Development of Post-Irradiation Test Techniques for the Components of a Nuclear Fuel Assembly in a Hot Cell

The mechanical properties of the components of a nuclear fuel assembly are degraded during the operation of the reactor, through the mechanism of radiation damage. The properties changes of the components supporting the fuel rod in the fuel assembly should be quantitatively estimated to ensure the safety of the fuel rod during the operation. As a part of the procedures to establish a basic test database for the development of a domestic nuclear fuel assembly and the application to the nuclear power reactors, the post-irradiation test techniques for the several components of the fuel assembly were developed. The ability of handling the fixtures and the specimens by a manipulator and the reliability of test results in a hot cell were considered for the design of test fixtures and apparatus