Hot cell complex for post-irradiation examinations in Japan, (1). Oarai Engineering Center of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp

The hot cell complex for post-irradiation examinations of the fast reactor fuels and materials was constructed and has been operated at the O-arai Engineering Center of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation. The complex consists of three hot cell facilities, the Fuel Monitoring Facility (FMF), the Alpha-Gamma Facility (AGF) and the Materials Monitoring Facility (MMF). The FMF is located adjacent to the experimental fast reactor "JOYO" and started operation in November 1978. In this facility, non-destructive examinations of fuel subassemblies and other core components, in addition to some destructive examinations on fuel pins and other pins are carried out. The selected pins and materials, sectioned to the appropriate size at the FMF, are sent to the AGF and the MMF for further detailed examinations. The AGF has been operated successfully since October 1971 without experiencing major difficulties. The functions of this facility are the physical, metallurgical and chemical examinations of irradiated plutonium-bearing fuels. The extension facility is now under installation of equipments and will start hot operation in the fall of 1980. The MMF has been operated since June 1973 for the post-irradiation examinations of reactor structural materials and cladding tubes. The computer-aided facility operation systems, the Specimen Control System and the Data Banking System were developed and are surveyed in hot cell complex. The former is one for the control of nuclear materials and radioisotopes, and the latter is for acquisition and retrieval of measured data. (author)