 2 AGN facilities, 1 Pulstar fuel facility, 1 Critical facility). University has not shipped fuel since 1968 and as such, we have no present procedures for shipping spent fuel. In addition: floor loading rate is unknown, many interferences must be removed to allow direct access to the reactor tank, floor space in the reactor cell is very limited, pavement ends inside our fence; some of the surface is not finished. The whole approach is narrow, curving and downhill. A truck large enough to transport the cask cannot pull into the lot and then back out (nearly impossible / refused by drivers); a large capacity (100 ton), long boom crane would have to be used due to loading dock obstructions. Access to the entrance door is on a sidewalk. The campus uses it as a road for construction equipment, deliveries and security response. Large trees are on both sides of sidewalk. Spent fuel shipments have never been done, no procedures approved or in place, no approved casks, no accident or safety analysis for spent fuel loading. Any cask assembly used in this facility will have to be removed from one crane, moved on the floor and then attached to another crane to get from the staging area to the reactor room. Reactor

Recent BWR fuel management reactor physics advances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowther, R.L.; Congdon, S.P.; Crawford, B.W.; Kang, C.M.; Martin, C.L.; Reese, A.P.; Savoia, P.J.; Specker, S.R.; Welchly, R.

1982-01-01

Improvements in BWR fuel management have been under development to reduce uranium and separative work (SWU) requirements and reduce fuel cycle costs, while also maintaining maximal capacity factors and high fuel reliability. Improved reactor physics methods are playing an increasingly important role in making such advances feasible. The improved design, process computer and analysis methods both increase knowledge of the thermal margins which are available to implement fuel management advance, and improve the capability to reliably and efficiently analyze and design for fuel management advances. Gamma scan measurements of the power distributions of advanced fuel assembly and advanced reactor core designs, and improved in-core instruments also are important contributors to improving 3-d predictive methods and to increasing thermal margins. This paper is an overview of the recent advances in BWR reactor physics fuel management methods, coupled with fuel management and core design advances. The reactor physics measurements which are required to confirm the predictions of performance fo fuel management advances also are summarized

Reactor-specific spent fuel discharge projections, 1987-2020

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walling, R.C.; Heeb, C.M.; Purcell, W.L.

1988-03-01

The creation of five reactor-specific spent fuel data bases that contain information on the projected amounts of spent fuel to be discharged from U.S. commercial nuclear reactors through the year 2020 is described. The data bases contain detailed spent fuel information from existing, planned, and projected pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water eactors (BWR), and one existing high temperature gas reactor (HTGR). The projections are based on individual reactor information supplied by the U.S. reactor owners. The basic information is adjusted to conform to Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts for nuclear installed capacity, generation, and spent fuel discharged. The EIA cases considered are: No New Orders (assumes increasing burnup), No New Orders with No Increased Burnup, Upper Reference (assumes increasing burnup), Upper Reference with No Increased Burnup, and Lower Reference (assumes increasing burnup). Detailed, by-reactor tables are provided for annual discharged amounts of spent fuel, for storage requirements assuming maximum at-reactor storage, and for storage requirements assuming maximum at-reactor storage plus intra-utility transshipment of spent fuel. 8 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs

Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-10-01

This meeting contains articles of the Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting 2008 of Korean Nuclear Society, Atomic Energy Society of Japan, Chinese Nuclear Society, European Nuclear Society and American Nuclear Society. It was held on Oct. 19-23, 2008 in Seoul, Korea and subject of Meeting is 'New Clear' Fuel - A green energy solution. This proceedings is comprised of 5 tracks. The main topic titles of track are as follows: Advances in water reactor fuel technology, Fuel performance and operational experience, Transient fuel behavior and safety-related issues, Fuel cycle, spent fuel storage and transportations and Fuel modeling and analysis. (Yi, J. H.)

Reproduction of the RA reactor fuel element fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novakovic, M.

1961-12-01

This document includes the following nine reports: Final report on task 08/12 - testing the Ra reactor fuel element; design concept for fabrication of RA reactor fuel element; investigation of the microstructure of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/13 producing binary alloys with Al, Mo, Zr, Nb and B additions; fabrication of U-Al alloy; final report on tasks 08/14 and 08/16; final report on task 08/32 diffusion bond between the fuel and the cladding of the Ra reactor fuel element; Final report on task 08/33, fabrication of the RA reactor fuel element cladding; and final report on task 08/36, diffusion of solid state metals [sr

IAEA Activities in the Area of Fast Reactors and Related Fuels and Fuel Cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monti, S.; Basak, U.; Dyck, G.; Inozemtsev, V.; Toti, A.; Zeman, A.

2013-01-01

Summary: • The IAEA role to support fast reactors and associated fuel cycle development programmes; • Main IAEA activities on fast reactors and related fuel and fuel cycle technology; • Main IAEA deliverables on fast reactors and related fuel and fuel cycle technology

Space reactor fuels performance and development issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wewerka, E.M.

1984-01-01

Three compact reactor concepts are now under consideration by the US Space Nuclear Power Program (the SP-100 Program) as candidates for the first 100-kWe-class space reactor. Each of these reactor designs puts unique constraints and requirements on the fuels system, and raises issues of fuel systems feasibility and performance. This paper presents a brief overview of the fuel requirements for the proposed space reactor designs, a delineation of the technical feasibility issues that each raises, and a description of the fuel systems development and testing program that has been established to address key technical issues

Future fuel cycle development for CANDU reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatcher, S.R.; McDonnell, F.N.; Griffiths, J.; Boczar, P.G.

1987-01-01

The CANDU reactor has proven to be safe and economical and has demonstrated outstanding performance with natural uranium fuel. The use of on-power fuelling, coupled with excellent neutron economy, leads to a very flexible reactor system with can utilize a wide variety of fuels. The spectrum of fuel cycles ranges from natural uranium, through slightly enriched uranium, to plutonium and ultimately thorium fuels which offer many of the advantages of the fast breeder reactor system. CANDU can also burn the recycled uranium and/or the plutonium from fuel discharged from light water reactors. This synergistic relationship could obviate the need to re-enrich the reprocessed uranium and allow a simpler reprocessing scheme. Fule management strategies that will permit future fuel cycles to be used in existing CANDU reactors have been identified. Evolutionary design changes will lead to an even greater flexibility, which will guarantee the continued success of the CANDU system. (author)

Method of fueling for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igarashi, Takao.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To enable the monitoring of reactor power with sufficient accuracy, upon starting even without existence of neutron source in case of a low average burnup degree in the reactor core. Constitution: Each of fuel assemblies is charged such that neutron source region monitors for the start-up system in a reactor core neutron instrumentation system having nuclear fuel assemblies and a neutron instrumentation system are surrounded with 4 or 16 fuel assemblies of a low burnup degree. Then, the average burnup degree of the fuel assemblies surrounding the neutron source region monitors are increased than the reactor core burnup degree, whereby neutrons released from the peripheral fuels are increased, sufficient number of neutron counts can be obtained even with no neutron sources upon start-up and the reactor power can be monitored at a sufficient accuracy. (Sekiya, K.)

Gaseous fuel reactors for power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helmick, H.H.; Schwenk, F.C.

1978-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory is participating in a NASA-sponsored program to demonstrate the feasibility of a gaseous uranium fueled reactor. The work is aimed at acquiring experimental and theoretical information for the design of a prototype plasma core reactor which will test heat removal by optical radiation. The basic goal of this work is for space applications, however, other NASA-sponsored work suggests several attractive applications to help meet earth-bound energy needs. Such potential benefits are small critical mass, on-site fuel processing, high fuel burnup, low fission fragment inventory in reactor core, high temperature for process heat, optical radiation for photochemistry and space power transmission, and high temperature for advanced propulsion systems. Low power reactor experiments using uranium hexafluoride gas as fuel demonstrated performance in accordance with reactor physics predictions. The final phase of experimental activity now in progress is the fabrication and testing of a buffer gas vortex confinement system

Fuel assemblies for nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishi, Akihito.

1987-01-01

Purpose: To control power-up rate at the initial burning stage of new fuel assemblies due to fuel exchange in a pressure tube type power reactor. Constitution: Burnable poisons are disposed to a most portion of fuel pellets in a fuel assembly to such a low concentration as the burn-up rate changes with time at the initial stage of the burning. The most portion means substantially more than one-half part of the pellets and gadolinia is used as burn-up poisons to be dispersed and the concentration is set to less than about 0.2 %. Upon elapse of about 15 days after the charging, the burnable poisons are eliminated and the infinite multiplication factors are about at 1.2 to attain a predetermined power state. Since the power-up rate of the nuclear reactor fuel assembly is about 0.1 % power/hour and the power-up rate of the fuel assembly around the exchanged channel is lower than that, it can be lowered sufficiently than the limit for the power-up rate practiced upon reactor start-up thereby enabling to replace fuels during power operation. (Horiuchi, T.)

Inter renewal travelling wave reactor with rotary fuel columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terai, Yuzo

2016-01-01

To realize the COP21 decision, this paper proposes Inter Renewal Travelling Wave Reactor that bear high burn-up rate 50% and product TRU fuel efficiently. The reactor is based on 4S Fast Reactor and has Reactor Fuel Columns as fuel assemblies that equalize temperature in the fuel assembly so that fewer structure is need to restrain thermal transformation. To equalize burn-up rate of all fuel assemblies in the reactor, each rotary fuel column has each motor-lifter. The rotary fuel column has two types (Cylinder type and Heat Pipe type using natrium at 15 kPa which supply high temperature energy for Ultra Super Critical power plant). At 4 years cycle all rotary fuel columns of the reactor are renewed by the metallurgy method (vacuum re-smelting) and TRU fuel is gotten from the water fuel. (author)

Cost aspects of the research reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Research reactors have made valuable contributions to the development of nuclear power, basic science, materials development, radioisotope production for medicine and industry, and education and training. In doing so, they have provided an invaluable service to humanity. Research reactors are expected to make important contributions in the coming decades to further development of the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, in particular for advanced nuclear fission reactors and fuel cycles, fusion, high energy physics, basic research, materials science, nuclear medicine, and biological sciences. However, in the context of decreased public sector support, research reactors are increasingly faced with financial constraints. It is therefore of great importance that their operations are based on a sound understanding of the costs of the complete research reactor fuel cycle, and that they are managed according to sound financial and economic principles. This publication is targeted at individuals and organizations involved with research reactor operations, with the aim of providing both information and an analytical framework for assessing and determining the cost structure of fuel cycle related activities. Efficient management of fuel cycle expenditures is an important component in developing strategies for sustainable future operation of a research reactor. The elements of the fuel cycle are presented with a description of how they can affect the cost efficient operation of a research reactor. A systematic review of fuel cycle choices is particularly important when a new reactor is being planned or when an existing reactor is facing major changes in its fuel cycle structure, for example because of conversion of the core from high enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, or the changes in spent fuel management provision. Review and optimization of fuel cycle issues is also recommended for existing research reactors, even in cases where research reactor

NOMAGE4 activities 2011, Part II, Supercritical water loop

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vierstraete, Pierre; Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi; Lauritzen, Bent

The supercritical water reactor (SCWR) is one of the six different reactor technologies selected for research and development under the Generation IV program. Several countries have shown interest to this concept but up to now, there exist no in-pile facilities to perform the required material...... and fuel tests. Working on this direction, the Halden Reactor Project has started an activity in collaboration with Risoe-DTU (with Mr. Rudi Van Nieuwenhove as the project leader) to study the feasibility of a SCW loop in the Halden Reactor, which is a Heavy Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR). The ultimate goal...

Removal of spent fuel from the TVR reactor for reprocessing and proposals for the RA reactor spent fuel handling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, E.B.; Konev, V.N.; Shvedov, O.V.; Bulkin, S.Yu; Sokolov, A.V.

2002-01-01

The 2,5 MW heavy-water moderated and cooled research reactor TVR was located at the Moscow Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics site. In 1990 the final batch of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the TVR reactor was transported for reprocessing to Production Association (PA) 'Mayak'. This transportation of the SNF was a part of TVR reactor decommissioning. The special technology and equipment was developed in order to fulfill the preparation of TVR SNF for transportation. The design of the TVR reactor and the fuel elements used are similar to the design and fuel elements of the RA reactor. Two different ways of RA spent fuel elements for transportation to reprocessing plant are considered: in aluminum barrels, and in additional cans. The experience and equipment used for the preparing TVR fuel elements for transportation can help the staff of RA reactor to find the optimal way for these technical operations. (author)

Performance of metallic fuels in liquid-metal fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Walters, L.C.; Kittel, J.H.

1984-01-01

Interest in metallic fuels for liquid-metal fast reactors has come full circle. Metallic fuels are once again a viable alternative for fast reactors because reactor outlet temperature of interest to industry are well within the range where metallic fuels have demonstrated high burnup and reliable performance. In addition, metallic fuel is very tolerant of off-normal events of its high thermal conductivity and fuel behavior. Futhermore, metallic fuels lend themselves to compact and simplified reprocessing and refabrication technologies, a key feature in a new concept for deployment of fast reactors called the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR concept is a metallic-fueled pool reactor(s) coupled to an integral-remote reprocessing and fabrication facility. The purpose of this paper is to review recent metallic fuel performance, much of which was tested and proven during the twenty years of EBR-II operation

Fast-reactor fuel reprocessing in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allardice, R.H.; Buck, C.; Williams, J.

1977-01-01

Enriched uranium metal fuel irradiated in the Dounreay Fast Reactor has been reprocessed and refabricated in plants specifically designed for the purpose in the United Kingdom since 1961. Efficient and reliable fuel recycle is essential to the development of a plutonium-based fast-reactor system, and the importance of establishing at an early stage fast-reactor fuel reprocessing has been reinforced by current world difficulties in reprocessing high-burnup thermal-reactor oxide fuel. The United Kingdom therefore decided to reprocess irradiated fuel from the 250MW(e) Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) as an integral part of the fast reactor development programme. Flowsheet and equipment development work for the small-scale fully active demonstration plant has been carried out since 1972, and the plant will be commissioned and ready for active operation during 1977. In parallel, a comprehensive waste-management system has been developed and installed. Based on this development work and the information which will arise from active operation of the plant, a parallel development programme has been initiated to provide the basis for the design of a large-scale fast-reactor fuel-reprocessing plant to come into operation in the late 1980s to support the projected UK fast-reactor installation programme. The paper identifies the important differences between fast-reactor and thermal-reactor fuel-reprocessing technologies and describes some of the development work carried out in these areas for the small-scale PFR fuel-reprocessing operation. In addition, the development programme in aid of the design of a larger scale fast-reactor fuel-reprocessing plant is outlined and the current design philosophy discussed. (author)

Advanced fuel in the Budapest research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hargitai, T.; Vidovsky, I.

1997-01-01

The Budapest Research Reactor, the first nuclear facility of Hungary, started to operate in 1959. The main goal of the reactor is to serve neutron research, but applications as neutron radiography, radioisotope production, pressure vessel surveillance test, etc. are important as well. The Budapest Research Reactor is a tank type reactor, moderated and cooled by light water. After a reconstruction and upgrading in 1967 the VVR-SM type fuel elements were used in it. These fuel elements provided a thermal power of 5 MW in the period 1967-1986 and 10 MW after the reconstruction from 1992. In the late eighties the Russian vendor changed the fuel elements slightly, i.e. the main parameters of the fuel remained unchanged, however a higher uranium content was reached. This new fuel is called VVR-M2. The geometry of VVR-SM and VVR-M2 are identical, allowing the use to load old and new fuel assemblies together to the active core. The first new type fuel assemblies were loaded to the Budapest Research Reactor in 1996. The present paper describes the operational experience with the new type of fuel elements in Hungary. (author)

Nuclear reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindle, E.D.

1984-01-01

The fuel elements for a pressurised water reactor comprise arrays of rods of zirconium alloy sheathed nuclear fuel pellets. The helium gas pressure within each rod differs substantially from that of its closest neighbours

Evaluation of Metal-Fueled Surface Reactor Concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poston, David I.; Marcille, Thomas F.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Hiatt, Matthew T.; Amiri, Benjamin W.

2007-01-01

Surface fission power systems for use on the Moon and Mars may provide the first use of near-term reactor technology in space. Most near-term surface reactor concepts specify reactor temperatures <1000 K to allow the use of established material and power conversion technology and minimize the impact of the in-situ environment. Metal alloy fuels (e.g. U-10Zr and U-10Mo) have not traditionally been considered for space reactors because of high-temperature requirements, but they might be an attractive option for these lower temperature surface power missions. In addition to temperature limitations, metal fuels are also known to swell significantly at rather low fuel burnups (∼1 a/o), but near-term surface missions can mitigate this concern as well, because power and lifetime requirements generally keep fuel burnups <1 a/o. If temperature and swelling issues are not a concern, then a surface reactor concept may be able to benefit from the high uranium density and relative ease of manufacture of metal fuels. This paper investigates two reactor concepts that utilize metal fuels. It is found that these concepts compare very well to concepts that utilize other fuels (UN, UO2, UZrH) on a mass basis, while also providing the potential to simplify material safeguards issues

Irradiation behavior of metallic fast reactor fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahl, R.G.; Porter, D.L.; Crawford, D.C.; Walters, L.C.

1991-01-01

Metallic fuels were the first fuels chosen for liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMR's). In the late 1960's world-wide interest turned toward ceramic LMR fuels before the full potential of metallic fuel was realized. However, during the 1970's the performance limitations of metallic fuel were resolved in order to achieve a high plant factor at the Argonne National Laboratory's Experimental Breeder Reactor II. The 1980's spawned renewed interest in metallic fuel when the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept emerged at Argonne National Laboratory. A fuel performance demonstration program was put into place to obtain the data needed for the eventual licensing of metallic fuel. This paper will summarize the results of the irradiation program carried out since 1985

Post-irradiation examination of the vipac fuel assemblies IFA-104 and IFA-203, irradiated in the Halden boiling water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linde, A. van der; Lucas Luyckx, H.J.B.

1976-11-01

Two seven pin assemblies, IFA-104 and IFA-203, have been irradiated in the Halding Boiling Water Reactor. The Zircaloy clad pins contained vibrationally compacted, sharp edged UO 2 particles with smear densities of 84-88% theoretical density and a fuel stack length of about 1520 mm. The IFA-104 pins operated satisfactorily during approximately 240 effective full power days at an average linear heat rating of about 340 W/cm, and a peak rating of about 480 W/cm. Ingress of water via a pressure transducer into one of the IFA-203 pins necessitated the premature termination of the irradiation after approximately 30 effective full power days at an average rating of about 460 W/cm, and a peak rating of about 550 W/cm. One IFA-104 pin and two IFA-203 pins failed early. The primary cause of these failures has been sought in the oxidation reaction of the tantalum tube which protected the W/Re thermocouples with the surrounding UO 2 or with moisture in the fuel at temperatures in excess of approximately 1700degC. The fuel centre temperature and the internal gas pressure measurements during the beginning of lifetime and the results of the post-irradiation chemical and microscopic analysis on fuel pin cross-sections have been correlated with corresponding data calculated on a Gapcon-Thermal computer programme written for pellet fuel pins. Fairly good agreement could be achieved between the measured data on the vipac pins and the calculated data of a pellet pin. During the corrosion of the Zircaloy-2 cladding of the IFA-104 pins which were autoclaved in 400degC steam prior to the irradiation, relatively large amounts of H 2 entered the cladding from the D 2 O coolant side. With 0.66 mole% H 2 O in the D 2 O the calculated hydrogen uptake preference ratio was 33

Model investigation of fuel rod behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girgis, M.M.; Wiesenack, W.; Stegemann, D.

1985-06-01

Thermal and mechanical behaviour of fuel rods can be explained but unsatisfactorily by models based of an axial symmetry concept. Recently developed models include, with respect to their thermal components, a simple method for the computation of the temperature distribution within the fuel, and they also take into account the influence of excentrically placed pellets for the computation of heat transfer in the cold gap. Additionally, a finite-element model is used to evaluate the effects of cracking and fragmentation on the thermal behaviour of pellets. The reaction of fuel and fuel cladding to external and internal loadings and the axial interaction between fuel and cladding are described in the mechanical portion of the model. A special case of axial coupling is the so-called random stacking interaction caused by fuel pellets placed excentrically at the cladding and sliding radially and axially. In the comparison of measurement results, both thermal and mechanical behaviour of different rods from the OECD Halden Reactor Project are subject to investigations. (RF) [de

Fissile fuel doubling time characteristics for reactor lifetime fuel logistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heindler, M.; Harms, A.A.

