05
Nuclear fuels (scientific, technical)
95151544 Comparbon of nolsr diagnostic systems based on pattern recognltlon and dlscrimlnant methoda Dzwine!, W. et al., Ann. NucL Energy, Aug. 1995. 22, (8). 543-551. the fe.atures of two different reactor surveillance systems-the To cl JINR =‘t Du ns system based on the cluster method, and the NRI Rez system based on Piety’s algorithm, sn evsluation of artificial noise was carried out. g~tysis of the results by both sides, the finer differences are Count-l-8 affect due to tlmo interval between 95JfM545 counting-gatrs In Feynman-alpha method T3yg, Y. and Hay&i, Y. Ann. Nucl. Energy, Aug. 1995, 22, (8), The Feynman-alpha (variance-to-mean ratio) method is a neutron noise. analysis based on the statistical characteristics of neutron counts accumulated within counting-gate time (gate width). The kinetic parameters of reactor physics are evaluated from the gate width dependence of these characteristics, so there is a need to accumulate many neutron count data for various gate widths. Hence huge measuring time IS rquired to get the kinetic parameters with good accuracy. To save measuring time, the authors made use of the bunching techni ue proposed by T. Misawa, in which they accumulated time series data o9 neutron counts within a fundamental gate width T by using a multi-channel scaler device having dwell time T, and synthesize any data for longer gate widths by bunching these data. 95lOl545 Detecting BG tube cracks In dlfflcult places Siegel, J. Nuclear Engineering ht., Jan. 1996, 41, (498), 18-19. Discusses how in recent years, the incidence of circumferential cracking in nuclear power plant steam generating tubes has been increasing. Many of the cracks were detected and repaired during routine maintenance outages, but others were discovered as a result of actual tube leaks, that needed unscheduled shutdowns to repair. Cracking created significant safety and economic concerns for industry regulators and power plant owners. New emphasis was placed on improving the mimimum levels of detection and characterisation and on providing an understanding of crack initiation, morphology and growth behaviour. 95lOl547 The dlstrlbutlon of “‘Cs In sedlmrnte of the littoral zone of a former reactor cooling pond Pinder, J. E. et af., J. Environ. Radioactivity, 1995, 28, (I), 57-71. Previous studies in Pond B, a 12-m deep, 82-ha reservoir that once served ss a reactor cooling pond, had (i) suggested the preferential accumulation of “‘Cs in sediments at a water depth of 3 m wtthin the littoral zone and (ii) attributed this accumulation to the effects of either macrophyte vegetation or sediment slope. To test for the preferential accumulation of 13’Csat intermediate de ths within the littoral zone, sediment cores were taken at water depths oP 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 m along 6 transects in Pond B. The sediment structure was similar at all water depths in the littoral zone with a surface layer of 0.02-0.04 m of plant debris and fine sediments over a base of sandy sediments. Effect of fleldbus technology on dlgltal Instrumen95lo1545 tatlon and control for oower olants Hofmann, H. and Sauer, H. J. K&nrechni&, Nov. 199560, (5) 245-247. The introduction of the fieldbus will lead to a fundamental change in the structure of instrumentation and control systems. Automation functions will be moved out into the field, cabling expenses will be considerably reduced. The introduction of fieldbus technology is largely determined by the availability of a stable set of standards. Now, after the creation of the Fieldbus Foundation, standardization efforts have been unified worldwide. In the meantime, ‘regional’ standards such as PROFJBUS are gaining ground. 95lO1549 Energy from Inertial fuslon Hogan, W. J. (ed), International Atomic Energy Agency,
Vienna, Austria,
95/01552
Fsot actlon on retroflte H. Nuclear Engineering ht., Feb. 1996. 41, (499). p. 24. Reports that the Barseback incident brought demands for clsrificstin from rcguIators. BWR owners had to carry out investigation and aarilysis and find solutions as quickly as possible. Ammann.
95lo1553 :[4yddin,
Good vlbratlons S. K. et al., Nuclear
at PARR-1 Engineering
ht.,
JM. 1996.41, (498).
