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    Technology Base For The ACR Fuel Channels

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    Mahmood Khan
    This document summarizes the technology base for the fuel channels in the ACR reactor design. It describes the evolution of CANDU pressure tube designs from Zircaloy-2 to Zr-2.5Nb alloys and the excellent performance and safety record of CANDU fuel channels. It also outlines the anticipatory research and development work being done to confirm that aging mechanisms like corrosion, hydrogen ingress, and delayed hydride cracking will remain acceptable for the slightly higher operating conditions of the ACR. This research involves gathering additional data on material properties and extending existing databases to validate fuel channel performance for 30 years of ACR operation.

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    Technology Base For The ACR Fuel Channels

    Uploaded by

    Mahmood Khan
    31 views52 pages
    This document summarizes the technology base for the fuel channels in the ACR reactor design. It describes the evolution of CANDU pressure tube designs from Zircaloy-2 to Zr-2.5Nb alloys and the excellent performance and safety record of CANDU fuel channels. It also outlines the anticipatory research and development work being done to confirm that aging mechanisms like corrosion, hydrogen ingress, and delayed hydride cracking will remain acceptable for the slightly higher operating conditions of the ACR. This research involves gathering additional data on material properties and extending existing databases to validate fuel channel performance for 30 years of ACR operation.

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    Advanced Candu Reactor

    Original Title

    Technology Base for the ACR Fuel Channels

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    This document summarizes the technology base for the fuel channels in the ACR reactor design. It describes the evolution of CANDU pressure tube designs from Zircaloy-2 to Zr-2.5Nb alloys and the excellent performance and safety record of CANDU fuel channels. It also outlines the anticipatory research and development work being done to confirm that aging mechanisms like corrosion, hydrogen ingress, and delayed hydride cracking will remain acceptable for the slightly higher operating conditions of the ACR. This research involves gathering additional data on material properties and extending existing databases to validate fuel channel performance for 30 years of ACR operation.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    31 views52 pages

    Technology Base For The ACR Fuel Channels

    Uploaded by

    Mahmood Khan
    This document summarizes the technology base for the fuel channels in the ACR reactor design. It describes the evolution of CANDU pressure tube designs from Zircaloy-2 to Zr-2.5Nb alloys and the excellent performance and safety record of CANDU fuel channels. It also outlines the anticipatory research and development work being done to confirm that aging mechanisms like corrosion, hydrogen ingress, and delayed hydride cracking will remain acceptable for the slightly higher operating conditions of the ACR. This research involves gathering additional data on material properties and extending existing databases to validate fuel channel performance for 30 years of ACR operation.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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    of 52

    Technology Base for the ACR: FUEL CHANNELS

    By Doug Rodgers, Director, Fuel Channels Presented to US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation September 26, 2002

    Pg 2

    ACR FUEL CHANNEL DESIGN

    Pg 3

    FUEL CHANNEL COMPONENTS

    Pg 4

    PRESSURE TUBE EVOLUTION


    Pickering 1 & 2 cold-worked Zircaloy-2 Pickering, Bruce, Darlington, and early CANDU 6 cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb

    KANUPP heat treated Zr-2.5Nb

    Current CANDU 6 cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb with low H & Cl

    NPD cold-worked Zircaloy-2

    ACR cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb with low H & Cl PLUS

    Pg 5

    FUEL CHANNEL PERFORMANCE


    31 CANDU reactors in 6 countries 208 to 480 pressure tubes per reactor More than 150,000 pressure tube years of equivalent full-power operation Only 2 pressure tube ruptures Less than 1 rupture per 75 thousand tube years of operation

    Pg 6

    PERFORMANCE STATISTICS
    60 Cracked Pressure Tubes 50 40 30 20 10 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

    Pg 7

    FUEL CHANNEL TECHNOLOGY


    - Aging Mechanisms - Reactor Experience - R&D and Engineering

    Pg 8

    AGING MECHANISMS
    Delayed Hydride Cracking Corrosion and Hydrogen Ingress Dimensional Changes Mechanical Properties

