Experimental qualification of rotatable plug seals for Sodium Fast Reactor on a large scale test stand

K. Vulliez (1) , L. Mirabel (1) , F. Rouillard (2) , M. Berger (2) , A. Beziat (1) , F. Dechelette (2) , M. Lefrancois (2) , O. Gastaldi (1) , J. F. Juliaa (2) , H. Lorcet (1) , B. Rouchouze (2) , S. Santoro (1) , M. Tessier (2)

1 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)
2 LE - Laboratoire d'Etanchéité

In the framework of the ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration) project, the CEA Sealing Laboratory with its partner TECHNETICS (TGF) was involved to propose a new concept of rotating plug seals to replace the commonly used liquid-metal seals. An innovative combination of static, dynamic and inflatable seals in silicone rubber ensuring double tightness-barriers for the cover gas was developed. Following the design phase and materials studies, a dedicated test stand was built to qualify the technical performances of these seals. The large size of the test stand composed of a 2.5m diameter rotating plates was chosen to provide a small profile height on seal diameter ratio, and a volume of enclosed gas large enough to allow representative qualification of leak-test methods. After a description of the test stand, the paper presents the mains outcomes of the technical qualifications (mechanical behavior, sealing performance, endurance test) led on several seals design.

Keywords: Rotatable plug seals; FBR sealing technologies; Large scale test stand; ASTRID

Domains: Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]; Nuclear Theory [nucl-th]

K. Vulliez, L. Mirabel, F. Rouillard, M. Berger, A. Beziat, et al.. Experimental qualification of rotatable plug seals for Sodium Fast Reactor on a large scale test stand. International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable Development (FR17), Jun 2017, Yekaterinbourg, Russia. ⟨cea-02435109⟩