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At least 217 records · Page 12

AGR 5/6/7 Data Qualification Report for ATR Cycles 162B through 168A

This report provides the qualification status of experimental data for the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) 5/6/7 fuel irradiation. AGR-5/6/7 was conducted in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in support of development and qualification of tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) low-enriched fuel for use in high temperature gas-cooled reactors. The objectives of the AGR-5/6/7 experiments are to: (i) irradiate reference-design fuel particles to support fuel qualification, (ii) establish operating margins for the fuel beyond normal operating conditions, and (iii) provide irradiated-fuel performance data and irradiated-fuel samples for post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing. The test train contains five separate capsules that were independently controlled and monitored. Each capsule contains multiple 12.51-mm-long compacts filled with low enriched uranium carbide/oxide (UCO) TRISO fuel particles. The primary objective of the AGR-5/6 test (Capsules 1, 2, 4, and 5) is to verify successful performance of the reference-design fuel under normal operating conditions. The AGR-7 test (Capsule 3) was designed to explore fuel performance at higher temperatures to demonstrate the capability of the fuel to withstand conditions beyond normal operating conditions in support of plant design and licensing. AGR 5/6/7 will also provide irradiated-fuel performance data on fission-gas release from failed particles during irradiation. The AGR-5/6/7 capsules were irradiated in the ATR northeast flux trap location. The experiment began on February 16, 2018 and ended on July 22, 2020, spanning nine ATR cycles over two and a half years. Thus, the AGR-5/6/7 fuel compacts were irradiated for a total of 360.9 effective full power days. The AGR 5/6/7 experiment was able to remain in the reactor core during all three Powered Axial Locator Mechanism (PALM) cycles (163A, 165A, and 167A) without overheating its fuel compacts. This report includes irradiation monitoring data from nine ATR Cycles: 162B, 163A, 164A, 164B, 165A, 166A, 166B, 167A, and 168A, as stored in the Nuclear Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS). During irradiation, data records consisted of instantaneous measurements recorded every minute and provided by text files automatically every 2 hours. The AGR 5/6/7 data streams addressed in this report include thermocouple (TC) temperatures, sweep gas data (flow rates [capsule inlet, outlet, and downstream at detector], pressure, and moisture content), and Fission Product Monitoring System (FPMS) data (release rates and release to birth rate ratios [R/Bs]) for each of the five capsules. A total of 94,989,908 TC temperature and sweep gas data records were received and processed by NDMAS for AGR 5/6/7 irradiation. Of these records, 41,593,387 (or 43.7% of the total) met data collection and accuracy requirements and are labeled as Qualified. A total of 57,746,693 TC temperature readings were captured from 54 installed TCs. Among them, 10,034,676 TC temperature records (only 17.4%) were Qualified and 47,701,371 TC temperatures (or 82.6%) are Failed due to 48 TC failures (63.5%) and due to missing values (19.1%). To assess performance of the operational TCs, analysis of daily correlations between TCs found no evidence of virtual junction failure for any TCs. Analyses on control charts of TC temperature differences revealed trending in TC readings for TC2, 4, 5, and 13 in Capsule 3, but there is no conclusive indication of TC drift failure that caused those trends. Therefore, TC control charts are not used to disqualify TC data, but only for users’ consideration. For sweep gas flow rates, a total of 31,519,747 gas flow records (84.4%) are Qualified for use for AGR-5/6/7 experiment; 5,723,468 gas flow records (15.4%) are Failed due mostly to missing values; and 74,641 high sweep gas flow rates (0.2 %) are Trend. A large number of Failed missing TC temperature and gas flow values were caused by an error in the data output script that outputted a ‘NULL’ value when values were unchanged. This problem was fixed during the outage of Cycle 166B, which led to a substantially decreased number of missing values during the last three cycles. Nonetheless, a large amount of non-missing data remained because of the high data acquisition frequency (1-minute) and still provided sufficient data to effectively monitor the experiment as designed. For FPMS data, NDMAS received and processed fission product release and R/B data for nine ATR cycles, when ATR core reached full power during AGR 5/6/7 irradiation. These data consist of 110,388 release rate records and 110,388 R/B records for the twelve radionuclides (Kr 85m, Kr 87, Kr 88, Kr 89, Kr 90, Xe 131m, Xe 133, Xe 135, Xe 135m, Xe 137, Xe 138, and Xe 139) for each of the five capsules. Equivalent numbers of uncertainty records associated the release rates and R/B values were provided. To date, qualification status of the FPMS data stored in the NDMAS dat

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Computational determination of a primary diffusion mode in γ U-10Mo under irradiation

Low enriched uranium (< 20 % 235 U)-molybdenum (U-Mo) monolithic fuel is the primary candidate for high performance research and test reactors, and is in the process of being qualified to replace highly enriched uranium (≥ 20 % 23 5U) fuel. As part of the qualification process, it is critical to understand and predict the behavior of fission gas bubbles under irradiation, which affects fuel swelling and fuel failure. Mechanistic fuel models are being developed that can both reproduce the existing experimental data for fuel swelling, and be further applied to irradiation conditions beyond the experimental scope. Diffusion of species under irradiation conditions is an important parameter in the mechanistic fuel models; however, no temperature-relevant experimental diffusion data exists. In the present work, radiation-enhanced diffusion coefficients of U, Mo, and Xe in λU-10wt.%Mo were calculated in the temperature range between 300 K and 1400 K via rate-theory models and molecular dynamics simulations with an embedded-atom method interatomic potential for the U-Mo-Xe system. Accordingly, total diffusion coefficients under relevant irradiation conditions are determined using previously obtained intrinsic thermal diffusion and radiation-driven diffusion coefficients, as well as the newly calculated radiation-enhanced diffusion coefficients presented herein. Radiation-enhanced diffusion of U and Mo was dominant in the intermediate temperature range, whereas radiation-enhanced diffusion of Xe did not significantly contribute to total diffusion of Xe at the relevant fission rate densities. Radiation-enhanced diffusion of Xe became faster than both intrinsic thermal diffusion and radiation-driven diffusion at a fission rate density of 5 x 10 22 fissions/m 3 /s, which is higher than the typical fission rate density range in research reactors. The temperature regime that radiation-enhanced diffusion of each element dominated was dependent on the fission rate density. Finally, the total diffusion coefficients of U, Mo, and Xe, updated in this work, will be utilized as parameters in the mechanistic fuel models to help predict the behavior of fission gas bubbles under irradiation more accurately.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Modeling of fission gas diffusion and release for Gd 2 O 3 doped UO 2

Uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) is the primary nuclear fuel in light water reactors, and its excess neutronic reactivity can be controlled by adding burnable absorbers, such as Gd 2 O 3 . This burnable absorber has a large neutron absorption cross-section, lowering the high reactivity of the reactor's initial fuel load. However, there needs to be more understanding of how added Gd 2 O 3 influences the properties of UO 2 under irradiation. To understand the behavior of defects and fission gas in the UO 2 /Gd 2 O 3 system under irradiation, we use cluster dynamics modeling supported by density functional theory calculations. First, we calculate the formation energies of Gd point and cluster defects, and evaluate the temperature-dependent defect concentrations using the defect formation energies and entropies. We show that Gd is soluble in UO 2 , introducing a negative charge in the system. Using this information, we adapted the cluster dynamics code Centipede to model the influence of Gd on U self-diffusion and Xe diffusion in UO 2 with 10 wt% Gd 2 O 3 . Also, we analyzed the Xe diffusion as a function of Gd 2 O 3 concentration, showing that the Xe diffusivity is decreased, which means that the athermal diffusivity due to electronic stopping persists at higher temperatures. In conclusion, the decrease in Xe diffusion means that more Xe stays in the matrix, decreasing the Xe release, and lowering its influence of fission gas release on the thermomechanical properties of UO 2 .

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Hyperfine structure and isotope shifts of xenon measured for near-infrared transitions with Doppler-free saturated absorption spectroscopy

Hyperfine structure and isotope shifts of Xe were investigated with Doppler-free saturated absorption spectroscopy for all transitions in the 820-841 nm spectral interval. The Xe samples were commercial gases of natural isotopic abundances. The measurements were performed by employing a widely tunable narrow line Ti:sapphire laser. The hyperfine structures for 129 Xe and 131 Xe were well resolved. For the transitions with the wavelengths in vacuum near 820.860 nm and 841.150 nm also isotope shifts of the even isotopes were clearly observed. The modeling of the shapes of the observed absorption lines qualitatively reproduces experimental spectral profiles. The measured absorption peaks of the hyperfine structure and isotope shifts of Xe isotopes present characteristic spectral fingerprints for their identification. Eventually, quantitative spectral analysis will provide isotopic abundances of natural, as well as radioactive Xe gas samples.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Materials Data on SbXeF9 by Materials Project

