Present status and future plans of post irradiation examination for PWR NPP fuel assembly and materials in China

This paper describes the irradiation tests of the fuel assembly and the reactor materials and their post irradiation examination for Qinshan Pressurized Water Reactor Nuclear Power Plant, the first one in China. The irradiation tests were performed in the Heavy Water Research Reactor and the High Flux Engineering Test Reactor respectively. And the PIE were performed in two corresponding Hot Laboratories attached to both Reactors. The purpose and equipment of various hot cells are illustrated in detail to clearly display their capability to carry out PIE. The PIE results of a mock test fuel assembly showed that the structure of the test assembly was integrated and all its performances were well below the limits specified by design criteria of fuel assembly after irradiation. The involved irradiation reactor materials were low alloy steel S-271 for the reactor pressure vessel and borosilicate glass tube for the burnable poison, etc.. Finally the future plans of PIE work for PWR NPP in China are briefly described. (author)