CVTR PROJECT, CAROLINAS VIRGINIA NUCLEAR POWER ASSOCIATES, INC., MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT, APRIL 1961

Technical Report · Mon Oct 30 23:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4059148

The impulsive burst testing of Zircaloy-4 specimens was started. A fully annealed specimen was tested at room temperature with a steady internal pressure of 2400 psig and a peak impulse pressure of 7200 psig. Rupture did not occur after 36 cycles of such loading. The Zircaloystainless steel joint has undergone 630 out of an ultimate total of 1200 cycles with variation of temperature, pressure and bending simulating startup and shutdown of the reactor. No leakage was detected during these tests. The changeover of one of the Phase II three-baffle assemblies to a four-baffle assembly was begun. Disassembly of the fuel assembly was completed without incident and the buildup to the four- baffle configuration is underway. The fission gas release in the hot rod over the entire core life of 31,600 hr was estimated to be 14.5%. Difficulty was experienced in the testing of the control rod drive power unit. The clutch had a tendency to slip and because of poor alignment, the servomotor shaft sheared. Adjustments were made to the clutch and a new motor ordered. Work at the critical facility continued with the 72-fuel-assembly core. Power maps, rod worths, and coolant void coefficients were measured. The CVTR Irradiation Program continued on schedule during the period. The A-2 and A-4 fuel pellet capsules and the M-1 snd M-3 materials capsules remained in the WTR. The in-pile loop continued to operate satisfactorily. Metallographic examination of the rabbit capsules was continued. Debugging of the transient portion of the ALPS code for the loss of coolant analysis was also continued. (auth)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp. Atomic Power Dept., Pittsburgh
• NSA Number: NSA-15-021846
• OSTI ID: 4059148
• Report Number(s): WCAP-4054
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCIDENTS
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
ANNEALING
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
COOLANT LOOPS
CRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
DISTRIBUTION
ERRORS
FAILURES
FINS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GASES
IN PILE LOOPS
IRRADIATION
JOINTS
LEAKS
MACHINE PARTS
MEASURED VALUES
METALLOGRAPHY
MOTION
MOTORS
NEUTRON FLUX
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PELLETS
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
PROGRAMMING
REACTIVITY
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
SHUTDOWN
STAINLESS STEELS
STARTUP
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
TITANIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZONES