Contract for the Supply and Installation of an Aqueous Mechanical and Corrosion Testing Loop with in-situ Irradiation Capability to the University of Birmingham

Specification:

8(A) specifications of the aqueous system:

1. A hydrogen (& its isotopes) injecting, monitoring and control system that enables the control of dissolved hydrogen in aqueous-based coolant (up to a minimum of 2000 cc/kg) and monitoring in the coolant up to maximum pressure, temperature, and flow rate is requested.

The hydrogen injection rate should be able to control and increase up to 5 bar equivalent of injection rate. The control should be as precise as possible. Please provide the information of the achievable injection precision.

Please provide, as options, the cost for the monitoring systems that based on DH sensor and conductivity. The monitoring system should be able to monitor the DH continuously.

2. Confirm that the pressure range of the feed tank provided, which should enable the system to operate at both PWR and SCW conditions.
3. An oxygen injection, monitoring and control system is requested that enables the control of dissolved oxygen in aqueous-based coolant and monitoring in the coolant up to maximum pressure, temperature, and flow rate.

The oxygen injection rate should be able to control and increase up to 5 bar equivalent of injection rate and the control should be as precise as possible. Please provide the achievable injection precision.

Please provide, as options, the cost for the monitoring systems that based on DO sensor and electrochemical based. The monitoring system should be able to monitor the DO continuously.

4. Aqueous coolant chemistry measuring, and monitoring system should be suitable for continuous tests.

The system should take advantage of the chemical addition to the pump operation using at least the conductivity, pH and other measurements.

5. pH monitoring system should be included in the test loop. It is preferred to be able to measure the pH values before and after the autoclave.
6. A conductivity monitoring system is essential.

It is preferred to have the sensor located opposite the proton beam tube and adjustable. The sensor insert-able depth should be adjustable. The maximum insert depth should be 10 μm from the centre axis of the load cell.

7. A DPCD crack growth monitoring system is essential. This system should be able to communicate with the loading system. The loading device software should be able to continuously read the DCPD data. The crack growth monitoring system should be able to measure continuously until a limit is reach.
8. The system should be able to operate in the temperature range of 250°C~ 650°C, and the pressure up to 30 MPa.
9. The mass flow rate in the system should allow testing up to 15 kg/hr.
10. Two load cell designs should be provided that optimise for testing different sample dimensions for up to (1) a maximum 5kN load and (2) a maximum of 25kN load testing.

It is desirable that the load cell could enable ASTM A370 test types and strain rate to ISO 6892-1 and ASTM E8.

The design of the sample mounting system between load cell and samples should be common mounting design as per ASTM A370; Including the tread-based design is preferred.

11. It is highly desirable that the sample mounting system should allow different sample geometries, with one typical geometry being thin flat sample of no more than 2mm thick, less than 10mm wide, less than 20mm gauge length.

It is desirable that the system can test SSJ type tensile sample, tube based.

12. The proton beam tube insert-able depth should be adjustable. The proton tube (and ideally its window) should be able to reach 10 μm from the centre axis of the load frame.

The tube window should be as thin as possible but able to sustain the maximum pressure, temperature and mass flow rate of the autoclave that listed above. It is preferred to the window made from light materials, e.g. with atomic number < 29.

It is highly desirable that the distance of the proton beam tube window and the test sample can be measured.

Dimensions of the window should be designed such that it is as thin as possible yet provide sufficient strength to sustain the pressure applied, with the effective area of at least of 20 mm2.

As the tube window will be subjected to irradiation and deteriorate with time, it is essential the window or the tube itself as a whole needs to be replaceable.

Supplier is also requested to provide the cost per tube should the purchaser requesting more than one proton beam tube during the purchase.

Supplier is requested to provide the complete design drawings of tube, window, adjustment and replacement mechanisms, for evaluation.

13. Please specify the supplies required to maintain the operation of the system.
14. It is highly desirable that the connection between test loop and autoclave should be common design that can be replaced with off-the-shelf units.

8(B)

The supplier is also requested to respond to the following as an optional upgrade to the aqueous system requested in Section 8(A), in order to perform tests for gas coolants. Price for this section should be listed separately as an optional upgrade to the basic system detailed in Section 8(A) above.

1. To operate using gas as coolant instead of water. Gases should be used are carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium. Please specify if other gases can also be used.
2. Ability to operate at temperature up to 650°C for carbon dioxide and nitrogen. for helium, it should be able to operate at temperature up to 500°C is desirable.

Please specify as optional the additional cost required if would like to test temperature up to 650°C with Helium as coolant. Note that pressure and flow rate can be sacrifice-able parameters in achieving higher testing temperature; Please specify the lowest achievable pressure and flow rate when operate at 650°C.

3. Confirm if it is feasible to heat up sample locally. Specify the cost, as an option and the heating mechanism recommended.
4. Ability to test at pressure up to 35MPa when running the following coolants, i.e. Carbon dioxide, and Nitrogen, while operating at temperature of 650°C and flow…