1978-01-01

The establishment of nuclear fuel requirements and their efficient utilization requires a detailed knowledge of some aspects of fuel dynamics and processing during the reactor lifetime. It is shown here that the use of the fuel stockpile inventory concept can serve effectively for this fuel management purpose. The temporal variation of the fissile fuel doubling time as well as nonequilibrium core conditions are among the characteristics which thus become more evident. These characteristics - rather than a single figure-of-merit - clearly provide an improved description of the expansion capacity and/or fuel requirements of a nuclear reactor energy system

Fuel Development For Gas-Cooled Fast Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

M. K. Meyer

2006-06-01

The Generation IV Gas-cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) concept is proposed to combine the advantages of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (such as efficient direct conversion with a gas turbine and the potential for application of high-temperature process heat), with the sustainability advantages that are possible with a fast-spectrum reactor. The latter include the ability to fission all transuranics and the potential for breeding. The GFR is part of a consistent set of gas-cooled reactors that includes a medium-term Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)-like concept, or concepts based on the Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR), and specialized concepts such as the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR), as well as actinide burning concepts [ ]. To achieve the necessary high power density and the ability to retain fission gas at high temperature, the primary fuel concept proposed for testing in the United States is a dispersion coated fuel particles in a ceramic matrix. Alternative fuel concepts considered in the U.S. and internationally include coated particle beds, ceramic clad fuel pins, and novel ceramic ‘honeycomb’ structures. Both mixed carbide and mixed nitride-based solid solutions are considered as fuel phases.

An Investigation of an Irradiated Fuel Pin by Measurement of the Production of Fast Neutrons in a Thermal Column and by Pile Oscillation Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustavsson, Veine

1968-05-01

A fuel pin irradiated to about 3400 MWd/tU from the Halden reactor has been investigated by a measurement of the production of fast neutrons in a thermal column and by pile oscillator technique in the central channel of the reactor R1. Calibration was made by using samples with different U 235 enrichments. The thermal column experiment gives the quantity ave(νΣ f ) (average in the thermal column spectrum) for the Halden sample. Σ f is the macroscopic fission cross section and ν is the number of fast neutrons produced per fission. The result of the oscillator measurements is a value of ave(Σ a ) - w ave(Σ f ) (average in the central channel spectrum) for the irradiated sample, w is the importance of a fast neutron relative to a thermal one and ave(Σ a ) is the macroscopic absorption cross section. The results from both the experiments have been compared with values calculated by the REBUS code and the agreement was good

Issues of high-burnup fuel for advanced nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belac, J.; Milisdoerfer, L.

2004-12-01

A brief description is given of nuclear fuels for Generation III+ and IV reactors, and the major steps needed for a successful implementation of new fuels in prospective types of newly designed power reactors are outlined. The following reactor types are discussed: gas cooled fast reactors, heavy metal (lead) cooled fast reactors, molten salt cooled reactors, sodium cooled fast reactors, supercritical water cooled reactors, and very high temperature reactors. The following are regarded as priority areas for future investigations: (i) spent fuel radiotoxicity; (ii) proliferation volatility; (iii) neutron physics characteristics and inherent safety element assessment; technical and economic analysis of the manufacture of advanced fuels; technical and economic analysis of the fuel cycle back end, possibilities of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, storage and disposal. In parallel, work should be done on the validation and verification of analytical tools using existing and/or newly acquired experimental data. (P.A.)

Future fuel cycle and reactor strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneley, D.A.

1999-01-01

Within the framework of the 1997 IAEA Symposium 'Future Fuel Cycle and Reactor Strategies Adjusting to New Realities', Working Group No.3 produced a Key Issues paper addressing the title of the symposium. The scope of the Key Issues paper included those factors that are expected to remain or become important in the time period from 2015 to 2050, considering all facets of nuclear energy utilization from ore extraction to final disposal of waste products. The paper addressed the factors influencing the choice of reactor and fuel cycle. It then addressed the quantitatively largest category of reactor types expected to be important during the period; that is, thermal reactors burning uranium and plutonium fuel. The fast reactor then was discussed both as a stand-alone technology and as might be used in combination with thermal reactors. Thorium fuel use was discussed briefly. The present paper includes of a digest of the Key Issues Paper. Some comparisons arc made between the directions suggested in that paper and those indicated by the Abstracts of this Technical Committee Meeting- Recommendations are made for work which might be undertaken in the short and medium time frames, to ensure that fuel cycle technologies and processes established by the year 2050 will support the continuation of nuclear energy applications in the long term. (author)

Fuel transfer system for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katz, L.R.; Marshall, J.R.; Desmarchais, W.E.

1977-01-01

Disclosed is a fuel transfer system for moving nuclear reactor fuel assemblies from a new fuel storage pit to a containment area containing the nuclear reactor, and for transferring spent fuel assemblies under water from the reactor to a spent fuel storage area. The system includes an underwater track which extends through a wall dividing the fuel building from the reactor containment and a car on the track serves as the vehicle for moving fuel assemblies between these two areas. The car is driven by a motor and linkage extending from an operating deck to a chain belt drive on the car. A housing pivotally mounted at its center on the car is hydraulically actuated to vertically receive a fuel assembly which then is rotated to a horizontal position to permit movement through the wall between the containment and fuel building areas. Return to the vertical position provides for fuel assembly removal and the reverse process is repeated when transferring an assembly in the opposite direction. Limit switches used in controlling operation of the system are designed to be replaced from the operating deck when necessary by tools designed for this purpose. 5 claims, 8 figures

Aspects regarding the fuel management for PHWR nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragusin, O.; Bobolea, A.; Voicu, A.

2001-01-01

Fuel management for PHWR nuclear reactors is completely different from the PWR reactors fuel management. PHWR reactor fuel loading procedures are repeated after an interval of time, as defined and specified in the project documentation, using a fuel machine that can be attached to the terminal fittings of horizontal pressure tubes while the reactor is a full power. Another aspect of fuel management policy is related to the possibility of bi-directional loading of the reactor, with the primary advantage of uniform and symmetrical characteristics. (authors)

Method of monitoring fuel-rod vibrations in a nuclear fuel reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Makoto; Takai, Katsuaki.

1985-01-01

Purpose: To monitor the vibration modes of fuel rods continuously and on real time during operation of a PWR type nuclear reactor. Method: Vibrations of fuel rods during reactor operation are mainly caused by the lateral flow of coolants flowing through the gaps at the joints of reactor core buffle plates into a reactor core and fretting damages may possibly be caused to the fuel rod support portions due to the vibrations. In view of the above, self-powered detectors are disposed at a plurality of axial positions for the respective peripheral fuel assemblies in adjacent with the buffle plates and the detection signals from neutron detectors, that is, the fluctuations in neutrons are subjected to a frequency analysis during the operation period. The neutron detectors are disposed at the periphery of the reactor core, because the fuel assemblies disposed at the peripheral portion directly undergo the lateral flow from the joints of the buffle plates and vibrates most violently. Thus, the vibration situations can be monitored continuously, in a three demensional manner and on real time. (Moriyama, K.)

Progress of the DUPIC fuel compatibility analysis (I) - reactor physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Hang Bok; Jeong, Chang Joon; Roh, Gyu Hong; Rhee, Bo Wook; Park, Jee Won

2003-12-01

Since 1992, the direct use of spent pressurized water reactor fuel in CANada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors (DUPIC) has been studied as an alternative to the once-through fuel cycle. The DUPIC fuel cycle study is focused on the technical feasibility analysis, the fabrication of DUPIC fuels for irradiation tests and the demonstration of the DUPIC fuel performance. The feasibility analysis was conducted for the compatibility of the DUPIC fuel with existing CANDU-6 reactors from the viewpoints of reactor physics, reactor safety, fuel cycle economics, etc. This study has summarized the intermediate results of the DUPIC fuel compatibility analysis, which includes the CANDU reactor physics design requirements, DUPIC fuel core physics design method, performance of the DUPIC fuel core, regional overpower trip setpoint, and the CANDU primary shielding. The physics analysis showed that the CANDU-6 reactor can accommodate the DUPIC fuel without deteriorating the physics design requirements by adjusting the fuel management scheme if the fissile content of the DUPIC fuel is tightly controlled.

Reactor fueling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Noriaki; Hirano, Haruyoshi.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To optimally position a fuel catcher by mounting a television camera to a fuel catching portion and judging video images by the use of a computer or the like. Constitution: A television camera is mounted to the lower end of a fuel catching mechanism for handling nuclear fuels and a fuel assembly disposed within a reactor core or a fuel storage pool is observed directly from above to judge the position for the fuel assembly by means of video signals. Then, the relative deviation between the actual position of the fuel catcher and that set in a memory device is determined and the positional correction is carried out automatically so as to reduce the determined deviation to zero. This enables to catch the fuel assembly without failure and improves the efficiency for the fuel exchange operation. (Moriyama, K.)

Nuclear reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindle, E.D.

1981-01-01

An array of rods comprising zirconium alloy sheathed nuclear fuel pellets assembled to form a fuel element for a pressurised water reactor is claimed. The helium gas pressure within each rod differs substantially from that of its closest neighbours

Fuels for Canadian research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feraday, M.A.

1993-01-01

This paper includes some statements and remarks concerning the uranium silicide fuels for which there is significant fabrication in AECL, irradiation and defect performance experience; description of two Canadian high flux research reactors which use high enrichment uranium (HEU) and the fuels currently used in these reactors; limited fabrication work done on Al-U alloys to uranium contents as high as 40 wt%. The latter concerns work aimed at AECL fast neutron program. This experience in general terms is applied to the NRX and NRU designs of fuel

Fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gjertsen, R.K.; Tower, S.N.; Huckestein, E.A.

1982-01-01

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor comprises a 5x5 array of guide tubes in a generally 20x20 array of fuel elements, the guide tubes being arranged to accommodate either control rods or water displacer rods. The fuel assembly has top and bottom Inconel (Registered Trade Mark) grids and intermediate Zircaloy grids in engagement with the guide tubes and supporting the fuel elements and guide tubes while allowing flow of reactor coolant through the assembly. (author)

Fuel rod behaviour during transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilsby, C.F.; Haste, T.J.; Garlick, A.; Cameron, R.F.

1982-04-01

The clad deformation code CANSWELL-2 is described. This is used, either as a stand-alone code or within MABEL-2, to predict and analyse the results of LOCA simulations in the Halden and NRU reactors and in the KfK and PROPAT rigs. Experimental evidence on fuel behaviour in RIA, PCM and ATWS events is presented with inclusion of certain FRAP-T5 results. Published calculations from the accident codes FRAP-T4 and FRAP-T5 are compared with experimental results in simulated loss of coolant tests in the Power Burst Facility. The limitations of this code in its treatment of RIA, PCM and ATWS events are considered. (U.K.)

Research reactor spent fuel in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trofimenko, A.P.

1996-01-01

This paper describes the research reactors in Ukraine, their spent fuel facilities and spent fuel management problems. Nuclear sciences, technology and industry are highly developed in Ukraine. There are 5 NPPs in the country with 14 operating reactors which have total power capacity of 12,800 MW

Views on quality assurance at Finnish and Swedish nuclear power plants and at Halden Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammar, L.; Lidh, B.; Wahlstroem, B.; Reiman, T.

2001-06-01

The paper reports on a study within the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research, NKS on quality systems at nuclear installations in Finland, Norway and Sweden. In the study a total of 74 people at the NPPs in Barsebaeck, Forsmark, Loviisa, Olkiluoto, Oskarshamn and Ringhals, and at the research reactor in Halden were interviewed in the period 30 August to 13 December 2000 concerning their views in regard of quality and quality systems. The study was concluded with a seminar held in the Ringhals nuclear power plant in Januar 2001. The study covered a number of aspects in regard of quality management, including the quality concept, quality systems, topical quality issues and approaches, rules and procedures, competency and training, the process approach to quality management, the promotion of quality consciousness and future prospects. The study reflects the significant progress made in the management of quality in nuclear power in the Nordic countries since the early phase in the seventies. The most distinctive characteristic of today's approach to quality is seen in that responsibility for the quality is assumed directly in conjunction with the working processes. It could be noted that the work patterns at the nuclear installations have been largely modified during the recent years as a result of persistent endeavours to continuously improve the quality of operation. Challenges were seen in currently reduced revenues due to descending electricity prices and the likely prospect of further increased regulatory safety requirements. The report is aimed for those working with quality issues at the nuclear power plants as well as for those interested in quality management in general or in the safety aspects of nuclear power in particular. (au)

Reactor-specific spent fuel discharge projections: 1985 to 2020

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heeb, C.M.; Libby, R.A.; Walling, R.C.; Purcell, W.L.

1986-09-01

The creation of four spent-fuel data bases that contain information on the projected amounts of spent fuel to be discharged from US commercial nuclear reactors through the year 2020 is described. The data bases contain detailed spent-fuel information from existing, planned, and projected pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR). The projections are based on individual reactor information supplied by the US reactor owners. The basic information is adjusted to conform to Energy Information Agency (EIA) forecasts for nuclear installed capacity, generation, and spent fuel discharged. The EIA cases considered are: (1) No New Orders with Extended Burnup, (2) No New Orders with Constant Burnup, (3) Middle Case with Extended Burnup, and (4) Middle Case with Constant Burnup. Detailed, by-reactor tables are provided for annual discharged amounts of spent fuel, for storage requirements assuming maximum-at-reactor storage, and for storage requirements assuming maximum-at-reactor plus intra-utility transshipment of spent fuel

NOMAGE4 activities 2011. Part II, Supercritical water loop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vierstraete, P. (Ecole Nationale Superieure des mines, Paris (France)); Van Nieuwenhove, R. (Institutt for Energiteknikk, OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP), Kjeller (Norway)); Lauritzen, B. (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark))

2012-01-15

The supercritical water reactor (SCWR) is one of the six different reactor technologies selected for research and development under the Generation IV program. Several countries have shown interest to this concept but up to now, there exist no in-pile facilities to perform the required material and fuel tests. Working on this direction, the Halden Reactor Project has started an activity in collaboration with Risoe-DTU (with Mr. Rudi Van Nieuwenhove as the project leader) to study the feasibility of a SCW loop in the Halden Reactor, which is a Heavy Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR). The ultimate goal of the project is to design a loop allowing material and fuel test studies at significant mass flow with in-core instrumentation and chemistry control possibilities. The present report focusses on the main heat exchanger required for such a loop in the Halden Reactor. The goal of this heat exchanger is to assure a supercritical flow state inside the test section (the core side) and a subcritical flow state inside the pump section. The objective is to design the heat exchanger in order to optimize the efficiency of the heat transfer and to respect several requirements as the room available inside the reactor hall, the maximal total pressure drop allowed and so on. (Author)

Micro-Reactor Physics of MOX-Fueled Core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, T.

2001-01-01

Recently, fuel assemblies of light water reactors have become complicated because of the extension of fuel burnup and the use of high-enriched Gd and mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, etc. In conventional assembly calculations, the detailed flux distribution, spectrum distribution, and space dependence of self-shielding within a fuel pellet are not directly taken into account. The experimental and theoretical study of investigating these microscopic properties is named micro-reactor physics. The purpose of this work is to show the importance of micro-reactor physics in the analysis of MOX fuel assemblies. Several authors have done related studies; however, their studies are limited to fuel pin cells, and they are never mentioned with regard to burnup effect, which is important for actual core design

Fuel handling grapple for nuclear reactor plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rousar, D.L.

1992-01-01

This patent describes a fuel handling system for nuclear reactor plants. It comprises: a reactor vessel having an openable top and removable cover and containing therein, submerged in water substantially filling the reactor vessel, a fuel core including a multiplicity of fuel bundles formed of groups of sealed tube elements enclosing fissionable fuel assembled into units, the fuel handling system consisting essentially of the combination of: a fuel bundle handling platform movable over the open top of the reactor vessel; a fuel bundle handling mast extendable downward from the platform with a lower end projecting into the open top reactor vessel to the fuel core submerged in water; a grapple head mounted on the lower end of the mast provided with grapple means comprising complementary hooks which pivot inward toward each other to securely grasp a bail handle of a nuclear reactor fuel bundle and pivot backward away from each other to release a bail handle; the grapple means having a hollow cylindrical support shaft fixed within the grapple head with hollow cylindrical sleeves rotatably mounted and fixed in longitudinal axial position on the support shaft and each sleeve having complementary hooks secured thereto whereby each hook pivots with the rotation of the sleeve secured thereto; and the hollow cylindrical support shaft being provided with complementary orifices on opposite sides of its hollow cylindrical and intermediate to the sleeves mounted thereon whereby the orifices on both sides of the hollow cylindrical support shaft are vertically aligned providing a direct in-line optical viewing path downward there-through and a remote operator positioned above the grapple means can observe from overhead the area immediately below the grapple hooks

Reactor-specific spent fuel discharge projections: 1986 to 2020

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heeb, C.M.; Walling, R.C.; Purcell, W.L.

1987-03-01

The creation of five reactor-specific spent fuel data bases that contain information on the projected amounts of spent fuel to be discharged from US commercial nuclear reactors through the year 2020 is described. The data bases contain detailed spent-fuel information from existing, planned, and projected pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR). The projections are based on individual reactor information supplied by the US reactor owners. The basic information is adjusted to conform to Energy Information Agency (EIA) forecasts for nuclear installed capacity, generation, and spent fuel discharged. The EIA cases considered are: (1) No new orders with extended burnup, (2) No new orders with constant burnup, (3) Upper reference (which assumes extended burnup), (4) Upper reference with constant burnup, and (5) Lower reference (which assumes extended burnup). Detailed, by-reactor tables are provided for annual discharged amounts of spent fuel, for storage requirements assuming maximum-at-reactor storage, and for storage requirements assuming maximum-at-reactor plus intra-utility transshipment of spent fuel. 6 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs

Research reactors for power reactor fuel and materials testing - Studsvik's experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grounes, M.

1998-01-01

Presently Studsvik's R2 test reactor is used for BWR and PWR fuel irradiations at constant power and under transient power conditions. Furthermore tests are performed with defective LWR fuel rods. Tests are also performed on different types of LWR cladding materials and structural materials including post-irradiation testing of materials irradiated at different temperatures and, in some cases, in different water chemistries and on fusion reactor materials. In the past, tests have also been performed on HTGR fuel and FBR fuel and materials under appropriate coolant, temperature and pressure conditions. Fuel tests under development include extremely fast power ramps simulating some reactivity initiated accidents and stored energy (enthalpy) measurements. Materials tests under development include different types of in-pile tests including tests in the INCA (In-Core Autoclave) facility .The present and future demands on the test reactor fuel in all these cases are discussed. (author)

Hydriding failure in water reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sah, D.N.; Ramadasan, E.; Unnikrishnan, K.

1980-01-01

Hydriding of the zircaloy cladding has been one of the important causes of failure in water reactor fuel elements. This report reviews the causes, the mechanisms and the methods for prevention of hydriding failure in zircaloy clad water reactor fuel elements. The different types of hydriding of zircaloy cladding have been classified. Various factors influencing zircaloy hydriding from internal and external sources in an operating fuel element have been brought out. The findings of post-irradiation examination of fuel elements from Indian reactors, with respect to clad hydriding and features of hydriding failure are included. (author)

Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Y.; Tashima, J.

1975-01-01

A description is given of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies arranged in the form of a lattice wherein there is attached to the interface of one of two adjacent fuel assemblies a plate spring having a concave portion curved toward said interface and to the interface of the other fuel assembly a plate spring having a convex portion curved away from said interface

Manifestations of nonlinearity in fuel center thermocouple steady-state and transient data: implications for data analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.; Barnes, B.O.; Williford, R.E.

1979-01-01

The interpretation and verification of fuel centerline thermocouple data are analyzed. Two new concepts are discussed along with their application to in-reactor data from IFA-432, a heavily instrumented six-rod Halden reactor test assembly sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The main ideas presented in this report are that: it is more useful to plot resistance versus power than simply to plot temperature versus power; and the response of the centerline temperature to a linear power decrease is correlated to the rod's current resistance-vs-power behavior. Thus, the resistance-vs-power measurement can be verified by performing a linear power decrease and by plotting the temperature response

In-Pile Testing and Instrumentation for Development of Generation-IV Fuels and Materials. Proceedings of a Technical Meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-12-01

For many years, the increase in efficiency in the production of nuclear electricity has been an economic challenge in many countries which have developed this kind of energy. The increase in fuel burnup and fuel residence time leads to a reduction in the volume of fresh fuel loaded and spent fuel discharged, respectively. More demanding nuclear fuel cycle parameters are combined with a need to operate nuclear power plants with maximal availability and load factors, in load-follow mode and with longer fuel cycles. In meeting these requirements, fuel has to operate in a demanding environment of high radiation fields, high temperatures, high mechanical stresses and high coolant flow. Requirements of increased fuel reliability and minimal fuel failures also remain in force. Under such circumstances, continuous development of more radiation resistant fuel materials, especially advanced cladding, careful and incremental examinations, and improved understanding and modelling of high burnup fuel behaviour are required. Following a recommendation of the IAEA Technical Working Group on Fuel Performance and Technology, the Technical Meeting on In-pile Testing and Instrumentation for Development of Generation-IV Fuels and Materials was held in Halden, Norway, on 21-24 August 2012. The purpose of the meeting was to review the current status and the progress in methods and technologies used for the in-pile testing of nuclear fuel achieved since the previous IAEA meeting on In-core Instrumentation and Reactor Core Assessment, also held in Halden in 2007. Emphasis was placed on advanced techniques applied for the understanding of high burnup fuel behaviour of water cooled power reactors that represent the vast majority of the current nuclear reactor fleet. However, the meeting also included papers and discussion on testing techniques applied or developed specifically for new fuel and structural materials considered for Generation-IV systems. The meeting was attended by 43

Target-fueled nuclear reactor for medical isotope production

Science.gov (United States)

Coats, Richard L.; Parma, Edward J.

