Chemical decontamination of BWR fuel and core materials

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5656553

Beauregard, R J ^[1]

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1. Babcock and Wilcox Co., Lynchburg, VA (USA)

A previous EPRI project decontaminated two discharged BWR fuel assemblies using the AP-LOMI and AP-CAN-DECON processes at Commonwealth Edison's Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Site. The two decontaminated assemblies and a third control assembly were shipped to the B W Hot Cell Facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. The three assemblies were partially disassembled in the hot cells and several rods extracted for nondestructive oxide measurement and visual examination. Various components were removed from the two decontaminated fuel assemblies for destructive examination to search for possible deleterious effects of chemical cleaning. The AP-LOMI process removed essentially all of the crud which normally covers a BWR bundle and channel. The AP-CAN-DECON process removed most of the crud, but left a thin layer on the rods and components in the central region of the bundle between the top and bottom spacer grids. Neither decontamination process appeared to damage the Zircaloy-2 fuel and water rods, or the Zircaloy-4 channels and spacers. An adherent zirconium oxide layer still covered all of the Zircaloy surfaces which were examined. The increase in hydrogen content of the channels and fuel rods was low. The AP-LOMI process did not appear to damage the Inconel X-750 fuel rod expansion springs, spacer lantern springs or channel finger spring. A thin, adherent oxide layer was found on all components.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Babcock and Wilcox Co., Lynchburg, VA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI
• OSTI ID: 5656553
• Report Number(s): EPRI-NP-6515-M
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
ALLOY-NI73CR15FE7TI3
ALLOY-ZR98SN-2
ALLOY-ZR98SN-4
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ADDITIONS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHROMIUM ADDITIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CLEANING
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DAMAGE
DATA ACQUISITION
DATA ANALYSIS
DECONTAMINATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CHANNELS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
INCONEL ALLOYS
INCONEL X750
IRON ADDITIONS
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
NICKEL ADDITIONS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ADDITIONS
NIOBIUM ALLOY
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROGRESS REPORT
REACTOR CHANNELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESIDUES
TESTING
TIN ALLOYS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 2
ZIRCALOY 4
ZIRCONIUM ALLOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS