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DOE OSTI2026

Plug Load Management Through Occupant Engagement at Washington State University

To decrease costs and improve building occupant safety, Washington State University (WSU) began planning a plug load management campaign in 2020, with implementation beginning in 2021. This case study describes the campaign's goals, approach, and results over the past 5 years, ultimately showing that occupant- and behavior-focused strategies can meaningfully reduce plug load energy use while improving health and safety.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Fatigue behavior of fine-grained magnesium under tension-tension loading at 0 °C

Here, this study investigated low-temperature fatigue behavior of fine-grained magnesium through tension–tension fatigue testing at the temperature of 0 °C. The applied stress profiles of fatigue testing were selected to cover a wide range of loading conditions including low, medium, and high loading stresses. Even when the maximum applied stress of fatigue testing was as high as 88% of the ultimate tensile strength of the material, the corresponding fatigue life was long, i.e., 3973 cycles. Deformation accumulation per loading cycle reduced with the progression of fatigue testing for all studied loading conditions. Fatigue life analyses were performed using both Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) model and Jahed-Varvani energy-based (JV) model. The fatigue life predictions through both models agree well with the experimental data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Mechanical Performance of the First Two Prototype 4.5 m Long Nb$_3$Sn Low-$β$ Quadrupole Magnets for the Hi-Lumi LHC Upgrade

The U.S. High-Luminosity LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project (HL-LHC AUP) team is collaborating with CERN in the design and fabrication of the first 4.5 m long MQXFA magnets, a 150 mm aperture high-field Nb$_3$Sn quadrupole magnet that uses the aluminum shell-based bladder-and-key technology. The first two prototype magnets, MQXFAP1 and MQXFAP2, were assem-bled and tested while the first pre-series structure (MQXFA03) was in fabrication. This paper summarizes the mechanical perfor-mance of these prototype structures based on the comparison of measured strain gauge data with finite element model analyses from all load steps to powering. The MQXFAP1 magnet almost reached ultimate current before a short to ground was detected and the test was stopped. The MQXFAP2 magnet experienced a low training performance due to a fractured aluminum shell. MQXFAP1b was rebuilt with a new replacement coil, but an old coil limited the magnet from achieving the ultimate current. The mitigations and analyses of these prototype magnets are discussed in the context of the transition to pre-series production.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Raspberry colloid-templated approach for the synthesis of palladium-based oxidation catalysts with enhanced hydrothermal stability and low-temperature activity

It is becoming increasingly urgent to develop and utilize novel, more efficient and stable materials for mobile and stationary emission control applications as the deleterious consequences of anthropogenic air pollution are becoming more evident and pressing. Tightening regulations, particularly related to automotive exhaust treatment, together with continued improvements in engine design, that result in lowering the engine operating temperatures and inadvertently lead to the release of an overwhelming proportion of pollutants during the cold start, present new challenges for materials design, specifically for oxidation catalysts. In particular, improvements in the low-temperature activity while maintaining catalyst stability at high temperatures are required from the next-generation catalyst. Typical catalysts for removal of pollutants from automotive exhaust streams incorporate platinum group metals (PGMs). They tend to be inefficient at low temperatures (below 250 °C), thus accounting for the cold start problem, yet sinter and lose their activity at high temperatures that are frequently encountered during catalyst operation. High PGM loadings are often employed to compensate for catalyst inefficiencies and fast degradation, ultimately resulting in high-cost catalytic converters. Here, we have developed a new approach for the design and formation of catalytic materials that allows for both significantly more efficient PGM incorporation and improved overall catalyst performance at reduced PGM loadings. The method provides control over the composition and geometry of the support through self-assembly of sacrificial composite template — “raspberry” polymeric colloids decorated with catalytic particles — accompanied by infiltration with metal-oxide precursor and subsequent removal of the colloids. This method simultaneously structures the porous network and organizes the catalytic particles within it. Uniquely, the resulting catalytic particles are partially embedded in the support matrix and partially exposed to the pore interior, producing catalytic sites that are both stable and accessible. Herein, the feasibility of this novel and versatile approach for automotive catalytic conversion is demonstrated: the studies include testing alumina-based raspberry-colloid-templated (RCT) catalysts containing Pd nanoparticles (RCT Pd/Al2O3) for oxidation of propane and carbon monoxide under simulated diesel exhaust conditions and hydrothermal aging at 800 °C for 50 h in the simulated stream. The RCT Pd/Al2O3 catalysts exhibit exceptional activity toward CO oxidation, reduced reaction onset temperature, and high stability to elevated temperatures (demonstrated through prolonged exposure to temperatures up to 950 °C) and reactive gas streams, without migration, sintering or loss of the precious metal NPs. Notably, the novel catalyst shows the same or slightly better performance than the commercial catalysts even when the PGM load is reduced by ~80 % compared to the commercial counterparts. These results provide confidence for the utilization of the RCT approach for the fabrication of robust nanostructured catalysts for next-generation, energy-efficient catalytic converters with improved performance at low and high temperatures and reduced costs. The RCT methodology is, in addition, highly generalizable, and can thus be applied for the design of a wide range of catalytic systems in the automotive sector and beyond.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2020

Influence of Polymer Type and Carbon Nanotube Properties on Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite Biodegradation

The interaction of anaerobic microorganisms with carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites (CNT/PNC) will play a major role in determining their persistence and environmental fate at the end of consumer use when these nano-enabled materials enter landfills and encounter wastewater. Motivated by the need to understand how different parameters (i.e., polymer type, microbial phenotype, CNT characteristics) influence CNT/PNC biodegradation rates, we have used volumetric biogas measurements and kinetic modeling to study biodegradation as a function of polymer type and CNT properties. In one set of experiments, oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes (O-MWCNTs) with a range of CNT loadings 0 – 5% w/w were incorporated into poly-e-caprolactone (PCL) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) matrices and subjected to biodegradation by an anaerobic microbial community. For each CNT/PNC, complete polymer biodegradation was ultimately observed, although the rate of biodegradation was inhibited above certain critical CNT loadings dependent upon the polymer type. Higher loadings of pristine MWCNTs were needed to decrease the rate of polymer biodegradation compared to O-MWCNTs, an effect ascribed principally to differences in CNT dispersion within the polymer matrices. Above ertain CNT loadings, a CNT mat of similar shape to the initial PNC was formed after polymer biodegradation, while below this threshold, CNT aggregates fragmented in the media. In situations where biodegradation was rapid, methanogen growth was disproportionately inhibited compared to the overall microbial community. Analysis of the results obtained from this study indicates that the inhibitory effect of CNTs on polymer biodegradation rate is greatest under conditions (i.e., polymer type, microbial phenotype, CNT dispersion) where biodegradation of the neat polymer is slowest. This new insight provides a means to predict the environmental fate, persistence and transformations of CNT-enabled polymer materials.

Frank, Benjamin↗

DOE OSTI2026

Demand response event simulator and risk-aware bidding tool for industrial customers

Incentive Based Demand Response (IBDR) program participation delivers financial benefits to the consumers and resiliency benefits to the electricity grid. Effectively participating in these programs as an industrial consumer requires bidding strategies that balance financial risk with operational constraints. Existing bidding tools tend not to fully incorporate stochastic IBDR event modeling, program specific baseline and payment/penalty calculations, or demand reduction process control schemes that account for the cascading impacts of shutdown in complex facilities. Here, this work presents an IBDR event simulator and risk-aware bidding framework tool integrating three key components: a flexible, parameterized demand response event generator that rigorously accounts for program structures and stochasticity, a demand response operational simulation model that generates explicit control strategies for load reduction, and a Monte Carlo simulator to evaluate financial risk for varied capacity bids. A case study at a wastewater treatment plant participating in PG&E's Capacity Bidding Program demonstrates the framework's utility. In the peak capacity price month of August, optimal bidding by the wastewater treatment plant nets a mean IBDR benefit of $101,000 (67% of the August electricity bill) with 0.4% probability of a financial loss. This framework enables industrial operators to make informed bidding decisions, negotiate better program terms with demand response load aggregators, and analyze energy flexibility investments at their facilities. Ultimately, this work reduces participation barriers in IBDR programs and supports the broader goal of enhancing grid reliability and renewable energy integration.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Monotonic testing of single shear-plane CLT-to-CLT joint with hardwood dowels

