Total evaluation of in bundle void fraction measurement test of PWR fuel assembly

Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation is performing the various proof or verification tests on safety and reliability of nuclear power plants under the sponsorship of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. As one program of these Japanese national projects, an in bundle void fraction measurement test of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel assembly was started in 1987 and finished at the end of 1994. The experiments were performed using the 5 x 5 square array rod bundle test sections. The rod bundle test section simulates the partial section and full length of a 17 x 17 type Japanese PWR fuel assembly. A distribution of subchannel averaged void fraction in a rod bundle test section was measured by the gamma-ray attenuation method using the stationary multi beam systems. The additional single channel test was performed to obtain the required information for the calibration of the rod bundle test data and the assessment of the void prediction method. Three test rod bundles were prepared to analyze an axial power distribution effect, an unheated rod effect, and a grid spacer effect. And, the obtained data were used for the assessment of the void prediction method relevant to the subchannel averaged void fractionmore » of PWR fuel assemblies. This paper describes the outline of the experiments, the evaluation of the experimental data and the assessment of void prediction method.« less