EDF - Thermal-hydraulic tests laboratory

The CYPRES test facility is able to test the endurance of valves components during opening/closing cycles under high differential pressures (up to 160 bar) and high flowrates (up to 100 m3/h). Moreover, a pressurizer allows to realize one-shot discharge tests with steam (through a drum of 3 inches diameter) or water (through a line of 6 inches diameter).

The main advantages

• the capability to perform a high number of cycles in a limited period of time,
• the high differential pressure,
• the good repeatability of the thermal and pressure parameters between each cycle.

Furthermore, the flexibility of CYPRES test facility also allows to perform other kind of tests, such as :

• cold water, hot water or steam extraction tests,
• hot gas extraction (nitrogen, other inert gas),
• independent use of the pressurizer to perform steam tests,
• others, to be define…

Functional diragram CYPRES (210Kb)

The CYTHERE test facility is able to perform thermal shocks cycling experiments on valves, fittings and others components by an alternate circulation of the cold and hot fluids through the test section. The maximum amplitude of temperature is 260°C under a maximum pressure of 176 bar. The flowrate can reach up to 100 m3/h.

Apart from the these kind of experiments, it is possible to combine both the CYPRES and CYTHERE test facilities to optimise the parameters of the discharge tests, in order to avoid the depletion of the pressure during the experiment. By this way, very high flowrates could be reached (up to 950 m3/h).

Apart from typical kind of tests already performed, we propose to adapt our test facilities to the widest range of full-size specific tests with the use of cold or hot pressurized water or steam :

• tests of isolating valves, control or check valves,
• leakage rate measurements of steam generator tubes,
• study of thermal fatigue (mixing tee, thermal stratification, thermal shocks, etc.)
• study of behaviour under vibrations of a line with singularities (diaphragms, valves as example),
• study of valve power actuator,
• study of the behaviour of a relief safety valve operating in water.

Functional diagram CYTHERE (148Kb)

EDF R&D offers a new opportunity to European research teams or manufacturers in order to access to its research infrastructure and to carry out experimental tests.

Access to our infrastructure (173Kb)

• RV39 SEBIM bleed condenser tube side relief valve test for Darlington Nuclear Generating Station,
• KG 50 SEC Gamma ionization chamber test from MGP Instrument GmbH,
• Green RAMA globe valve (NOREM 02) qualification test, VELAN manufacturer,
• Expert assessment of excessive vibrations of 900 MW French NPP AFS header. Diaphragms and control valve test,
• Synthesis of studies concerning the boiler effect in gate valves tests and simulation.