Reducing embodied carbon emissions in buildings and striving for carbon neutrality through sustainable design has become a primary goal in the construction industry. The industry is expanding its use of wood-engineered products, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) to achieve those sustainability goals. Furthermore, replacing steel fasteners with lower embodied carbon alternatives is gaining increased attention in timber engineering. This paper aims to quantify the mechanical behavior of single shear-plane CLT-to-CLT joints using hardwood dowels. The study includes 154 single shear-plane experimental tests with four different CLT species, two hardwood dowel species, and two dowel diameters. Further, the test specimens were subjected to cyclic and monotonic loading until failure, and mechanical properties such as yielding and ultimate strength, serviceability and yielding stiffness, and ductility were quantified. The hardwood dowel CLT-to-CLT joints demonstrated high strength with up to 10.3 kN (2.3 kips) capacity per dowel and lateral stiffness of up to 5.2 kN/mm (30.8 k/in) per dowel. This strength and stiffness are roughly equivalent to or exceed values for mass timber wood screws, making hardwood dowels a good alternative. In addition, the observed mean ductility of joints ranged from 2.4 to 4.5. Finally, analytical equations for the joints' yielding strength, lateral serviceability stiffness, and yielding stiffness were derived with non-linear regression analysis and validated using the experimental test results.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2026

Synthesis, Characterization, and Testing of High-Lithium-Density Composite Breeders

Solid tritium breeder materials must first and foremost have sufficiently high concentrations of lithium to enable a plant-scale tritium breeding ratio greater than 1:1. However, in addition to lithium content, such breeder materials must also meet other performance metrics including high tritium release rates, thermal conductivities, and irradiation damage tolerance. Perhaps most importantly, tritium breeders must maintain their mechanical integrity during reactor operation so as to avoid degradation which can jeopardize the functionality of the tritium breeder blanket module, which in most designs takes the form of a pebble bed geometry. Unfortunately, the mechanical robustness of most lithium-bearing ceramics under investigation for fusion applications is often inversely related to the lithium atom density. For example, a material such as lithium oxide (Li2O), which has one of the highest lithium atom densities, has a much lower mechanical splitting strength than lithium metatitanate (Li2TiO3), though Li2TiO3 has less than half the lithium atom density of Li2O. This work seeks to provide an alternative to monolithic ceramic tritium breeders, in the form of metal-reinforced composite tritium breeders. Specifically, composite tritium breeders have been synthesized combining Li2O with various ferrous metal reinforcements via electric field assisted sintering (EFAS), also known as spark plasma sintering (SPS). As the metal reinforcement content is increased, metallic networks are observed, via electron microscopy and X-ray computed tomography, to form throughout the composite material. Through destructive mechanical testing, even dilute metal reinforcement loading enables drastic mechanical strength improvements over pure Li2O while higher loadings give rise to quasi-ductile behavior and higher ultimate strengths than Li2TiO3 – while still maintaining a higher density of lithium atoms than Li2TiO3 and many other breeder candidates. In addition to microstructural characterization and mechanical testing, thermal property measurements and hydrogen permeability testing are underway to further assess the suitability of such composites for fusion reactor applications.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of woven and stitched out-of-autoclave E-glass/epoxy composites subjected to quasi-static and cyclic tensile loads

Tensile quasi-static and fatigue behaviors of out-of-autoclave, quasi-isotropic, E-glass/epoxy composites with woven and stitched fiber architectures are compared. Some specimens were cyclically loaded to failure, while others were tested for residual modulus and ultimate strength. Both laminates survived 10 7 cycles at a maximum stress of 94.8 MPa but failed prior to 10 7 cycles at a maximum stress greater than or equal to 124.1 MPa. For the stress-lifetime diagram and residual strength, the woven laminate had superior properties below 10 4 cycles and the stitched laminate had superior properties above 10 5 cycles. While intralaminar crack density was higher in the stitched laminate, the woven laminate demonstrated a higher percentage of delaminated area.

