EXPERIENCE FROM THE TORE SUPRA CRYOGENIC SYSTEM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE STATUTORY TEN YEARS TESTS OF THE PRESSURE VESSELS

摘要

After twelve years of operation of the TORE SUPRA cryogenic system, the installation was switched off for the statutory ten year tests of the pressure vessels. The vessels concerned are related to the hot circuits, compressor bank, oil removal system and buffer volume. These circuits are brought to atmospheric pressure, subjected to hydraulic tests under water or oil and then reconditioned before reuse. This paper present the main contamination problems encountered during the restart of the installation. It analyse the evolutions of the gaseous impurities and water contents of the various circuits involved in the tests, and report on the overall experience gained during this operation.