JOSE ANTONIO BATISTA DE SOUZA

JOSE ANTONIO BATISTA DE SOUZA

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Coatings for safe long term wet storage of spent Al-clad research reactor fuels
2015 - RAMANATHAN, L.V.; FERNANDES, S.M.C.; CORREA, O.V.; SOUZA, J.A. de; ANTUNES, R.A.; OLIVEIRA, M.C.L. de
Pitting corrosion of the aluminium cladding of spent research reactor (RR) fuels in wet storage has been observed and the use of conversion coatings to protect the cladding was proposed. A coating prepared by conventional chemical processing as opposed to electrochemical processing is the only option due to constraints related to the shape of the fuel and its high radioactivity. Hence, hydrotalcite (HTC) and boehmite were considered. This paper presents: (a) preparation of hydrotalcite (HTC) coatings from different baths followed by post-coating treatments; (b) corrosion behavior of HTC coated AA 6061 alloy; (c) results of field studies in which uncoated and HTC coated AA 6061 alloy coupons and plates, the latter assembled as a dummy fuel element, were exposed to the IEA-R1 reactor spent fuel basin for extended periods. The laboratory and field tests revealed marked improvements in the corrosion resistance of HTC coated specimens, coupons and plates. The mechanism of corrosion protection is presented.
Procedures for manufacturing an instrumented nuclear fuel element
2019 - DURAZZO, M.; UMBEHAUN, P.E.; TORRES, W.M.; SOUZA, J.A.B.; SILVA, D.G.; ANDRADE, D.A.
The IEA-R1 is an open pool research reactor that operated for many years at 2 MW. The reactor uses plate type fuel elements which are formed by assembling eighteen parallel fuel plates. During the years of reactor operation at 2 MW, thermohydraulic safety margins with respect to design limits were always very high. However, more intense oxidation on some external fuel plates was observed when the reactor power was increased to 5 MW. At this new power level, the safety margins are significantly reduced due to the increase of the heat flux on the plates. In order to measure, experimentally, the fuel plate temperature under operation, an instrumented fuel element was constructed to obtain temperature experimental data at various positions of one or more fuel plates in the fuel element. The manufacturing method is characterized by keeping the original fuel element design specifications. Type K stainless sheathed thermocouples are mounted into supports pads in unrestricted positions. During the fuel element assembling, the supports pads with the thermocouples are mechanically fixed by interference between two adjacent fuel plates. The thermocouple wires are directed through the space existing at the bottom of the mounting slot where the fuel plate is fixed to the side plates. The number of thermocouples installed is not restricted and depends only on adaptations that can be made on the mounting slots of the standard fuel element side plates. This work describes the manufacturing procedures for assembling such an instrumented fuel element.
Thermal hydraulic analysis improvement for the IEA-R1 research reactor and fuel assembly design modification
2018 - UMBEHAUN, PEDRO E.; TORRES, WALMIR M.; SOUZA, JOSE A.B.; YAMAGUCHI, MITSUO; SILVA, ANTONIO T. e; MESQUITA, ROBERTO N. de; SCURO, NIKOLAS L.; ANDRADE, DELVONEI A. de
This paper presents the sequence of activities to improve the thermal hydraulic analysis of the IEA-R1 research reactor to operate in safe conditions after power upgrade from 2 to 5 MW and core size reduction from 30 to 24 fuel assemblies. A realistic analysis needs the knowledge of the actual operation conditions (heat flow, flow rates) beyond the geometric data and the uncertainties associated with manufacturing and measures. A dummy fuel assembly was designed and constructed to measure the actual flow rate through the core fuel assemblies and its pressure drop. First results showed that the flow distribution over the core is nearly uniform. Nevertheless, the values are below than the calculated ones and the core bypass flow rate is greater than those estimated previously. Based on this, several activities were performed to identify and reduce the bypass flow, such as reduction of the flow rate through the sample irradiators, closing some unnecessary secondary holes on the matrix plate, improvement in the primary flow rate system and better fit of the core components on the matrix plate. A sub-aquatic visual system was used as an important tool to detect some bypass flow path. After these modifications, the fuel assemblies flow rate increased about 13%. Additional tests using the dummy fuel assembly were carried out to measure the internal flow distribution among the rectangular channels. The results showed that the flow rate through the outer channels is 10% - 15% lower than the internal ones. The flow rate in the channel formed between two adjacent fuel assemblies is an estimated parameter and it is difficult to measure because this is an open channel. A new thermal hydraulic analysis of the outermost plates of the fuel assemblies takes into account all this information. Then, a fuel design modification was proposed with the reduction of 50% in the uranium quantity in the outermost fuel plates. In order to avoid the oxidation of the outermost plates by high temperature, low flow rate, a reduction of 50% in the uranium density in the same ones was shown to be adequate to solve the problem.
A CFD numerical model for the flow distribution in a MTR fuel element
2017 - ANDRADE, D.A.; ANGELOA, G.; ANGELO, E.; SANTOS, P.H.G.; OLIVEIRA, F.B.V.; TORRES, W.M.; UMBEHAUN, P.E.; SOUZA, J.A.B.; BELCHIOR JUNIOR, A.; SABUNDJIAN, G.; PRADO, A.C.
