Design of a hydraulic loop for characterization of nuclear fuels for the Rech-1

The Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN), in particular the Fuels Elements Plant (PEC), wants to increase its capacity of design of nuclear fuel elements (ECN). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stipulates that in order to develop new ECN designs must be met with neutron, structural, thermal and hydraulics. The CCHEN in the first instance, wishes to implement the hydraulic tests with a test bench which is called 'Hydraulic Loop (LH)'. The general objective of the project is to design a LH at the level of detailed engineering, with the purpose to characterize ECN hydraulically of the RECH-1 reactor. The specific objectives are: (i) Carry out the conceptual design and control philosophy applicable to the LH, ii) Develop the design LH baseline including layout, equipment, instrumentation and assembly; and iii) Carry out the detailed design for LH construction and assembly including technical specifications for the acquisition, construction and assembly of LH, and estimated investments to materialize the project. To carry out the conceptual design of the LH proceed to review piping projects provided by specialists, fluid pressure drop analysis is carried out in pipelines and papers are reviewed on existing LHs (Petten and IPEN). The basic design is developed by setting the conditions system, taking as a design criterion the operating the RECH-2 reactor. For the design of the test zone, the ASME code VIII division 1 section 13-7. The pond develops according to the capacity of fluid contained in the system. The pump is selected by system losses, overestimating the load of the pump. In addition, the characteristic curves of the pump are compared with the curve feature of the system. Detail planes are generated with Autodesk Inventor software Professional 2014-student version. The instrumentation selection is carried out with the advice of a company dedicated to the measurement and control of industrial activities (VETO). The main results of the project indicate that to submit hydraulic tests to ECN RECH-1 it is necessary to design an LH that operates in a flow range of 15 to 34 m³/h, with following components: 01 standard vertical pond of 3400 L, 01 pump centrifuge of 5.5 HP, 21 m of piping of PVC of 50 mm of diameter, and a set of connection between components, piping, measurement and control system. The work generates the necessary drawings for the manufacture and assembly of the LH according to the components already selected. Although the designed LH can subject ECN RECH-1 to flow rates that test its stability structurally, this does not faithfully represent the hydraulic conditions that ECNs experience in the reactor pool RECH-1. It is therefore advisable to take into account that the measurements registered in the test area can only be close to the real ones, however it is of greater to subject ECNs to extreme flows to ensure their structural integrity; requirement that the designed LH fully satisfies