18.02.2014 Views

RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Five elements will be available for successive tests. The five tests will aim at applying the<br />

JHR nominal operating conditions gradually (maximum surface density and cooling rate) and<br />

will achieve the target burn-up fraction, beginning with an initial test with an intermediate<br />

burn-up objective.<br />

The leaktightness of the plates can be checked without recourse to destructive testing, so<br />

the information might be available in a short delay after the end of irradiation. The geometric<br />

integrity (plates and channels) of the assemblies will be verify by mean of three dimensional<br />

measurements, which should also give access to the comparison between initial state (after<br />

manufacturing) and final state (after irradiation). Then metallographic inspections on samples<br />

taken in the most stresses areas will give information on the behaviour of the uranium silicide<br />

particles.<br />

Schedule for the availability of the loop and the details of the program can be found in 5.<br />

4. Schedule for the JHR fuel elements qualification<br />

Validation of the fuel element design<br />

Qualification of the LTA (and transport)<br />

Qualification in OC1 operating conditions<br />

EVITA loop availability<br />

Irradiation of the 1 rst EVITA element<br />

Irradiation of the 2 ndt EVITA element<br />

First results : mechanical integrity (elements 1 and 2)<br />

Results of the dimensional results (elements 1 and 2)<br />

Irradiation of the following EVITA elements (3 to 5)<br />

Demonstration for OC2 operating conditions<br />

<strong>2009</strong> 2010 2011 2012 2013<br />

5. Conclusion<br />

The CEA has launched a qualification program to demonstrate that the back-up fuel element<br />

will ensure the fundamental safety functions and the required performances for the core<br />

operation.<br />

At the time being:<br />

- theoretical studies are on going to validate the final fuel element design regarding<br />

its mechanical behaviour in the different category of operating conditions,<br />

- the manufacturing of twelve JHR prototypes must demonstrate the capability to<br />

complete the manufacturing with respect to the specifications with the final<br />

acceptance of the last elements in June <strong>2009</strong>.<br />

- the demonstration of the correct behaviour of the fuel assembly under conditions<br />

representative of the JHR nominal ones will start in July with the first irradiation in<br />

the EVITA loop.<br />

83 of 455

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!