Nondestructive examination of Oconee 1 fuel assemblies after three cycles of irradiation

Technical Report · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5605203· OSTI ID:5605203

Pyecha, T. D.; Davis, H. H.; Mayer, J. T.; Guthrie, III, B. A.; Larson, J. G.

The Babcock and Wilcox Company (B and W) in conjunction with Duke Power Company is participating in a Department of Energy sponsored research and development program to qualify current design pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies for extended burnup (>40,000 MWd/mtU). The information obtained from this program will provide a basis for future design improvements in PWR fuel assemblies culminating in an extended burnup assembly having a nominal operating limit of approximately 50,000 MWd/mtU. An extension of the current assembly design to higher burnups will result in the following benefits: (1) lower uranium ore requirements, (2) greater fuel cycle efficiency, (3) reduction in spent fuel storage requirements, and (4) increased flexibility in tailoring fuel batch sizes to better accommodate the varying energy requirements of the utilities.

• Research Organization: Babcock and Wilcox Co., Lynchburg, VA (USA). Nuclear Power Generation Div.; Duke Power Co., Charlotte, NC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: ET-78-C-02-4711
• OSTI ID: 5605203
• Report Number(s): COO-4711-20; BAW-1553
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
BURNUP
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
PERFORMANCE
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTORS
TESTING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS