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A new mechanism for void-cascade interaction from nondestructive depth-resolved atomic-scale measurements of ion irradiation–induced defects in Fe

The nondestructive investigation of single vacancies and vacancy clusters in ion-irradiated samples requires a depth-resolved probe with atomic sensitivity to defects. The recent development of short-pulsed positron beams provides such a probe. Here, we combine depth-resolved Doppler broadening and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopies to identify vacancy clusters in ion-irradiated Fe and measure their density as a function of depth. Despite large concentrations of dislocations and voids in the pristine samples, positron annihilation measurements uncovered the structure of vacancy clusters and the change in their size and density with irradiation dose. When combined with transmission electron microscopy measurements, the study demonstrates an association between the increase in the density of small vacancy clusters with irradiation and a remarkable reduction in the size of large voids. This, previously unknown, mechanism for the interaction of cascade damage with voids in ion-irradiated materials is a consequence of the high porosity of the initial microstructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Building Interfaces with Echo Using R

The following report details the functionality that was developed to directly query the MongoDB and read in echo records from within R, and the ability to create a cinema database directly from echo records. Both of these efforts used the data collected under the MINOS project for development. The nuclear facility under consideration is the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and co-located Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. HFIR is an 85 MW research reactor and is used primarily for production of a medical radioisotopes, material irradiation experiments, neutron activation, and neutron scattering. Targets for the reactor are fabricated and processed and dissolved at REDC, in addition to other glove-box and hot-cell type activities. An overhead view of the facility is provided. The rest of the report is organized as follows: Section 2 describes how to query the MongoDB and load in echo records from within R, with background information on the database type, MongoDB, and the file format of echo records, hdf5, as well as lessons learned during the development phase. Section 3 details the functionality and usage of creating a cinema database directly from echo records within R. A series of appendixes display all the R code (Section 5), some example scripts where the code is used (Section 6), and useful links for further exploration (Section 7).

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

MINOS Infrasound Analysis Synopsis

This report was written as a guide to working with infrasound data collected as part of the Multi-Informatics for Nuclear Operations Scenarios (MINOS)project, an NA-22 funded venture. The main purpose of overall MINOS project is the combination of multiple, disparate data modalities to characterize the operations at a nuclear facility, specifically instrumenting and studying the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) locate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. HFIR is an 85 MW research reactor and is used primarily for production of medical radioisotopes, material irradiation experiments, neutron activation, and neutron scattering. Targets for the reactor are constructed, processed, and dissolved at REDC. REDC also hosts other glove-box and hot-cell type activities.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

ECAR 4951 BSU-8242 3 DPA As-Run Physics Analysis

The purpose of this report is to document the as-run physics analysis for the Boise State University (BSU-8242) experiment in the A6, A7 and A8 positions, correlating with the 3 DPA specimens irradiated in Cycles 164A, 164B, and 166A. In this paper the heat rate, flux, fluence, and DPA for all specimens are scaled to the appropriate as-run lobe powers for an accurate assessment and description of the irradiated materials. Source terms per capsule are provided, and a bounded source term per specimen type is given on a per gram basis. Verified and validated MCNP full-core models were used for the neutronics analysis.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Gamma Irradiation Facility

Gamma irradiation is a process that uses Cobalt60 radionuclide produced artificially in nuclear reactors to irradiate a variety of items using gamma radiation. A key characteristic of gamma irradiation is its high penetration capability and the fact that it can modify physical, chemical, and biological properties of the irradiated materials.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Summary of Vendor Irradiation Capsule Workshop Hosted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, October 3-4, 2022