Previously, an instrumented dummy fuel element (DMPV-01), with the same geometric characteristics of a MTR fuel element, was designed and constructed for pressure drop and flow distribution measurement experiments at the IEA-R1 reactor core. This dummy element was also used to measure the flow distribution among the rectangular flow channels formed by element fuel plates. A CFD numerical model was developed to complement the studies. This work presents the proposed CFD model as well as a comparison between numerical and experimental results of flow rate distribution among the internal flow channels. Numerical results show that the model reproduces the experiments very well and can be used for the studies as a more convenient and complementary tool.
Effect of porosity on the manufacturing of U3O8-Al dispersion fuel plates
2017 - DURAZZO, M.; SOUZA, J.A.B.; CARVALHO, E.F.U. de; RIELLA, H.G.
The pore volume present in the starting fuel meat of dispersion fuel plates influences the behavior of its deformation during the fuel plate fabrication by rolling to a great extent. This study was carried out to investigate the influence of pore content in the starting fuel meat on the manufacturing of aluminum-base dispersion fuel plates. Factors that affect the residual porosity present in the meat of the fuel plate were investigated. Results showed that the residual pore volume of aluminum-base dispersion-type U3O8-Al fuel plates depends on the characteristics of the starting fuel meat, which is fabricated by pressing. The residual pore volume depends on the U3O8 concentration. For a particular U3O8 concentration, the rolling process establishes a constant pore volume, which is called equilibrium porosity. The equilibrium porosity is insensitive to the initial pore volume present in the starting fuel meat. The research showed that fuel meat integrity was greatly influenced by the initial porosity of the fuel meat. U3O8-Al dispersion fuel plates were successfully fabricated with uranium loading above 3.0 gU/cm(3). This uranium loading is equivalent to the one used in the U3Si2-Al dispersion fuel, currently operating at the lEA-R1 research reactor of the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPEN/CNEN-SP. The U3O8-Al dispersion fuel can substitute the silicide fuel with advantages such as lower price and simpler manufacturing process.
Corrosion behavior of hydrotalcite coated AA 6061 alloy
2014 - FERNANDES, STELA M.; CORREA, OLANDIR V.; SOUZA, JOSE A.; RAMANATHAN, LALGUDI V.; ANTUNES, RENATO A.; OLIVEIRA, MARA C. de
Pitting corrosion of the aluminium cladding of spent research reactor (RR) fuel during wet storage is the main form of degradation and this could eventually lead to release of fissile material and contamination of storage facilities. Hence, the use of conversion coatings to protect spent Al-clad RR fuel during long term storage was proposed. Preliminary laboratory and field investigations carried out at IPEN in São Paulo, Brazil, revealed that cerium hydroxide coatings increased the corrosion resistance of Al alloys. These investigations were extended to include boehmite, hydrotalcite (HTC), cerium modified boehmite and cerium modified HTC coatings on Al alloy surfaces. This paper presents: (a) the preparation of hydrotalcite coatings from different baths followed by post-coating treatments; (b) the results of x-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopic studies of the HTC coatings; (c) the effect of HTC coating process variables such as temperature, duration of treatment and the duration of cerium modification on HTC morphology and electrochemical polarization behavior of HTC coated AA 6061 alloy in NaCl; (d) results of field tests in which uncoated and HTC coated AA 6061 coupons were exposed to the IEA-R1 reactor spent fuel basin for up to 5 months. The laboratory test specimens as well as the field test coupons coated with HTC from a high temperature bath followed by cerium modification were the most resistant to pitting.
Effect of processing on microstructure and corrosion mitigating properties of hydrotalcite coatings on AA 6061 alloy
2015 - FERNANDES, STELA M. de C.; CORREA, OLANDIR V.; SOUZA, JOSE A.B. de; ANTUNES, RENATO A.; LIMA, NELSON B. de; RAMANATHAN, LALGUDI V.
A CFD numerical model for the flow distribution in a MTR fuel element
2015 - ANDRADE, DELVONEI A. de; ANGELO, GABRIEL; ANGELO, EDVALDO; SANTOS, PEDRO H. di G.; OLIVEIRA, FABIO B.V. de; TORRES, WALMIR M.; EMBEHAUN, PEDRO E.; SOUZA, JOSE A.B. de; BELCHIOR JUNIOR, ANTONIO; SABUNDJIAN, GAIANE; PRADO, ADELK de C.
Current status of Usub(3)Sisub(2) fuel elment fabrication in Brazil
2007 - DURAZZO, M.; CARVALHO, E.F.U. de; SALIBA SILVA, A.M.; SOUZA, J.A.B.; RIELLA, H.G.
Distribuicao de vazao no nucleo do reator de pesquisas IEA-R1
2001 - TORRES, W.M.; UMBEHAUN, P.E.; BAPTISTA FILHO, B.D.; ALMEIDA, J.C.; SOUZA, J.A.B.; SILVA, D.G.