Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: a12b2f8d-d334-4fb6-8a51-8bf551a23833
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Surveillance Program for New Fuel Assembly Designs
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1335/ML13350A277.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.119
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
ending on the nature of the observed condition, metal- lographic examinations and mechanical testing may be undertaken. a, Metallography When examination of the fuel aqgdding is indicated, sections of tubing should be m*unted for examination of the cladding for microptructural characteristiqs, corrosion or fretting behavior, oxide film th~ck~ies, hydride platelet orientation, and harMness, A-ea: identi- fied in the'nondestructive examinations as having clad defects should be included irA the ietallograph~c exam.ations, The metallographic mounting of the sections should be performed with the fuel pellet or pellet pieces maintained in their rel4tive configuration go that the extent of any pell4et-cld chemical or mechanical tnteraqtion can be established. Ptandar4 metallographic ezaminjtion of other fuel assembly rwmponentp should be undertaken When 4ee~ed necessary to explain unpr@- 4tcted behavior, Whe- examinatipns of the fuel pellets are indicated, they should be Mad@ using th metaliqaraphic specqmeps prqp&;ed for fuel clad- ding oxatmnationa. Qbservation pf fr@pture, pore sige 4A4 porosity dtatribu- tignt Ogailp ae, @tp., shou~ld be pqted wheq pqrtinient: tg eptablishing the gagg@ of unpredicted bphv4.or, Fuel-!lad gap size should be dAtermiq@d, gnd fi#al fuel density ghoul4 0g 1e444red when nqeq@qpay for ev4luatiOp of the qbs@rvp4 b, Maechqnical Tepting Iri the event that the metallographic examinations and tests prf•ormed according to regulatory position C.3.a. indicate potentially 1.1g-5 serious- mechanical degradation of the fuel rod cladding, tensile, bend, or burst tests should be performed according to ASTM E 453-72* to quanti- tatively confirm the degree of damage. D, IMPLEMENTATION The purpose of this section is to provide information to applicants and lict-nsees regarding the NRC staff's plans for using this regulatory guide. This guide reflects current NRC staff practice, Therefore, except in those cases in which the applicant or licensee proposes an