2017-06-27

A small, low-enriched, passively safe, low-power nuclear reactor comprises a core of target and fuel pins that can be processed to produce the medical isotope .sup.99Mo and other fission product isotopes. The fuel for the reactor and the targets for the .sup.99Mo production are the same. The fuel can be low enriched uranium oxide, enriched to less than 20% .sup.235U. The reactor power level can be 1 to 2 MW. The reactor is passively safe and maintains negative reactivity coefficients. The total radionuclide inventory in the reactor core is minimized since the fuel/target pins are removed and processed after 7 to 21 days.

Power generation costs for alternate reactor fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smolen, G.R.; Delene, J.G.

1980-09-01

The total electric generating costs at the power plant busbar are estimated for various nuclear reactor fuel cycles which may be considered for power generation in the future. The reactor systems include pressurized water reactors (PWR), heavy-water reactors (HWR), high-temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGR), liquid-metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBR), light-water pre-breeder and breeder reactors (LWPR, LWBR), and a fast mixed spectrum reactor (FMSR). Fuel cycles include once-through, uranium-only recycle, and full recycle of the uranium and plutonium in the spent fuel assemblies. The U 3 O 8 price for economic transition from once-through LWR fuel cycles to both PWR recycle and LMFBR systems is estimated. Electric power generation costs were determined both for a reference set of unit cost parameters and for a range of uncertainty in these parameters. In addition, cost sensitivity parameters are provided so that independent estimations can be made for alternate cost assumptions

Homogeneous Thorium Fuel Cycles in Candu Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyland, B.; Dyck, G.R.; Edwards, G.W.R.; Magill, M. [Chalk River Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Canada)

2009-06-15

The CANDU{sup R} reactor has an unsurpassed degree of fuel-cycle flexibility, as a consequence of its fuel-channel design, excellent neutron economy, on-power refueling, and simple fuel bundle [1]. These features facilitate the introduction and full exploitation of thorium fuel cycles in Candu reactors in an evolutionary fashion. Because thorium itself does not contain a fissile isotope, neutrons must be provided by adding a fissile material, either within or outside of the thorium-based fuel. Those same Candu features that provide fuel-cycle flexibility also make possible many thorium fuel-cycle options. Various thorium fuel cycles can be categorized by the type and geometry of the added fissile material. The simplest of these fuel cycles are based on homogeneous thorium fuel designs, where the fissile material is mixed uniformly with the fertile thorium. These fuel cycles can be competitive in resource utilization with the best uranium-based fuel cycles, while building up a 'mine' of U-233 in the spent fuel, for possible recycle in thermal reactors. When U-233 is recycled from the spent fuel, thorium-based fuel cycles in Candu reactors can provide substantial improvements in the efficiency of energy production from existing fissile resources. The fissile component driving the initial fuel could be enriched uranium, plutonium, or uranium-233. Many different thorium fuel cycle options have been studied at AECL [2,3]. This paper presents the results of recent homogeneous thorium fuel cycle calculations using plutonium and enriched uranium as driver fuels, with and without U-233 recycle. High and low burnup cases have been investigated for both the once-through and U-233 recycle cases. CANDU{sup R} is a registered trademark of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). 1. Boczar, P.G. 'Candu Fuel-Cycle Vision', Presented at IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on 'Fuel Cycle Options for LWRs and HWRs', 1998 April 28 - May 01, also Atomic Energy

Fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gjertsen, R.K.

1982-01-01

A fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor comprises a locking mechanism that is capable of locking the fuel assembly to the core plate of a nuclear reactor to prevent inadvertent movement of the fuel assembly. The locking mechanism comprises a ratchet mechanism 108 that allows the fuel assembly to be easily locked to the core plate but prevents unlocking except when the ratchet is disengaged. The ratchet mechanism is coupled to the locking mechanism by a rotatable guide tube for a control rod or water displacer rod. (author)

Preliminary nuclear design for test MOX Fuel rods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joo, Hyung Kook; Kim, Taek Kyum; Jeong, Hyung Guk; Noh, Jae Man; Cho, Jin Young; Kim, Young Il; Kim, Young Jin; Sohn, Dong Seong

1997-10-01

As a part of activity for future fuel development project, test MOX fuel rods are going to be loaded and irradiated in Halden reactor core as a KAERI`s joint international program with Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). PSI will fabricate test MOX rods with attrition mill device which was developed by KAERI. The test fuel assembly rig contains three MOX rods and three inert matrix rods. One of three MOX rods will be fabricated by BNFL, the other two MOX fuel rods will be manufacturing jointly by KAERI and PSI. Three inert matrix fuel rods will be fabricated with Zr-Y-Er-Pu oxide. Neutronic evaluation was preliminarily performed for test fuel assembly suggested by PSI. The power distribution of test fuel rod in test fuel assembly was analyzed for various fuel rods position in assembly and the depletion characteristic curve for test fuel was also determined. The fuel rods position in test fuel assembly does not effect the rod power distribution, and the proposal for test fuel rods suggested by PSI is proved to be feasible. (author). 2 refs., 13 tabs., 16 figs.

Growing dimensions. Spent fuel management at research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritchie, I.G.

1998-01-01

More than 550 nuclear research reactors are operating or shout down around the world. At many of these reactors, spent fuel from their operations is stored, pending decisions on its final disposition. In recent years, problems associated with this spent fuel storage have loomed larger in the international nuclear community. In efforts to determine the overall scope of problems and to develop a database on the subject, the IAEA has surveyed research reactor operators in its Member States. Information for the Research Reactor Spent Fuel Database (RRSFDB) so far has been obtained from a limited but representative number of research reactors. It supplements data already on hand in the Agency's more established Research Reactor Database (RRDB). Drawing upon these database resources, this article presents an overall picture of spent fuel management and storage at the world's research reactors, in the context of associated national and international programmes in the field

Treatment of spent fuels from research reactors and reactor development programs in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Closs, K.D.

1999-01-01

Quite a great number of different types of spent fuel from research reactors and development programs exists in Germany. The general policy is to send back to the USA as long as possible fuel from MTRs and TRIGAs of USA origin. An option is reprocessing in Great Britain or France. This option is pursued as long as reprocessing and reuse of the recovered material is economically justifiable. For those fuels which cannot be returned to the USA or which will not be reprocessed, a domestic back-up solution of spent fuel management has been developed in Germany, compatible with the management of spent fuel from power reactors. It consists in dry storage in special casks and, later on, direct disposal. Preliminary results from experimental R and D investigations with research reactor fuel and experience from LWR fuel lead to the conclusion that the direct disposal option even for research reactor fuel or exotic fuel does not impose major technical difficulties for the German waste management and disposal concept. (author)

Reactor TRIGA PUSPATI (RTP) spent fuel pool conceptual design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Fazli Zakaria; Tonny Lanyau; Ahmad Nabil Ab Rahim

2010-01-01

Reactor TRIGA PUSPATI (RTP) is the one and only research reactor in Malaysia that has been safely operated and maintained since 1982. In order to enhance technical capabilities and competencies especially in nuclear reactor engineering a feasibility study on RTP power upgrading was proposed to serve future needs for advance nuclear science and technology in the country with the capability of designing and develop reactor system. The need of a Spent Fuel Pool begins with the discharge of spent fuel elements from RTP for temporary storage that includes all activities related to the storage of fuel until it is either sent for reprocessed or sent for final disposal. To support RTP power upgrading there will be major RTP systems replacement such as reactor components and a new temporary storage pool for fuel elements. The spent fuel pool is needed for temporarily store the irradiated fuel elements to accommodate a new reactor core structure. Spent fuel management has always been one of the most important stages in the nuclear fuel cycle and considered among the most common problems to all countries with nuclear reactors. The output of this paper will provide sufficient information to show the Spent Fuel Pool can be design and build with the adequate and reasonable safety assurance to support newly upgraded TRIGA PUSPATI TRIGA Research Reactor. (author)

Gel-sphere-pac reactor fuel fabrication and its application to a variety of fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, A.R.; Judkins, R.R.

1979-12-01

The gel-sphere-pac fuel fabrication option was evaluated for its possible application to commercial scale fuel fabrication for 19 fuel element designs that use oxide fuel in metal clad rods. The dry gel spheres are prepared at the reprocessing plant and are then calcined, sintered, inspected, and loaded into fuel rods and packed by low-energy vibration. A fuel smear density of 83 to 88% theoretical can be obtained. All fuel fabrication process steps were defined and evaluated from fuel receiving to finished fuel element shipping. The evaluation also covers the feasibility of the process, the current status of technology, estimates of the required time and cost to develop the technology to commercial status, and the safety and licensability of commercial scale plants. The primary evaluation was for a Light-Water Reactor fuel element containing (U,Pu)O 2 fuel. The other 18 fuel element types - 3 for Light-Water Reactors, 1 for a Heavy-Water Reactor, 1 for a Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor, 7 for Liquid-Metal-Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors, and 3 pairs for Light-Water Prebreeder and Breeder Reactors - were compared with the Light-Water Reactor. The gel-sphere-pac option was found applicable to 17 of the 19 element types; the characteristics of a commercial scale plant were defined for these for making cost estimates for such plants. The evaluation clearly shows the gel-sphere-pac process to be a viable fuel fabrication option. Estimates indicate a significant potential fabrication cost advantage for the gel-sphere-pac process if a remotely operated and remotely maintained fuel fabrication plant is required

Plasma-gun fueling for tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.

1980-11-01

In light of the uncertain extrapolation of gas puffing for reactor fueling and certain limitations to pellet injection, the snowplow plasma gun has been studied as a fueling device. Based on current understanding of gun and plasma behavior a design is proposed, and its performance is predicted in a tokamak reactor environment

Void Reactivity Effects in the Second Charge of the Halden Boiling Water Reactor; Effets Cavitaires dans la Deuxieme Charge du Reacteur a Eau Lourde Bouillante de Halden (HBWR); Ehffekty pustotnoj reaktivnosti vo vtoroj zag HBWR; Effectos de Cavitacion en la Segunda Carga del Reactor de Agua Pesada Hirviente de Halden (HBWR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lunde, J. E. [OECD Halden Reactor Project (Norway)

1964-02-15

The reactivity effect of voids caused by boiling inside the coolant channels in the second fuel charge of the Halden Boiling Heavy Water Reactor has been measured both in void-simulated zero-power experiments and under actual power conditions. The void-simulated experiments consisted of measuring the reactivity effect of introducing void columns inside thin-walled tubes to various depths. The tubes were placed at different positions between die stringers in a single 7-rod cluster element practically identical with the normal second-charge fuel elements. This experiment enables an investigation of the reactivity dependence upon void fraction, and also the reactivity dependence of steam-bubble position in the coolant channel. The experiment was carried out in the Norwegian zero-power facility NORA, with a core consisting of 36 second-charge elements and with a lattice geometry identical to the one in HBWR. The temperature dependence of the void effect was investigated in a zero-power experiment with the 100 fuel-element core of HBWR. In a single fuel element the water level inside the coolant channel was depressed to various depths, and the reactivity effect of this perturbation was measured at different temperatures in the temperature interval 50 Degree-Sign C-220 Degree-Sign C. The power void reactivity has been measured in HBWR as a function of nuclear power at different moderator temperatures between 150 Degree-Sign C and 230 Degree-Sign C at powers up to about 16 MW at the highest temperature. The power-void reactivity coefficient is an important quantity in determining the dynamic behaviour of a boiling- water reactor. The theoretical determination of this quantity is, however, complicated by the fact that knowledge about the void distribution in the core is required. The detailed power-void distribution is not easily amenable to experimental determination, and accordingly the void-simulated experiments represent a better case for testing the reactor physics

Fuel elements of research reactors in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yongmao; Chen Dianshan; Tan Jiaqiu

1987-01-01

This paper describes the current status of design, fabrication of fuel elements for research reactors in China, emphasis is placed on the technology of fuel elements for the High Flux Engineering Test Reactor (HFETR). (author)

Micro-structural study and Rietveld analysis of fast reactor fuels: U-Mo fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, S.; Choudhuri, G.; Banerjee, J.; Agarwal, Renu; Khan, K. B.; Kumar, Arun

2015-12-01

U-Mo alloys are the candidate fuels for both research reactors and fast breeder reactors. In-reactor performance of the fuel depends on the microstructural stability and thermal properties of the fuel. To improve the fuel performance, alloying elements viz. Zr, Mo, Nb, Ti and fissium are added in the fuel. The first reactor fuels are normally prepared by injection casting. The objective of this work is to compare microstructure, phase-fields and hardness of as-cast four different U-Mo alloy (2, 5, 10 and 33 at.% Mo) fuels with the equilibrium microstructure of the alloys. Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectrometer and optical microscope have been used to characterize the morphology of the as-cast and annealed alloys. The monoclinic α'' phase in as-cast U-10 at.% Mo alloy has been characterized through Rietveld analysis. A comparison of metallographic and Rietveld analysis of as-cast (dendritic microstructure) and annealed U-33 at.% Mo alloy, corresponding to intermetallic compound, has been reported here for the first time. This study will provide in depth understanding of microstructural and phase evolution of U-Mo alloys as fast reactor fuel.

Nuclear reactor fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

A description is given of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly comprising a cluster of fuel elements supported by transversal grids so that their axes are parallel to and at a distance from each other, in order to establish interstices for the axial flow of a coolant. At least one of the interstices is occupied by an axial duct reserved for an auxiliary cooling fluid and is fitted with side holes through which the auxiliary cooling fluid is sprayed into the cluster. Deflectors extend as from a transversal grid in a position opposite the holes to deflect the cooling fluid jet towards those parts of the fuel elements that are not accessible to the auxiliary coolant. This assembly is intended for reactors cooled by light or heavy water [fr

Fast breeder reactor fuel reprocessing in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeois, M.; Le Bouhellec, J.; Eymery, R.; Viala, M.

1984-08-01

Simultaneous with the effort on fast breeder reactors launched several years ago in France, equivalent investigations have been conducted on the fuel cycle, and in particular on reprocessing, which is an indispensable operation for this reactor. The Rapsodie experimental reactor was associated with the La Hague reprocessing plant AT1 (1 kg/day), which has reprocessed about one ton of fuel. The fuel from the Phenix demonstration reactor is reprocessed partly at the La Hague UP2 plant and partly at the Marcoule pilot facility, undergoing transformation to reprocess all the fuel (TOR project, 5 t/y). The fuel from the Creys Malville prototype power plant will be reprocessed in a specific plant, which is in the design stage. The preliminary project, named MAR 600 (50 t/y), will mobilize a growing share of the CEA's R and D resources, as the engineering needs of the UP3 ''light water'' plant begins to decline. Nearly 20 tonnes of heavy metals irradiated in fast breeder reactors have been processed in France, 17 of which came from Phenix. The plutonium recovered during this reprocessing allowed the power plant cycle to be closed. This power plant now contains approximately 140 fuel asemblies made up with recycled plutonium, that is, more than 75% of the fuel assemblies in the Phenix core

Nuclear reactor, fuel assembly and neutron measuring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaki, Masao; Murase, Michio; Zukeran, Atsushi; Moriya, Kimiaki

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a BWR type reactor improved with the efficiency of used fuels and fuel economy by increasing a rated power and reducing exchange fuels. Namely, in a BWR type reactor at present, a thermal limit value is determined by conducting nuclear calculation of the reactor core based on data of reactor flow rate measurement and data of neutron flux measurement. However, since the neutron calculation of the reactor core is based on fuel assemblies while the points for the neutron measurement are present at the outside of the fuel assemblies, errors are caused. A margin including the errors has been used as a thermal limit value during operation. In the present invention, neutron fluxes in the fuel assembly as a base of the nuclear calculation can be measured by the same number of neutron detector tubes, but the number of the measuring points is increased to four times. With such procedures, errors caused by the difference of the neutron calculation and values at neutron measuring points can be reduced. As a result, a margin of the thermal limit value is reduced to increase the degree of freedom of reactor operation. Then, the economical property of the reactor operation can be improved. (N.H.)

REACTOR FUEL ELEMENTS TESTING CONTAINER

Science.gov (United States)

Whitham, G.K.; Smith, R.R.

1963-01-15

This patent shows a method for detecting leaks in jacketed fuel elements. The element is placed in a sealed tank within a nuclear reactor, and, while the reactor operates, the element is sparged with gas. The gas is then led outside the reactor and monitored for radioactive Xe or Kr. (AEC)

Breeder reactor fuel fabrication system development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, D.W.; Fritz, R.L.; McLemore, D.R.; Yatabe, J.M.

1981-01-01

Significant progress has been made in the design and development of remotely operated breeder reactor fuel fabrication and support systems (e.g., analytical chemistry). These activities are focused by the Secure Automated Fabrication (SAF) Program sponsored by the Department of Energy to provide: a reliable supply of fuel pins to support US liquid metal cooled breeder reactors and at the same time demonstrate the fabrication of mixed uranium/plutonium fuel by remotely operated and automated methods

A new MTR fuel for a new MTR reactor: UMo for the Jules Horowitz reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guigon, B. [CEA Cadarache, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire DEN, Reacteur Jules Horowitz, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Vacelet, H. [Compagnie pour l' Etude et la Realisation de Combustibles Atomiques, CERCA, Etablissement de Romans, 26 (France); Dornbusch, D. [Technicatome, Service d' Architecture Generale, 13 - Aix-en-Provence (France)

2003-07-01

Within some years, the Jules Horowitz Reactor will be the only working experimental reactor (material and fuel testing reactor) in France. It will have to provide facilities for a wide range of needs: from activation analysis to power reactor fuel qualification. In this paper will be presented the main characteristics of the Jules Horowitz Reactor: its total power, neutron flux, fuel element... Safety criteria will be explained. Finally merits and disadvantages of UMo compared to the standard U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} fuel will be discussed. (authors)

Fuel assemblies for use in nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schluderberg, D.C.

1981-01-01

A fuel assembly for use in pressurized water cooled nuclear fast breeder reactors is described in which moderator to fuel ratios, conducive to a high Pu-U-D 2 O reactor breeding ratio, are obtained whilst at the same time ensuring accurate spacing of fuel pins without the parasitic losses associated with the use of spacer grids. (U.K.)

Catalyzed deuterium fueled reversed-field pinch reactor assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrott, D.

1985-01-01

This study is part of a Department of Energy supported alternate fusion fuels program at Science Applications International Corporation. The purpose of this portion of the study is to perform an assessment of a conceptual compact reversed-field pinch reactor (CRFPR) that is fueled by the catalyzed-deuterium (Cat-d) fuel cycle with respect to physics, technology, safety, and cost. The Cat-d CRFPR is compared to a d-t fueled fusion reactor with respect to several issues in this study. The comparison includes cost, reactor performance, and technology requirements for a Cat-d fueled CRFPR and a comparable cost-optimized d-t fueled conceptual design developed by LANL

IAEA activities related to research reactor fuel conversion and spent fuel return programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldman, Ira N.; Adelfang, Pablo; Ritchie, Iain G.

2005-01-01

The IAEA has been involved for more than twenty years in supporting international nuclear non-proliferation efforts associated with reducing the amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in international commerce. IAEA projects and activities have directly supported the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) programme, as well as directly associated efforts to return research reactor fuel to the country where it was originally enriched. IAEA efforts have included the development and maintenance of several data bases with information related to research reactors and research reactor spent fuel inventories that have been essential in planning and managing both RERTR and spent fuel return programmes. Other IAEA regular budget programs have supported research reactor fuel conversion from HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU), and in addressing issues common to many member states with spent fuel management problems and concerns. The paper briefly describes IAEA involvement since the early 1980's in these areas, including regular budget and Technical Co-operation programme activities, and focuses on efforts in the past five years to continue to support and accelerate U.S. and Russian research reactor spent fuel return programmes. (author)

Tests of the RBMK-1500 reactor fuel assemblies in the Leningrad reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aden, V.C.; Varovin, I.A.; Vorontsov, B.A.

