The department has unique facilities at national level, which allow out of pile testing, nuclear fuel and equipment for CANDU 600 nuclear power plants, as follows:

• Fueling-Unfueling Machine (F/U) Testing Stand - performs working parameters similar to those in the CANDU nuclear reactor, except for radioactivity, being designed to perform acceptance tests of the (F/U) Head, the main component of the Nuclear Fuel Handling System (SMC), before its installation in the plant.

The department includes the following research facilities:

• • two thermo-mechanical installations of high pressure and temperature, which supply demineralized water with fuel channels identical to those of the nuclear power plant. Working parameters: T = 310oC, P = 120 bar, Q = 24 kg / s.
  • hydraulic water and oil supply systems for operating the F/U head during the tests.
  • equipment for lifting, transporting and positioning the F/U head on the fuel channel fitting.
  • control room with automatic test control system.
• The Mobile Telescopic Cylinder Test Stand (STCT) provides the working parameters for the functional testing of the RAM pushers in the MID head, in working conditions similar to those during operation in the CANDU reactor.
• Fuel Element Testing Stand (STEC) ensures working parameters similar to those in the CANDU nuclear reactor, being intended to perform acceptance tests outside the reactor for the nuclear fuel beam manufactured in our country for Cernavoda NPP.

Facilities: Two thermo-mechanical installations of high pressure and temperature, which supply demineralized water with two fuel channels similar to those in the nuclear power plant. Working parameters: T = 305oC, P = 115 bar, Q = 30 kg / s.

• The Channel Closure Test Stand (STIC) ensures the out of pile testing, cold and hot, of the channel closures for CANDU 600 type fuel channels, in conditions similar to those existing in the reactor. The installation allows the determination of the pressure limit in the fuel channel, at which the closing plug of the channel does not show heavy water losses.

Other installations and equipment:

• installations for testing, functional verification and calibration of mechanical components and equipment, in controlled thermohydraulic regime;
• equipment for static and dynamic load verification of mechanical components with max. 20 tf;
• Special equipment for performing adjustments, calibration and functional verification of nuclear and non-nuclear components:
  • F/U machine head electric simulator;
  • F/U machine head mechanical simulator;
  • tools and special devices for the Fuel Handling System - F/U machine.
• auxiliary installations that provide the supply of test stands with technological utilities: degassed and demineralized water, instrumental air.

New equipment, resulting from research and development and technological engineering activities:

• Set of specialized tools, designed to disassemble the channel closure plug, accidentally blocked in the terminal fitting of the fuel channel, in case of damage.
• Specialized tool set for removing the F/U machine plug, accidentally locked in the F/U machine coupling device in the event of a breakdown.
• Experimental control room simulator (MESI) model, designed to train and assess the professional knowledge of F/U machine operators, and to test / calibrate F/U machine test stand equipment.
• - Experimental technological installation for the study of the corrosion / erosion phenomenon, of structural metals intended for LFR reactors, located in molten lead environment, and in specific flow conditions for thermohydraulic closed circuits (LECOTELO).
• Experimental technological installation for the restoration of thermal insulation damaged by accelerated aging at the serpentine assemblies of the SLCD moderating tank, in conditions of planned shutdown of the plant.
• Technological facilities for the non-destructive evaluation of the aging of electrical cables.
• Experimental installation necessary for the elaboration of techniques with ice plug insulation of the horizontal pipes crossed by the working agent.
• Technological facilities necessary for the study (modeling) of the degradation mechanism of the coupling pressure tube - spacer spring - Calandria tube.
• Technological facilities necessary for the development of techniques for the profilometric control of the inner surface of the generator pipe in the mandrel area.