Bending test device for mechanical integrity studies of spent nuclear fuel rods

This paper presents data obtained from experiments performed using a bending test set-up developed at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) – Karlsruhe, for spent fuel segment testing. Adjustable sample holders, loading modes and other experimental conditions can be im-plemented in the experiments to study the effects of different deformation ranges up to cladding failure. The experimental set-up has been adapted to hot cell remote controlling and has a modular configuration, which allows manual and motor-driven loading option. The device has been calibrated on hydrogenated, unirradiated cladding tube segments filled with alumina pellets. The final application of present set-up is to test non-defueled spent fuel rod segments, pressurized to the original spent fuel rod pressure level. The range of applicability of this device, the scope of the experimental program and the first results from actual bending tests will be discussed.

NASYROW Ramil;  PAPAIOANNOU Dimitrios;  RONDINELLA Vincenzo;  VLASSOPOULOS Efstathios;  LINNEMANN Konrad;  BALLHEIMER Viktor;  STERTHAUS Jurgen;  ROLLE Annete;  WILLE Frank;  CARUSO Stefano; 

2017-12-20

IAEA

JRC105537

www.patram2016.org,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC105537,