Twin Astir: An irradiation experiment in liquid Pb–Bi eutectic environment

Joris Van den Bosch, Abderrahim Al Mazouzi, Philippe Benoit, Rik-Wouter Bosch, Willy Claes, Bart Smolders, Paul Schuurmans, Hamid Aït Abderrahim

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The Twin Astir irradiation program, currently under irradiation in the BR2 reactor at SCK.CEN is aimed at determining the separate and possibly synergetic effects of a liquid lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) environment and neutron irradiation. It will lead to a parameterisation of the key influencing factors on the mechanical properties of the candidate materials for the future experimental accelerator driven system (ADS). The experiment consists of six capsules containing mainly mini tensile samples and one capsule containing mini DCT’s (disc shaped compact tension specimens). Three of the tensile containing capsules and half of the DCT containing capsule are filled each with approximately 20 ml of low oxygen LBE. . The other three tensile containing capsules are subjected to PWR water conditions, in order to discriminate the effect of PbBi under irradiation from the effect of the irradiation itself. To extract the effect of the PbBi corrosion itself on the material properties, one of the capsules is undergoing the thermal cycles of the BR2 reactor without being subjected to irradiation. Here we will present the detailed concept and the status of the Twin Astir project, describe the materials under irradiation and report on our experience with the licensing of the experiment.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)206-212
    JournalJournal of Nuclear Materials
    Volume377
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jun 2008
    Event2006 - IWSMT: 8th International Workshop on Spallation Materials Technology - Los Alamos, National Laboratory, Taos, New Mexico
    Duration: 16 Oct 200620 Oct 2006
    Conference number: IWSMT8

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