The Department of Energy office of Nuclear Energy, Advanced Reactor Technology office tasked Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) with hosting a set of two workshops. The primary purpose of these workshops was to convince the commercial high temperature reactor community, specifically the graphite and composite experts, to collaborate with the building and operation of a graphite/ceramic composite irradiation capsule(s). The workshops were designed to first instruct the attendees on the technical and scheduling challenges in conducting such an experiment by providing information on different technical areas in scheduling, designing, building, operating, and disassembling such irradiation capsules. A secondary purpose was to determine the individual irradiation requirements (including the desired irradiated material properties) to understand what the remaining technical needs for gas-cooled and salt-cooled advanced nuclear reactors. The first workshop was held at ORNL October 3-4, 2022. This report summarizes the discussions held during this workshop. The second workshop was hosted at INL April 4-6, 2023 and will have a separate summary report.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Scaled up Process Report – Apparatus and Model

Advanced voloxidation with NO 2 is a proposed process for used nuclear fuel head-end reprocessing scheme that converts UO 2 to higher oxides, and it also converts partitioning volatile fission products into the gas phase, thus facilitating fuel dissolution and actinide recovery. NO 2 voloxidation is being studied on small batches of UO 2 Simfuel, but the real test of process feasibility will be when it is scaled up to work with >100 g of irradiated material. This report discusses the aspects of scale-up that must be considered for NO 2 voloxidation, including development of a stirred reactor to promote agitation of the mixture during processing, online process monitoring, and automation controls. Brief details on parallel efforts are also provided in this report, including (a) demonstration of iodine release from Simfuel made by Spark Plasma Sintering, and (b) development of an order-of-magnitude scale-up to react 100 g of UO 2 Simfuel in a metal reactor.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the GE Hitachi 16-10393 Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors and melt wires irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work (SOW) No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the GE Hitachi 16-10393 irradiation which was conducted in positions B11 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the SOW will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the GE Hitachi assemblies prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis. The measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the University of Central Florida (UCF3) Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the University of Central Florida (UCF)-3 third stage experiment which was conducted in position B8 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the scope of work are reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the UCF-3 assemblies at INL prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at 8 fluence monitor locations. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM 16-10584) Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 74242 involves the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00236287 and Statement of Work No. 17370, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux and Melt Wire Capsules. This report is for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM 16-10584) experiment which was conducted in position B5 of the ATR. Three other irradiations included in the scope of work are reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the CSM assemblies at INL prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at 12 fluence monitor locations. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the SAM-2 Irradiation in ATR

PNNL project 79550 provides for the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00269673 and Statement of Work No. 19704, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux Capsules. This report is for the SAM-2 irradiation which was conducted in position B8 of the ATR. Other experiments included in the statement of work for this project will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and sent to INL for loading into the SAM-2 assembly prior to irradiation. The SAM-2 experiment has 8 capsules labelled A through H designed for different exposures in successive irradiation cycles. This report is for the first three capsules, A, B and C, co-irradiated for 1 cycle. The remaining capsules and fluence monitors will be removed and analyzed after additional irradiation. Following irradiation, the fluence monitors from capsules A, B, and C were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma or x-ray analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Neutron Dosimetry for the Boise State University JW 15-8242 Irradiation in ATR (Rev.1)

PNNL project 79550 provides for the analysis of neutron fluence monitors irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory in accordance with MPO 00269673and Statement of Work No. 19704, Rev. 0, PNNL Analysis of NSUF Flux Capsules. This report is for the Boise State University (BSU) JW 15-8242 irradiations which were conducted in positions A6, A7 and A8 of the ATR. We previously reported data for this experiment after about 1 dpa in a report issued in January 2021 (1). This report is for longer irradiations to about 3 dpa. Other experiments included in the statement of work for this project will be reported separately. The neutron fluence monitors were prepared by PNNL and loaded into the BSU assemblies prior to irradiation. Following irradiation, the capsules were returned to PNNL for analysis. The neutron dosimetry capsules were opened, the flux wires were removed for gamma or x-ray analysis, and the measured activities were used to determine the activation rates for various activation products. Following suitable corrections, the measured activation rates were used to adjust calculated neutron spectra at each fluence monitor location. The adjusted neutron spectra were then used to determine displacement per atom (dpa) and gas production for irradiated materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

