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TRIGA Reactor and Post Irradiation Examination Laboratory (PIEL)

TRIGA SSR and ACPR Reactor

Activities

  • Operation of TRIGA nuclear facility (two reactors: TRIGA SSR 14MW and TRIGA ACPR). Core management; SSC-s ageing management; Safety analysis for own nuclear facility
  • Irradiation testing of nuclear fuel and structural materials
  • Maintain the operational status of the existing nuclear fuel irradiation rigs
  • Development of the new irradiation rigs and associated instrumentation
  • Radioisotope production for industry, medical and research applications
  • Assembly of experimental nuclear fuel rods
  • Develop of investigation methods and techniques using reactor produced radiations

Main achievements

  • Eight irradiation campaigns with TRIGA SSR 14MW, summing over 400 days and almost 5,000 MWd
  • Use of ACPR in more than 50 pulses in 5 years
  • Extended irradiation in Capsule C5 - Zr-2,5%Nb samples of CANDU pressure tube
  • Transient mode tests to support Gen IV fuels qualification
  • Pulse irradiation testing of fuel pins in LBE Capsule, within the EU Project MAXSIMA, including instrumentation and assembling of eight capsules for ten pulses
  • Assembling of 30 experimental LEU fuel pins with UZrH rodlets produced in ICN through powder metallurgy technique.
  • Manufacture of two instrumented LEU fuel pins for fuel temperature measurement in TRIGA SSR core, through a complex chain of specialty welding and brazing operations.
  • Continuation of experimental CANDU fuel pins assembly through computer- controlled TIG welding in chamber – summing 22 elements, 10 pins produced in 2015 – 2016, 10% U-235 enrichment for RIA tests and SEU for power ramp tests
  • Extensive radiography assessment of the volume homogeneity of LEU UZrH sintered rodlets produced in ICN
  • Specialized services for Cernavoda NPP :
    • Gamma-ray NDT for extraction flasks for filtering cartridges in radioactive circuits
    • Participation at repairs at Failed Fuel Detection System
    • Regular participation at outage inspections (with Leak Test team and equipment)
    • Analize prin activare realizate prin contracte economice și de cercetare
  • Special techniques and technologies for own R&D works :
    • Dissimilar Zircaloy – stainless steel joints, main instrumentation part at experimental zircaloy-cladded fuel rods
    • Genuine thermocouple instrumentation techniques for pulsed irradiations in LBE capsules
  • Underwater inspection techniques (high resolution remote photography, deep underwater ultrasound measurements, remote visual inspection inside the primary cooling piping system)
  • Prompt gamma spectrometry; Development of NAA – k0 method
  • Neutron dosimetry
  • Fuel burnup determination
  • Neutron radiography of fresh and irradiated objects
  • Structural analysis through neutron diffraction

Ongoing : Long–term Irradiation testing of experimental LEU fuel elements manufactured in ICN (30 standard pins and one instrumented pin)

Post Irradiation Examination Laboratory (PIEL))

Activities

  • Post-irradiation examination of structure materials and of nuclear fuel unloaded from the nuclear power reactors from Cernavoda NPP in order to monitor its performance and to find the causes of faults, if applicable;
  • Post-irradiation examination for the behaviour characterization of nuclear fuel which was irradiated in the TRIGA reactors (steady state reactor (SSR) and annular core pulsed reactor (ACPR)) from RATEN ICN Pitesti;
  • Manufacturing and sale of sealed nuclear radiation sources and radioisotopes used in industry, agriculture and medicine;
  • Monitoring and maintenance of SENTINEL industrial radiography devices used for Se-75, Ir-192, Co-60, and Yb-169 sealed nuclear radiation sources;
  • Telecobalt therapy equipment decommissioning and 60Co sources recovery;
  • Determination of the isotopic composition of uranium, the activity of gamma emitting radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel, of the isotopic composition of gadolinium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, of the lanthanide inventory using high performance liquid chromatography of gamma emitters, as well as of radionuclide activity radioactive waste containers;

Main achievements

  • Post-irradiation examination services for spent nuclear fuel, discharged from the reactors of Cernavoda NPP (1 fuel bundle / year, from 2020 to 2024, contract no. 4214/2019 between ICN Pitesti/PIEL and Cernavoda NPP).
  • "Development within INR Pitesti of methods used to test irradiated materials", including the assesment of PIEL capability to examine pressure tube samples (DHC (Delayed Hydride Crack) test and the measurement of hydrogen content using Differential Scanning Calorimetry) (contract no. 3317/2008 between INR Pitesti and COG (Candu Owners Group)).
  • Manufacturing and sale of sealed nuclear radiation sources (Ir-192) for industrial radiography.
  • Decomissioning the telecobalt therapy installations belonging to the Ministry of Health and 60Co sources recovery. 60Co recuperate;
  • Services contracts for the verification, maintenance and service for SENTINEL type industrial gammagraphy installations.

Contact person

IDT Silviu Dan Stanciu, e-mail: silviu.stanciu@nuclear.ro

IDT III Ovidiu Ichim, e-mail: ovidiu.ichim@nuclear.ro