Proposed power upgrade of the Hot Fuel Examination Facility's neutron radiography reactor. [NRAD reactor]
The Hot Fuel Examination Facility, HFEF, is one of several facilities located at the Argonne Site. HFEF comprises a large hot cell where both non-destructive and destructive examination of highly-irradiated reactor fuels are conducted in support of the LMFBR program. One of the non-destructive examination techniques utilized at HFEF is neutron radiography. Neutron radiography is provided by the NRAD reactor facility, which is located beneath the HFEF hot cell. The NRAD reactor is a TRIGA reactor and is operated at a steady state power level of 250 kW solely for neutron radiography and the development of radiography techniques. When the NRAD facility was designed and constructed, an operating power level of 250 kW was considered to be adequate for obtaining radiographs of the type of specimens envisaged at that time. A typical radiograph required approximately a twenty-minute exposure time. Specimens were typically single fuel rods placed in an aluminum tray. Since that time, however, several things have occurred that have tended to increase radiography exposure times to as much as 90 minutes each. In order to decrease exposure times, the reactor power level is to be increased from 250 kw to 1 MW. This increase in power will necessitate several engineering and design changes. These changes are described.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 5314565
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-840386-2; ON: DE84007266
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Proposed power upgrade of the hot fuel examination facility's neutron radiography reactor
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Related Subjects
220600* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS
MODIFICATIONS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SOLID HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
TEST FACILITIES
TRIGA TYPE REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS