Heat Sink Considerations During SLAR Defuelling Activates of the 1995 Maintenance Outage at the Point Lepreau G.S.

Abstract

In order to conduct the Spacer Locate and Reposition (SLAR) activities, individual fuel channels were de-fuelled using the SLAR tool itself. The presence of the tool in the channel containing fuel caused concerns over channel flow interruption. A methodology was devised to assess the limiting fuel heat up during de-fuelling and during possible prolonged periods of complete flow intem1ption. Once established, the approach could be used to assess the effect of varying parameters which could effect channel heat-up. Costly delays in SLAR maintenance activities were avoided by ensuring the sequence of channel visits was such that the individual channel powers decayed sufficiently to prevent channel heat up beyond acceptable temperature limits.