XeSbF9 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four XeSbF9 clusters. Xe is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four F atoms. There are a spread of Xe–F bond distances ranging from 1.97–2.42 Å. Sb is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six F atoms. There are a spread of Sb–F bond distances ranging from 1.89–2.01 Å. There are nine inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the fifth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the sixth F site, F is bonded in a distorted bent 150 degrees geometry to one Xe and one Sb atom. In the seventh F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the eighth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the ninth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on BiXeF9 by Materials Project

XeBiF9 crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of two XeBiF9 clusters. Xe is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to four F atoms. There are a spread of Xe–F bond distances ranging from 1.98–2.21 Å. Bi is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six F atoms. There are a spread of Bi–F bond distances ranging from 2.02–2.26 Å. There are nine inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Bi atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Bi atom. In the fifth F site, F is bonded in a bent 150 degrees geometry to one Xe and one Bi atom. In the sixth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the seventh F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Bi atom. In the eighth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Bi atom. In the ninth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Bi atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on GeXeF10 by Materials Project

XeF5GeF5 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pnma space group. The structure is one-dimensional and consists of four XeF5 clusters and two GeF5 ribbons oriented in the (1, 0, 0) direction. In each XeF5 cluster, Xe is bonded in a distorted square pyramidal geometry to five F atoms. There is one shorter (1.97 Å) and four longer (1.98 Å) Xe–F bond length. There are four inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In each GeF5 ribbon, Ge is bonded to six F atoms to form corner-sharing GeF6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 42°. There are a spread of Ge–F bond distances ranging from 1.79–1.94 Å. There are three inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Ge atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Ge atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a bent 150 degrees geometry to two equivalent Ge atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on SbXeO2F7 by Materials Project

XeO2FSbF6 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four SbF6 clusters and four XeO2F clusters. In each SbF6 cluster, Sb is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six F atoms. There are a spread of Sb–F bond distances ranging from 1.90–1.95 Å. There are six inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the fifth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In the sixth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb atom. In each XeO2F cluster, Xe is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to two O and one F atom. Both Xe–O bond lengths are 1.85 Å. The Xe–F bond length is 2.03 Å. There are two inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on XeF3 by Materials Project

XeF2XeF4 is Copper structured and crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of two XeF2 clusters and two XeF4 clusters. In each XeF2 cluster, Xe is bonded in a linear geometry to two equivalent F atoms. Both Xe–F bond lengths are 2.08 Å. F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In each XeF4 cluster, Xe is bonded in a square co-planar geometry to four equivalent F atoms. All Xe–F bond lengths are 2.04 Å. F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on AsXeO2F7 by Materials Project

XeO2FAsF6 crystallizes in the orthorhombic P2_12_12_1 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four AsF6 clusters and four XeO2F clusters. In each AsF6 cluster, As is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six F atoms. There are a spread of As–F bond distances ranging from 1.74–1.82 Å. There are six inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In the fifth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In the sixth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one As atom. In each XeO2F cluster, Xe is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to two O and one F atom. Both Xe–O bond lengths are 1.84 Å. The Xe–F bond length is 2.03 Å. There are two inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on Os2Xe(O3F5)2 by Materials Project

XeF5Os2O6F5 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pnma space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four Os2O6F5 clusters and four XeF5 clusters. In each Os2O6F5 cluster, Os is bonded to three O and three F atoms to form distorted corner-sharing OsO3F3 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 24°. There is two shorter (1.71 Å) and one longer (1.72 Å) Os–O bond length. There are a spread of Os–F bond distances ranging from 2.00–2.17 Å. There are three inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Os atom. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Os atom. In the third O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Os atom. There are three inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a bent 150 degrees geometry to two equivalent Os atoms. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Os atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Os atom. In each XeF5 cluster, Xe is bonded in a distorted square pyramidal geometry to five F atoms. There is three shorter (1.98 Å) and two longer (1.99 Å) Xe–F bond length. There are four inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Materials Data on BC6XeF11 by Materials Project

XeC3F4BF4(CF)3 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of twelve fluoromethane molecules, four BF4 clusters, and four XeC3F4 clusters. In each BF4 cluster, B is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four F atoms. There are a spread of B–F bond distances ranging from 1.40–1.45 Å. There are four inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one B atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one B atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one B atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one B atom. In each XeC3F4 cluster, Xe is bonded in a distorted linear geometry to one C and two F atoms. The Xe–C bond length is 2.13 Å. There are one shorter (2.03 Å) and one longer (2.05 Å) Xe–F bond lengths. There are three inequivalent C sites. In the first C site, C is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to one C and one F atom. The C–C bond length is 1.40 Å. The C–F bond length is 1.33 Å. In the second C site, C is bonded in a trigonal planar geometry to one Xe and two C atoms. The C–C bond length is 1.40 Å. In the third C site, C is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C and one F atom. The C–F bond length is 1.33 Å. There are four inequivalent F sites. In the first F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom. In the second F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C atom. In the third F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C atom. In the fourth F site, F is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Xe atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Xenon Trapping in Metal-Supported Silica Nanocages

Xenon (Xe) is a valuable and scarce noble gas used in various applications, including lighting, electronics, and anesthetics, among many others. It is also a volatile byproduct of the nuclear fission of uranium. In this work, a novel material architecture consisting of silicate nanocages in contact with a metal surface and an approach for trapping single Xe atoms in these cages is presented. The trapping is done at low Xe pressures and temperatures between 400 and 600 K, and the process is monitored in situ using synchrotron-based ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Release of the Xe from the cages occurs only when heating to temperatures above 750 K. A model that explains the experimental trapping kinetics is proposed and tested using Monte Carlo methods. Density functional theory calculations show activation energies for Xe exiting the cages consistent with experiments. This work can have significant implications in various fields, including Xe production, nuclear power, nuclear waste remediation, and nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. The results are also expected to apply to argon, krypton, and radon, opening an even more comprehensive range of applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Using X-ray spectrum imaging to quantify fission gas in high-burnup UO2 fuel

Analysis of fission gas bubbles (FGBs) in light-water reactor (LWR) fuel is needed to improve the understanding and predictive capability of fuel evolution under normal- and transient conditions. One of the most important parameters of a FGB is the pressure of the gas, primarily Xe, inside it. Bubble volume and location (inter- vs. intragranular) are important considerations as well. However, experimental analysis of such bubbles is challenging due to their small size and embedded nature, and usefulness of the data requires large numbers be analyzed. This paper proposes a method to measure the pressure of Xe bubbles using X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). From X-ray generation and instrumental parameters, the number of Xe atoms yielding a given number of Xe L-series X-ray counts is estimated, and then from the estimated volume of the bubble the Xe density is estimated, which can then be converted to pressure via an equation-of-state. We apply the method to XSI datasets from high burnup (HBu) fuel from North Anna 1 reactor in as-irradiated and post-LOCA-test conditions and find Xe pressures in the FGBs clustered around 1 GPa.

Parish, Chad [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000312097439)↗

System-size dependence of the hadronic rescattering effect at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

The first measurements of K * ( 892 ) 0 resonance production as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in Xe-Xe collisions at s N N = 5.44 TeV and p p collisions at s = 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector are presented. The resonance is reconstructed at midrapidity ( | y | < 0.5) using the hadronic decay channel K * 0 → K ± π ∓ . Measurements of transverse-momentum integrated yield, mean transverse-momentum, nuclear modification factor of K * 0 , and yield ratios of resonance to stable hadron ( K * 0 / K ) are compared across different collision systems ( p p , p -Pb, Xe-Xe, and Pb-Pb) at similar collision energies to investigate how the production of K * 0 resonances depends on the size of the system formed in these collisions. The hadronic rescattering effect is found to be independent of the size of colliding systems and mainly driven by the produced charged-particle multiplicity, which is a proxy of the volume of produced matter at the chemical freeze-out. In addition, the production yields of K * 0 in Xe-Xe collisions are utilized to constrain the dependence of the kinetic freeze-out temperature on the system size using the hadron resonance gas–partial chemical equilibrium model. ©2024 CERN, for the ALICE Collaboration 2024 CERN

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Search for Double Beta Decays of Xe134 with EXO-200 Phase II

