PLUTONIUM RECYCLE TEST REACTOR FINAL SAFEGUARDS ANALYSIS. SUPPLEMENT 5. FUEL ELEMENT RUPTURE TESTING FACILITY ANALYSIS
A fuel element rupture testing facility is being installed in the PRTR, with a test section in process channel 1946. The loop will be used to study the effect of jacket ruptures in a variety of fuel elements, including metallic uranium, ceramic, and plutonium-enriched fuels in light water at 600 deg F and 2100 psig maximum conditions, while the elements are generating at rates up to their full design power. The high coolant temperature is to be achieved by regenerative heat exchange, supplemental electric heat, and heater fuel eleraents if required. The coolant is circulated by positive displacement pumps. The effluent passes through an ion exchange system to remove particulate and dissolved radioactive materials. Equipment is provided for circulation of decontaminating solutions through the loop. The loop is provided with a safety circuit to protect both the loop and the reactor from off-standard conditions in the loop. The safety circuit is tripped by coolant storage low level, coolant low flow rate in the test section, high or low coolant pressure at the test section inlet, high differential pressure between test section inlet and outlet, or high coolant temperature at the test section outlet. Each function is signaled by three independent sensors, and coincident signals from two are required to trip the safety circuit which scrams the reactor. Other design safety features are provision of a basket tube to contain the intentionally ruptured fuel element and prevent it from damaging the pressure tube, and multiple electrical power and coolant supply backups to ensure an adequate coolant supply to the test section under all emergency conditions. Installation of the rupture test loop in the reactor in place of a PRTR pressure tube and fuel element has a small positive reactivity effect with fuel in place, and a small negative reactivity effect with no fuel. Loss of light water coolant gives a small, readily controllable, positive reactivity increment of about 0.5 milli-k. The loop can not cause a reactor excursion, and a reactor excursion would not cause an accident in the loop. The loop would have a negligible effect on a reactor maximum credible accident. Rupture of the test section pressure tube is the maximum credible accident to the rupture test loop. This accident does not affect the nuclear safety of the reactor, nor change the radiological consequences of a reactor accident. It could, however, result in some damage to the calandria, and could release contaminants through the calandria vents into the containment vessel. The rupture testing facility was designed to avoid such an accident, and several unusual circumstances must occur sequentially or simultaneously to cause one to occur. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(45-1)-1350
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-031751
- OSTI ID:
- 4695795
- Report Number(s):
- HW-61236(Suppl.5 Rev.)
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
PRTR GAS-COOLED LOOP, HAZARDS SURVEY OF PRELIMINARY SCOPE DESIGN
PRTR HIGH PRESSURE LOOP HAZARDS SURVEY OF PRELIMINARY SCOPE DESIGN
Related Subjects
ACCIDENTS
CERAMICS
CLEANING
COINCIDENCE METHODS
CONTAMINATION
COOLANT LOOPS
COOLANTS
DECONTAMINATION
ELECTRICITY
ENRICHMENT
EXCURSIONS
FAILURES
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IN PILE LOOPS
ION EXCHANGE
JACKETS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
PLANNING
PLUTONIUM
POWER
PRESSURE
PRESSURE VESSELS
PRTR
PUMPS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTIVITY
SAFETY
SHUTDOWN
SIGNALS
SOLUTIONS
TESTING
TUBES
URANIUM
WATER MODERATOR