Examination of the Ruptured Zircaloy-2 Pressure Tube from Pickering NGS Unit 2. Transcript of Video Presentation

摘要

On 1983 August 01 a Zircaloy-2 pressure tube in Pickering NGS Unit 2 ruptured. All the fuel channel components, the fuel bundles, pressure tube, end fittings, garter springs and calandria tubes were shipped to Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories for examination to determine the cause of the rupture. The examination showed that the rupture initiated at a series of hydride blisters on the outside surface of the pressure tube. The blisters formed because of the garter spring spacers between the pressure tube and calandria tube was about one metre out of position. This allowed the horizontal pressure tube to sag by creep and touch the cool calandria tube. The resulting thermal gradients in the pressure tube concentrated the hydrogen and deuterium at the cool zones and blisters of solid hydride formed. Cracks initiated at several of the blisters and linked together to form a partial through wall critical crack which initiated the final rupture. The video presentation shows how the examination of the fuel channel components was conducted in underwater bays and shielded cells and explains the sequence of events that caused the rupture. (Atomindex citation 17:083326)