1981-01-01

Test of fuel assemblies of the RBMK-1500 reactor is conducted in the reactor of the Leningrad NPP unit 2 for proving the calculational values of critical power of the RBMK-1500 reactor fuel assemblies adopted in design. The experiment presupposes the maximal approximation of the fuel assembly operation parameters to the calculational critical parameters without bringing into the mode of heat transfer crisis. The experiments are carried out at 500, 850 and 900 MW(el) of the reactor. The maximal channel power made up 472 kW at 20.5 t/h coolant flow rate and 49% mass steam content at the outlet of the channel. It was concluded that there was supply up to the heat transfer crisis in all the investigated modes. Data of temperature measurings of the fuel element cans, readings of the devices of the failure control system of the fuel element cans and external inspection of the assemblies after the tests testify to it [ru

MOX fuel irradiation behavior in steady state (irradiation test in HBWR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kohno, S; Kamimura, K [Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan)

1997-08-01

Two rigs of plutonium-uranium oxide (MOX) fuel rods have been irradiated in Halden boiling water reactor (HBWR) to investigate high burnup MOX fuel behavior for thermal reactor. The objective of irradiation tests is to investigate fuel behavior as influenced by pellet shape, pellet surface treatment, pellet-cladding gap size and MOX fuel powder preparations process. The two rigs have instrumentations for in-pile measurements of the fuel center-line temperature, plenum pressure, cladding elongation and fuel stack length change. The data, taken through in-operation instrumentation, have been analysed and compared with those from post-irradiation examination. The following observations are made: 1) PNC MOX fuels have achieved high burn-up as 59GWd/tMOX (67GWd/tM) at pellet peak without failure; 2) there was no significant difference in fission gas release fraction between PNC MOX fuels and UO{sub 2} fuels; 3) fission gas release from the co-converted fuel was lower than that from the mechanically blended fuel; 4) gap conductance was evaluated to decrease gradually with burn-up and to get stable in high burn-up region. 5) no evident difference of onset LHR for PCMI in experimental parameters (pellet shape and pellet-cladding gap size) was observed, but it decreased with burn-up. (author). 13 refs, 15 figs, 3 tabs.

Fuel assemblies for BWR type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizuka, Takao.

1981-01-01

Purpose: To enable effective failed fuel detection by the provision of water rod formed with a connecting section connected to a warmed water feed pipe of a sipping device at the lower portion and with a warmed water jetting port in the lower portion in a fuel assembly of a BWR type reactor to thereby carry out rapid sipping. Constitution: Fuel rods and water rods are contained in the channel box of a fuel assembly, and the water rod is provided at its upper portion with a connecting section connected to the warmed water feed pipe of the sipping device and formed at its lower portion with a warmed water jetting port for jetting warmed water fed from the warmed water feed pipe. Upon detection of failed fuels, the reactor operation is shut down and the reactor core is immersed in water. The cover for the reactor container is removed and the cap of the sipping device is inserted to connect the warmed water feed pipe to the connecting section of the water rod. Then, warmed water is fed to the water rod and jetted out from the warmed water jetting port to cause convection and unify the water of the channel box in a short time. Thereafter, specimen is sampled and analyzed for the detection of failed fuels. (Moriyama, K.)

Gas-cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) fuel and In-Core Fuel Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaver, K.D.; Sterbentz, J.; Meyer, M.; Lowden, R.; Hoffman, E.; Wei, T.Y.C.

2004-01-01

The Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GCFR) has been chosen as one of six candidates for development as a Generation IV nuclear reactor based on: its ability to fully utilize fuel resources; minimize or reduce its own (and other systems) actinide inventory; produce high efficiency electricity; and the possibility to utilize high temperature process heat. Current design approaches include a high temperature (2 850 C) helium cooled reactor using a direct Brayton cycle, and a moderate temperature (550 C - 650 C) helium or supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO 2 ) cooled reactor using direct or indirect Brayton cycles. These design choices have thermal efficiencies that approach 45% to 50%, and have turbomachinery sizes that are much more compact compared to steam plants. However, there are challenges associated with the GCFR, which are the focus of current research. This includes safety system design for decay heat removal, development of high temperature/high fluence fuels and materials, and development of fuel cycle strategies. The work presented here focuses on the fuel and preliminary in-core fuel management, where advanced ceramic-ceramic (cercer) dispersion fuels are the main focus, and average burnups to 266 M Wd/kg appear achievable for the reference Si C/(U,TRU)C block/plate fuel. Solid solution (pellet) fuel in composite ceramic clad (Si C/Si C) is also being considered, but remains as a backup due to cladding fabrication challenges, and high centerline temperatures in the fuel. (Author)

Fuel assemblies for PWR type reactors: fuel rods, fuel plates. CEA work presentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delafosse, Jacques.

1976-01-01

French work on PWR type reactors is reported: basic knowledge on Zr and its alloys and on uranium oxide; experience gained on other programs (fast neutron and heavy water reactors); zircaloy-2 or zircaloy-4 clad UO 2 fuel rods; fuel plates consisting of zircaloy-2 clad UO 2 squares of thickness varying between 2 and 4mm [fr

Nuclear fuels for material test reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramanathan, L.V.; Durazzo, M.; Freitas, C.T. de

1982-01-01

Experimental results related do the development of nuclear fuels for reactors cooled and moderated by water have been presented cylindrical and plate type fuels have been described in which the core consists of U compouns dispersed in an Al matrix and is clad with aluminium. Fabrication details involving rollmilling, swaging or hot pressing have been described. Corrosion and irradiation test results are also discussed. The performance of the different types of fuels indicates that it is possible to locally fabricate fuel plates with U 3 O 8 +Al cores (20% enriched U) for use in operating Brazilian research reactors. (Author) [pt

Impacts of reactor. Induced cladding defects on spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.B.

1978-01-01

Defects arise in the fuel cladding on a small fraction of fuel rods during irradiation in water-cooled power reactors. Defects from mechanical damage in fuel handling and shipping have been almost negligible. No commercial water reactor fuel has yet been observed to develop defects while stored in spent fuel pools. In some pools, defective fuel is placed in closed canisters as it is removed from the reactor. However, hundreds of defective fuel bundles are stored in numerous pools on the same basis as intact fuel. Radioactive species carried into the pool from the reactor coolant must be dealt with by the pool purification system. However, additional radiation releases from the defective fuel during storage appear tu be minimal, with the possible exception of fuel discharged while the reactor is operating (CANDU fuel). Over approximately two decades, defective commercial fuel has been handled, stored, shipped and reprocessed. (author)

Fuel management codes for fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sicard, B.; Coulon, P.; Mougniot, J.C.; Gouriou, A.; Pontier, M.; Skok, J.; Carnoy, M.; Martin, J.

The CAPHE code is used for managing and following up fuel subassemblies in the Phenix fast neutron reactor; the principal experimental results obtained since this reactor was commissioned are analyzed with this code. They are mainly concerned with following up fuel subassembly powers and core reactivity variations observed up to the beginning of the fifth Phenix working cycle (3/75). Characteristics of Phenix irradiated fuel subassemblies calculated by the CAPHE code are detailed as at April 1, 1975 (burn-up steel damage)

Irradiated fuel performance evaluation technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Yang Hyun; Bang, J. G.; Kim, D. H.

2012-01-01

Alpha version performance code for dual-cooled annular fuel under steady state operation, so called 'DUOS', has been developed applying performance models and proposed methodology. Furthermore, nonlinear finite element module which could be integrated into transient/accident fuel performance code was also developed and evaluated using commercial FE code. The first/second irradiation and PIE test of annular pellet for dual-cooled annular fuel in the world have been completed. In-pile irradiation test DB of annular pellet up to burnup of 10,000 MWd/MTU through the 1st test was established and cracking behavior of annular pellet and swelling rate at low temperature were studied. To do irradiation test of dual-cooled annular fuel under PWR's simulating steady-state conditions, irradiation test rig/rod design/manufacture of mock-up/performance test have been completed through international collaboration program with Halden reactor project. The irradiation test of large grain pellets has been continued from 2002 to 2011 and completed successfully. Burnup of 70,000 MWd/MTU which is the highest burnup among irradiation test pellets in domestic was achieved

Aspects of the fast reactors fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zouain, D.M.

1982-06-01

The fuel cycle for fast reactors, is analysed, regarding the technical aspects of the developing of the reprocessing stages and the fuel fabrication. The environmental impact of LMFBRs and the waste management of this cycle are studied. The economic aspects of the fuel cycle, are studied too. Some coments about the Brazilian fast reactors programs are done. (E.G.) [pt

Irradiation performance and post-irradiation examinations of the instrumented sphere-pac UO2 assembly IFA-204, irradiated up to 1.7% FIMA in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linde, A. van der.

1982-12-01

Fuel assembly IFA-204 consisted of four pins filled with a blend of three sizes of UO 2 spheres. This blend was compacted in the zircaloy-4 cladding tube by vibration to achieve a 87-88% T.D. smear density of the 1500 mm long sphere-pac fuel column. IFA-204 was irradiated during 597 days, equivalent to 436 full power days, in the Halden BWR from November 1971 to April 1974 when the achieved assembly average burnup amounted to 13.7 MWd/kg UO 2 . Two of the four pins were equipped with fuel column length and pin length extensometers. The measurements showed that at average pin powers less than about 25 kW.m -1 only fuel-clad-thermal-interaction, FCTI, occurred. The clad thermal expansion coefficient was 4.8 ppm/kW.m -1 . For calculations of the irradiation behaviour of sphere-pac LWR pins, filled with 0.1 MPa helium, with the Gapcon-Thermal-2 code a new thermal conductivity-temperature relationship has been developed. The calculated data agreed reasonably well with the measured data when taking into account a restructured fuel density of 90% T.D., a fuel surface roughness of 1 μm, the absence of a fuel-cladding gap and an effective full power fuel restructuring time of 40 days. It is concluded that the porous structure of the sphere-pac fuel column, whether restructured or not, has the inherent disadvantage of a high mobility of gaseous fission products and the inherent advantage of a practically stress free operation of the cladding

International topical meeting. Research Reactor Fuel Management (RRFM) and meeting of the International Group on Reactor Research (IGORR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

Nuclear research and test reactors have been in operation for over 60 years, over 270 research reactors are currently operating in more than 50 countries. This meeting is dedicated to different aspects of research reactor fuels: new fuels for new reactors, the conversion to low enriched uranium fuels, spent fuel management and computational tools for core simulation. About 80 contributions are reported in this document, they are organized into 7 sessions: 1) international topics and overview on new projects and fuel, 2) new projects and upgrades, 3) fuel development, 4) optimisation and research reactor utilisation, 5) innovative methods in research reactors physics, 6) safety, operation and research reactor conversion, 7) fuel back-end management, and a poster session. Experience from Australian, Romanian, Libyan, Syrian, Vietnamese, South-African and Ghana research reactors are reported among other things. The Russian program for research reactor spent fuel management is described and the status of the American-driven program for the conversion to low enriched uranium fuels is presented. (A.C.)

IAEA activities related to research reactor fuel conversion and spent fuel return programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritchie, I.G.; Adelfang, P.; Goldman, I.N.

2004-01-01

Full text: The IAEA has been involved for more than twenty years in supporting international nuclear non-proliferation efforts associated with reducing the amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in international commerce. IAEA projects and activities have directly supported the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) programme, as well as directly associated efforts to return research reactor fuel to the country of origin where it was originally enriched. IAEA efforts have included the development and maintenance of several data bases with information related to research reactors and research reactor spent fuel inventories that have been essential in planning and managing both RERTR and spent fuel return programmes. Other IAEA regular budget programmes have supported research reactor fuel conversion from HEU to low enriched uranium, and in addressing issues common to many member states with spent fuel management problems and concerns. The paper briefly describes IAEA involvement since the early 1980's in these areas, including regular budget and Technical Co-operation programme activities, and focuses on efforts in the past five years to continue to support and accelerate U.S. and Russian research reactor spent fuel return programmes. It is hoped that an announcement of the extension of the U.S. Acceptance Programme, which is expected in the very near future, will facilitate the life extensions of many productive TRIGA reactors around the world. (author)

Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Norway: Status and Prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, Peter; Larsen, Erlend

2014-01-01

Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) in Norway has arisen from irradiation of fuel in the JEEP I and JEEP II reactors at Kjeller, and in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) in Halden. In total there are some 16 tonnes of SNF, all of which is currently stored on-site, in either wet or dry storage facilities. The greater part of the SNF, 12 tonnes, consists of aluminium-clad fuel, of which 10 tonnes is metallic uranium fuel and the remainder oxide (UO 2 ). Such fuel presents significant challenges with respect to long-term storage and disposal. Current policy is that existing spent fuel will, as far as possible considering its suitability for later direct disposal, be stored until final disposal is possible. Several committees have advised the Government of Norway on, among others, policy issues, storage methods and localisation of a storage facility. Both experts and stakeholders have participated in these committees. This paper presents an overview of the spent fuel in Norway and a description of current storage arrangements. The prospects for long-term storage are then described, including a summary of recommendations made to government, the reactions of various stakeholders to these recommendations, the current status, and the proposed next steps. A recommended policy is to construct a new storage facility for the fuel to be stored for a period of at least 50 years. In the meantime a national final disposal facility should be constructed and taken into operation. It has been recommended that the aluminium-clad fuel be reprocessed in an overseas commercial facility to produce a stable waste form for storage and disposal. This recommendation is controversial, and a decision has not yet been taken on whether to pursue this option. An analysis of available storage concepts for the more modern fuel types resulted in the recommendation to use dual-purpose casks. In addition, it was recommended to construct a future storage facility in a rock hall instead of a free

The chemistry of water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, P.E.

1990-01-01

In this paper, the authors discuss features of the changes in chemical constitution which occur in fuel and fuel rods for water reactors during operation and in fault conditions. The fuel for water reactors consists of pellets of urania (UO 2 ) clad in Zircaloy. An essential step in the prediction of the fate of all the radionuclides in a fault or accident is to possess a detailed knowledge of their chemical behavior at all stages of the development of such incidents. In this paper, the authors consider: the chemical constitution of fuel during operation at temperatures corresponding to rather low ratings, together with a quite detailed discussion of the chemistry within the fuel-clad gap; the behavior of fuel subjected to higher temperatures and ratings than those of contemporary fuel; and the changes in constitution on failure of fuel rods in fault or accident conditions

Fuel designs for VVER reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonov, K.V.; Carbon, P.; Silberstein, A.

1995-01-01

That progresses in efficiency and safety through progresses in technology and better prediction with fully benchmarked upgraded computer codes is a common goal for on the one hand the original designer of the VVER reactors and their respective fuels and on the other hand for EVF a western company resulting from a combined force with highly diversified and complementary talents in reactor and fuel design and manufacturing. It can be expected that this new challenge and dialogue between the two Russian and European industrial ventures will be mutually beneficial and yield innovative and high quality products and as a consequence strong return will be produced for the best interest of utilities operating VVER reactors. (orig./HP)

A new MTR fuel for a new MTR reactor: UMo for the Jules Horowitz reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guigon, B.; Vacelet, H.; Dornbusch, D.

2000-01-01

Within some years, the Jules Horowitz Reactor will be the only working experimental reactor (material and fuel testing reactor) in France. It will have to provide facilities for a wide range of needs from activation analysis to power reactor fuel qualification. In this paper the main characteristics of the Jules Horowitz Reactor are presented. Safety criteria are explained. Finally, merits and disadvantages of UMo compared to the standard U 3 Si 2 fuel are discussed. (author)

Overview of remote technologies applied to research reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oerdoegh, M.; Takats, F.

1999-01-01

This paper gives a brief overview of the remote technologies applied to research reactor fuels. Due to many reasons, the remote technology utilization to research reactor fuel is not so widespread as it is for power reactor fuels, however, the advantages of the application of such techniques are obvious. (author)

Nuclear reactor using fuel sphere for combustion and fuel spheres for breeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu.

1995-01-01

The present invention concerns a pebble bed-type reactor which can efficiently convert parent nuclides to fission nuclides. Fuel spheres for combustion having fission nuclides as main fuels, and fuel spheres for breeding having parent nuclides as main fuels are used separately, in the pebble bed-type reactor. According to the present invention, fuel spheres for breeding can be stayed in a reactor core for a long period of time, so that parent nuclides can be sufficiently converted into fission nuclides. In addition, since fuel spheres for breeding are loaded repeatedly, the amount thereof to be used is reduced. Therefore, the amount of the fuel spheres for breeding is small even when they are re-processed. On the other hand, since the content of the fission nuclides in the fuel spheres for breeding is not great, they can be put to final storage. This is attributable that although the fuel spheres for breeding contain fission nuclides generated by conversion, the fission nuclides are annihilated by nuclear fission reactions at the same time with the generation thereof. (I.S.)

Sodium fast reactors with closed fuel cycle

CERN Document Server

Raj, Baldev; Vasudeva Rao, PR 0

2015-01-01

Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle delivers a detailed discussion of an important technology that is being harnessed for commercial energy production in many parts of the world. Presenting the state of the art of sodium-cooled fast reactors with closed fuel cycles, this book:Offers in-depth coverage of reactor physics, materials, design, safety analysis, validations, engineering, construction, and commissioning aspectsFeatures a special chapter on allied sciences to highlight advanced reactor core materials, specialized manufacturing technologies, chemical sensors, in-service inspecti

Fissile fuel dynamics of breeder/converter reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harms, A.A.

1978-01-01

The long-term fissile fuel dynamics for a hierarchy of fission reactors covering the range from pure-burners to super-breeders is examined. It is found that the breeding gains of the core and blanket can be used to identify several distinct fissile fuel histories and elucidate the importance of fuel cycle characteristics such as the time dependence of the fissile fuel doubling time. On this basis, a self-sufficient fission reactor is introduced and its determining characteristics are identified. (author)

Paired replacement fuel assemblies for BWR-type reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguchi, Kazushige.

1997-01-01

There are disposed a large-diameter water rod constituting a non-boiling region at a central portion and paired replacement fuel assemblies for two streams having the same average enrichment degree and different amount of burnable poisons. The paired replacement fuel assemblies comprise a first fuel assembly having a less amount of burnable poisons and a second fuel assembly having a larger amount of burnable poisons. A number of burnable poison-containing fuel rods in adjacent with the large diameter water rod is increased in the second fuel assembly than the first fuel assembly. Then, the poison of the paired replacement fuel assemblies for the BWR type reactor can be annihilated simultaneously at the final stage of the cycle. Accordingly, fuels for a BWR type reactor excellent in economical property and safety and facilitating the design of the replacement reactor core can be obtained. (N.H.)

Cermet-fueled reactors for advanced space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowan, C.L.; Palmer, R.S.; Taylor, I.N.; Vaidyanathan, S.; Bhattacharyya, S.K.; Barner, J.O.

1987-12-01

Cermet-fueled nuclear reactors are attractive candidates for high-performance advanced space power systems. The cermet consists of a hexagonal matrix of a refractory metal and a ceramic fuel, with multiple tubular flow channels. The high performance characteristics of the fuel matrix come from its high strength at elevated temperatures and its high thermal conductivity. The cermet fuel concept evolved in the 1960s with the objective of developing a reactor design that could be used for a wide range of mobile power generating sytems, including both Brayton and Rankine power conversion cycles. High temperature thermal cycling tests for the cermet fuel were carried out by General Electric as part of the 710 Project (General Electric 1966), and by Argonne National Laboratory in the Direct Nuclear Rocket Program (1965). Development programs for cermet fuel are currently under way at Argonne National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The high temperature qualification tests from the 1960s have provided a base for the incorporation of cermet fuel in advanced space applications. The status of the cermet fuel development activities and descriptions of the key features of the cermet-fueled reactor design are summarized in this paper

Institutt for Energiteknikk - Annual Report 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-12-01

Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the Halden Reactor Project. In 1958, the first Halden Reactor Project Agreement was signed by organisations representing 12 European countries. During 1994 France became a full member and associate membership was established with Russia. Accordingly, 16 countries were participating in the Project by the end of the year. The objectives have evolved from being simply a demonstration of the operation of a boiling heavy-water reactor to becoming a substantial research and development programme covering the domains of human-machine interaction, fuel behaviour, materials testing, water chemistry, and instrumentation. In 1994, significant progress was achieved in all of the areas addressed by the project, including the re-instrumentation of irradiated fuel rods, fission gas release, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, a conceptual design of advanced cockpit-type control rooms, analysis of human behaviour, and information processing and presentation. More than 35 years after its reactor`s first critically, the Halden Project continues to provide the scientific community with a wealth of information for the safe and efficient production of nuclear power. The current Project Agreement covers the period from 1993 to 1996.