EXO-200 was a leading double beta decay experiment consisting of a single-phase, enriched liquid xenon time projection chamber filled with an admixture of 80.672% ^{136}Xe and 19.098% ^{134}Xe. The detector operated at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant between 2010 and 2018 and was designed to search for double beta decay of ^{136}Xe. Data were acquired in two phases separated by a period of detector upgrades. We report on the search for 0νββ and 2νββ decay of ^{134}Xe with Phase II EXO-200 data, with median 90% CL exclusion sensitivity to half-life T_{1/2}^{0ν}≥3.7×10^{23} yr and T_{1/2}^{2ν}≥2.6×10^{21} yr, respectively. No statistically significant signal is observed for either decay mode. We set a world-leading lower limit on the half-life of the neutrinoless decay mode of ^{134}Xe of T_{1/2}^{0ν}≥8.7×10^{23} (90% CL) and the second strongest constraint on the two-neutrino decay of T_{1/2}^{2ν}≥2.9×10^{21} (90% CL), a threefold improvement over the EXO-200 Phase I measurement. New constraints are also set for the 2νββ and 0νββ decays of ^{134}Xe to the lowest excited state of ^{134}Ba.

Al Kharusi, S↗

System size and energy dependence of the mean transverse momentum fluctuations at the LHC

Event-by-event fluctuations of the event-wise mean transverse momentum, $\langle$p T $\rangle$, of charged particles produced in proton–proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV, Xe–Xe collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.44 TeV, and Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV are studied using the ALICE detector based on the integral correlator $\langle$$\langle$Δp T Δp T $\rangle$$\rangle$. The correlator strength is found to decrease monotonically with increasing produced charged-particle multiplicity measured at midrapidity in all three systems. In Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb collisions, the multiplicity dependence of the correlator deviates significantly from a simple power-law scaling as well as from the predictions of the HIJING and AMPT models. The observed deviation from power-law scaling is expected from transverse radial flow in semicentral to central Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb collisions. In pp collisions, the correlation strength is also studied by classifying the events based on the transverse spherocity, S 0 , of the particle production at midrapidity, used as a proxy for the presence of a pronounced back-to-back jet topology. Low-spherocity (jetty) events feature a larger correlation strength than those with high spherocity (isotropic). The strength and multiplicity dependence of jetty and isotropic events are well reproduced by calculations with the PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC models.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measuring Multicomponent Adsorption of Tracer Gases on Natural Zeolites

A natural clinoptilolite sample near the Nevada National Security Site was obtained to study adsorption and retardation on gas transport. Of interest is understanding the competition for adsorption sites that may reduce tracer gas adsorption relative to single-component measurements, which may be affected by the multi-scale pore structure of clinoptilolite. Clinoptilolite has three distinct domains of pore size distributions ranging from nanometers to micrometers: micropores with 0.4–0.7 nm diameters, measured on powders by CO2 adsorption at 273 K, representing the zeolite cages; mesopores with 4–200 nm diameters, observed using liquid nitrogen adsorption at 77 K; and macropores with 300–1000 nm diameters, measured by mercury injection on rock chips (~ 100 mesh), likely representing the microfractures. These pore size distributions are consistent with X-ray computed tomography (CT) and focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) images, which are used to construct the three-dimensional (3D) pore network to be used in future gas transport modeling. To quantify tracer gas adsorption in this multi-scale pore structure and multicomponent gas species environment, natural zeolite samples initially in equilibrium in air were exposed to a mixture of tracer gases. As the tracer gases diffuse and adsorb in the sample, the remaining tracer gases outside the sample fractionate. Using a quadrupole mass spectrometer to quantify this fractionation, the degree of adsorption of tracer gases in the multicomponent gas environment and multi-scale pore structure is assessed. The major finding is that Kr reaches equilibrium much faster than Xe in the presence of ambient air, which leads to more Kr uptake than Xe over limited exposure periods. When the clinoptilolite chips were exposed to humid air, the adsorption capability decreases significantly for both Xe and Kr with relative humidity (RH) as low as 3%. Both Xe and Kr reaches equilibrium faster at higher RH. The different, unexpected, adsorption behavior for Xe and Kr is due to their kinetic diameters similar to the micropores in clinoptilolite which makes it harder for Xe to access compared to Kr.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