Investigation of nuclear-reactor friction units operating in heavy high-temperature liquid-metal heat carriers. Part 1. Experimental equipment

Experimental equipment designed for solving tribological problems arising in friction units operating in heavy liquid-metal heat carriers for nuclear-reactor circuits is discussed. In order to study fretting corrosion, a setup has been produced that simulates the wear of a fuel element in contact with a spacer grid cell. Thus, the vibration strength of the steam generator of a fast-neutron reactor with a lead heat carrier is substantiated. An experimental setup for studying and carrying out endurance testing of cylindrical gears with standard circuit and plain bearings operating in fast-neutron reactors in the medium of a lead heat carrier is described. Experimental specimens of circulation pumps for reactor equipment are developed for investigation of the wear of steel and cast-iron plain bearings operating in lead medium and the wear of eutectic lead-bismuth and lead-lithium alloys.