    Pg 9

    DELAYED HYDRIDE CRACKING


    Zirconium alloys can be susceptible Sufficient hydrogen in the metal must be available Need a driving force for diffusion, e.g. a stress gradient Anisotropic behavior When conditions are met, there is the potential for Delayed Hydride Cracking (DHC)

    Pg 10

    Pg 11

    IN-REACTOR EXPERIENCE

    1974 & 1982

    Pg 12

    FABRICATION STRESSES

    Pg 13

    LEAK-BEFORE-BREAK DEMONSTRATED
    High residual stresses from over-rolling Delayed Hydride Cracking during reactor shutdowns only Leakage and detection Safe shutdown Replacement of pressure tubes

    Pg 14

    SOLUTIONS
    Replace cracked pressure tubes Stress relieve other reactors with over-rolled pressure tube joints Development of zero-clearance rolled joint with lower residual stresses Implemented in subsequent reactor constructions, e.g. all CANDU 6 reactors

    Pg 15

    LEAK-BEFORE-BREAK
    t = (CCL - Leak L)/(2xVaxial)

    Leak L CCL
    Pg 16

    LEAKAGE EXPERIMENTS

    Pg 17

    CORROSION & HYDROGEN INGRESS


    Interaction of hot coolant with zirconium Limited corrosion and hydrogen ingress Solubility limit for hydrogen in zirconium When the solubility limited is exceeded, there is the possibility of Delayed Hydride Cracking and changes in material properties

    Pg 18

    CORROSION & HYDROGEN INGRESS


    300

    Deuterium Concentration (ppm)

    250

    Zircaloy-2
    200

    150

    100

    Zr-2.5Nb [CANDU 6]
    50 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
    Pg 19

    Time (hot years)

    BLISTERS
    1983

    Pg 20

    BLISTER FRACTURE

    Pg 21

    BLISTERS

    Pg 22

    CONTACT

    Without support from spacers, the pressure tube can sag into contact with the calandria tube
    Pg 23

    PRESSURE TUBE CONTACT


    Spacer movement (2 spacers) High deuterium pick-up in Zircaloy-2 Pressure tube sagged into contact with the calandria tube creating local cold spots Hydrogen diffusion and hydride blister formation Cracking of several brittle blisters Rupture of the pressure tube Shutdown and replacement of the pressure tube
    Pg 24

    SOLUTIONS
    High Hydrogen: Re-tube Zircaloy-2 reactors with Zr-2.5Nb In-reactor inspections for spacer locations and hydride blisters Reposition spacers in operating reactors Assessment methodologies Install 4 tight-fitting spacers in new reactors
    Pg 25

    Spacer Movement:

    DIMENSIONAL CHANGES
    Response of fuel channel to: Temperature Stress Neutron Flux/fluence Length Diameter Sag
    Pg 26

    Change in shape:

    ELONGATION
    100

    80

    60

    mm
    40 20 0 0 2 4
    2

    6
    25

    10

    Fluence, n/m x10

    Pg 27

    FUEL CHANNEL REPLACEMENTS


    Long history for Single Fuel Channel Replacements (SFCR): Early 1960s at Douglas Point 1967 at NPD

    Motivations Single fuel channel issue Material Surveillance PLIM / PLEX


    Pg 28

    LARGE-SCALE FUEL CHANNEL REPLACEMENTS


    Pickering Units 1 and 2 Replace Zircaloy-2 with Zr-2.5Nb Install 4 spacers Avoid high hydrogen pickup, pressure tube contact with calandria tube, and possibility of blisters Pickering Units 3 and 4 Replace Zr-2.5Nb with Zr-2.5Nb Install 4 spacers Avoid pressure tube contact with calandria tube and possibility of blisters Allow for greater pressure tube elongation

    Pg 29

    MANUFACTURING FLAW
    1985

    Pg 30

    DELAYED HYDRIDE CRACKING

    Pg 31

    LEAK-BEFORE-BREAK DEMONSTRATED
    Residual stresses from over-rolling Manufacturing Flaw Delayed Hydride Cracking with multiple initiation sites Leakage and detection Safe shutdown

