SCW Facilities Installed in JRC Petten - Past, Present and Future

Abstract

Currently there are three SCW loops installed and operated in JRC IE Petten for different kind of tests such as SSRT (Slow Strain Rate Tests), Crack Growth Rate and CER (Contact Electric Resistance). In summer 2010, a new SCW loop built by Cormet was installed in JRC IE Petten. The main difference to first generation of SCW loops manufactured by Cormet consists in new two phase het exchanger and pre-heater system which allows reaching up to 20 l/h water flow even at the maximum parameters. First tests were focused on evaluation of the chemistry control at the maximum reachable parameters loop can achieve especially how effectively the oxygen dosed into the system can be controlled. Conclusions comparing the same conditions of the tests by using first generation of SCW loops and the new one are presented. By-pass system installed in high pressure part of the loop allows attachment of different loading devices based on pneumatic bellows technology. The first built prototype, which was developed during common JRC&VTT exploratory research project ¿Miniature Size Autoclave Bellows', is described in this paper.