PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR (PWR) PROJECT TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 24, 1961 TO DECEMBER 23, 1961

Technical Report · Wed Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4804812

PWR Core 2. AEC approval was received of a revised seed cluster design which provides increased fuel plate stability. The design of the seed poison plates is being revised to incorporate 11% clearance volume for poison wafer growth. The control rod shroud stress and deflection test was completed. A conceptual design of the omega seal welding machine for PWR-2 reactor vessel penetration ports has been completed. The XITE-1 code has been used to evaluate end-of-life thermal performance with a consequent gain in core thermal capability. The MIM-1 code is being used to predict conditions past DNB, and loss-of-flow analysis has been extended into the natural convection period. Initial results from DNB tests on a section which simulates an actual blanket plate surface, with associated ribs and depressions, indicated no adverse effects on DNB because of the surface irregularities. Approximately 50% of the core complement of blanket fuel elements have been pressure bonded; all attributes continue in control. WAFD has been qualified through all blanket element post-bonding operations. Over 100 full-length elements have been processed up to the subassembly stage. The three blanket qualification subassemblies have been welded and are being evaluated; the third unit exhibited significantly better weld penetration and channel tolerance control. The seed Vendor Qualification fuel elements are being processed at WAFD; difficulty has been experienced with the ultrasonic resonance test equipment for detecting clad thinning. A dummy full length seed development cluster is being fabricated at WAFD utilizing electron beam welding. Bettis fabrication operations on approximately six million high density wafers and 400,000 low density wafers for four special clusters have been completed. Pyrolytic carbon coating of wafers at the vendor is proceeding satisfactorily, and completion of both types of wafers is expected in early February 1962. Fabrication operations on seed fuel wafers of a new size and composition as dictated by the redesign of the fuel element have been resumed. Previous grinding problems have been overcome with the use of diamond impregnated metallic bonded grinding wheels. Some problem exists in obtaining sufficient surface removal to obtain good carbon coating adherence without sacrificing uranium-235 loading control. An autoradiographic technique has been developed for the determination of the cladding thickness of blanket fuel plates with a precision of plus or minus 0.0005 in. of the 2 sigma level. An ultrasonic resonance technique has been developed for the determination of the cladding thickness of seed fuel plates with a precision of plus or minus 0.0006 at the 2 sigma level. All Inspection Development work on cladding thickness measurement has been completed. A gamma counting technique has been developed to nondestructively determine the U-235 loading of seed fuel powders with a precision of plus or minus 0.7% at the 2 sigma level. All Inspection Development work on fuel powder loading has been completed. A sensitive magnetic test has been developed for the determination of the amount of ferro-magnetic iron contamination present in fuel powders with a precision of plus or minus 3% at the 2 sigma level. All Inspection Development work on iron particle detection has been completed. Topics also covered include: PWR Core 2 Seed 2; PWR Core 1; Metallurgy of Core Materials; Reactor Physics; and Plant Modification for PWR-2. (auth)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp. Bettis Atomic Power Lab., Pittsburgh
• DOE Contract Number: AT-11-1-GEN-14
• NSA Number: NSA-16-009673
• OSTI ID: 4804812
• Report Number(s): WAPD-MRP-95
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
ACCIDENTS
ADSORPTION
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
ANALOG SYSTEMS
BLANKETS
BONDING
BURNOUT
BURNUP
CANNING
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CIRCUITS
COATING
COBALT ALLOYS
COMPUTERS
CONFIGURATION
CONTROL
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONVECTION
COOLANT LOOPS
COOLANTS
CORROSION
CORROSION PROTECTION
CROSS SECTIONS
CRYSTALS
DECAY
DEFECTS
DEFORMATION
DIAGRAMS
DIFFRACTION
DISTRIBUTION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
EQUATIONS
ERRORS
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FILTERS
FISSION
FISSION PRODUCTS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
GAMMA DETECTION
GAMMA RADIATION