Lifetime of PWR silver-indium-cadmium control rods. Final report

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5904587

Sipush, P J; Woodcock, J; Chickering, R W

A hot cell examination was performed on selected rodlets of a lead rod cluster control assembly (RCCA) which had experienced eleven cycles of operation in Point Beach Unit 1. The principal purpose of the program was to evaluate the performance of RCCAs. The hot cell examination of the rodlets involved detailed visual inspections, profilometry, metallography, cladding chemistry, dosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, corrosion tests, microhardness tests, absorber density measurements, and cladding tensile tests. Wear scars and a hairline crack in the cladding were evaluated. The results of the examinations and analysis of WEPCO site photographs led to an estimate of the service life for RCCAs which are used in Westinghouse 14 x 14 fuel assemblies. Also, wear scar widths were correlated with wear scar depths. The correlation may be used to estimate wear scar depths based on site photographs of wear scars for 14 x 14 RCCAs. The results of the program may be used as guidelines for RCCAs for 15 x 15 and 17 x 17 Westinghouse fuel designs. 10 refs., 89 figs., 26 tabs.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5904587
• Report Number(s): EPRI-NP-4512; ON: TI86920222
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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