Assessment of the Integrity of the Channel Shelter of the Experimental Nuclear Reactor LVR 15

The experimental reactor LVR 15 is operated in Nuclear Research Institute Rez. A pressurized experimental channel forming a field tube is installed in the reactor core. The operating parameters of the channel water are 16MPa and 290°C. From the point of view of operation (neutron absorption) the channel is located in a quadratic shelter 68×68mm with internal diameter 65mm (see Fig. 2). Based on the recommendation of IAEA INSAR mission, the integrity of the shelter must be conserved if a through wall crack in the outer channel tube is postulated, moreover the stability of the through wall crack must be guaranteed. Solutions of both situations are presented in the paper.