VICNIS, a new radiation monitoring channel for checking vessel head cover penetration integrity

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6844864

Champion, G ^[1]; Chauvel, L ^[2]; Leon, J ^[3]

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1. Electricite de France, Paris (France)
2. Electricite de France, Marseille (France)
3. Merlin Gerin Provence, Smyrna, CA (United States)

BUGEY-3 feedback and mechanical analyses have both shown the possibility of leaks through alloy 600 penetration cracks. At the beginning of 1993, at least 4% of the 1000 inspected penetrations on French pressurized water reactors (PWRs) demonstrated evidence of purely longitudinal cracks at various stages of evolution. This relatively new problem is a major problem for Electricite de France (EdF) because approximately four points of PWR availability were lost in 1992. Although cracking is not considered by EdF as presenting near-term risks for safety, EdF's strategy heavily relies on efficient leak-detection devices. A couple of days after the BUGEY-3 leak discovery, in October 1991, EdF started testing or at least carrying out investigations on a number of various devices to set up an industrial device for reliable and efficient leak-detection systems.

• OSTI ID: 6844864
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 69
• 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
BUGEY-3 REACTOR
CONTAINERS
CRACKS
ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FRENCH ORGANIZATIONS
LEAK DETECTORS
LEAKS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER REACTORS
PRESSURE VESSELS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION MONITORING
REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS