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The CABRI reactor and the CIP Program
GAIN Fuel Safety Workshop
1-4 May 2017Idaho Falls
Marc PETIT
IRSN/PSN-RES/SEREX
Once upon a time …
Mid 1962 1963GAIN Fuel Safety Workshop, May 2017, Idaho Falls 2
1963
1977-78
20012001-2002
2003
Sodium loop implementationNew core (UO2 rods)
Cabri first neutron early 64
SFR results still used today for the
ASTRID project
Same core reload in 2014
In parallel, tests in the sodium loop on fuel from
EDF PWRs (financial support from EDF and NRC) : first 2
CIP tests in 2001-2002
PWR test results used as reference for modifications in the regulations
International consensus on the need for tests in PWR representative conditions-> Pressurized Water Loop
CIP partners sign the umbrella agreement on 4
February
Tests dedicatedto research
reactors
Tests dedicated to sodium fast reactors
(Phénix Superphénix)
CABRI refurbishment and PWL implementation
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▌CABRI REP-Na program performed during the 1992-2002 period▌In reactor irradiation severely degrades the capacity of fuel rods to sustain ReactivityInitiated Accidents▌Beyond an external corrosion layer thickness of 80 microns, cladding integrity for Zr4(material used historically for PWRs) can’t be guaranteed
▌At the international level, results from CABRI REP-Na induced and provided inputto considerations on the necessity to revisit safety criteria established on lightly
irradiated fuels
▌In France, pending the complete deployment of cladding materials with improvedperformance, IRSN recommended to limit the operating conditions for Zr4containing cores in order to mitigate the risk
CABRI REP-Na 8
Clad
Fuel
Highly corroded cladding with spallation
Oxide thickness
80 µm 108 µm
No spalling Possible spalling Operating restrictions
Unauthorized Reactor shutdown
0 µm
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▌CABRI is owned and operated by
• A decree gives priority to IRSN in order to use the reactor for its research programs on
fuel safety
• Refurbishment and operation of the reactor are 100 % sponsored by IRSN, CEA
remaining the owner
• Experimental program is directed by IRSN that also make use of its own experimental
devices
Cabri perfectly mimics Pressurized Water Reactor conditions thanks to
its Water Loop : 155 bars and 280°C flowing water
IRSN operates its specific instrumentation (Hodoscope, IRIS, …)
installed in CABRI
The reactor design allows performing rapid power transients
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CABRI the movie
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Modification and refurbishment of the CABRI Facility
Seismic reinforcement and replacement of the core
envelop
Design, manufacturing and implementation of the new
experimental loop
Design and production of a new handling and transportation cask
Inspection and reparation of the primary circuit
Refurbishment of the ventilation system
Design and implementation of a new waste management system
Seismic reinforcement of the building
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Reactor building overview
Primary circuit
Travelling crane beam examination and reparation + seismic reinforcement
Reactor building overviewLifting trolley withdrawal
South wall reinforcement
Handling cask on its truck
Fuel rod examination
Glove box and biological shield before renovation
Glove box and biological shield after renovation
He Valves renovation
Regulatory examination glove box
GAIN Fuel Safety Workshop, May 2017, Idaho Falls 8
Test device drawing (1/2)
Lower part: PW inlet and upstream instrumentation
Core zone: fuel test rodTest rod: 560mm
Upstream instrumentation: flow rate, pressure, temperature, microphone
Pressurised water inlet
Flange for introduction of the fuel test rod
Zy4 structures: neutronic transparencySS/Zy4 junctions
• Outer diameter : Ø72 à 140mm
• Length : 5m
• Weight : 140kg
• Main materials : SS and Zircaloy
GAIN Fuel Safety Workshop, May 2017, Idaho Falls 9
Upper Part: PW outlet and downstream instrumentation
Head of the test device
Pressurised water outlet
Downstream Instrumentation : flow-rate, pressure sensor, temperature, microphone, axial expansion
Cabri WL closure and instrumentation
Test device drawing (2/2)
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Upper part
Lower part
Core part(Spacer system)
Thermocouple
Thermocouple
Pressure sensor
Microphone Flow meter
Boiling onset
Rod axial elongation sensorThermocouple
Leak detector
Test device instrumentation
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IRIS examination facility
Groundlevel
-5m
–8m
–11m
Examination bench located
inside the reactor hall
Reactor hall
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What for ? Non Destructive Examination
▌X-ray radiography(contrast image – qualitative)
S c a n n i n g C I P 0 2 a p r è s e s s a i
0 . 0 E + 0 0
5 . 0 E + 0 2
1 . 0 E + 0 3
1 . 5 E + 0 3
2 . 0 E + 0 3
2 . 5 E + 0 3
3 . 0 E + 0 3
3 . 5 E + 0 3
4 . 0 E + 0 3
4 . 5 E + 0 3
5 . 0 E + 0 3
- 7 2 0 0- 7 1 0 0- 7 0 0 0- 6 9 0 0- 6 8 0 0- 6 7 0 0- 6 6 0 0- 6 5 0 0
C S - 1 3 7E U - 1 5 4 x 1 0
▌Gamma-scanning(quantitative -spectrometry)
▌X-ray transmission tomography(density map – quantitative)
Pre- and post-test:
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Examination bench
▌Concrete shielding reinforced
▌Motorized lift (translation and rotation)reinforced, aligned
▌Airtight sheath new
▌Control & command (automaton, supervision & acquisition systems) new
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X-ray imaging
Ground level: power electronics, modulator, HF wave generator
-6 m : accelerating sectionX-ray emission point
waveguide
X-ray generator:• Linear electron
accelerator• 8MeV max energy• 11Gy/min at 1m• spot size <1mm
X-ray digital camera
New Acquisition system
Optical alignment
Refurbished & requalified
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-spectrometry
-5m level : gamma acquisition station
upgraded shielding
New detector(HP-Ge crystal) &
cryostat
acquisition system &
control/command
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X-ray radiography▌Dummy pellets
▌Calibration standards cone-shaped stairs (beam hardening correction) calibrated thin plates (resolution estimation)
9x9mm test pattern
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X-ray transmission tomography▌Calibrated dummy pellets (holes, slits)
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• On-line fuel motion detection (displacement, ejection, relocation)
• measurement of the test rod fissile length
• measurement of the driver core power profile
• measurement of the pulse width
306 counting tracks: • 51 rows x 3 columns collimator • 153 237Np Fission Chambers • 153 Proton Recoil counters • up to 1 ms acquisition rate
Collimator Detectors
Hodoscope System
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Collimator Housed in a sheath connected to the core by a bellow
Length : 3 m Weight : 5300 kg Material : Steel Motorized in rotation and
verticality 51 rows x 3 columns Distance to core axis : 1m
Channel size : Front side : 7.5 x 15 mm Back side : 10 x 20 mm Field of view at core axis: 10.2 x 20.4 mm
Collimator
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Detector Bank153 Fission Chambers (FC) (237Np coating, Argon gas, 700V) Low efficiency, low dead time, high saturation level power transient measurement
153 Proton Recoil Counters (PR) (CH4 ionization chambers, 2.6kV) Higher efficiency, higher dead time“low” power measurement (up to ~100 MW).
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Commissioning TestsAfter the refurbishing phase, a complete set of commissioning tests, from the sensors to the reactor itself
ComponentsCircuits
Facility
ActuatorsSensorsPumpsValves,Cables…
Transient rodsPressurized Water LoopPrimary Cooling CircuitVenting circuits,Waste circuitsIRIS…
Reactor functioning:Low and High power steady-stateTransient tests (start-up)
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Qualification of the Pressurized Water Loop
Operation of the Water Loop at nominal conditions validated:
Temperature (280°C)
Pressure (155 bar)
Flow Rate (1.5 m3.h-1)
Temp. gradient (3 °C.min-1)
Control and command systems operability
PWL elongation criterion met
Primary WL Pump WL internals Heat Exchanger
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Qualification of the 3He transient rod system3He transient rod system qualification
Depressurization kinetics
Time control system for valves opening
Security systems validation (core protection role)
Simple Depressurization
Double Depressurization
He-3 TankHe-3 Valves
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Steady-state power tests
100 kW 2 MW 7 MW 14 MW 23 MW
▌Low power (<100kW) neutronics core characterization
Control rod and transient rod efficiency Kinetic parameters verification Reactivity effects (experimental cell
configuration, core stacking effect, isothermal temperature coefficient…)
▌High power (<24 MW) qualification Thermal balance Power chambers calibration Gamma heating evaluation
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Start-Up transient tests▌Qualification of the whole facility (transient
rods, primary circuit, water loop, experimental measurements, data acquisition…)
▌Verification of the absence of impact on the transient of the Water Loop conditions
▌Qualification of the reactivity injection system (reproducibility, settings, 3He purity…)
▌Linearity of the power chambers demonstrated at high power
▌Hodoscope operability
Examples of double dep. pulses
Examples of single dep. pulses
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Assessment of the CABRI transient capabilities▌CABRI core safety and operational limits verification:
Max fuel temp <2810°C Max clad temp <1300°C Max clad circum. deformation <3,65% Core primary water inlet temp <45°C Experimental cell max design temp <400°C Test device pressure tube max design temp < 355°C
▌66 transients performed over a large range of the CABRI domain: Prompt and sub-prompt tests Max core energy deposit > 230MJ Pulse FWHM between 9 and 80ms Max core power reached >21GW Still some margins! Capabilities to reach the CIP objectives demonstrated:
30ms pulses, >150 cal/g deposited in the test rod (assumed coupling factor)
10ms pulses with high energy deposit
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Experimental study of RIA at IRSN
1st phase: CABRI REP-Na programSodium loop, 12 testsPCMI phase, rod failure threshold and mechanism, fuel ejection1992-2002 with EDF cooperation + US-NRC support
2nd phase: CABRI International Program (CIP)Pressurized water loop, 12 tests: 2 in sodium (CIP0) + 10 in waterUnder the auspices of OECD
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Current CIP program test matrix
N° Test Rod Objective In Na in NSRR
1 CIPQ MOX Zr4 47 GWd/t Loop qualification – Boiling crisis X
2 CIP3-1 UO2 Zirlo 75 GWd/t Post failure events X X
3 CIP1-2 UO2 M5 77 GWd/t UO2 - Boiling crisis X X
4 CIP4-1 MOX-E M5 65 GWd/t MOX - Boiling crisis X
5 CIP4-1 HP MOX-E M5 65 GWd/t Effect of filling pressure
90b vs 50b in other tests
5 CIP4-2 MOX-SBR Zr4 60 GWd/t Post failure events
7 CIP3-3 UO2 Opt. Zirlo New cladding material
8 X UO2 M-MDA SR New cladding material X
9 Y Intermediate burnup
10 Z Improved PCI performance
The CIP program test matrix takes into account the current understanding and addresses some of the gaps to be filled
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The “new” CABRI Reactor
▌Pool Type Reactor Core Size: 65x65x80cm Power Max:
Steady State: 25MW Pulse: 25GW (10-80ms)
Forced convection Water Cooled
▌ Fuel Rods 1488 UO2 (6% enriched) Stainless Steel Cladding
▌Test device conditions Pressurized water circulation P = 155 bar, T = 280°C, v = 4m/s
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CABRI Experimental key figures▌Test rods
UO2 BU up to 100GWj/t [U] up to 4,95% Max Einj (100GWj/t-4,95%)=110cal/g
▌CIP “test procedure” Remanufacturing and characterization of the rodlet then NDE at IRIS station Start up campaign (reactivity system), isothermal test and thermal balance
(coupling factor and hodoscope measurement) Hodoscope pre-test plateau, transient test then hodoscope post test plateau NDE at IRIS station, test device embedding (in case of clad failure) and transfer
to hot cells NDE (visual inspection, clad diameter, oxide thickness…) DE: puncturing, macrographies, EPMA, samples preparation…
MOX BU up to 75GWj/t [U+Pu] up to 7,5% Max Einj (75GWj/t-7,5%)=150cal/g
Pre-test
D-Day
Post test
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Thank you for your attentionMerci pour votre attention
GAIN Fuel Safety Workshop, May 2017, Idaho Falls 33