In-situ high-resolution measurement of RHF nuclear fuel plates' spacing

International audienceMost of the High Performance Research Reactors (HPRR) are made of plates undergoing a limited swelling during irradiation. Measuring the fuel thickness or the inter-plate distance is then a promissing way to obtain information on the fuel element irradiation history. The experimental constraints are however quite heavy due to the aimed resolution and the element geometry. In order to perform such measurements, a high resolution ultrasonic device was designed. It was thinned down to 1 mm in order to be inserted into the reactor water-channel. The system is then excited with a 120 MHz central frequency burst and the distance measurement is carried out through the ultrasonic waves' time of flight estimation. A series of experiments was performed on a full size irradiated fuel element of the "Institut Laue-Langevin" reactor proving the feasibility of real-time in-situ measurements

LIENS ENTRE EVOLUTION STRUCTURALE ET PROPRIETES PHYSIQUES DES FLUIDES AUTOUR DE LEUR POINT CRITIQUE PAR ABSORPTION X ET DIFFUSION X AUX PETITS ANGLES

GRENOBLE1-BU Sciences (384212103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Mesure haute résolution in situ de la distance entre deux plaques combustibles nucléaires

International audienc

Tenue aux radiations de capteurs ultrasonores haute fréquence dédiés à la mesure de distance au sein de réacteurs à haut flux

International audienc

Radiation resistance of high frequency ultrasonic devices for distance measurement in the RHF

The fuel element plates of research reactors are subjected to swelling phenomena. These structure modifications impact an initial inter-plate distance of 1.8 mm. An ultrasonic device has been developed to investigate this parameter. With a 1 mm thickness, it relies on two transducers linked to an electronic system. The feasibility of the distance measurement has been proved in a previous study and the irradiation impact on the transducer components is here studied. To do so, a radiation resistance experiment was realized in the Arc-Nucleart Institute of Grenoble. It allowed the study of the influence of radiations on the device active and passive components’ characteristics

Tenue aux radiations de capteurs ultrasonores haute fréquence dédiés à la mesure de distance au sein de réacteurs à haut flux

International audienc

Radiation resistance of high frequency ultrasonic devices for distance measurement in the RHF

The fuel element plates of research reactors are subjected to swelling phenomena. These structure modifications impact an initial inter-plate distance of 1.8 mm. An ultrasonic device has been developed to investigate this parameter. With a 1 mm thickness, it relies on two transducers linked to an electronic system. The feasibility of the distance measurement has been proved in a previous study and the irradiation impact on the transducer components is here studied. To do so, a radiation resistance experiment was realized in the Arc-Nucleart Institute of Grenoble. It allowed the study of the influence of radiations on the device active and passive components’ characteristics

Caractérisation ultrasonore hautes fréquences de la distance inter-plaques au sein de réacteurs RHF

International audienceA high frequency ultrasonic sensor is designed to measure the distance between two plates in an irradiated element with access constraints. The measurement system consists in a double ultrasonic transmitter/receiver mounted on a blade in order to be inserted and manipulated into the interstice between two plates separated by about 2 mm. It operates at frequencies up to 120MHz and allows the measurement of the inter-plate distance by evaluating the time of flight of the ultrasonic waves

Caractérisation ultrasonore de distances inter-plaques au sein d’un réacteur RHF

International audienc

High-resolution ultrasonic sensor dedicated to in situ nuclear fuel swelling measurements

International audienc