Post-irradiation examination

Kleykamp, H. 1990. Post irradiation examinations and composition of the residues from nitric acid dissolution experiments of high bum-up LWR fuel. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 171, 181-188. 

F.C. Klaassen, et al., Post irradiation examination of irradiated americium oxide and uranium dioxide in magnesium aluminate spinel. J. Nucl. Mater. 319, 108-117 (2003). 

Indigenously developed Pu rich mixed carbide fuel is chosen as driver fiiel for Mark I Since the fuel is new, it is proposed to ascertain its performance through Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) and increase the reactor power in a phased manner. Detailed PIE has been carried out in inerted shielded cells on one irradiated fuel subassembly (SA) at a bumup of 25,000 MW-d/t at a peak linear heat rating (LHR) of 320 W/cm (Fig 4). PIE included visual examination, dimensional measurement, leak testing, eddy current testii, X-radiography and metallography. The observations were shining appearance of the fuel pins. 

Baldev Raj et al - Post irradiation examination of mixed (Pu, U) C fuel irradiated in the fast breeder reactor, IAEA - TEC DOC - 1039 on Influence of high dose irradiation on core structural and fuel materials in advanced reactors, 16-19 June 97, Obninsk, Russian Federation. 

The fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) is a loop type reactor located at Kalpakkam, India. The reactor has been operated for 27 600 h till now at various power levels up to 17.4 MW(t). The peak bum up of 90 000 MW d/T was achieved in the 70% PuC + 30% UC Mark-I fuel. Turbo Generator was synchronized to the grid with the nuclear steam to check its performance. Continued operation of TG is planned at high power. The post irradiation examination of the... 

A core management code system has been developed to predict the core parameters for operation and refueling plans within the design limitations. The nuclear calculation is based on diffusion theory and corrected with a bias method. Results from core physics tests and Post Irradiation Examinations (PIE) have been used to confirm the accuracy of these predictions. These verifications are also important to conduct various irradiation tests accurately. This section describes the method and verification for core and fuel management used with the JOYO MK-II core. 

Post-irradiation examination of the fuel pins from the damaged fuel stringer has not yet been completed because of potential difficulties which may be experienced in the only irradiated fuel handling cell available, which is used to handle fuel from both reactors. 

The COMEDIE BDl experiment to support the MHTGR (Modular High Temperature Gas cooled Reactor) design has been performed in the COMEDIE loop located in the SILOE reactor at CEN Grenoble during the period of Sept. 92 through Nov. 92 for the irradiation phase and December 92 - June 93 for the post irradiation examination. 

Post irradiation examination has been performed by y and p spectrometries to measure the amount and the distribution of radionuclides within the various components of the loop. 

VII.29] MITAKE, SSATO, 0 YOSHIZAWA, N., An analysis of PWR fuel post irradiation examination data for the bumup credit study . Nuclear Crihcahty Safety, ICNC 95 (Proc. 5th Int. Conf. Albuquerque, 1995), Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (1995) 5.18-25. 

The results of the post-irradiation examination of the ANTIMAG experiment irradiated in PHENIX (250 10 cjq>ture/cm ) showed the efficiency of the shroud around B4C pellets B4C fragments restrained, limitation of clad carburation and showed also saturation of dedensification at high bumup. 

The paper gives a short survey of st reactor activities in Germany. The st reactor activities of FZK are part of the Nuclear Safety Projects. The R D program include neutron physical and safety calculated, and post-irradiated examination of structui materials. The key issues and tasks of the program concerned safety and transmission of minor activities and fission products. 

Post-irradiation examinations of cladding and wrapper materials... 

Operation of FBTR at 10.5 MWt is continued The maximum fiml burnup reached is 32,000 MWd/t without any failure. Targeted bumup is 50,000 MWd/t. Post irradiation examination has been completed on one fuel subassembly taken out at 25,000 MWd/t. The performance of the fuel is very good Turbine was rolled upto synchronous speed of 3000 rpm several times during the year and operation was found to be smooth. TG synchronisation with grid will be achieved during the reactor operation at 12.5 MWt, with the addition of fuel subassemblies in the core. 

Maximum fuel bumup of 30,390 MWd/t for Mark I (70% PuC-30% UC) core without any fuel failure was achieved. The central fuel subassembly with a maximum bumup of 25,030 MWd/t was discharged for post Irradiation Examination (PIE). PIE is mostly completed (see para 4.5.3). 

Austenitic steel materials for clad (CW 15-15 Ti) and wrapper tube (EM10) were qualified respectively for 115 dpa (clad) and 100 dpa (wrapper S-A) on the basis of post-irradiation examinations. 

A great variety of fast breeder fuel pins have been tested under operational transient conditions in sodium-cooled capsules in the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten/Netherlands. The test field included power ramping, overpower, power-to-melt and temperature transient experiments and the irradiation was terminated end of 1993. In 1994 post-irradiation examinations and evaluation work were made leading to interesting results ... 

Fuel pin irradiation programme to enhance the fuel performance in terms of bumup and LEER, has been started. 3 Experimental fuel pins of Mark I (70% PuC-30% UC) and Mark II (55% PuC-45%UC) fuel compositions were irradiated and discharged from the reactor for post irradiation examination. 

It has been decided to focus efforts on the study of materials for the transmutation of Tc (metal), of (compound), and of Am (in an inert matrix) the homogeneous recycling of Am is the field of other international collaborative efforts, as illustrated for example by the irradiation experiments SUPERFACT 1 and SUPERFACT 2 (in preparation). The first phase of the EFTTRA collaboration was defined as the irradiation of Tc samples, I compounds, and "empty" (without Am, but partially using U to simulate Am) inert matrices, and the related post-irradiation examinations. 

SUPERFACT). Four types of mixed actinide oxide fuels were prepared at the Institute in accordance with the homogeneous fuel concepts (SF14,SF15). The fuels have been irradiated in the PHENIX power station and are curraitly undergoing post-irradiation examinations at the Institute. 

These meetings provide and international forum for the discussion of technical problems associated with aspects of partitioning and transmutation. Presentations included national programmes, international co-operation and conceptual studies on different transmutation schemes, partitioning studies, post-irradiation examinations of minor actinides targets and fuels and different matrices containing minor actinides. 

A report that summarizes the state-of-the-art analytical methods for assay of SNF was published by the Expert Group on Assay Data of Spent Nuclear Fuel (EGADSNF 2011). Their stated objective was to view the techniques that serve for destructive post-irradiation examination (PIE) for analysis of the isotopic composition and concentrations in spent nuclear fuel sample. First, the sampling procedures and sample dissolution methods are considered, followed by techniqnes for separating the radionuclides and the measurement procedures. However, it should be emphasized that... 

Previous work, carried out during the spent fuel repatriation campaign and post-irradiation examination of spent fuel, consisted in removing structural parts from spent fuel assemblies by cropping and disassembling (Fig. 18). This experience would be most probably applied to use separated fuel plates instead of full fuel assemblies as input for the different fuel processing options. 

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