1,674 research outputs found
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EBR-II: search for the lost subassembly
No full textExperimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) has been operating for nearly 20 years as part of the foundation of the US Department of Energy's LMFBR development program. During that time, the EBR-II fuel-handling system has performed extremely well, especially considering the conditions under which much of the system operates and the reliability required to maintain the high plant factor routinely demonstrated by EBR-II. Since EBR-II is a pool-type reactor, much of the fuel handling is done remotely within the sodium-filled primary tank at 371/sup 0/C. Activities involved in locating a misplaced fuel subassembly in the primary tank are described
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EBR-II: summary of operating experience
No full textExperimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) is an unmoderated, sodium-cooled reactor with a design power of 62.5 MWt. The primary cooling system is a submerged-pool type. The early operation of the reactor successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor operating as an integrated reactor, power plant, and fuel-processing facility. In 1967, the role of EBR-II was reoriented from a demonstration plant to an irradiation facility. Many changes have been made and are continuing to be made to increase the usefulness of EBR-II for irradiation and safety tests. A review of EBR-II's operating history reveals a plant that has demonstrated high availability, stable and safe operating characteristics, and excellent performance of sodium components. Levels of radiation exposure to the operating and maintenance workers have been low; and fission-gas releases to the atmosphere have been minimal. Driver-fuel performance has been excellent. The repairability of radioactive sodium components has been successfully demonstrated a number of times. Recent highlights include installation and successful operation of (1) the hydrogen-meter leak detectors for the steam generators, (2) the cover-gas-cleanup system and (3) the cesium trap in the primary sodium. Irradiations now being conducted in EBR-II include the run-beyond-cladding breach fuel tests for mixed-oxide and carbide elements. Studies are in progress to determine EBR-II's capability for conducting important ''operational safety'' tests. These tests would extend the need and usefulness of EBR-II into the 1980's
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Operating and test experience of EBR-II
No full textEBR-2 has operated for 27 years, the longest for any Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) power plant. During that time, much has been learned about successful LMR operation and design. The basic lesson is that conversatism in design can pay significant dividends in operating reliability. Furthermore, such conservatism need not mean high cost. The EBR-2 system emphasizes simplicity, minimizing the number of valves in the heat transport system, for example, and simplifying the primary heat-transport-system layout. Another lesson is that emphasizing reliability of the steam generating system at the sodium-water interface (by using duplex tubes in the case of EBR-2) has been well worth the higher initial costs; no problems with leakage have been encountered in EBR-2's operating history. Locating spent fuel storage in the primary tank and providing for decay heat removal by natural connective flow have also been contributors to EBR-2's success. The ability to accommodate loss of forced cooling or loss of heat sink passively has resulted in benefits for simplification, primarily through less reliance on emergency power and in not requiring the secondary sodium or steam systems to be safety grade. Also, the piped-pool '' arrangement minimizes thermal stress to the primary tank and enhances natural convective flow. These benefits have been realized through a history of operation that has seen EBR-2 evolve through four major phases in its test programs, culminating in its present mission as the Integral Fast Rector (IFR) prototype. 20 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab
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Core-loading diagrams for EBR-II runs 51-67 (August 1971--December 1973). EBR-II Project
No full textThe core-loading diagrams for EBR-II runs 51 through 67, which were made in EBR-II between August 1971 and December 1973 are presented. During those runs, the reactor accumulated 25,679 MWd of operation. (The reactor had been operated for an additional 46,863 MWd in runs 1-50, made between August 1964 and August 1971.) The loading diagrams appear in numerical, and thus chronological, order. Locations of experiments are highlighted in each diagram through the use of a black background behind the identifying numbers of the experiments. The center of the core is identified in each diagram by a circle, and the core sectors are identified by the letters A through F around the perimeter of the core diagram. A table at the end of the report summarizes the pertinent information for every EBR-II run through run 67. (auth
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EBR-II blanket fuel leaching test using simulated J-13 well water.
No full textA pulsed-flow leaching test is being conducted using three EBR-II blanket fuel segments. These samples are immersed in simulated J-13 well water. The samples are kept at a constant temperature of 90 C. Leachate is exchanged weekly and analyzed for various nuclides which are of interest from a mobility and longevity point of view. Our primary interest is in the longer-lived species such as {sup 99}Tc, {sup 237}Np, and {sup 241}Am. In addition, the behavior of U, Pu, {sup 90}Sr, and {sup 137}Cs are being analyzed. During the course of this experiment, an interesting observation has been made involving one of the samples which could indicate the possible rapid ''anoxic'' oxidation of uranium metal to UO{sub 2}
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EBR-II high-ramp transients under computer control
No full textDuring reactor run 122, EBR-II was subjected to 13 computer-controlled overpower transients at ramps of 4 MWt/s to qualify the facility and fuel for transient testing of LMFBR oxide fuels as part of the EBR-II operational-reliability-testing (ORT) program. A computer-controlled automatic control-rod drive system (ACRDS), designed by EBR-II personnel, permitted automatic control on demand power during the transients
EBR-II 75D, high power dosimetry test
No full textPreliminary analysis has been completed for twelve midplane sets irradiated in the EBR-II Run 75D high power dosimetry test. Results indicate changes that have occurred in the EBR-II core environment since previous dosimetry test measurements made before the substitution of the stainless steel reflector for the depleted uranium blanket. Large flux variations were also noted outside the core depending on the composition (fuel vs. structural) of neighboring core subassemblies. (auth
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Applications of the EBR-II Probabilistic Risk Assessment
No full textA Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) of the Experimental Breeder Reactor 11 (EBR-11), a Department of Energy (DOE) Category A research reactor, has recently been completed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and has been performed with close collaboration between PRA analysts and engineering and operations staff. A product of this Involvement of plant personnel has been a excellent acceptance of the PRA as a tool, which has already resulted In a variety of applications of the EBR-11 PRA. The EBR-11 has been used in support of plant hardware and procedure modifications and In new system design work. A new application in support of the refueling safety analysis will be completed in the near future
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Design and operating experience of EBR-II intermediate heat exchanger
No full textExperimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) has operated for over 15 years at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory near Idaho Falls. EBR-II has served the nation in providing information on fuels, materials, and components under conditions approaching those expected for commercial power plants. In addition, EBR-II is a power plant generating electricity with an availability of about 70%. A key component, the Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX), of any Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) must perform with a high degree of reliability for successful commercialization. The design and operating experience gained from EBR-II demonstrates that the IHX can be built and operated with confidence that its performance and reliability will be satisfactory
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Operational-safety-testing experience at EBR-II
No full textOperation of EBR-II has required that issues of safety and reliability be continually addressed. This has been necessary not only to support routine operation, but also to support test programs that bear upon safety. Major issues are: (1) operability of fuel elements with breached cladding (local fault prevention); (2) assurance of adequate convective cooling upon loss of pumping power (decay heat removal); and (3) demonstration of benign response of fuel-elements and subassemblies to protected overpower transients (shutdown system margin and reliability. Test programs to address these issues at EBR-II are described. Particular emphasis is given to the potential capability at EBR-II for mild transient testing, consistent with its role in addressing LOA-1 (line of assurance one) safety issues
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