An Investigation of an Irradiated Fuel Pin by Measurement of the Production of Fast Neutrons in a Thermal Column and by Pile Oscillation Technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustavsson, Veine

1968-05-15

A fuel pin irradiated to about 3400 MWd/tU from the Halden reactor has been investigated by a measurement of the production of fast neutrons in a thermal column and by pile oscillator technique in the central channel of the reactor R1. Calibration was made by using samples with different U 235 enrichments. The thermal column experiment gives the quantity ave({nu}{sigma}{sub f}) (average in the thermal column spectrum) for the Halden sample. {sigma}{sub f} is the macroscopic fission cross section and {nu} is the number of fast neutrons produced per fission. The result of the oscillator measurements is a value of ave({sigma}{sub a}) - w ave({sigma}{sub f}) (average in the central channel spectrum) for the irradiated sample, w is the importance of a fast neutron relative to a thermal one and ave({sigma}{sub a}) is the macroscopic absorption cross section. The results from both the experiments have been compared with values calculated by the REBUS code and the agreement was good.

Reactor fuel depletion benchmark of TINDER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, W.J.; Oliveira, C.R.E. de; Hecht, A.A.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A reactor burnup benchmark of TINDER, coupling MCNP6 to CINDER2008, was performed. • TINDER is a poor candidate for fuel depletion calculations using its current libraries. • Data library modification is necessary if fuel depletion is desired from TINDER. - Abstract: Accurate burnup calculations are key to proper nuclear reactor design, fuel cycle modeling, and disposal estimations. The TINDER code, originally designed for activation analyses, has been modified to handle full burnup calculations, including the widely used predictor–corrector feature. In order to properly characterize the performance of TINDER for this application, a benchmark calculation was performed. Although the results followed the trends of past benchmarked codes for a UO 2 PWR fuel sample from the Takahama-3 reactor, there were obvious deficiencies in the final result, likely in the nuclear data library that was used. Isotopic comparisons versus experiment and past code benchmarks are given, as well as hypothesized areas of deficiency and future work

MTR fuel plate qualification in OSIRIS reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacristan, P.; Boulcourt, P.; Naury, S.; Marchard, L.; Carcreff, H.; Noirot, J.

2005-01-01

Qualification of new MTR fuel needs the irradiation in research reactors under representative neutronic, heat flux and thermohydraulic conditions. The experiments are performed in France in the OSIRIS reactor by irradiating MTR full size fuel plates in the IRIS device located in the reactor core. The fuel plates are easily removed from the device during the shutdown of the reactor for performing thickness measurements along the plates by means of a swelling measurement device. Beside the calculation capabilities, the experimental platform includes: the ISIS neutron mock-up for the measurement of neutron flux distribution along the plates; the γ spectrometry for the purpose of measuring the activities of the radionuclides representative of the power and the burnup and to compare with the neutronic calculation. Owing to the experience feedback, a good agreement is observed between calculation and measurement; destructive post irradiation examinations in the LECA facility (Cadarache). New irradiations with the IRIS device and at higher heat flux are under preparation for qualification of MTR fuels. (author)

Radionuclide release from research reactor spent fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curtius, H., E-mail: h.curtius@fz-juelich.de [Forschungszentrum Juelich, Institut fuer Energieforschung, IEF-6 Sicherheitsforschung und Reaktortechnik, Geb. 05.3, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Kaiser, G.; Mueller, E.; Bosbach, D. [Forschungszentrum Juelich, Institut fuer Energieforschung, IEF-6 Sicherheitsforschung und Reaktortechnik, Geb. 05.3, D-52425 Juelich (Germany)

2011-09-01

Numerous investigations with respect to LWR fuel under non oxidizing repository relevant conditions were performed. The results obtained indicate slow corrosion rates for the UO{sub 2} fuel matrix. Special fuel-types (mostly dispersed fuels, high enriched in {sup 235}U, cladded with aluminium) are used in German research reactors, whereas in German nuclear power plants, UO{sub 2}-fuel (LWR fuel, enrichment in {sup 235}U up to 5%, zircaloy as cladding) is used. Irradiated research reactor fuels contribute less than 1% to the total waste volume. In Germany, the state is responsible for fuel operation and for fuel back-end options. The institute for energy research (IEF-6) at the Research Center Juelich performs investigation with irradiated research reactor spent fuels under repository relevant conditions. In the study, the corrosion of research reactor spent fuel has been investigated in MgCl{sub 2}-rich salt brine and the radionuclide release fractions have been determined. Leaching experiments in brine with two different research reactor fuel-types were performed in a hot cell facility in order to determine the corrosion behaviour and the radionuclide release fractions. The corrosion of two dispersed research reactor fuel-types (UAl{sub x}-Al and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al) was studied in 400 mL MgCl{sub 2}-rich salt brine in the presence of Fe{sup 2+} under static and initially anoxic conditions. Within these experimental parameters, both fuel types corroded in the experimental time period of 3.5 years completely, and secondary alteration phases were formed. After complete corrosion of the used research reactor fuel samples, the inventories of Cs and Sr were quantitatively detected in solution. Solution concentrations of Am and Eu were lower than the solubility of Am(OH){sub 3}(s) and Eu(OH){sub 3}(s) solid phases respectively, and may be controlled by sorption processes. Pu concentrations may be controlled by Pu(IV) polymer species, but the presence of Pu(V) and Pu

Fuel assembly and nuclear reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masumi, Ryoji; Aoyama, Motoo; Yamashita, Jun-ichi.

1995-01-01

The present invention concerns a fuel assembly and a nuclear reactor core capable of improving a transmutation rate of transuranium elements while improving a residual rate of fission products. In a reactor core of a BWR type reactor to which fuel rods with transuranium elements (TRU) enriched are loaded, the enrichment degree of transuranium elements occupying in fuel materials is determined not less than 2wt%, as well as a ratio of number of atoms between hydrogen and fuel heavy metals in an average reactor core under usual operation state (H/HM) is determined not more than 3 times. In addition, a ratio of the volumes between coolant regions and fuel material regions is determined not more than 2 times. A T ratio (TRU/Pu) is lowered as the TRU enrichment degree is higher and the H/HM ratio is lower. In order to reduce the T ratio not more than 1, the TRU enrichment degree is determined as not less than 2wt%, and the H/HM ratio is determined to not more than 3 times. Accordingly, since the H/HM ratio is reduced to not more than 1, and TRU is transmuted while recycling it with plutonium, the transmutation ratio of transuranium elements can be improved while improving the residual rate of fission products. (N.H.)

Situation of test and research reactors' spent fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Kenichi; Uchiyama, Junzo; Sato, Hiroshi

1996-01-01

The U.S. DOE decided a renewal Off-Site Fuel Policy for stopping to spread a highly enriched uranium which was originally enriched at the U.S., the policy declared that to receive all HEU spent fuels from Test and Research reactors in all the world. In Japan, under bilateral agreement of cooperation between the government of the United States and the government of Japan concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the highly enriched uranium of Test and Research Reactors' fuels was purchased from the U.S. and the fuels had been manufactured in Japan, America, Germany and France. On the other hand, a former president of the U.S. J. Carter proposed that to convert the fuels from HEU to LEU concerning a nonproliferation of nuclear materials in 1978, and Japan absolutely supported this policy. Under this condition, the U.S. stopped to receive the spent fuels from the other countries concerning legal action to the Off-Site Fuels Policy. As a result, the spent fuels are increasing, and to cross to each reactor's storage capacity, and if this policy start, a faced crisis of Test and Research Reactors will be avoided. (author)

A fission gas release model for MOX fuel and its verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Y.H.; Sohn, D.S.; Strijov, P.

2000-01-01

A fission gas release model for MOX fuel has been developed based on a model for UO 2 fuel. Using the concept of equivalent cell, the model considers the uneven distribution of Pu within the fuel matrix and a number of Pu-rich particles that could lead to a non-uniform fission rate and fission gas distribution across the fuel pellet. The model has been incorporated into a code, COSMOS, and some parametric studies were made to analyze the effect of the size and Pu content of Pu-rich agglomerates. The model was then applied to the experimental data obtained from the FIGARO program, which consisted of the base irradiation of MOX fuels in the BEZNAU-1 PWR and the subsequent irradiation of four refabricated fuel segments in the Halden reactor. The calculated gas releases show good agreement with the measured ones. In addition, the present analysis indicates that the microstructure of the MOX fuel used in the FIGARO program is such that it has produced little difference in terms of gas release compared with UO 2 fuel. (author)

Status of research reactor spent fuel world-wide: Database summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritchie, I.G.

1996-01-01

Results complied in the research reactor spent fuel database are used to assess the status of research reactor spent fuel world-wide. Fuel assemblies, their types, enrichment, origin of enrichment and geological distribution among the industrialized and developed countries of the world are discussed. Fuel management practices in wet and dry storage facilities and the concerns of reactor operators about long-term storage of their spent fuel are presented and some of the activities carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency to address the issues associated with research reactor spent fuel are outlined. (author). 4 refs, 17 figs, 4 tabs

Institutt for Atomenergi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

The research programme of Institutt for Atomenergi is described giving brief descriptions of some of the work done in the fields of reactor safety, the operation and inspection of the Halden reactor, fuel cycle calculations, fuel element performance testing, isotope production and applications, the production of high purity gadolinium oxide, and fundamental research in crystallography. (JIW)Ψ

Testing of research reactor fuel in the high flux reactor (Petten)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidez, J.; Markgraf, J.W.; Sordon, G.; Wijtsma, F.J.; Thijssen, P.J.M.; Hendriks, J.A.

1999-01-01

The two types of fuel most frequently used by the main research reactors are metallic: highly enriched uranium (>90%) and silicide low enriched uranium ( 3 . However, a need exists for research on new reactor fuel. This would permit some plants to convert without losses in flux or in cycle length and would allow new reactor projects to achieve higher possibilities especially in fluxes. In these cases research is made either on silicide with higher density, or on other types of fuel (UMo, etc.). In all cases when new fuel is proposed, there is a need, for safety reasons, to test it, especially regarding the mechanical evolution due to burn-up (swelling, etc.). Initially, such tests are often made with separate plates, but lately, using entire elements. Destructive examinations are often necessary. For this type of test, the High Flux Reactor, located in Petten (The Netherlands) has many specific advantages: a large core, providing a variety of interesting positions with high fluence rate; a downward coolant flow simplifies the engineering of the device; there exists easy access with all handling possibilities to the hot-cells; the high number of operating days (>280 days/year), together with the high flux, gives a possibility to reach quickly the high burn-up needs; an experienced engineering department capable of translating specific requirements to tailor-made experimental devices; a well equipped hot-cell laboratory on site to perform all necessary measurements (swelling, γ-scanning, profilometry) and all destructive examinations. In conclusion, the HFR reactor readily permits experimental research on specific fuels used for research reactors with all the necessary facilities on the Petten site. (author)

Institute for Energy Technology -Annual report 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Research at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the OECD Halden Reactor Project. 19 participating countries and about 100 organisations is involved in the project. The Project is operated by a staff of 280 persons. In the autumn of 1996 the participating organizations reached agreement to continue their research collaboration for a further 3-year period (1997 to 1999). An extensive experimental program was carried out in 1996 using the Halden reactor (HBWR), partly for the joint international program, and partly for contract work for member countries. The main aim of this work is to improve the safety and reliability of existing nuclear power plants. The experimental equipment in the Halden reactor makes it ideal for simulating various operating conditions in different types of rectors. Processes such as corrosion in fuel cladding materials and fracture propagation in irradiated materials under the influence of additives in the coolant water can be studied. In an on-going study, fuel of Russian origin is being compared with modern western fuel. The results, being the first of their kind that are openly available, form an important bases for safety assessments of Russian VVER reactors. The man-machine laboratory is used to study how new technologies influence the operator and to develop computer based systems for improving the safety and accessibility of complex processes

Institute for Energy Technology -Annual report 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-31

Research at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the OECD Halden Reactor Project. 19 participating countries and about 100 organisations is involved in the project. The Project is operated by a staff of 280 persons. In the autumn of 1996 the participating organizations reached agreement to continue their research collaboration for a further 3-year period (1997 to 1999). An extensive experimental program was carried out in 1996 using the Halden reactor (HBWR), partly for the joint international program, and partly for contract work for member countries. The main aim of this work is to improve the safety and reliability of existing nuclear power plants. The experimental equipment in the Halden reactor makes it ideal for simulating various operating conditions in different types of rectors. Processes such as corrosion in fuel cladding materials and fracture propagation in irradiated materials under the influence of additives in the coolant water can be studied. In an on-going study, fuel of Russian origin is being compared with modern western fuel. The results, being the first of their kind that are openly available, form an important bases for safety assessments of Russian VVER reactors. The man-machine laboratory is used to study how new technologies influence the operator and to develop computer based systems for improving the safety and accessibility of complex processes.

Assessment of the thorium fuel cycle in power reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasten, P.R.; Homan, F.J.; Allen, E.J.

1977-01-01

A study was conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to evaluate the role of thorium fuel cycles in power reactors. Three thermal reactor systems were considered: Light Water Reactors (LWRs); High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs); and Heavy Water Reactors (HWRs) of the Canadian Deuterium Uranium Reactor (CANDU) type; most of the effort was on these systems. A summary comparing thorium and uranium fuel cycles in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) was also compiled

Proceedings of the Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting - WRFPM / Top Fuel 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-06-15

SFEN, ENS, SNR, ANS, AESJ, CNS KNS, IAEA and NEA are jointly organizing the 2009 International Water Reactor Fuel Performance / TopFuel 2009 Meeting following the 2008 KNS Water Reactor Performance Meeting held during October 19-23, 2008 in Seoul, Korea. This meeting is held annually on a tri-annual rotational basis in Europe, USA and Asia. In 2009, this meeting will be held in Paris, September 6-10, 2009 in coordination with the Global 2009 Conference at the same date and place. That would lead to a common opening session, some common technical presentations, a common exhibition and common social events. The technical scope of the meeting includes all aspects of nuclear fuel from fuel rod to core design as well as manufacturing, performance in commercial and test reactors or on-going and future developments and trends. Emphasis will be placed on fuel reliability in the general context of nuclear 'Renaissance' and recycling perspective. The meeting includes selectively front and/or back end issues that impact fuel designs and performance. In this frame, the conference track devoted to 'Concepts for transportation and interim storage of spent fuels and conditioned waste' will be shared with 'GLOBAL' conference. Technical Tracks: - 1. Fuel Performance, Reliability and Operational Experience: Fuel operating experience and performance; experience with high burn-up fuels; water side corrosion; stress corrosion cracking; MOX fuel performance; post irradiation data on lead fuel assemblies; radiation effects; water chemistry and corrosion counter-measures. - 2. Transient Fuel Behaviour and Safety Related Issues: Transient fuel behavior and criteria (RIA, LOCA, ATWS, Ramp tests..). Fuel safety-related issues such as PCI (pellet cladding interaction), transient fission gas releases and cladding bursting/ballooning during transient events - Advances in fuel performance modeling and core reload methodology, small and large-scale fuel testing

Proceedings of the Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting - WRFPM / Top Fuel 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-06-01

SFEN, ENS, SNR, ANS, AESJ, CNS KNS, IAEA and NEA are jointly organizing the 2009 International Water Reactor Fuel Performance / TopFuel 2009 Meeting following the 2008 KNS Water Reactor Performance Meeting held during October 19-23, 2008 in Seoul, Korea. This meeting is held annually on a tri-annual rotational basis in Europe, USA and Asia. In 2009, this meeting will be held in Paris, September 6-10, 2009 in coordination with the Global 2009 Conference at the same date and place. That would lead to a common opening session, some common technical presentations, a common exhibition and common social events. The technical scope of the meeting includes all aspects of nuclear fuel from fuel rod to core design as well as manufacturing, performance in commercial and test reactors or on-going and future developments and trends. Emphasis will be placed on fuel reliability in the general context of nuclear 'Renaissance' and recycling perspective. The meeting includes selectively front and/or back end issues that impact fuel designs and performance. In this frame, the conference track devoted to 'Concepts for transportation and interim storage of spent fuels and conditioned waste' will be shared with 'GLOBAL' conference. Technical Tracks: - 1. Fuel Performance, Reliability and Operational Experience: Fuel operating experience and performance; experience with high burn-up fuels; water side corrosion; stress corrosion cracking; MOX fuel performance; post irradiation data on lead fuel assemblies; radiation effects; water chemistry and corrosion counter-measures. - 2. Transient Fuel Behaviour and Safety Related Issues: Transient fuel behavior and criteria (RIA, LOCA, ATWS, Ramp tests..). Fuel safety-related issues such as PCI (pellet cladding interaction), transient fission gas releases and cladding bursting/ballooning during transient events - Advances in fuel performance modeling and core reload methodology, small and large-scale fuel testing facilities. - 3. Advances in Water

Burnup performance of OTTO cycle pebble bed reactors with ROX fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, Hai Quan; Obara, Toru

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A 300 MW t Small Pebble Bed Reactor with Rock-like oxide fuel is proposed. • Using ROX fuel can achieve high discharged burnup of spent fuel. • High geological stability can be expected in direct disposal of the spent ROX fuel. • The Pebble Bed Reactor with ROX fuel can be critical at steady state operation. • All the reactor designs have a negative temperature coefficient. - Abstract: A pebble bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (PBR) with rock-like oxide (ROX) fuel was designed to achieve high discharged burnup and improve the integrity of the spent fuel in geological disposal. The MCPBR code with a JENDL-4.0 library, which developed the analysis of the Once-Through-Then-Out (OTTO) cycle in PBR, was used to perform the criticality and burnup analysis. Burnup calculations for eight cases were carried out for both ROX fuel and a UO 2 fuel reactor with different heavy-metal loading conditions. The effective multiplication factor of all cases approximately equalled unity in the equilibrium condition. The ROX fuel reactor showed lower FIFA than the UO 2 fuel reactor at the same heavy-metal loading, about 5–15%. However, the power peaking factor and maximum power per fuel ball in the ROX fuel core were lower than that of UO 2 fuel core. This effect makes it possible to compensate for the lower-FIFA disadvantage in a ROX fuel core. All reactor designs had a negative temperature coefficient that is needed for the passive safety features of a pebble bed reactor

Structural analysis of reactor fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weeks, R.W.

1977-01-01

An overview of fuel-element modeling is presented that traces the development of codes for the prediction of light-water-reactor and fast-breeder-reactor fuel-element performance. It is concluded that although the mathematical analysis is now far advanced, the development and incorporation of mechanistic constitutive equations has not kept pace. The resultant reliance on empirical correlations severely limits the physical insight that can be gained from code extrapolations. Current efforts include modeling of alternate fuel systems, analysis of local fuel-cladding interactions, and development of a predictive capability for off-normal behavior. Future work should help remedy the current constitutive deficiencies and should include the development of deterministic failure criteria for use in design

QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, 1968 REACTOR FUELS AND MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR FUELS AND MATERIALS BRANCH OF USAEC DIVISION OF REACTOR DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cadwell, J. J.; de Halas, D. R.; Nightingale, R. E.; Worlton, D. C.

1968-06-01

Progress is reported in these areas: nuclear graphite; fuel development for gas-cooled reactors; HTGR graphite studies; nuclear ceramics; fast-reactor nitrides research; non-destructive testing; metallic fuels; basic swelling studies; ATR gas and water loop operation and maintenance; reactor fuels and materials; fast reactor dosimetry and damage analysis; and irradiation damage to reactor metals.

Preparations for the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M.J.; Phipps, R.D.

1989-01-01

Modifications to the Hot Fuel Examination Facility-South (HFEF/S) have been in progress since mid-1988 to ready the facility for demonstration of the unique Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) pyroprocess fuel cycle. This paper updates the last report on this subject to the American Nuclear Society and describes the progress made in the modifications to the facility and in fabrication of the new process equipment. The IFR is a breeder reactor, which is central to the capability of any reactor concept to contribute to mitigation of environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion. As a fast breeder, fuel of course must be recycled in order to have any chance of an economical fuel cycle. The pyroprocess fuel cycle, relying on a metal alloy reactor fuel rather than oxide, has the potential to be economical even at small-scale deployment. Establishing this quantitatively is one important goal of the IFR fuel cycle demonstration

High performance fuel technology development : Development of high performance cladding materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jeongyong; Jeong, Y. H.; Park, S. Y.

2012-04-01

The superior in-pile performance of the HANA claddings have been verified by the successful irradiation test and in the Halden research reactor up to the high burn-up of 67GWD/MTU. The in-pile corrosion and creep resistances of HANA claddings were improved by 40% and 50%, respectively, over Zircaloy-4. HANA claddings have been also irradiated in the commercial reactor up to 2 reactor cycles, showing the corrosion resistance 40% better than that of ZIRLO in the same fuel assembly. Long-term out-of-pile performance tests for the candidates of the next generation cladding materials have produced the highly reliable test results. The final candidate alloys were selected and they showed the corrosion resistance 50% better than the foreign advanced claddings, which is beyond the original target. The LOCA-related properties were also improved by 20% over the foreign advanced claddings. In order to establish the optimal manufacturing process for the inner and outer claddings of the dual-cooled fuel, 18 different kinds of specimens were fabricated with various cold working and annealing conditions. Based on the performance tests and various out-of-pile test results obtained from the specimens, the optimal manufacturing process was established for the inner and outer cladding tubes of the dual-cooled fuel

Fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient into reactor fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassmann, K.

