Fuel Reliability Assessment Through Radiochemistry and Poolside Examinations (LCC20)

Nuclear power plants are capable of operating safely with leaking fuel in their cores and have done so on many occasions. Fuel failures affect three principal areas:  radiological safety, core and plant operation, and costs. With increased fuel reliability, the effects of leaking fuel on each these areas are heightened. The issue of secondary degradation is particularly severe because of the large increases in radiation exposure that such events can cause in the primary coolant and clean-up systems.  

The use of radiochemistry for the detection and tracking of leaking fuel will obviously not prevent failures from occurring, but can provide information for mitigating the radiation exposure, operational and economic consequences. The objective of this report is to identify methods for detecting failed fuel and assessing conditions associated with leaking rod(s) during operation in an NPP.  The report provides background for understanding the capabilities and limitations of the tracking and assessment methods. 

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Zinc Chemistry in BWRs, PWRs and VVERs (LCC20)

This report describes the use of zinc injection technology in BWRs, PWRs and VVERs plants worldwide. Zinc addition is a mature technology applied both in PWR and BWR reactors while its implementation in VVER plants is still waiting to the commissioning of new reactor designs. It has been a crucial milestone in coolant chemistry for controlling and reducing radiation build-up, operational radiation as well as IGSCC mitigation in BWRs and mitigation of Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking (PWSCC).

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Key Emerging Issues and Recent Progress Related to Plant Chemistry/Corrosion (PWR, CANDU, and BWR Nuclear Power Plants) (LCC19)

Safety and reliability of power plants are becoming increasingly important factors since many plants are aging and have obtained license renewal for continued power operation and also for new reactors using different technologies that are or will be in design, construction, commissioning, or start-up stage. Therefore, sharing plant operating experiences, sharing lessons learned, and sharing new industry research are all crucial in order to maintain the nuclear power plant fleet in a healthy condition as well as for new reactors using different technologies that are or will be in design, construction, commissioning or start-up stages.

This report on Key Emerging Issues and Recent Progress, ANT International has collected the most relevant experiences and advanced research exposed at the Nuclear Plant Chemistry Conference NPC-2023 that took place in Antibes Juan-les Pins, France in September.

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Deposit Formation on Fuel Cladding in PWR Primary Systems

Formation of deposits on Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) fuel cladding has been an inherent problem in these systems since their inception and remains a problem to-date. The report provides: 1) a brief history of fuel crud in PWR systems, 2) mechanisms for material release, transport and deposition in the core and the influence by material choice, coolant chemistry and core design 3) discussions of what occurs within fuel crud that may affect its deposition rate, its effect on core neutronics and possible impact on clad corrosion leading to failure. Finally, a discussion is given summarizing our current understanding and where future work is required to further this knowledge.

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Corrosion Product Generation, Activity Transport and Dose Rate Mitigation in Water Cooled Nuclear Reactors

This report discusses in detail, the steps involved in, generation of corrosion products including colloid formation, activation on fuel, transport through the coolant, deposition on surfaces including zeta potential effects, release from surfaces and removal of activated corrosion products in light water reactors. The report also discusses activity transport that will include basic steps involved and models used.

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Zinc Chemistry in PWR Plants from Mid-1990s up to Present: Mechanism and Worldwide Field Experience

This updated report reviews, as of 2020, the laboratory and field results of zinc injection technology in PWR plants worldwide. The review covers the range from basic information to current knowledge and understanding of operational behaviour. This information on PWR plants given in this report is also applicable for VVER plants.

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Historical Evolution of Coolant Chemistry for PWR/VVER Plants: 1960 to Present; Including Basis of the Guidelines

(LCC15)

This report describes the historical development of the water chemistry in primary side of the PWR and VVER plants since 1950s up to present. Starting with the first research PWR plants in USA without applying any water chemistry addition of neither alkaline reagent nor hydrogen, lot of fuel performance degradations were experienced in 1950s and 1960s, such as heavy fuel deposits, flow restrictions across the core, reactivity losses and high radiation fields. Even the first AOA indications were experienced in a PWR with low core duty operating without applying water chemistry treatment.

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Historical and Present Issues on Secondary System Chemical Treatment and Corrosion in PWR/VVER Units; including Materials Behaviour

(LCC15)

This report describes and explains the past and present issues related to secondary system chemistry and materials behaviour.
It starts with the relation between design and material evolution influence on chemistry selection, as well as guidelines for the secondary system. It also explains the behaviour of added reagents and of impurities in the secondary system. The integrity and long-term behaviour of the plant is largely considered.

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Key Issues in Plant Chemistry and Corrosion – PWR, VVER, CANDU – 2018

(LCC14)

This first report on PWRs, VVERs, CANDUs and PHWRs summarises and analyses the results to assess in which specific situation the results are applicable and gives the point of view of A.N.T. International expert. Instead of giving a short summary of each paper presented at the conference, the report covers the key facts, either new or of significant interest for LCC customers.

This is of particular interest to discuss how to consider different presentations that may sometimes give contradictory or conflicting results.
The main examples concern zinc addition into the primary coolant, potential replacement of LiOH by KOH in PWRs as used in VVERS, Film Forming Amines, dispersant addition, hydrazine alternates. The advantages, disadvantages, questions or limitations of new solutions are explained.

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Key Issues in Plant Chemistry and Corrosion in BWRs – 2018

(LCC14)

The second report summarising the BWR related papers and various other subjects is designed to provide updated information with the author’s critique and analysis for the benefit of the LCC customers. The report is expected to be a comprehensive summary document incorporating the latest information on BWR water chemistry and decommissioning that would benefit the operators and regulators, and those who have not been able to attend the NPC 2018 Conference.

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