DocumentCode :
1816
Title :
Full-Scale Hot Cell Test of an Acoustic Sensor Dedicated to Measurement of the Internal Gas Pressure and Composition of a LWR Nuclear Fuel Rod
Author :
Ferrandis, J.Y. ; Rosenkrantz, Etai ; Leveque, G. ; Baron, Dror ; Segura, J.C. ; Cecilia, G. ; Provitina, O.
Author_Institution :
Southern Electron. Inst., Univ. Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
Volume :
60
Issue :
4
fYear :
2013
fDate :
Aug. 2013
Firstpage :
2894
Lastpage :
2897
Abstract :
A full-scale hot cell test of the internal gas pressure and composition measurement by an acoustic sensor was carried out successfully between 2008 and 2010 on irradiated fuel rods in the LECA-STAR facility at CADARACHE Centre. The acoustic sensor has been specially designed in order to provide a non-destructive technique to easily carry out the measurement of the internal gas pressure and gas composition (mainly Helium-Xenon mixture, with a small amount of Krypton) of a LWR nuclear fuel rod. This sensor has been achieved in 2007 and is now covered by an international patent. We performed the gas characterisation contained in irradiated fuel rods. The acoustic method accuracy is now ±5 bars on the pressure measurement result and {±}0.3% on the evaluated gas composition. The results of the acoustic method were compared to puncture results (destructive sampling). Another significant conclusion is that the efficiency of the acoustic method is not altered by the irradiation time, and possible modification of the cladding properties. The sensor-operating characteristics have not been altered by a two-year exposure in the hot cell conditions. These results make it possible to demonstrate the feasibility of the technique on irradiated fuel rods. The transducer and the associated methodology are now operational.
Keywords :
acoustic transducers; fission reactor fuel claddings; fission reactor instrumentation; gas sensors; light water reactors; CADARACHE Centre; LECA-STAR facility; LWR nuclear fuel rod; acoustic method accuracy; acoustic sensor; cladding properties; composition measurement; destructive sampling; full-scale hot cell test; gas characterisation; gas composition; helium-xenon mixture; hot cell conditions; internal gas pressure; international patent; irradiated fuel rods; irradiation time; nondestructive technique; pressure measurement; sensor-operating characteristics; transducer; Acoustic measurements; Acoustic sensors; Acoustics; Electron tubes; Fuels; Nuclear measurements; Pressure measurement; Acoustic measurements; acoustic transducer; nuclear fuel rod; nuclear instrumentation;
fLanguage :
English
Journal_Title :
Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on
Publisher :
ieee
ISSN :
0018-9499
Type :
jour
DOI :
10.1109/TNS.2013.2264111
Filename :
6544310
Link To Document :
بازگشت