1979-01-01

Models describing the fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient in a reactor fuel element are reviewed critically. A new model is developed with contributions from solid, fluid and radiation heat transfer components. It provides a consistent description of the transition from an open gap to the contact case. Model parameters are easily available and highly independent of different combinations of material surfaces. There are no restrictions for fast transients. The model parameters are fitted to 388 data points under reactor conditions. For model verification another 274 data points of steel-steel and aluminium-aluminium interfaces, respectively, were used. The fluid component takes into account peak-to-peak surface roughnesses and, approximatively, also the wavelengths of surface roughnesses. For minor surface roughnesses normally prevailing in reactor fuel elements the model asymptotically yields Ross' and Stoute's model for the open gap, which is thus confirmed. Experimental contact data can be interpreted in very different ways. The new model differs greatly from Ross' and Stoute's contact term and results in better correlation coefficients. The numerical algorithm provides an adequate representation for calculating the fuel-to-cladding heat transfer coefficient in large fuel element structural analysis computer systems. (orig.) [de

Fact reactor fuel alloys: Retrospective and prospective views

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nevitt, M.V.

1989-01-01

The relationship between the physical metallurgy of the EBR-II metallic fuel, U-5% Fs, and its performance in the reactor are described. An understanding of these relationships, along with the optimal matching of fuel properties to fuel-element design, have been essential in the 23 year successful utilization of the fuel. The knowledge and experience gained are being employed in the current development of a new U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel for a proposed advanced reactor (orig./MM)

Management of research reactor; dynamic characteristics analysis for reactor structures related with vibration of HANARO fuel assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Chang Kee; Shim, Joo Sup [Shinwa Technology Information, Seoul (Korea)

2001-04-01

The objective of this study is to deduce the dynamic correlation between the fuel assembly and the reactor structure. Dynamic characteristics analyses for reactor structure related with vibration of HANARO fuel assembly have been performed For the dynamic characteristic analysis, the in-air models of the round and hexagonal flow tubes, 18-element and 36-element fuel assemblies, and reactor structure were developed. By calculating the hydrodynamic mass and distributing it on the in-air models, the in-water models of the flow tubes, the fuel assemblies, and the reactor structure were developed. Then, modal analyses for developed in-air and in-water models have been performed. Especially, two 18-element fuel assemblies and three 36-element fuel assemblies were included in the in-water reactor models. For the verification of the modal analysis results, the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of the fuel assembly were compared with those obtained from the experiment. Finally the analysis results of the reactor structure were compared with them performed by AECL Based on the reactor model without PCS piping, the in-water reactor model including the fuel assemblies was developed, and its modal analysis was performed. The analysis results demonstrate that there are no resonance between the fuel assembly and the reactor structures. 26 refs., 419 figs., 85 tabs. (Author)

PLUTONIUM METALLIC FUELS FOR FAST REACTORS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

STAN, MARIUS [Los Alamos National Laboratory; HECKER, SIEGFRIED S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2007-02-07

Early interest in metallic plutonium fuels for fast reactors led to much research on plutonium alloy systems including binary solid solutions with the addition of aluminum, gallium, or zirconium and low-melting eutectic alloys with iron and nickel or cobalt. There was also interest in ternaries of these elements with plutonium and cerium. The solid solution and eutectic alloys have most unusual properties, including negative thermal expansion in some solid-solution alloys and the highest viscosity known for liquid metals in the Pu-Fe system. Although metallic fuels have many potential advantages over ceramic fuels, the early attempts were unsuccessful because these fuels suffered from high swelling rates during burn up and high smearing densities. The liquid metal fuels experienced excessive corrosion. Subsequent work on higher-melting U-PuZr metallic fuels was much more promising. In light of the recent rebirth of interest in fast reactors, we review some of the key properties of the early fuels and discuss the challenges presented by the ternary alloys.

Development, Fabrication and Characterization of Fuels for Indian Fast Reactor Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Arun

2013-01-01

Development of Fast Reactor fuels in India started in early Seventies. The successful development of Mixed Carbide fuels for FBTR and MOX fuel for PFBR have given confidence in manufacture of fuels for Fast Reactors. Effort is being put to develop high Breeding Ratio Metallic fuel (binary/ternary). Few fuel pins have been fabricated and is under test irradiation. However, this is only a beginning and complete fuel cycle activities are under development. Metal fuelled Fast Reactors will provide high growth rate in Indian Fast Reactor programme

Evaluations of Mo-alloy for light water reactor fuel cladding to enhance accident tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Bo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Molybdenum based alloy is selected as a candidate to enhance tolerance of fuel to severe loss of coolant accidents due to its high melting temperature of ∼2600 °C and ability to maintain sufficient mechanical strength at temperatures exceeding 1200 °C. An outer layer of either a Zr-alloy or Al-containing stainless steel is designed to provide corrosion resistance under normal operation and oxidation resistance in steam exceeding 1000 °C for 24 hours under severe loss of coolant accidents. Due to its higher neutron absorption cross-sections, the Mo-alloy cladding is designed to be less than half the thickness of the current Zr-alloy cladding. A feasibility study has been undertaken to demonstrate (1 fabricability of long, thin wall Mo-alloy tubes, (2 formability of a protective outer coating, (3 weldability of Mo tube to endcaps, (4 corrosion resistance in autoclaves with simulated LWR coolant, (5 oxidation resistance to steam at 1000–1500 °C, and (6 sufficient axial and diametral strength and ductility. High purity Mo as well as Mo + La2O3 ODS alloy have been successfully fabricated into ∼2-meter long tubes for the feasibility study. Preliminary results are encouraging, and hence rodlets with Mo-alloy cladding containing fuel pellets have been under preparation for irradiation at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR in Idaho National Laboratory. Additional efforts are underway to enhance the Mo cladding mechanical properties via process optimization. Oxidation tests to temperatures up to 1500 °C, and burst and creep tests up to 1000 °C are also underway. In addition, some Mo disks in close contact with UO2 from a previous irradiation program (to >100 GWd/MTU at the Halden Reactor have been subjected to post-irradiation examination to evaluate the chemical compatibility of Mo with irradiated UO2 and fission products. This paper will provide an update on results from the feasibility study and discuss the attributes of the

Review of Transient Fuel Test Results at Sandia National Laboratories and the Potential for Future Fast Reactor Fuel Transient Testing in the Annular Core Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wright, Steven A.; Pickard, Paul S.; Parma, Edward J.; Vernon, Milton E.; Kelly, John; Tikare, Veena [Sandia National Laboratories, Org 6872 MS-1146, PO Box 5800 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)

2009-06-15

Reactor driven transient tests of fast reactor fuels may be required to support the development and certification of new fuels for Fast Reactors. The results of the transient fuel tests will likely be needed to support licensing and to provide validation data to support the safety case for a variety of proposed fast fuel types and reactors. In general reactor driven transient tests are used to identify basic phenomenology during reactor transients and to determine the fuel performance limits and margins to failure during design basis accidents such as loss of flow, loss of heat sink, and reactivity insertion accidents. This paper provides a summary description of the previous Sandia Fuel Disruption and Transient Axial Relocation tests that were performed in the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission almost 25 years ago. These tests consisted of a number of capsule tests and flowing gas tests that used fission heating to disrupt fresh and irradiated MOX fuel. The behavior of the fuel disruption, the generation of aerosols and the melting and relocation of fuel and cladding was recorded on high speed cinematography. This paper will present videos of the fuel disruption that was observed in these tests which reveal stark differences in fuel behavior between fresh and irradiated fuel. Even though these tests were performed over 25 years ago, their results are still relevant to today's reactor designs. These types of transient tests are again being considered by the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative to support the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership because of the need to perform tests on metal fuels and transuranic fuels. Because the Annular Core Research Reactor is the only transient test facility available within the US, a brief summary of Sandia's continued capability to perform these tests in the ACRR will also be provided. (authors)

Fuel utilization potential in light water reactors with once-through fuel irradiation (AWBA Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rampolla, D.S.; Conley, G.H.; Candelore, N.R.; Cowell, G.K.; Estes, G.P.; Flanery, B.K.; Duncombe, E.; Dunyak, J.; Satterwhite, D.G.

1979-07-01

Current commercial light water reactor cores operate without recylce of fuel, on a once-through fuel cycle. To help conserve the limited nuclear fuel resources, there is interest in increasing the energy yield and, hence, fuel utilization from once-through fuel irradiation. This report evaluates the potential increase in fuel utilization of light water reactor cores operating on a once-through cycle assuming 0.2% enrichment plant tails assay. This evaluation is based on a large number of survey calculations using techniques which were verified by more detailed calculations of several core concepts. It is concluded that the maximum fuel utilization which could be achieved by practical once-through pressurized light water reactor cores with either uranium or thorium is about 17 MWYth/ST U 3 O 8 (Megawatt Years Thermal per Short Ton of U 3 O 8 ). This is about 50% higher than that of current commercial light water reactor cores. Achievement of this increased fuel utilization would require average fuel burnup beyond 50,000 MWD/MT and incorporation of the following design features to reduce parasitic losses of neutrons: reflector blankets to utilize neutrons that would otherwise leak out of the core; fuel management practices in which a smaller fraction of the core is replaced at each refueling; and neutron economic reactivity control, such as movable fuel control rather than soluble boron control. For a hypothetical situation in which all neutron leakage and parasitic losses are eliminated and fuel depletion is not limited by design considerations, a maximum fuel utilization of about 20 MWYth/ST U 3 O 8 is calculated for either uranium or thorium. It is concluded that fuel utilization for comparable reactor designs is better with uranium fuel than with thorium fuel for average fuel depletions of 30,000 to 35,000 MWD/MT which are characteristic of present light water reactor cores

Coherence of reactor design and fuel element design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vom Scheidt, S.

1995-01-01

Its background of more than 25 years of experience makes Framatome the world's leading company in the design and sales of fuel elements for pressurized water reactors (PWR). In 1994, the fuel fabrication units were incorporated as subsidiaries, which further strengthens the company's position. The activities in the fuel sector comprise fuel element design, selection and sourcing of materials, fuel element fabrication, and the services associated with nuclear fuel. Design responsibility lies with the Design and sales Management, which closely cooperates with the engineers of the reactor plant for which the fuel elements are being designed, for fuel elements are inseparable parts of the respective reactors. The Design and Sales Management also has developed a complete line of services associated with fuel element inspection and repair. As far as fuel element sales are concerned, Framatome delivers the first core in order to be able to assume full responsibility vis-a-vis the customer for the performance of the nuclear steam supply system. Reloads are sold through the Fragema Association established by Framatome and Cogema. (orig.) [de

Gas reactor international cooperative program interim report. Pebble bed reactor fuel cycle evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

Nuclear fuel cycles were evaluated for the Pebble Bed Gas Cooled Reactor under development in the Federal Republic of Germany. The basic fuel cycle specified for the HTR-K and PNP is well qualified and will meet the requirements of these reactors. Twenty alternate fuel cycles are described, including high-conversion cycles, net-breeding cycles, and proliferation-resistant cycles. High-conversion cycles, which have a high probability of being successfully developed, promise a significant improvement in resource utilization. Proliferation-resistant cycles, also with a high probability of successful development, compare very favorably with those for other types of reactors. Most of the advanced cycles could be adapted to first-generation pebble bed reactors with no significant modifications

Utilization of particle fuels in different reactor concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-04-01

To date, particle fuel is only used in high temperature reactors (HTR). In this reactor type the particles exist of oxide fuel with a diameter of about 0.5 mm and are surrounded by various coatings in order to safely enclose fission products and decrease the radioactive release into the primary circuit. However, it is felt that fuel based upon spherical particles could have some advantages compared with pellets both on fabrication and in-core behaviour in several reactor concepts. This fuel is now of general interest and there is a high level of research and development activity in some countries. In order to collect, organize additional information and summarize experience on utilization of particle fuels in different reactor concepts, a questionnaire was prepared by IAEA in 1980 and sent to Member States, which might be involved in relevant developments. This survey has been prepared by a group of consultants and is mainly based on the responses to the IAEA questionnaire

Nuclear reactor fuel cycle technology with pyroelectrochemical processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skiba, O.V.; Maershin, A.A.; Bychkov, A.V.; Zhdanov, A.N.; Kislyj, V.A.; Vavilov, S.K.; Babikov, L.G.

1999-01-01

A group of dry technologies and processes of vibro-packing granulated fuel in combination with unique properties of vibro-packed FEs make it possible to implement a new comprehensive approach to the fuel cycle with plutonium fuel. Testing of a big number of FEs with vibro-packed U-Pu oxide fuel in the BOR-60 reactor, successful testing of experimental FSAs in the BN-600 rector, reliable operation of the experimental and research complex facilities allow to make the conclusion about a real possibility to develop a safe, economically beneficial U-Pu fuel cycle based on the technologies enumerated above and to use both reactor-grade and weapon-grade plutonium in nuclear reactors with a reliable control and accounting system [ru

Fuel motion in overpower tests of metallic integral fast reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, E.A.; Bauer, T.H.; Stanford, G.S.; Regis, J.P.; Dickerman, C.E.

1992-01-01

In this paper results from hodoscope data analyses are presented for transient overpower (TOP) tests M5, M6, and M7 at the Transient Reactor Test Facility, with emphasis on transient feedback mechanisms, including prefailure expansion at the tops of the fuel pins, subsequent dispersive axial fuel motion, and losses in relative worth of the fuel pins during the tests. Tests M5 and M6 were the first TOP tests of margin to cladding breach and prefailure elongation of D9-clad ternary (U-Pu-Zr) integral fast reactor-type fuel. Test M7 extended these results to high-burnup fuel and also initiated transient testing of HT-9-clad binary (U-Zr) Fast Flux Test Facility driver fuel. Results show significant prefailure negative reactivity feedback and strongly negative feedback from fuel driven to failure

IFPE/RISOE-II, Fuel Performance Data from Transient Fission Gas Release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, J.A.

1995-01-01

Description: The RISO National Laboratory in Denmark have carried out three irradiation programs of slow ramp and hold tests, so called 'bump tests' to investigate fission gas release and fuel microstructural changes. The second project took place between 1982 and 1986 and was called 'The RISO Transient Fission Gas Project'. The fuel used in the project was from: IFA-161 irradiated in the Halden BWR (27 to 42 MWd/kgUO 2 ) and GE BWR fuel irradiated in the Millstone 1 reactor 14 to 29 MWd/kgUO 2 . Using the re-fabrication technique, it was possible to back fill the test segment with a choice of gas and gas pressure and to measure the time dependence of fission gas release by continuous monitoring of the plenum pressure. The short length of the test segment was an advantage because, depending on where along the original rod the section was taken, burnup could be chosen variable, and during the test the fuel experienced a single power

Statistical estimation of fast-reactor fuel-element lifetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proshkin, A.A.; Likhachev, Yu.I.; Tuzov, A.N.; Zabud'ko, L.M.

1980-01-01

On the basis of a statistical analysis, the main parameters having a significant influence on the theoretical determination of fuel-element lifetimes in the operation of power fast reactors in steady power conditions are isolated. These include the creep and swelling of the fuel and shell materials, prolonged-plasticity lag, shell-material corrosion, gap contact conductivity, and the strain diagrams of the shell and fuel materials obtained for irradiated materials at the corresponding strain rates. By means of deeper investigation of these properties of the materials, it is possible to increase significantly the reliability of fuel-element lifetime predictions in designing fast reactors and to optimize the structure of fuel elements more correctly. The results of such calculations must obviously be taken into account in the cost-benefit analysis of projected new reactors and in choosing the optimal fuel burnup. 9 refs

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todosow, M.; Bezler, P.; Ludewig, H.; Kato, W.Y.

1993-01-01

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc., is a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR), NERVA-derivative, and other concepts. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. Initial results suggests that full-scale PBR elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of ∼60--80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. If the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperture limit, average energy deposition of ∼100 MW/L may be achievable

Space reactor fuel element testing in upgraded TREAT

Science.gov (United States)

Todosow, Michael; Bezler, Paul; Ludewig, Hans; Kato, Walter Y.

1993-01-01

The testing of candidate fuel elements at prototypic operating conditions with respect to temperature, power density, hydrogen coolant flow rate, etc., is a crucial component in the development and qualification of nuclear rocket engines based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR), NERVA-derivative, and other concepts. Such testing may be performed at existing reactors, or at new facilities. A scoping study has been performed to assess the feasibility of testing PBR based fuel elements at the TREAT reactor. Initial results suggests that full-scale PBR elements could be tested at an average energy deposition of ˜60-80 MW-s/L in the current TREAT reactor. If the TREAT reactor was upgraded to include fuel elements with a higher temperture limit, average energy deposition of ˜100 MW/L may be achievable.

Sensitivity assessment of fuel performance codes for LOCA accident scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, Alfredo; Gomes, Daniel; Silva, Antonio Teixeira e; Muniz, Rafael O.R. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Giovedi, Claudia; Martins, Marcelo, E-mail: ayabe@ipen.br, E-mail: claudia.giovedi@labrisco.usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (LABRISCO/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Análise, Avaliação e Gerenciamento de Risco

2017-07-01

FRAPCON code predicts fuel rod performance in LWR (Light Water Reactor) by modeling fuel responses under normal operating conditions and anticipated operational occurrences; FRAPTRAN code is applied for fuel transient under fast transient and accident conditions. The codes are well known and applied for different purposes and one of the use is to address sensitivity analysis considering fuel design parameters associated to fabrication, moreover can address the effect of physical models bias. The objective of this work was to perform an assessment of fuel manufacturing parameters tolerances and fuel models bias using FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN codes for Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) scenario. The preliminary analysis considered direct approach taken into account most relevant manufacturing tolerances (lower and upper bounds) related to design parameters and physical models bias without considering their statistical distribution. The simulations were carried out using the data available in the open literature related to the series of LOCA experiment performed at the Halden reactor (specifically IFA-650.5). The manufacturing tolerances associated to design parameters considered in this paper were: enrichment, cladding thickness, pellet diameter, pellet density, and filling gas pressure. The physical models considered were: fuel thermal expansion, fission gas release, fuel swelling, irradiation creep, cladding thermal expansion, cladding corrosion, and cladding hydrogen pickup. The results obtained from sensitivity analysis addressed the impact of manufacturing tolerances and physical models in the fuel cladding burst time observed for the IFA-650.5 experiment. (author)

Sensitivity assessment of fuel performance codes for LOCA accident scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Alfredo; Gomes, Daniel; Silva, Antonio Teixeira e; Muniz, Rafael O.R.; Giovedi, Claudia; Martins, Marcelo

2017-01-01

FRAPCON code predicts fuel rod performance in LWR (Light Water Reactor) by modeling fuel responses under normal operating conditions and anticipated operational occurrences; FRAPTRAN code is applied for fuel transient under fast transient and accident conditions. The codes are well known and applied for different purposes and one of the use is to address sensitivity analysis considering fuel design parameters associated to fabrication, moreover can address the effect of physical models bias. The objective of this work was to perform an assessment of fuel manufacturing parameters tolerances and fuel models bias using FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN codes for Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) scenario. The preliminary analysis considered direct approach taken into account most relevant manufacturing tolerances (lower and upper bounds) related to design parameters and physical models bias without considering their statistical distribution. The simulations were carried out using the data available in the open literature related to the series of LOCA experiment performed at the Halden reactor (specifically IFA-650.5). The manufacturing tolerances associated to design parameters considered in this paper were: enrichment, cladding thickness, pellet diameter, pellet density, and filling gas pressure. The physical models considered were: fuel thermal expansion, fission gas release, fuel swelling, irradiation creep, cladding thermal expansion, cladding corrosion, and cladding hydrogen pickup. The results obtained from sensitivity analysis addressed the impact of manufacturing tolerances and physical models in the fuel cladding burst time observed for the IFA-650.5 experiment. (author)

Development of MOX fuel database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikusawa, Yoshihisa; Ozawa, Takayuki

2007-03-01

We developed MOX Fuel Database, which included valuable data from several irradiation tests in FUGEN and Halden reactor, for help of LWR MOX use. This database includes the data of fabrication and irradiation, and the results of post-irradiation examinations for seven fuel assemblies, i.e. P06, P2R, E03, E06, E07, E08 and E09, irradiated in FUGEN. The highest pellet peak burn-up reached ∼48GWd/t in MOX fuels, of which the maximum plutonium content was ∼6 wt%, irradiated in E09 fuel assembly without any failure. Also the data from the instrumented MOX fuels irradiated in HBWR to study the irradiation behavior of BWR MOX fuels under the steady state condition (IFA-514/565 and IFA-529), under the load-follow operation condition (IFA-554/555) and under the transit condition (IFA-591) are included in this database. The highest assembly burn-up reached ∼56 GWd/t in IFA-565 steady state irradiation test, and the maximum linear power of MOX fuel rods was 58.3-68.4 kW/m without any failure in IFA-591 ramp test. In addition, valuable instrument data, i.e. cladding elongation, fuel stack elongation, fuel center temperature and rod inner pressure were obtained from IFA-554/555 load-follow test. (author)

Fuel Management at the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pham, V.L.; Nguyen, N.D.; Luong, B.V.; Le, V.V.; Huynh, T.N.; Nguyen, K.C. [Nuclear Research Institute, 01 Nguyen Tu Luc Street, Dalat City (Viet Nam)

2011-07-01

The Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor (DNRR) is a pool type research reactor which was reconstructed in 1982 from the old 250 kW TRIGA-MARK II reactor. The spent fuel storage was newly designed and installed in the place of the old thermalizing column for biological irradiation. The core was loaded by Russian WWR-M2 fuel assemblies (FAs) with 36% enrichment. The reconstructed reactor reached its initial criticality in November 1983 and attained it nominal power of 500 kW in February 1984. The first fuel reloading was executed in April 1994 after more than 10 years of operation with 89 highly enriched uranium (HEU) FAs. The third fuel reloading by shuffling of HEU FAs was executed in June 2004. After the shuffling the working configuration of reactor core kept unchanged of 104 HEU FAs. The fourth fuel reloading was executed in November 2006. The 2 new HEU FAs were loaded in the core periphery, at previous locations of wet irradiation channel and dry irradiation channel. After reloading the working configuration of reactor core consisted of 106 HEU FAs. Contracts for reactor core conversion between USA, Russia, Vietnam and the International Atomic Energy Agency for Nuclear fuel manufacture and supply for DNRR and Return of Russian-origin non-irradiated highly enriched uranium fuel to the Russian Federation have been realized in 2007. According to the results of design and safety analyses performed by the joint study between RERTR Program at Argonne National Laboratory and Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute the mixed core configurations of irradiated HEU and new low enriched uranium (LEU) FAs has been created on 12 September, 2007 and on 20 July, 2009. After reloading in 2009, the 14 HEU FAs with highest burnup were removed from the core and put in the interim storage in reactor pool. The works on full core conversion for the DNRR are being realized in cooperation with the organizations, DOE and IAEA. Contract for Nuclear fuel manufacture and supply of 66 LEU FAs for DNRR

Alternative fuels, fuel cycles, and reactors: are they useful. are they necessary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinrad, B.I.

