The procedure for fabrication of BREST-OD-300 fuel assemblies with mixed uranium-plutonium nitride (MUPN) fuel at Fabrication/Recycling Facility of the Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (PDEC) requires a fuel rod assembly line. Part of the equipment for the fuel rod assembly line was developed and fabricated by the Sosny R&D Company and delivered to the SCC in 2016. Preliminary tests of the fabricated equipment were performed at the Sosny R&D Company in accordance with the approved test programmes and procedures. The development was supported with radiation and nuclear safety analyses.
The equipment for MUPN fuel assembly line developed and fabricated by the Sosny R&D Company includes:
- Area for the input control of the fuel rod components;
- Area for heat treatment and leak testing of fuel rods.
The area for the input control of the fuel rod components is designed for incoming inspection, preparation and vacuum drying of small-size components and pipe assemblies used in BREST-OD-300 fuel rods fabrication. This area is located in a separate room. The area includes: vacuum dryers to dry the pipes and components; tables for visual inspection, measurement and weighing of the components; racks and containers; local control system of the equipment; operator's automated work place to create and keep the data base.
The area for heat treatment and leak testing of fuel rods is intended to perform heat treatment of weld; cold and hot leak tests by mass spectrometry in a vacuum chamber with pre-introduced test substance. This area comprises the equipment to receive and accumulate fuel rods; the equipment to transfer fuel rods for heat treatment and leak tests, vacuum ovens, the equipment to output fuel rods and transfer them to the next process operations.
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