    Pg 32

    SOLUTIONS
    Replace cracked pressure tube and ruptured calandria tube Inspect archive material for similar manufacturing flaws Inspect selected tubes in operating reactors Adjusted manufacturing process for all subsequent reactor constructions

    Pg 33

    IN-REACTOR INSPECTION
    Non-destructive Volumetric inspections required by CSA Standard Flaw detection Spacer locations Dimensional inspection diameter and sag

    Pg 34

    INSPECTION TOOLING

    Pg 35

    MOCK-UP TESTING

    Pg 36

    MATERIAL PROPERTIES
    Changes in response to: Operating temperature Flux/Fluence Hydrogen Ingress Time

    Pg 37

    MATERIAL PROPERTIES

    Pg 38

    KEYS TO HIGH PEFORMANCE


    High-Quality Manufacturing Material Surveillance In-Depth Knowledge and Understanding In-Reactor Inspections Assessment Methodologies

    Pg 39

    PERFORMANCE STATISTICS
    60 Cracked Pressure Tubes 50 40 30 20 10 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

    NO FAILURES SINCE 1986 NO FAILURES IN ANY CANDU 6

    Pg 40

    ACR-Specific R&D
    - Anticipatory R&D

    Pg 41

    ACR Design
    OPERATING CONDITIONS Slightly higher temperature Slightly higher internal pressure Slightly higher neutron flux than CANDU 6 reactors FUEL CHANNEL DESIGN Thicker pressure tube and Thicker calandria tube

    Pg 42

    ACR-SPECIFIC ANTICIPATORY R&D


    Fracture and Leak-Before-Break Deformation Corrosion and Hydrogen Ingress Calandria Tubes Core Integrity

    Confirmation of expected behavior


    Pg 43

    ACR R&D FRACTURE & LBB


    Material Property data:
    KIH Crack velocity Penetration length Leak rates Critical crack length Strength

    Extension of Databases:
    - Temperature - Irradiation - ACR specification
    Pg 44

    TYPICAL LBB ASSESSMENT


    200 Crack Length (mm) 150 100 50 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 Time from Start of Leakage (hr)
    Pg 45

    CCL CRACK

    ACR R&D - DEFORMATION


    Material Property data:
    - Creep and growth - Microstructure

    Extension of databases:
    - Temperature - Irradiation - ACR specification

    Clearance
    0 0 1

    SPACER LOCATIONS
    2 3 4 5 6

    Axial Distance (m)

    Pg 46

    ACR R&D - CORROSION


    Deuterium Pickup (mg/dm2)

    Material Property data:


    - Oxidation - Hydrogen pick-up - Hydrogen vs. Deuterium

    0.6

    decreasing [C]

    0.5

    0.4

    Extension of Databases:
    Temperature Irradiation Microstructure ACR specification
    0.3

    0.2 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

    Fe concentration (ppm (wt))


    Pg 47

    CTL-1 ROLLED JOINT TESTING

    Pg 48

    ACR R&D CALANDRIA TUBES


    Confirmation for: Manufacturing of thicker calandria tubes Mechanical properties of ACR calandria tubes Postulated accident performance properties

    Pg 49

    ACR FUEL CHANNEL


    Assessments for 30 years: Based on:
    - Extrapolations of current knowledge - Conservative estimates of improvement benefits

    All behaviors will be acceptable:


    - DHC & Leak-Before-Break - Deformation, and - Corrosion and Hydrogen Ingress.

    ANTICIPATORY R&D TO CONFIRM EXPECTATIONS


    Pg 50

    FUEL CHANNEL SUMMARY


    Well-Established R&D Program
    - Established for over 40 years more than 2000 person-years - Cooperation between AECL, CANDU utilities, and others - 2 ruptures in >150,000 pressure tube years - No fractures since 1986 - Temperature and pressure - ACR specification

    Proven Excellent Fuel Channel Performance

    Extension of Existing R&D Programs for ACR

    Pg 51

    Pg 52

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