1985-01-01

This chapter discusses reactors, fuel cycles, and fuel production concepts other than those considered conventional in the nuclear community. An attempt is made to look for improvements with the aim of providing cheaper and more durable energy systems, and to contribute toward a solution of the threat of weapons material diversion and weapons proliferation problems. Topics considered include breeding, alternate breeder cycles, alternative reprocessing schemes, symbiotic reactor systems, an interim strategy, and other sources of nuclear fuel. It is determined that the reprocessing of spent fuel is an important safeguard measure in itself

Conditioning of nuclear reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

A method of conditioning the fuel of a nuclear reactor core to minimize failure of the fuel cladding comprising increasing the fuel rod power to a desired maximum power level at a rate below a critical rate which would cause cladding damage is given. Such conditioning allows subsequent freedom of power changes below and up to said maximum power level with minimized danger of cladding damage. (Auth.)

Waste management in IFR [Integral Fast Reactor] fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, T.R.; Battles, J.E.

1991-01-01

The fuel cycle of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) has important potential advantage for the management of high-level wastes. This sodium-cooled, fast reactor will use metal fuels that are reprocessed by pyrochemical methods to recover uranium, plutonium, and the minor actinides from spent core and blanket fuel. More than 99% of all transuranic (TRU) elements will be recovered and returned to the reactor, where they are efficiently burned. The pyrochemical processes being developed to treat the high-level process wastes are capable of producing waste forms with low TRU contents, which should be easier to dispose of. However, the IFR waste forms present new licensing issues because they will contain chloride salts and metal alloys rather than glass or ceramic. These fuel processing and waste treatment methods can also handle TRU-rich materials recovered from light-water reactors and offer the possibility of efficiently and productively consuming these fuel materials in future power reactors

IEA-R1 reactor - Spent fuel management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattos, J.R.L. De

1996-01-01

Brazil currently has one Swimming Pool Research Reactor (IEA-R1) at the Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - Sao Paulo. The spent fuel produced is stored both at the Reactor Pool Storage Compartment and at the Dry Well System. The present situation and future plans for spent fuel storage are described. (author). 3 refs, 2 figs, 2 tabs

Fuel development for reactors of new generation in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odeychuk, N.P.

2006-01-01

Full text: On the background of critical situation in traditional power engineering due to deficiency of organic fuel, physical and moral ageing of the of thermal power stations equipment and their harmful influence on the ecology of environment, the nuclear engineering works stably enough and, by keeping all safety measures, is the most non-polluting energy source. In Ukraine the atomic engineering became one of main sources of energy production and is the important factor of guarantee the power engineering independence of the state. The main center on development of the components of nuclear reactors active zones is the National scientific center K harkov institute of Physics and Technology . The significant place in institutes' investigations was occupied with works on creation the constructional materials and nuclear fuel for heavy water reactors E-circumflexS-150, OR-1000, OR-2000, light water reactors WWER-1000 and RBMK-1500, high-temperature gas cooled reactors ABTU and HTGR, gas reactors on fast neutrons BGR and BRGD, and also the reactor - converter ROMASHKA and other special reactors of special assignment. Radiation tests and post-irradiation research confirm intended material-study, technological and design decisions and fuel elements capacity work on the whole. Nevertheless, by the present conditions, it is necessary to pay special attention to development of the new, safe guaranteed nuclear energy sources. In Ukraine proceed works on research and development of new safe nuclear reactors: basing the underground nuclear thermal power stations; development the reactors with managed chain reaction of nucleus division in an active zone with the help of an external source of neutrons; power thermonuclear installations; high-temperature helium reactors which are especially actual now from the point of view of the hydrogen production; the advanced pressure water reactors, heavy water reactors. In the paper also discussed the state of works in Ukraine on fuel

Nuclear reactor fuel sub-assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dodd, J.A.

1981-01-01

An improved fuel sub-assembly for a liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor, is described, in which fatigue damage due to buffeting by cross-current flows is reduced and protection is provided against damage by contact with other reactor structures during loading and unloading of the sub-assembly. (U.K.)

Fuel-cladding mechanical interaction effects in fast reactor mixed oxide fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boltax, A [Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Advanced Reactor Division, Madison, PA (United States); Biancheria, A

1977-04-01

Thermal and fast reactor irradiation experiments on mixed oxide fuel pins under steady-state and power change conditions reveal evidence for significant fuel-cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI) effects. Analytical studies with the LIFE-III fuel performance code indicate that high cladding stresses can be produced by general and local FCMI effects. Also, evidence is presented to show that local cladding strains can be caused by the accumulation of cesium at the fuel-cladding interface. Although it is apparent that steady-state FCMI effects have not given rise to cladding breaches in current fast reactors, it is anticipated that FCMI may become more important in the future because of interest in: higher fuel burnups; increased power ramp rates; load follow operation; and low swelling cladding alloys. (author)

Fuel-cladding mechanical interaction effects in fast reactor mixed oxide fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boltax, A.; Biancheria, A.

1977-01-01

Thermal and fast reactor irradiation experiments on mixed oxide fuel pins under steady-state and power change conditions reveal evidence for significant fuel-cladding mechanical interaction (FCMI) effects. Analytical studies with the LIFE-III fuel performance code indicate that high cladding stresses can be produced by general and local FCMI effects. Also, evidence is presented to show that local cladding strains can be caused by the accumulation of cesium at the fuel-cladding interface. Although it is apparent that steady-state FCMI effects have not given rise to cladding breaches in current fast reactors, it is anticipated that FCMI may become more important in the future because of interest in: higher fuel burnups; increased power ramp rates; load follow operation; and low swelling cladding alloys. (author)

Current and prospective fuel test programmes in the MIR reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izhutov, A.L.; Burukin, A.V.; Iljenko, S.A.; Ovchinnikov, V.A.; Shulimov, V.N.; Smirnov, V.P. [State Scientific Centre of Russia Research Institute of Atomic Reactors, Ulyanovsk region (Russian Federation)

2007-07-01

MIR reactor is a heterogeneous thermal reactor with a moderator and a reflector made of metal beryllium, it has a channel-type design and is placed in a water pool. MIR reactor is mainly designed for testing fragments of fuel elements and fuel assemblies (FA) of different nuclear power reactor types under normal (stationary and transient) operating conditions as well as emergency situations. At present six test loop facilities are being operated (2 PWR loops, 2 BWR loops and 2 steam coolant loops). The majority of current fuel tests is conducted for improving and upgrading the Russian PWR fuel, these tests involve issues such as: -) long term tests of short-size rods with different modifications of cladding materials and fuel pellets; -) further irradiation of power plant re-fabricated and full-size fuel rods up to achieving 80 MW*d/kg U; -) experiments with leaking fuel rods at different burnups and under transient conditions; -) continuation of the RAMP type experiments at high burnup of fuel; and -) in-pile tests with simulation of LOCA and RIA type accidents. Testing of the LEU (low enrichment uranium) research reactor fuel is conducted within the framework of the RERTR programme. Upgrading of the gas cooled and steam cooled loop facilities is scheduled for testing the HTGR fuel and sub-critical water-cooled reactor, correspondingly. The present paper describes the major programs of the WWER high burn-up fuel behavior study in the MIR reactor, capabilities of the applied techniques and some results of the performed irradiation tests. (authors)

Fuel damage during off-normal transients in metal-fueled fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, J.M.; Bauer, T.H.

1990-01-01

Fuel damage during off-normal transients is a key issue in the safety of fast reactors because the fuel pin cladding provides the primary barrier to the release of radioactive materials. Part of the Safety Task of the Integral Fast Reactor Program is to provide assessments of the damage and margins to failure for metallic fuels over the wide range of transients that must be considered in safety analyses. This paper reviews the current status of the analytical and experimental programs that are providing the bases for these assessments. 13 refs., 2 figs

Fueling method in LMFBR type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Katsuyuki; Inoue, Kotaro.

1985-01-01

Purpose: To extend the burning cycle and decrease the number of fuel exchange batches without increasing the excess reactivity at the initial stage of burning cycles upon fuel loading to an LMFBR type reactor. Method: Each of the burning cycles is divided into a plurality of burning sections. Fuels are charged at the first burning section in each of the cycles such that driver fuel assemblies and blanket assemblies or those assemblies containing neutron absorbers such as boron are distributed in mixture in the reactor core region. At the final stage of the first burning section, the blanket assemblies or neutron absorber-containing assemblies present in mixture are partially or entirely replaced with driver fuel assemblies depending on the number of burning sections such that all of them are replaced with the driver fuel assemblies till the start of the final burning section of the abovementioned cycle. The object of this invention can thus be attained. (Horiuchi, T.)

Research and development into power reactor fuel performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Notley, M.J.F.

1983-07-01

The nuclear fuel in a power reactor must perform reliably during normal operation, and the consequences of abnormal events must be researched and assessed. The present highly reliable operation of the natural UO 2 in the CANDU power reactors has reduced the need for further work in this area; however a core of expertise must be retained for purposes such as training of new staff, retaining the capability of reacting to unforeseen circumstances, and participating in the commercial development of new ideas. The assessment of fuel performance during accidents requires research into many aspects of materials, fuel and fission product behaviour, and the consolidation of that knowledge into computer codes used to evaluate the consequences of any particular accident. This work is growing in scope, much is known from out-reactor work at temperatures up to about 1500 degreesC, but the need for in-reactor verification and investigation of higher-temperature accidents has necessitated the construction of a major new in-reactor test loop and the initiation of the associated out-reactor support programs. Since many of the programs on normal and accident-related performance are generic in nature, they will be applicable to advanced fuel cycles. Work will therefore be gradually transferred from the present, committed power reactor system to support the next generation of thorium-based reactor cycles

Safety assessments relating to the use of new fuels in research reactors: application to the case of FRM 2 reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abou Yehia, H.; Bars, G.; Tran Dai

2001-01-01

After giving a brief reminder of the procedure applied in France for the licensing of the use of a new fuel type or design in a research reactor, we outline the main safety aspects associated with such a modification. Finally, by way of an example, we focus on the safety assessment relating to the IRIS irradiation device used in SILOE reactor, in particular for the qualification of the fuel dedicated to FRM II reactor of the Technical University of Munich. This qualification was carried out on a U 3 Si 2 fuel plate enriched to about 90 % in weight of 235 U and containing 1.5 g of uranium per cm 3 . The evaluation performed by the IPSN for GRS did not call into question the choice of U 3 Si 2 fuel plates for the FRM-II reactor. (authors)

Spent nuclear fuel discharges from US reactors 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-02-01

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) administers the Nuclear Fuel Data Survey, Form RW-859. This form is used to collect data on fuel assemblies irradiated at commercial nuclear reactors operating in the United States, and the current inventories and storage capacities of those reactors. These data are important to the design and operation of the equipment and facilities that DOE will use for the future acceptance, transportation, and disposal of spent fuels. The data collected and presented identifies trends in burnup, enrichment, and spent nuclear fuel discharged form commercial light-water reactor as of December 31, 1993. The document covers not only spent nuclear fuel discharges; but also site capacities and inventories; canisters and nonfuel components; and assembly type characteristics

Preliminary study or RSG-GAS reactor fuel element integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soejoedi, A.; Tarigan, A.; Sujalmo; Prayoga, S.; Suhadi

1996-01-01

After 8 years of operation, RSG-GAS was able to reach 15 cycles of reactor operation with 116 irradiated fuels, whereas 49 fuels were produced by NUKEM; and the other 67 were produced by PEBN-BATAN. At the 15 T h cycles, it have been used 40 standard fuels and 8 control fuels (Forty standard fuels and eight control fuels have been used in the 15 t h core cycles). Several activities have been performed in the reactor, to investigate the fuel integrity, among of them are: .fuel visual test with under water camera, which the results were recorder in the video cassette, primary water quality test during, reactor operation, fuel failure detector system examination and compared the PIE results in the Radiometallurgy Installation (RMI). The results showed that the fuel integrity, before and after irradiation, have still good performance and the fission products have not been released yet

A new reactor core monitoring system. First experience gained at the Dukovany NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pecka, M.; Svarny, J.; Kment, J.

2001-01-01

The article deals with methods of interpretation of in-core measurements that are based on the determination of the three-dimensional (3D) power distribution within the reactor core, discusses on-line mode calculations, and describes the results obtained during the trial operation of the new SCORPIO-VVER reactor core monitoring system. The principles of the method of determination of the fuel assembly subchannel parameters are outlined. Alternative methods of self-powered detector signal conversion to local power are given, and some results of their testing are presented. Emphasis is put on self-powered detectors supplied by the US firm IST, which were first deployed at the Dukovany NPP in 1998. The predictive function of the SCORPIO-VVER system, whose implementation was inspired by favourable experience gained on some PWR reactors (such as the products of the Halden reactor project at Ringhals and Sizewell B) were adapted to the specific needs of WWER-440 reactors. The main results of validation of the functions are described and presented in detail. (author)

Caramel fuel for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bussy, P.

1979-11-01

This fuel for research reactors is made of UO 2 pellets in a zircaloy cladding to replace 93% enriched uranium. It is a cold fuel, non contaminating and non proliferating, enrichment is only 7 to 8%. Irradiation tests were performed until burn-up of 50000 MWD/t [fr

Research reactors fuel cycle problems and dilemma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, R.

2004-01-01

During last 10 years, some problems appeared in different steps of research reactors fuel cycle. Actually the majority of these reactors have been built in the 60s and these reactors were operated during all this long period in a cycle with steps which were dedicated to this activity. Progressively and for reasons often economical, certain steps of the cycle became more and more difficult to manage due to closing of some specialised workshops in the activities of scraps recycling, irradiated fuel reprocessing, even fuel fabrication. Other steps of the cycle meet or will meet difficulties, in particular supplying of fissile raw material LEU or HEU because this material was mostly produced in enrichment units existing mainly for military reason. Rarefaction of fissile material lead to use more and more enriched uraniums said 'of technical quality', that is to say which come from mixing of varied qualities of enriched material, containing products resulting from reprocessing. Actually, problems of end of fuel cycle are increased, either consisting of intermediary storage on the site of reactor or on specialised sites, or consisting of reprocessing. This brief summary shows most difficulties which are met today by a major part of industrials of the fuel cycle in the exercise of their activities

Reactor core with rod-shaped fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dworak, A.

1976-01-01

The proposal refers to the optimization of the power distribution in a reactor core which is provided with several successive rod-shaped fuel cells. A uniform power output - especially in radial direction - is aimed at. This is achieved by variation of the dwelling periods of the fuel cells, which have, for this purpose, a fuel mixture changing from layer to layer. The fuel cells with the shortest dwelling period are arranged near the coolant inlet side of the reactor core. The dwelling periods of the fuel cells are adapted to the given power distribution. As neighboring cells have equal dwelling periods, the exchange can be performed much easier then with the composition currently known. (UWI) [de

Fuel enrichment reduction for heavy water moderated research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCulloch, D.B.

1984-01-01

Twelve heavy-water-moderated research reactors of significant power level (5 MW to 125 MW) currently operate in a number of countries, and use highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. Most of these reactors could in principle be converted to use uranium of lower enrichment, subject in some cases to the successful development and demonstration of new fuel materials and/or fuel element designs. It is, however, generally accepted as desirable that existing fuel element geometry be retained unaltered to minimise the capital costs and licensing difficulties associated with enrichment conversion. The high flux Australian reactor, HIFAR, at Lucas Heights, Sydney is one of 5 Dido-class reactors in the above group. It operates at 10 MW using 80% 235 U HEU fuel. Theoretical studies of neutronic, thermohydraulic and operational aspects of converting HIFAR to use fuels of reduced enrichment have been made over a period. It is concluded that with no change of fuel element geometry and no penalty in the present HEU fuel cycle burn-up performance, conversion to MEU (nominally 45% 235 U) would be feasible within the limits of current fully qualified U-Al fuel materials technology. There would be no significant, adverse effects on safety-related parameters (e.g. reactivity coefficients) and only small penalties in reactor flux. Conversion to LEU (nominally 20% 235 U) a similar basis would require that fuel materials of about 2.3 g U cm -3 be fully qualified, and would depress the in-core thermal neutron flux by about 15 per cent relative to HEU fuelling. In qualitative terms, similar conclusions would be expected to hold for a majority of the above heavy water moderated reactors. (author)

Storage experience in Hungary with fuel from research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gado, J.; Hargitai, T.

