Module D : Specific problems for Reactors Components

Informations générales

Responsable(s)

Jean-Paul Massoud, EDF R&D, Chef du groupe métallurgie

Contenu(s)

D1. Fuel, Cladding and rod cluster control assembly( 10h)  :

  • Fuel and cladding: 
    • Fuel :
      • Function, fabrication, choice
      • MOX
      • temperature and irradiation effects
    • Cladding
      • Elaboration, fabrication
      • Cladding under irradiation : phase stability, growth, resistance, irradiation creep
      • hydridation
    • Pallet Cladding interaction
      • Iodine stress corrosion craking (I-SCC)
      • possible solutions
    • Safety aspects in fuel issues : Storage, transportation, feedback from plants, cracks...
  • Control rod  Assembly
    • Description and operation
      • Control rod Drive Mechanism
      • Neutrons absorbers
        • Silver Indium Cadnium
        • Boron Carbides
        • Massive stainless steels
      • Desing and production, feedback from plants, wear, cracks
D2. Pressure Vessels and Internals
  • Vessel, Vessel head and pressuriser
    • Comparision with international practice, construction rules in France and abroad
    • Fabrication of the vessel :casting, forging, welding, defects and control
    • Dimensioning, structural integrity, risks of fast fracture, safety margins for various situations, regulations and international practice
    • Operating conditions : calculation of temperature neutron flux
    • Ageing of materials for vessel and pressuriser (General mechanism of thermal ageing will be introduced in module P and irradiation hardening and embrittlement in C1 and C2)
      • thermal ageing : segregation, intergrenular damage
      • ageing under irradiation : surveillance program, prediction of microstructural evolution
        • Formulae for hardening and Brittle-Ductile Transition Temperature : empirical, semi-empirical and multi-scle modelling : RPV2 module
        • Formulae for toughness prediction : RCCM, master curves, local approach, advanced methods
    • Feedback from plants : surveillance program, decennal hydrostatic tests, on site non destructive tests : will be treated in detail in NDT module
    • Specific issues for vessel heads penetrators : stress corrosion cracking (fundamentals of SCC will be introduced in P1)
    • Demonstration of RPV2 and Thoughness modules (in module C2)
  • Internals
    •  Feedback from plants : bolts cracking
    • Irradiation effects : Dimensional stability, creep irradiation and possible swelling, materials hardening, microstructural evolution
    • Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking -> mechanisms of IASCC will be introduced in C2
    •   R &D program for predicting internals degradation, comparison with the strategy for vessels.
    • International Practice for maintenance, repair and replacement.
D3. Circuit and exchangers
  • Function, Design requirements, operating conditions for circuits and exchangers, primary , auxiliary and secondary circuits environment in PWR . Comparison with BWR and VVER. Materials under use.
  • Steam Generator :
    • Feed back from plants, cracking of tubes, expertises
    • Stress Corrosion Cracking (primary environnement)
      • mechanisms introduced in P1
      • Operating conditions effects
      • mitigations evolutions
      • replacement
  • Secondary cooloanf circuits
    • Description and operatinf conditions
    • feed back from plants
    • corrosion errosion of low alloyed steels
    • steam generators : fouling and  clugging
    • condensers
D4. Water  Chemistry and Polymers
  • Fundamentals of Water chemistry
    • Dissolution of gases in water
    • Dissolution and precipitation of solid phases. Solubility limits.
    • Water dissociation, pH
    • Aqueous speciation, complexation
    • Oxidation/Reduction
    • Reaction kinetics
    • Non ideal behaviour - boiling/bubble point elevation=
      Water/oxide interface - surface charge, sorption
  • Water chemistry at high temperature
    • Density
    • Dielectric constant
    • Solvation proprieties
    • chemistry of the primary circuit
    • polymers under  irradiation
    • water radiolysis and polymers ageing
    • electrical cables
    • coating and paints
    • ion exchange resin 
    • miscellaneous : other cases of studyDissolution of gases in water
  • Polymers under  irradiation
    • water radiolysis and polymers ageing
    • electrical cables
    • coating and paints
    • ion exchange resin
    • miscellaneous : other cases of study

Bibliographie

The specific bibliography  will be given at the beginning of each course