FY 2016 Status Report: Documentation of All CIRFT Data including Hydride Reorientation Tests (Draft M2)

Technical Report · Sun Sep 04 00:00:00 EDT 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1324196· OSTI ID:1324196

Wang, Jy-An John ^[1]; Wang, Hong ^[1]; Jiang, Hao ^[1]; Yan, Yong ^[1]; Bevard, Bruce B. ^[1]; Scaglione, John M. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Materials Science and Technology Division

The first portion of this report provides a detailed description of fiscal year (FY) 2015 test result corrections and analysis updates based on FY 2016 updates to the Cyclic Integrated Reversible-Bending Fatigue Tester (CIRFT) program methodology, which is used to evaluate the vibration integrity of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under normal conditions of transport (NCT). The CIRFT consists of a U-frame test setup and a real-time curvature measurement method. The three-component U-frame setup of the CIRFT has two rigid arms and linkages connecting to a universal testing machine. The curvature SNF rod bending is obtained through a three-point deflection measurement method. Three linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) are clamped to the side connecting plates of the U-frame and used to capture deformation of the rod. The second portion of this report provides the latest CIRFT data, including data for the hydride reorientation test. The variations in fatigue life are provided in terms of moment, equivalent stress, curvature, and equivalent strain for the tested SNFs. The equivalent stress plot collapsed the data points from all of the SNF samples into a single zone. A detailed examination revealed that, at the same stress level, fatigue lives display a descending order as follows: H. B. Robinson Nuclear Power Station (HBR), LMK, and mixed uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX). Just looking at the strain, LMK fuel has a slightly longer fatigue life than HBR fuel, but the difference is subtle. The third portion of this report provides finite element analysis (FEA) dynamic deformation simulation of SNF assemblies . In a horizontal layout under NCT, the fuel assembly’s skeleton, which is formed by guide tubes and spacer grids, is the primary load bearing apparatus carrying and transferring vibration loads within an SNF assembly. These vibration loads include interaction forces between the SNF assembly and the canister basket walls. Therefore, the integrity of the guide tubes and spacer grids critically affects the vibration intensity of the fuel assembly during transport and must be considered when developing the multipurpose purpose canister (MPC) design for safe SNF transport.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Temperature Materials Lab. (HTML)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1324196
• Report Number(s): ORNL/SR-2016/424; AF5865010; NEAF346; ORNL/TM-2016/424; TRN: US1601915
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
42 ENGINEERING
SPENT FUELS
BENDING
FATIGUE
HYDRIDES
GUIDE TUBES
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
STRESSES
LAND TRANSPORT
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
CONTAINERS
DOCUMENTATION
FUEL RODS
SPACERS
STRAINS
DEFORMATION
PERFORMANCE
SERVICE LIFE
CORRECTIONS
DESIGN
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
DYNAMIC LOADS
SIMULATION
TESTING
VARIATIONS
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
CASKS
spent nuclear fuel
vibration integrity
CIRFT
PWR
BWR