1996-01-01

In Hungary several critical assemblies, a training reactor and a research reactor have been in operation. The fuel used in the research and training reactors are of Soviet origin. Though spent fuel storage experience is fairly good, medium and long term storage solutions are needed. (author)

Institutt for energiteknikk - Annual Report 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the Halden Reactor Project. In 1958, the first Halden Reactor Project Agreement was signed by organisations representing 12 European countries. The project's membership now includes several associated parties in addition to 13 organisations from its 12 NEA members plus one NEA non-member, the Czech Republic. The objectives have evolved from being simply a demonstration of the operation of a boiling heavy-water reactor to becoming a substantial research and development programme covering the domains of a human-machine interaction, fuel behaviour, materials testing, water chemistry, and instrumentation. In 1993, significant progress was achieved in all of the areas addressed by the project, including the re-instrumentation of irradiated fuel rods, fission gas release, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, a conceptual design of advanced cockpit-type control rooms, analysis of human behaviour, and information processing and presentation. More than 34 years after its reactor's first criticality, the Halden Project continues to provide the scientific community with a wealth of information for the safe and efficient production of nuclear power. The current Project Agreement covers the period from 1993 to 1996

Institutt for Energiteknikk - Annual Report 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the Halden Reactor Project. In 1958, the first Halden Reactor Project Agreement was signed by organisations representing 12 European countries. During 1994 France became a full member and associate membership was established with Russia. Accordingly, 16 countries were participating in the Project by the end of the year. The objectives have evolved from being simply a demonstration of the operation of a boiling heavy-water reactor to becoming a substantial research and development programme covering the domains of human-machine interaction, fuel behaviour, materials testing, water chemistry, and instrumentation. In 1994, significant progress was achieved in all of the areas addressed by the project, including the re-instrumentation of irradiated fuel rods, fission gas release, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, a conceptual design of advanced cockpit-type control rooms, analysis of human behaviour, and information processing and presentation. More than 35 years after its reactor's first critically, the Halden Project continues to provide the scientific community with a wealth of information for the safe and efficient production of nuclear power. The current Project Agreement covers the period from 1993 to 1996

Pebble bed reactor fuel cycle optimization using particle swarm algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavron, Barak, E-mail: btavron@bgu.ac.il [Planning, Development and Technology Division, Israel Electric Corporation Ltd., P.O. Box 10, Haifa 31000 (Israel); Shwageraus, Eugene, E-mail: es607@cam.ac.uk [Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Particle swarm method has been developed for fuel cycle optimization of PBR reactor. • Results show uranium utilization low sensitivity to fuel and core design parameters. • Multi-zone fuel loading pattern leads to a small improvement in uranium utilization. • Thorium mixes with highly enriched uranium yields the best uranium utilization. - Abstract: Pebble bed reactors (PBR) features, such as robust thermo-mechanical fuel design and on-line continuous fueling, facilitate wide range of fuel cycle alternatives. A range off fuel pebble types, containing different amounts of fertile or fissile fuel material, may be loaded into the reactor core. Several fuel loading zones may be used since radial mixing of the pebbles was shown to be limited. This radial separation suggests the possibility to implement the “seed-blanket” concept for the utilization of fertile fuels such as thorium, and for enhancing reactor fuel utilization. In this study, the particle-swarm meta-heuristic evolutionary optimization method (PSO) has been used to find optimal fuel cycle design which yields the highest natural uranium utilization. The PSO method is known for solving efficiently complex problems with non-linear objective function, continuous or discrete parameters and complex constrains. The VSOP system of codes has been used for PBR fuel utilization calculations and MATLAB script has been used to implement the PSO algorithm. Optimization of PBR natural uranium utilization (NUU) has been carried out for 3000 MWth High Temperature Reactor design (HTR) operating on the Once Trough Then Out (OTTO) fuel management scheme, and for 400 MWth Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) operating on the multi-pass (MEDUL) fuel management scheme. Results showed only a modest improvement in the NUU (<5%) over reference designs. Investigation of thorium fuel cases showed that the use of HEU in combination with thorium results in the most favorable reactor performance in terms of

Pebble bed reactor fuel cycle optimization using particle swarm algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavron, Barak; Shwageraus, Eugene

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Particle swarm method has been developed for fuel cycle optimization of PBR reactor. • Results show uranium utilization low sensitivity to fuel and core design parameters. • Multi-zone fuel loading pattern leads to a small improvement in uranium utilization. • Thorium mixes with highly enriched uranium yields the best uranium utilization. - Abstract: Pebble bed reactors (PBR) features, such as robust thermo-mechanical fuel design and on-line continuous fueling, facilitate wide range of fuel cycle alternatives. A range off fuel pebble types, containing different amounts of fertile or fissile fuel material, may be loaded into the reactor core. Several fuel loading zones may be used since radial mixing of the pebbles was shown to be limited. This radial separation suggests the possibility to implement the “seed-blanket” concept for the utilization of fertile fuels such as thorium, and for enhancing reactor fuel utilization. In this study, the particle-swarm meta-heuristic evolutionary optimization method (PSO) has been used to find optimal fuel cycle design which yields the highest natural uranium utilization. The PSO method is known for solving efficiently complex problems with non-linear objective function, continuous or discrete parameters and complex constrains. The VSOP system of codes has been used for PBR fuel utilization calculations and MATLAB script has been used to implement the PSO algorithm. Optimization of PBR natural uranium utilization (NUU) has been carried out for 3000 MWth High Temperature Reactor design (HTR) operating on the Once Trough Then Out (OTTO) fuel management scheme, and for 400 MWth Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) operating on the multi-pass (MEDUL) fuel management scheme. Results showed only a modest improvement in the NUU (<5%) over reference designs. Investigation of thorium fuel cases showed that the use of HEU in combination with thorium results in the most favorable reactor performance in terms of

Pebble Bed Reactor: core physics and fuel cycle analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vondy, D.R.; Worley, B.A.

1979-10-01

The Pebble Bed Reactor is a gas-cooled, graphite-moderated high-temperature reactor that is continuously fueled with small spherical fuel elements. The projected performance was studied over a broad range of reactor applicability. Calculations were done for a burner on a throwaway cycle, a converter with recycle, a prebreeder and breeder. The thorium fuel cycle was considered using low, medium (denatured), and highly enriched uranium. The base calculations were carried out for electrical energy generation in a 1200 MW/sub e/ plant. A steady-state, continuous-fueling model was developed and one- and two-dimensional calculations were used to characterize performance. Treating a single point in time effects considerable savings in computer time as opposed to following a long reactor history, permitting evaluation of reactor performance over a broad range of design parameters and operating modes.

Fuel transporting device in nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Tatsumi.

1975-01-01

Object: To obtain a support structure of an excellent quakeproof property for a fuel transporting device provided for the transportation of fuel between a reactor building and an auxiliary building in a pressure tube reactor or the like. Structure: The structure comprises an oblique transfer chute loosely penetrating the reactor building, reactor container and auxiliary building, a transfer chute support outer cylinder surrounding the transfer chute and having one end coupled to the transfer chute and other end coupled to the container, flexible seal members respectively provided on the reactor building side and on the auxiliary building side and surrounding the transfer chute and a slidable support supported on the side of the auxiliary building such that it can be in frictional contact with the outer periphery of the transfer chute. With this construction, the relative displacements of various parts caused by an earthquake or the like can be absorbed by the support outer cylinder, flexible seals and slidable support. (Ikeda, J.)

Corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent fuel in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

A large variety of research reactor spent fuel with different fuel meats, different geometries and different enrichments in 235 U are presently stored underwater in basins located around the world. More than 90% of these fuels are clad in aluminium or aluminium based alloys that are notoriously susceptible to corrosion in water of less than optimum quality. Some fuel is stored in the reactor pools themselves, some in auxiliary pools (or basins) close to the reactor and some stored at away-from-reactor pools. Since the early 1990s, when corrosion induced degradation of the fuel cladding was observed in many of the pools, corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel stored in light water filled basins has become a major concern, and programmes were implemented at the sites to improve fuel storage conditions. The IAEA has since then established a number of programmatic activities to address corrosion of research reactor aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. Of special relevance was the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase I) initiated in 1996, whose results were published in IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 418. At the end of this CRP it was considered necessary that a continuation of the CRP should concentrate on fuel storage basins that had demonstrated significant corrosion problems and would therefore provide additional insight into the fundamentals of localized corrosion of aluminium. As a consequence, the IAEA started a new CRP entitled Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminium Clad Spent Fuel in Water (Phase II), to carry out more comprehensive research in some specific areas of corrosion of aluminium clad spent nuclear fuel in water. In addition to this CRP, one of the activities under IAEA's Technical Cooperation Regional Project for Latin America Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors (2001-2006) was corrosion monitoring and surveillance of research

Back-end of the research reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruber, Gehard J.

1996-01-01

This paper outlines the status of topics and issues related to: (1) Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Return to the U.S., including policy, shipments and ports of entry, management sites, fees, storage technologies, contracts, actual shipment, and legal process, (2) UKAEA: MTR Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing, (3) COGEMA: MTR Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing, and (4) Intermediate Storage + Direct Disposal for Research Reactors. (author)

Determination of equilibrium fuel composition for fast reactor in closed fuel cycle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ternovykha Mikhail

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Technique of evaluation of multiplying and reactivity characteristics of fast reactor operating in the mode of multiple refueling is presented. We describe the calculation model of the vertical section of the reactor. Calculation validations of the possibility of correct application of methods and models are given. Results on the isotopic composition, mass feed, and changes in the reactivity of the reactor in closed fuel cycle are obtained. Recommendations for choosing perspective fuel compositions for further research are proposed.

Nuclear reactor fuel element with a cluster of parallel fuel pins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macfall, D.; Butterfield, C.E.; Butterfield, R.S.

1977-01-01

An improvement of the design of nuclear reactor fuel elements is described and illustrated by the example of a gas-cooled, graphite-moderated nuclear reactor. The fuel element has a cluster of parallel fuel pins with an outer can of structure material and an inner sleeve, as well as tie bars and spacing devices for all of these parts. The fuel element designed according to the invention allows lasy assembling and disassembling before and after use. During use, no relative axial motions are possible; nevertheless, the graphite sleeve is at no time subject to tensile stress: the individual parts are held in position from below by a single holding device. (UWI) [de

Institutt for Energiteknikk - Annual report 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

Work at Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The Halden Reactor Project focuses on two main areas: fuel- and materials technology based on experimental work using the Halden reactor; and information technology with emphasis on the development of computer-based systems for controlling and surveilling complex energy plants and industrial processes. The Halden Project represents a collaboration between national safety organizations, national research institutes, power companies and supply industries in 13 OECD countries. Participation by such Eastern European countries as Czechoslovakia is being discussed in concrete terms. At Kjeller irradiation services are based on the JEEP II reactor and the gamma irradiation facility. Neutron irradiation in the reactor produces the radioactive raw materials for the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals and radiochemicals. Neutron irradiation is also used for the accurate control of conductivity in superpure silicon crystals. The main purpose of IFE's basic research in physics is to utilize neutron beams from the JEEP II reactor for fundamental studies of the physical characteristics of solids and complex liquids. 16 figs

CANDU fuel - fifteen years of power reactor experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fanjoy, G.R.; Bain, A.S.

1977-01-01

CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) fuel has operated in power reactors since 1962. Analyses of performance statistics, supplemented by examinations of fuel from power reactors and experimental loops have yielded: (a) A thorough understanding of the fundamental behaviour of CANDU fuel. (b) Data showing that the predicted high utilization of uranium has been achieved. Actual fuelling costs in 1976 at the Pickering Generating Station are 1.2 m$/kWh (1976 Canadian dollars) with the simple oncethrough natural-UO 2 fuel cycle. (c) Criteria for operation, which have led to the current very low defect rate of 0.03% of all assemblies and to ''CANLUB'' fuel, which has a graphite interlayer between the fuel and sheath to reduce defects on power increases. (d) Proof that the short length (500 mm), collapsible cladding features of the CANDU bundle are successful and that the fuel can operate at high-power output (current peak outer-element linear power is 58 +- 15% kW/m). Involvement by the utility in all stages of fuel development has resulted in efficient application of this fundamental knowledge to ensure proper fuel specifications, procurement, scheduling into the reactor and feedback to developers, designers and manufacturers. As of mid-1976 over 3 x 10 6 individual elements have been built in a well-estabilished commercially competitive fuel fabrication industry and over 2 x 10 6 elements have been irradiated. Only six defects have been attributed to faulty materials or fabrication, and the use of high-density UO 2 with low-moisture content precluded defects from hydrogen contamination and densification. Development work on UO 2 and other fuel cycles (plutonium and thorium) is continuing, and, because CANDU reactors use on-power fuelling, bundles can be inserted into power reactors for testing. Thus new fuel designs can be quickly adopted to ensure that the CANDU system continues to provide low-cost energy with high reliability

Cermet-fueled reactors for multimegawatt space power applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowan, C.L.; Armijo, J.S.; Kruger, G.B.; Palmer, R.S.; Van Hoomisson, J.E.

1988-01-01

The cermet-fueled reactor has evolved as a potential power source for a broad range of multimegawatt space applications. In particular, the fast spectrum reactor concept can be used to deliver 10s of megawatts of electric power for continuous, long term, unattended operation, and 100s of megawatts of electric power for times exceeding several hundred seconds. The system can also be utilized with either a gas coolant in a Brayton power conversion cycle, or a liquid metal coolant in a Rankine power conversion cycle. Extensive testing of the cermet fuel element has demonstrated that the fuel is capable of operating at very high temperatures under repeated thermal cycling conditions, including transient conditions which approach the multimegawatt burst power requirements. The cermet fuel test performance is reviewed and an advanced cermet-fueled multimegawatt nuclear reactor is described in this paper

Fuel rod bundles proposed for advanced pressure tube nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prodea, Iosif; Catana, Alexandru

2010-01-01

The paper aims to be a general presentation for fuel bundles to be used in Advanced Pressure Tube Nuclear Reactors (APTNR). The characteristics of such a nuclear reactor resemble those of known advanced pressure tube nuclear reactors like: Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR TM -1000, pertaining to AECL) and Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). We have also developed a fuel bundle proposal which will be referred as ASEU-43 (Advanced Slightly Enriched Uranium with 43 rods). The ASEU-43 main design along with a few neutronic and thermalhydraulic characteristics are presented in the paper versus similar ones from INR Pitesti SEU-43 and CANDU-37 standard fuel bundles. General remarks regarding the advantages of each fuel bundle and their suitability to be burned in an APTNR reactor are also revealed. (authors)

Integrated fuel-cycle models for fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ott, K.O.; Maudlin, P.J.

1981-01-01

Breeder-reactor fuel-cycle analysis can be divided into four different areas or categories. The first category concerns questions about the spatial variation of the fuel composition for single loading intervals. Questions of the variations in the fuel composition over several cycles represent a second category. Third, there is a need for a determination of the breeding capability of the reactor. The fourth category concerns the investigation of breeding and long-term fuel logistics. Two fuel-cycle models used to answer questions in the third and fourth area are presented. The space- and time-dependent actinide balance, coupled with criticality and fuel-management constraints, is the basis for both the Discontinuous Integrated Fuel-Cycle Model and the Continuous Integrated Fuel-Cycle Model. The results of the continuous model are compared with results obtained from detailed two-dimensional space and multigroup depletion calculations. The continuous model yields nearly the same results as the detailed calculation, and this is with a comparatively insignificant fraction of the computational effort needed for the detailed calculation. Thus, the integrated model presented is an accurate tool for answering questions concerning reactor breeding capability and long-term fuel logistics. (author)

Fast reactor parameter optimization taking into account changes in fuel charge type during reactor operation time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afrin, B.A.; Rechnov, A.V.; Usynin, G.B.

1987-01-01

The formulation and solution of optimization problem for parameters determining the layout of the central part of sodium cooled power reactor taking into account possible changes in fuel charge type during reactor operation time are performed. The losses under change of fuel composition type for two reactor modifications providing for minimum doubling time for oxide and carbide fuels respectively, are estimated

Advanced Fuel Cycle Economic Analysis of Symbiotic Light-Water Reactor and Fast Burner Reactor Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. E. Shropshire

2009-01-01

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Economic Analysis of Symbiotic Light-Water Reactor and Fast Burner Reactor Systems, prepared to support the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) systems analysis, provides a technology-oriented baseline system cost comparison between the open fuel cycle and closed fuel cycle systems. The intent is to understand their overall cost trends, cost sensitivities, and trade-offs. This analysis also improves the AFCI Program’s understanding of the cost drivers that will determine nuclear power’s cost competitiveness vis-a-vis other baseload generation systems. The common reactor-related costs consist of capital, operating, and decontamination and decommissioning costs. Fuel cycle costs include front-end (pre-irradiation) and back-end (post-iradiation) costs, as well as costs specifically associated with fuel recycling. This analysis reveals that there are large cost uncertainties associated with all the fuel cycle strategies, and that overall systems (reactor plus fuel cycle) using a closed fuel cycle are about 10% more expensive in terms of electricity generation cost than open cycle systems. The study concludes that further U.S. and joint international-based design studies are needed to reduce the cost uncertainties with respect to fast reactor, fuel separation and fabrication, and waste disposition. The results of this work can help provide insight to the cost-related factors and conditions needed to keep nuclear energy (including closed fuel cycles) economically competitive in the U.S. and worldwide. These results may be updated over time based on new cost information, revised assumptions, and feedback received from additional reviews.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Economic Analysis of Symbiotic Light-Water Reactor and Fast Burner Reactor Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shropshire, D.E.

2009-01-01

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Economic Analysis of Symbiotic Light-Water Reactor and Fast Burner Reactor Systems, prepared to support the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) systems analysis, provides a technology-oriented baseline system cost comparison between the open fuel cycle and closed fuel cycle systems. The intent is to understand their overall cost trends, cost sensitivities, and trade-offs. This analysis also improves the AFCI Program's understanding of the cost drivers that will determine nuclear power's cost competitiveness vis-a-vis other baseload generation systems. The common reactor-related costs consist of capital, operating, and decontamination and decommissioning costs. Fuel cycle costs include front-end (pre-irradiation) and back-end (post-irradiation) costs, as well as costs specifically associated with fuel recycling. This analysis reveals that there are large cost uncertainties associated with all the fuel cycle strategies, and that overall systems (reactor plus fuel cycle) using a closed fuel cycle are about 10% more expensive in terms of electricity generation cost than open cycle systems. The study concludes that further U.S. and joint international-based design studies are needed to reduce the cost uncertainties with respect to fast reactor, fuel separation and fabrication, and waste disposition. The results of this work can help provide insight to the cost-related factors and conditions needed to keep nuclear energy (including closed fuel cycles) economically competitive in the U.S. and worldwide. These results may be updated over time based on new cost information, revised assumptions, and feedback received from additional reviews.

Effect of reduced enrichment on the fuel cycle for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travelli, A.

1982-01-01

The new fuels developed by the RERTR Program and by other international programs for application in research reactors with reduced uranium enrichment (<20% EU) are discussed. It is shown that these fuels, combined with proper fuel-element design and fuel-management strategies, can provide at least the same core residence time as high-enrichment fuels in current use, and can frequently significantly extend it. The effect of enrichment reduction on other components of the research reactor fuel cycle, such as uranium and enrichment requirements, fuel fabrication, fuel shipment, and reprocessing are also briefly discussed with their economic implications. From a systematic comparison of HEU and LEU cores for the same reference research reactor, it is concluded that the new fuels have a potential for reducing the research reactor fuel cycle costs while reducing, at the same time, the uranium enrichment of the fuel

Safety considerations in the fast reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, A.R.; Burton, W.R.; Taylor, H.A.

1977-01-01

The fuel cycle safety problems for fast reactors, as compared with thermal reactors, are enhanced by the higher fissile content and heat rating of the fuel. Additionally recycling leads to the build up of substantial isotopes which contribute to the alpha and neutron hazards. The plutonium arisings in a nuclear power reactor programme extending into the next century are discussed. A requirement is to be able to return the product plutonium to a reactor about 9 months after the end of irradiation and it is anticipated that progress will be made slowly towards this fuel cycle, having regard to the necessity for maintaining safe and reliable operations. Consideration of the steps in the fuel cycle has indicated that it will be best to store the irradiated fuel on the reactor sites while I131 decays and decay heat falls before transporting and a suitable transport flask is being developed. Reprocessing development work is aimed at the key area of fuel breakdown, the inter-relation of the fuel characteristics on the dissolution of the plutonium and a solvent extract cycle leading to a product suitable for a co-located fabrication plant. Because of the high activity of recycled fuel it is considered that fabrication must move to a fully remote operation as is already the case for reprocessing, and a gel precipitation process producing a vibro compacted fuel is under development for this purpose. The waste streams from the processing plants must be minimised, processed for recovery of plutonium where applicable and then conditioned so that the final products released from the processing cycle are acceptable for ultimate disposal. The safety aspects reviewed cover protection of operators, containment of radioactive materials, criticality and regulation of discharges to the environment

Dependence of the time-constant of a fuel rod on different design and operational parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elenkov, D.; Lassmann, K.; Schubert, A.; Laar, J. van de

2001-01-01

The temperature response during a reactor shutdown has been measured for many years in the OECD-Halden Project. It has been shown that the complicated shutdown processes can be characterized by a time constant τ which depends on different fuel design and operational parameters, such as fuel geometry, gap size, fill gas pressure and composition, burnup and linear heat rate. In the paper the concept of a time constant is analyzed and the dependence of the time constant on various parameters is investigated analytically. Measured time constants for different designs and conditions are compared with those derived from calculations of the TRANSURANUS code. Employing standard models results in a systematic underprediction of the time constant, i.e. the heat transfer during shutdown is overestimated. (author)

Revision of the second basic plans of power reactor development in Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

Revision of the second basic plans concerning power reactor development in PNC (Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation) is presented. (1) Fast breeder reactors: As for the experimental fast breeder reactor, after reaching the criticality, the power is raised to 50 MW thermal output within fiscal 1978. The prototype fast breeder reactor is intended for the electric output of 200 MW -- 300 MW, using mixed plutonium/uranium oxide fuel. Along the above lines, research and development will be carried out on reactor physics, sodium technology, machinery and parts, nuclear fuel, etc. (2) Advanced thermal reactor: The prototype advanced thermal reactor, with initial fuel primarily of slightly enriched uranium and heavy water moderation and boiling water cooling, of 165 MW electric output, is brought to its normal operation by the end of fiscal 1978. Along the above lines, research and development will be carried out on reactor physics, machinery and parts, nuclear fuel, etc. (Mori, K