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Fusion Science and Technology
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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Robert A. Anderl, Robert J. Pawelko, Galen R. Smolik, Richard G. Castro
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 34 | Number 3 | November 1998 | Pages 738-744
Safety and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/FST98-A11963702
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper presents the results of experiments and analyses to quantify the chemical reactivity of plasma-sprayed (PS) Be specimens exposed to steam. Test specimens with densities of 94% theoretical density (TD) and 92% TD were prepared by a low-pressure-plasma-spraying (LPPS) technique. Sample density, porosity and specific surface area were measured using immersion density and gas-adsorption techniques. Microstructural characterization was done using optical and electron microscopy. Hydrogen generation rates were obtained from tests of specimens in steam at temperatures from 350 to 1000°C. Below 700°C, hydrogen generation rates for the 94% TD material were somewhat higher than rates for 100% TD Be, but they were substantially lower than rates for the 92% TD Be and for previously tested PS-Be and porous Be. Reaction rate differences correlated with specific surface area differences for the materials tested.