As-Built Simulation of the High Flux Isotope Reactor

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is an 85 MWt flux trap-type research reactor that supports key research missions, including isotope production, materials irradiation, and neutron scattering. The core consists of an inner and an outer fuel element containing 171 and 369 involute-shaped plates, respectively. The thin fuel plates consist of a U 3 O 8 -Al dispersion fuel (highly enriched), an aluminum-based filler, and aluminum cladding. The fuel meat thickness is varied across the width of the involute plate to reduce thermal flux peaks at the radial edges of the fuel elements. Some deviation from the designed fuel meat shaping is allowed during manufacturing. A homogeneity scan of each fuel plate checks for potential anomalies in the fuel distribution by scanning the surface of the plate and comparing the attenuation of the beam to calibration standards. While typical HFIR simulations use homogenized fuel regions, explicit models of the plates were developed under the Low-Enriched Uranium Conversion Program. These explicit models typically include one inner and one outer fuel plate with nominal fuel distributions, and then the plates are duplicated to fill the space of the corresponding fuel element. Therefore, data extracted from these simulations are limited to azimuthally averaged quantities. To determine the reactivity and physics impacts of an as-built outer fuel element and generate azimuthally dependent data in the element, 369 unique fuel plate models were generated and positioned. This model generates the three-dimensional (i.e., radial–axial–azimuthal) plate power profile, where the azimuthal profile is impacted by features within the adjacent control element region and beryllium reflector. For an as-built model of the outer fuel element, plate-specific homogeneity data, 235 U loading, enrichment, and channel thickness measurements were translated into the model, yielding a much more varied azimuthal power profile encompassed by uncertainty factors in analyses. These models were run with the ORNL-TN and Shift Monte Carlo tools, and they contained upwards of 500,000 cells and 100,000 unique tallies.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

A Monte Carlo photocurrent/photoemission computer program

A Monte Carlo computer program was developed for the computation of photocurrents and photoemission in gamma (X-ray)-irradiated materials. The program was used for computation of radiation-induced surface currents on space vehicles and the computation of radiation-induced space charge environments within space vehicles.

Chadsey, W. L.↗

Apollo 16 neutron stratigraphy.

The Apollo 16 soils have the largest low-energy neutron fluences yet observed in lunar samples. Variations in the isotopic ratios Gd-158/Gd-157 and Sm-150/Sm-149 (up to 1.9 and 2.0%, respectively) indicate that the low-energy neutron fluence in the Apollo 16 drill stem increases with depth throughout the section sampled. Such a variation implies that accretion has been the dominant regolith 'gardening' process at this location. The data may be fit by a model of continuous accretion of pre-irradiated material or by models involving as few as two slabs of material in which the first slab could have been deposited as long as 1 b.y. ago. The ratio of the number of neutrons captured per atom by Sm to the number captured per atom by Gd is lower than in previously measured lunar samples, which implies a lower energy neutron spectrum at this site. The variation of this ratio with chemical composition is qualitatively similar to that predicted by Lingenfelter et al. (1972). Variations are observed in the ratio Gd-152/Gd-160 which are fluence-correlated and probably result from neutron capture by Eu-151.

Russ, G. P., III↗

Temperature, stress, and annealing effects on the luminescence from electron-irradiated silicon

Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra are presented for Si crystals which have been irradiated with high-energy electrons. Studies of isochronal annealing, stress effects, and the temperature dependences of the luminescence are used to discuss the nature of the luminescent transitions and the properties of defects. Two dominant bands present after room-temperature anneal of irradiated material are discussed, and correlations of the properties of these bands are made with known Si defects. A band between 0.8 and 1.0 eV has properties which are related to those of the divacancy, and a band between 0.6 and 0.8 eV has properties related to those of the Si-G15(K) center. Additional peaks appear in the luminescence after high-temperature anneal; the influence of impurities and the effects of annealing of these lines are discussed.

Jones, C. E.↗