Materials and mechanical design analysis of boron carbide reactor safety rods. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10170371· OSTI ID:10170371

Marra, J C

The purpose of this task was to analyze the materials and mechanical design bases for the new boron carbide safety rod. These analyses included examination of the irradiation response of the materials, chemical compatibility of component materials, moisture considerations for the boron carbide pellets and susceptibility of the rod to corrosion under reactor environmental conditions. A number of issues concerning the mechanical behavior were also addressed. These included: safety rod dynamic response in scram scenarios, flexibility and mishandling behavior, and response to thermal excursions associated with gamma heating. A surveillance program aimed at evaluating the integrity of the safety rods following actual operating conditions and justifying life extension for the rods was also proposed. Based on the experimental testing and analyses associated with this task, it is concluded that the boron carbide safety rod design meets the materials and mechanical criteria for successful operational performance.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10170371
• Report Number(s): WSRC-TR-92-173; ON: DE93016271; TRN: AHC29304%%17
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Apr 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
SCRAM RODS
DESIGN
PERFORMANCE
K REACTOR
MATERIALS
BORON CARBIDES
IRRADIATION
COMPATIBILITY
CORROSION
SCRAM
EVALUATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIATION HEATING
LOSS OF COOLANT
FUEL CANS
STAINLESS STEEL-304L
220900
220400
220600
REACTOR SAFETY
CONTROL SYSTEMS
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS