Trial Application of the Draft Structural Design Criteria for Breeder Reactor Core Components to a Typical Blanket Assembly Duct

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive trial application of the draft structural design criteria for highly irradiated core components to a typical blanket assembly duct. The development of the criteria (proposed RDT F 9-7) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The activity focuses on the evaluation of the criteria using a typical breeder reactor blanket assembly as a test case and is not intended for judging the adequacy of the component design. Pertinent design rules from the draft criteria are applied to the component to determine: (a) difficulties, if any, that may arise in interpretation and application of the criteria, and (b) adequacy of the criteria rules and analysis methods to address various potential failure mechanisms expected in the reactor core during service. Based on the trial application, various recommendations are made to promote further development of the criteria.