Qualification of the B and W Mark B Fuel Assembly for High Burnup. Ninth Semi-Annual Progress Report, July-December 1982

摘要

The objectve of this Department of Energy-sponsored program is to demonstrate the extended-burnup performance of Babcock and Wilcox-designed Mark B (15 x 15) pressurized water reactor fuel. Assembly average burnups of 40,000 MWd/mtU, about 20% greater than typical discharge burnups, have been attained in Duke Power Company's Oconee Unit 1 reactor; burnups in excess of 50,000 MWd/mtU are planned. This report, covering the period from July through December 1982, is the ninth semi-annual progress report for the program. During this period, assembly 1D45 continued its fifth cycle of irradiation in Oconee 1. It will achieve an assembly average burnup of more than 50,000 MWd/mtU by the end of the cycle in mid 1983. Efforts during this report period included fuel rod oxide thickness measurements using two nondestructive eddy current measurement systems. Also, LOCA evaluations for Mark B fuel plants were completed and show the predicted LOCA cladding temperature at extended-burnup fuel conditions to be bounded by beginning-of-life results. (ERA citation 08:046066)