Radiation Resistant Electrical Insulation Materials for Nuclear Reactors: Final Report
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
The instrument and control cables in future nuclear reactors will be exposed to temperatures, dose rates, and accumulated doses exceeding those originally anticipated for the 40-year operational life of the nuclear power plant fleet. The use of nanocomposite dielectrics as insulating material for such cables has been considered a route to performance improvement. In this project, nanoparticles were developed and successfully included in three separate material systems [cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/XLPVA), cross-linked polyethylene (PE/XLPE), and polyimide (PI)], and the chemical, electrical, and mechanical performance of each was analyzed as a function of environmental exposure and composition. Improvements were found in each material system; however, refinement of each processing pathway is needed, and the consequences of these refinements in the context of thermal, radiation, and moisture exposures should be evaluated before transferring knowledge to industry.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1426574
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/SPR-2017/580
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Evaluation of Oxygen Consumption as a Sensitive Measure of Electrical Cable Polymer Insulation Degradation
Cable aging and condition monitoring of radiation resistant nano-dielectrics in advanced reactor applications