FY17 Report for Instrumentation Development for the Transient Testing Program

Abstract

This report details the technical activities and accomplishment carried out under funding from the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Technology Research and Development (NTRD) program for in-pile instrumentation supporting the transient testing program in FY19. These activities were performed in support of cross-cutting transient testing experiment objectives. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of key technical work, of particular interest to nuclear irradiation test experimenters and in-pile instrumentation engineers. During FY19, development activities are focused on deployment of devices to perform online measurement of neutron flux, temperature, and mechanical behaviors in nuclear fuels experiments. Specifically, these R&D activities include in-pile investigations at the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility throughout the year. Other in-pile instrumentation R&D activities are being carried out under other DOE programs, which may be recognized but not the focus of this document. A brief summary of activities and accomplishments is first provided for each major activity. More detailed summaries are presented in appendices.

Out-of-Pile Test of LVDT-Based Creep Test Rig at PWR Prototypical Conditions

“…The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) is one of the pioneers in LVDT development for in-pile testing. In an IFE LVDT Design [8], the primary coil is activated by a 400 Hz constant current generator, and the position of the core can be measured with an accuracy of ±1 μm. Since the IFE began making incore measurements, more than 2200 LVDTs of different types have been installed in different test rigs in their HBWR.…”

Status of Mock-up and Integration for Ultrasonic Deformation Sensor for TREAT Experiments

“…Ongoing research and development is addressing several instrumentation needs for TREAT experiments, with details of these advances documented elsewhere [1][2][3].…”

Design Requirements for Ultrasonic Deformation Sensor for TREAT Experiments

“…A host of instrumentation was used during the operation of TREAT between 1959 and 1994 [1] to generate data necessary for fuel performance quantification. Much of the instrumentation capability from the previous TREAT operations will need to be resurrected, and a significant development, qualification, and integration effort may be necessary before some of these measurement technologies can be redeployed.…”