When Piistech had to upgrade the reactor coolant system at PARR-l in Pakistan. the mimarv DUIIIDS were checked bv vibrational analvsis. How did the ~echni&e pea&m &td how were the pumps adjusted to-run satisfactorily after initial results showed that their vibration levels were too high? The authors discuss the results. se/o1554 Kashlwazakl-Karlwa Nedderman, J. Nuclear Engineering ht., JM. 1996.41, (498). 13-16. A report on Tokyo Electric Power’s (Tepco’s) Kashiwszaki-Ksriwe station about 220 km north west of Tokyo on the coast. Fuel will be loaded into the first advanced BWR in February 1996. 95lOi 555
Key stage for Wlndecale AGR Dec. 1995, (234), p. 17. A short report on the decommissioning of Winds&e’s cooled reactor (AGR). Energy
Wor4
advanced gss-
95lOl555 Mlleetonea In screen-based prooese control Guesnier, G. and Hessler, C. Kerntechnik, Nov. 1995, 60. (S), 225-231. The paper outlines the German and the French approach to screen-based process control in nuclear power plants, both based on stepwise collection of experience. The German approach is based on the utilisation of the conceptual elements of the PRISCA information system developed by Siemens and on operational experience with screen-based process control in a conventional power plant. In the French approach, the screen-based control room for the N4 plants, designed from scratch, has undergone extensive simulator tests for validation before noinn into realisation. It is now used in the commissioning phase of the firs; N4~&1ts. The desi of the control room for the European Pressurized Water Reactor will ti based on the common experience of Siemens and Electricite de France. 95101557
Monju shut down by sodlum leak (Japan) Ink, Feb. 1996, 41, (499), p, 8. Reports that on the 8th December 1995 the Monju FBR was operating at 40% electricat output in readiness for a plant trip test pbumed for 9 tkcember. At 7.47 p.m. a high sodium temperature alarm was initiated by a thermocouple m the C secondary coolant loop piping, on the outlet side of the intermediate heat exchanger and the first fire alrum was received. At 8.00 o.m. the ooerators began a manual shutdown and the olsnt was shut down‘by 9.20 p:m. At 10.4 p.m. the operators began to &a&t sodium from the secondary piping of C loop and this was completed by 00.15 the following moming.~ Nuclear
Engineering
New crisis over Kozloduy restart (Bulgaria) News. Nov. 1995. 38. (14). D. 36. Reports that Bulgaria’s Nationi Electricity Company (NIX) started to heat UD the Kozloduv-1 reactor in the last week of Seotember 1995 and was cdmoletinn final-tests orior to restart of the 01~t. which has been off line sin& the end of Februb for a further set of; g&es. The restart had been authorized by the Bulgarian regulators, the If ulgarian nuclear safety authority, but is strongly opposed by a consortium of French, German, Belgian, and British nuclear safety organizations that have been advising the Bulgarians under one of the many-collaboration programmes. 95101555 Nuclear
1995, 450 pp.
96101550 European come together on quallflcatlon Whittle, J. Nuclear Engineering ht., Jan. 1996, 41, (498), 20-21. Discusses the encouraging signs that European utilities, regulators and inspection companies are moving towards consensus on how inspection qualification should be done. An experlmentel lnvestlgatlon of the elr entraln95/Ol551 ment In the shutdown cooling system durlng mld-loop operation Chang, K. S. and Lee, D. J. Ann Nucl. Energy, Sep. 1995, 22, (9), 611.619. An experimental study on the air entrainment phenomena during mid-loop operation has been performed for Ulchin 3&4 nuclear power plant (UCN 3&r. The UCN 3&4 is the standard Combustion Engmeerutg (CE) System 80 , two-loop 2825 MWt pressurized water reactor which IS currently under construction in Korea. This study was undertaken by Korea Atomic Enw Research Institute to provide a basis for modificat,ion of CE system 80 design which hss relauvely small uud-loop operatmg range, and to investigate the impact of the air entrainment on the shutdown cooling pump.
154
Fuel and Energy Abstracts
March 1995
95lOl559 New design stacks up good results Hart, G. Nuclear Engineering Int, Feb. 1996, 41, (499). p. 17. Describes a new strainer design for US BWRs which has successfully undergone testing. 95/01555 New era of outage management brings rewards Capp, T. Nuclear Engineering ht., JM. 1996, 41, (498), 28, 30. Reports that modification to its approach to outage management is paying off for Nuclear Electric, Britain’s largest nuclear generating company. Outages of between 70 and 150 days are a thing of the past as the company’s stations begin to settle into a new era of joint working with contractors and investing heavily in dedicated outage facilities. 95lO1S51 New stralners build on Swedish experience Hem&son, M. and Schon, S. Nuclear Engineering Int., Feb. 1996, 41, (499), 23-U. Vattenfall, in co-operation with ABB Combustion Engineering and ABB Atom, is working on improvements to both BWR condensation pool strainers and PWR sump strainers.