Award Data

PERIODIC RESPONSE TIME TESTING HAS BEEN PERFORMED FOR THE PAST TWELVE YEARS ON THE SAFETY SYSTEM PRESSURE SENSORS IN MANY NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. HOWEVER, THE RESULTS OF THESE TESTS ARE NOT RELIABLE FOR ASSESSMENT OF AGING EFFECTS. THEIS BECAUSE INADEQUATE METHODS AND PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN USED IN PERFORMING THE MAJORITY OF THE TESTS. THIS PROPOSAL OFFFERS AN EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECT TO PROVIDE ...

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THE FRANTIC COMPUTER CODE IS THE MOST ADVANCED MODEL FOR ADDRESSING TIME-DEPENDENT RISK EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS. IT IS USED BY THE INDUSTRY FOR THE EVALUATION OF UPGRADES AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS IN EXISTING TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND BY THE NRC STAFF IN RESPONDING TO THE LICENSEE SUBMITTALS. THE EXISTING METHODOLOGY HAS TWO MAJOR DEFICIENCIES: IT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE BOUNDIN ...

AN ON-GOING THREAT TO THE RESIDUAL LIFETIME AND SAFETY OF BOILING WATER REACTORS (BWRS) IS INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION CRACKING (IGSCC). A COMPONENT OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN THE RECIRCULATION INLET NOZZLE SAFE END (RINSE). FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS 30 OUT OF 30 RINSES ARE KNOWN TO BE CRACKED AT A 3-UNIT BWR SITE AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT 20 OUT OF 20 RINSES ARE CRACKED AT A 2-UNIT BWR SIT ...

THE DISCIPLINE OF EXTERNAL-INITIATOR PRA ANALYSIS IS RELA- TIVELY LESS MATURE AND LESS RELIABLE THAN THE CORRESPONDING INTERNAL-INITIATORS PRA ANALYSIS. THESE RELATIVE WEAKNESSESHAVE MADE MANY DECISION-MAKERS, IN BOTH INDUSTRY AND THE NRCRELUCTANT TO USE EXTERNAL-INITIATOR PRA RESULTS. THE EXTER-NAL-INITIATOR ANALYSES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED TOO UNCERTAIN, OR TOO CONSERVATIVE, OR SUPPORTED BY TOO LIT ...

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THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE FEASIBILITY OF USING CERAMIC CLADDING MATERIALS TO REPLACE THE METALLIC CLADDING MATERIALS NOW USED WITH WATER REACTOR FUEL. SHOULD FEASIBILITY BE DETERMINED, AND EVENTUALLY COMMERCIALIZED, THE ABILITY OF WATER REACTORS TO WITHSTAND SEVERE ACCIDENTS WOULD BE ENHANCED. WITH TODAYS METAL CLAD FUEL, A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME PERIOD IS AVAILABLE AFTER A LOSS OF COOLANT ACCI ...

SEVERAL STATES ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING MUCH-NEEDED NEW LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE DISPOSAL SITES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE POLICY ACT OF 1980. ANY NEW COMMERCIALREQUIREMENT THAT A SITE BE CAPABLE OF BEING MODELED AND THATITS PERFORMANCE BE ASSURED FOR 500 YEARS. FOR MOST SITES, THE HYDROGEOLOGICAL AND RADIONUCLIDE TRANSPORT CHARACTERIS- TICS OF THE UNSATURATED ZONE ARE MAJOR FACT ...

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OF REACTOR THERMAL-HYDRAULICS CODES. THESE CODES HAVE INTERNATIONAL APPLICABILITY. TRADING THESE CODES, WITH APPROPRIATE SUPPORT, TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN EXCHANGE FOR USEFUL DATA OR OTHER RESOURCES WOULD ENHANCE THEIR UTILITY AND REDUCE THE COST TO THE U.S. OF GENERATING EQUIVALENT DATA. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED EFFORT IS TO PROVIDE A SOUND TECHNICAL BASIS FOR SUCH AN EXCHANGE BY: IDENTIFYING C ...