The fourth Report entitled Environmentally-Assisted Degradation of Nickel-Base Alloys in LWRs (EADN) is related to degradation of nickel-base alloys in LWR primary coolant systems.
The third Report entitled Environmentally-Assisted Degradation of Stainless Steels in LWRs (EADS) covers degradation of austenitic stainless steels.
(LCC4 STR)
The second Report in this series entitled Environmentally-Assisted Degradation of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels in Water Cooled Nuclear Reactors (LCC4 STR) focuses on the degradation of carbon and low alloy steels.
(LCC8 AR)
This Report discusses the highlights from the 15th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems – Water Reactors, which was held in Colorado Springs in August 2011. Over 150 papers were published at this conference and covered diverse topics touching on specific degradation modes in various alloys.
This report reviews the key papers published in the following conferences:
(ZIRAT19/IZNA14 STR)
Hot Cell Post-Irradiation Examination Techniques for Light Water Reactor Fuels The growing operational demands on nuclear fuel, such as longer fuel cycles, higher burnups, and use of transient regimes, call for more robust fuel designs and more radiation resistant materials. Implementation of new materials and fuel designs that are able to meet these more challenging conditions requires adequate operational feedback and practical verification of models for prediction of fuel behavior. Post-irradiation examinations (PIE) provide fuel vendors and nuclear utilities with data on how newly developed or established materials withstand normal operating conditions in new environments. Post-irradiation examinations are largely carried out at a Hot Cell Laboratory where irradiated fuel rods and other bundle hardware can be received, handled, examined, and tested. The investigation results provide information for fuel improvement and, thereby, can potentially enhance operating efficiency and reliability. The objectives of the hot cell examination of failed and sound sibling rods are to; characterize the fuel rod conditions associated with failure, identify the fuel failure mechanism, and provide insight into the root cause of the failures. The objectives of the hot cell examination of the fuel bundle hardware vary with the component being examined. The hot cell examinations/testing include a number of tasks selected to address these objectives using available hot cell capabilities. This Special Topic Report provides an overview about the status of post-irradiation examination (PIE) and inspection techniques for nuclear fuel and their applications for analysis of material degradation during fuel operation in a reactor core. Emphasis is given to advanced non-destructive and destructive PIE techniques applied to LWR fuel rods and bundle hardware. The objective of this STR is to provide this knowledge.
This handbook contain a technical assessment of the expected performance of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) during extended dry-storage time periods and the condition of such fuel at the end of dry storage.
The principal focus of the reviews is on SNF and the effects of dry storage rather than on dry-storage containers and the related storage facilities. The objective is to provide background information on the likely behavior of materials comprising water reactor fuel assemblies and on the performance of integral assemblies under conditions typical of dry storage for extended intervals of time.
In brief, the technical assessment supports a conclusion that, although technical issues have been postulated with regard to long-term storage, there are no high-risk concerns with the extension of dry storage to long times; with proper planning and implementation.
The objective of the Fuel Fabrication Process Handbook is to provide guidance for a cost effective audit which uses audit time on areas which are most likely to affect the performance of the PWR/VVER and BWR fuel. The FFPH focuses on a “Process Audit” procedure, the audit of the fabrication process parameters for making high quality fuel. The FFPH provides the “what, why and how” to look at in an audit by:
This Handbook is an updated and expanded version of the previous FFPH Handbook published in 2005. More than 35 organisations worldwide bought this Handbook. The expansion constitutes two sections on Statistical Quality Control and Software Quality Assurance. Statistical QC is a vital part of process control, the establishment of sampling plans and the qualification of inspection methods. The QA of software is important for auditing the software for the expanding automation of fabrication methods.
The Report on Control Assembly Technology which constitutes Volume III of the series of Fuel Material Technology Reports (FMTRs) will be available during the Spring of 2014. It describes the designs, manufacturing, performance and issues related to BWR/PWR/VVER/CANDU Control Assemblies with Ag-In-Cd (AIC), B4C, Hf absorber materials and stainless steel structural materials.
The Report discusses the different parameters impacting PWR fuel corrosion and provides a computer code which allows an equivalent comparison of new alloys irradiated in different reactors at different conditions. The computer code may also assist in identifying the mechanism why the corrosion rate starts to accelerate under certain conditions.
