• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.257-264
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• 2013

In Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU)-type nuclear power plants, the reactor is composed of 380 fuel channels and refueling is performed on one or two channels per day. At the time of refueling, the fluid force of the cooling water inside the channel is exploited. New fuel added upstream of the fuel channel is moved downstream by the fluid force of the cooling water, and the used fuel is pushed out. Through this process, refueling is completed. Among the 380 fuel channels, outer rows 1 and 2 (called the FARE channel) make the process of using only the internal fluid force impossible because of the low flow rate of the channel cooling water. Therefore, a Flow Assist Ram Extension (FARE) tool, a refueling aid, is used to refuel these channels in order to compensate for the insufficient fluid force. The FARE tool causes flow resistance, thus allowing the fuel to be moved down with the flow of cooling water. Although the existing FARE tool can perform refueling in Korean plants, the coolant flow rate is reduced to below 80% of the normal flow for some time during refueling. A Flow rate below 80% of the normal flow cause low flow rate alarm signal in the plant operation. A flow rate below 80% of the normal flow may cause difficulties in the plant operation because of the increase in the coolant temperature of the channel. A new and improved FARE tool is needed to address the limitations of the existing FARE tool. In this study, we identified the cause of the low flow phenomena of the existing FARE tool. A new and improved FARE tool has been designed and manufactured. The improved FARE tool has been tested many times using laboratory test apparatus and was redesigned until satisfactory results were obtained. In order to confirm the performance of the improved FARE tool in a real plant, the final design FARE tool was tested at Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2. The test was carried out successfully and the low flow rate alarm signal was eliminated during refueling. Several additional improved FARE tools have been manufactured. These improved FARE tools are currently being used for Korean CANDU plant refueling.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2005년도 창립60주년 기념 추계 학술대회
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• pp.76.2-76.2
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• 2005

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.468-481
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• 2002

There are 4 CANDU6 type reactors operating at Wolsong site. For fuelling operation of certain fuel channels (with flow less than 21.5 kg/s) a FARE flow Assist Ram Extension) device is used. During the refuelling operation, two remote controlled F/Ms (Fuelling Machines) are attached to a designated fuel channel and carry out refuelling job. The upstream F/M inserts new fuel bundles into the fuel channel while the downstream F/M discharges spent fuel bundles. In order to assist fuelling operation of channels that has lower coolant How rate, the FARE device is used instead of F/M C-ram to push the fuel bundle string. The FARE device is essentially a How restricting element that produces enough drag force to push the fuel bundle string toward downstream F/M. Channels that require the use of FARE device for refuelling are located along the outside perimeter of reactor. This paper presents the FARE device design feature, steady state hydraulic and operational characteristics and behavior of the device when coupled with fuel bundle string during fuelling operation. The study showed that the steady state performance of FARE device meets the design objective that was confirmed by downstream F/M C-ram force to be positive.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2004년도 추계학술발표회 발표논문집
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• pp.661-662
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• 2004

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.502-516
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• 2002

Wolsong NPP are CANDU6 type reactors and there are 4 CANDU6 type reactors in commercial operation. CANDU type reactors require on-power refuelling by two remote controlled F/Ms (Fuelling Machines). Most of channels, fuel bundles are float by channel coolant flow and move toward downstream, however in about 30% of channels the coolant flow are not sufficient enough to carry fuel bundles to downstream. For those channels a special device, FARE (Flow Assist Ram Extension) device, is used to create additional force to push fuel bundles. It has been showing that during fuelling operation of some channels the channel coolant flow rate is reduced below specified limit (80% of normal), and consequently trip alarm signal turns on. This phenomenon occurs on selected channels that are instrumented for the channel flow and required to use the FARE device for refuelling. Hence it is believed that the FARE device causes the problem. It is also suspected that other channels that do not use the FARE device for refuelling might also go into channel flow low state. The analysis revealed that the channel How low occurs as the FARE device is introduced into the core and disappears as the FARE device is removed from the core. This paper presented the FARE device behavior, detailed fuelling operation sequence with the FARE device and effect on channel flow low phenomena. The FARE device components design changes are also suggested, such as increasing the number or now holes in the tube and flow slots in the ring orifice.