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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.
A. L. Pitner
Nuclear Technology | Volume 30 | Number 1 | July 1976 | Pages 77-85
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT76-A31626
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Eighteen boron carbide specimens were irradiated for 355 effective full-power days in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II to maximum burnups of 82 x 1020 capture /cm3. Baseline specimens were patterned after Fast Flux Test Facility reference boron carbide, and material variables of 10B enrichment, pellet density, grain size, and stoichiometry were investigated in the test. Irradiation temperatures ranged from 1175 to 1570°F (635 to 855°C). Each specimen was individually instrumented to measure temperature and helium release continuously during irradiation.Postirradiation examination provided information on pellet integrity, swelling, tritium retention, and compatibility with stainless-steel containment components.