Materials Science↗

DOE OSTI2022

Mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, and scaling laws of bicontinuous nanoporous metallic glasses

Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to study the mechanical properties of nanoporous Cu x Zr 1-x metallic glasses (MGs) with five different compositions, x = 0.28, 0.36, 0.50, 0.64, and 0.72, and porosity in the range 0.1 < Φ < 0.7. Results from tensile loading simulations indicate a strong dependence of Young's modulus, E, and Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) on porosity and composition. By increasing the porosity from Φ = 0.1 to Φ = 0.7, the topology of the nanoporous MG shifts from closed cell to open-cell bicontinuous. The change in nanoporous topology enables a brittle-to-ductile transition in deformation and failure mechanisms from a single critical shear band to necking and rupture of ligaments. Genetic Programming (GP) is employed to find scaling laws for E and UTS as a function of porosity and composition. Here, a comparison of the GP-derived scaling laws against existing relationships shows that the GP method is able to uncover expressions that can predict accurately both the values of E and UTS in the whole range of porosity and compositions considered.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Fire reduces riverine DOC concentration draining a watershed and alters post-fire DOC recovery patterns

Abstract The loading of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from soils to inland waters and ultimate transport to the ocean is a critical flux pathway in the terrestrial biosphere carbon cycle. Fires can significantly affect this flux through biogeochemical processes related to oxidation and mobilization of DOC in the soil. Therefore, in order to accurately estimate and model terrestrial carbon storage and export to the marine environment, we need to better understand the effects of fire on DOC flux. In this analysis, we compiled available observational data sets from seven watersheds across the conterminous United States generally spanning the years 1999–2019. We used these data sets to examine the effects of fire on riverine DOC concentration draining a watershed to study both the immediate impacts and the post-fire recovery patterns. Our results suggest that these fires result in an immediate decrease in riverine DOC concentration draining the watershed by 26 ± 15%, and the time required for DOC concentrations to recover to pre-fire levels was estimated to be, on average, approximately 9 months. During recovery, DOC concentration was 24 ± 11% lower than the long-term average for the watershed. In addition, the larger the proportion of the watershed that burned, the greater the concentration decrease and the longer the time period for post-fire recovery.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Effects of Fe(III) Oxide Mineralogy and Phosphate on Fe(II) Secondary Mineral Formation during Microbial Iron Reduction

The bioreduction of Fe(III) oxides by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria may result in the formation of a suite of Fe(II)-bearing secondary minerals, including magnetite (a mixed Fe(II)/Fe(III) oxide), siderite (Fe(II) carbonate), vivianite (Fe(II) phosphate), chukanovite (ferrous hydroxy carbonate), and green rusts (mixed Fe(II)/Fe(III) hydroxides). In an effort to better understand the factors controlling the formation of specific Fe(II)-bearing secondary minerals, we examined the effects of Fe(III) oxide mineralogy, phosphate concentration, and the availability of an electron shuttle (9,10-anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate, AQDS) on the bioreduction of a series of Fe(III) oxides (akaganeite, feroxyhyte, ferric green rust, ferrihydrite, goethite, hematite, and lepidocrocite) by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32, and the resulting formation of secondary minerals, as determined by X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The overall extent of Fe(II) production was highly dependent on the type of Fe(III) oxide provided. With the exception of hematite, AQDS enhanced the rate of Fe(II) production; however, the presence of AQDS did not always lead to an increase in the overall extent of Fe(II) production and did not affect the types of Fe(II)-bearing secondary minerals that formed. The effects of the presence of phosphate on the rate and extent of Fe(II) production were variable among the Fe(III) oxides, but in general, the highest loadings of phosphate resulted in decreased rates of Fe(II) production, but ultimately higher levels of Fe(II) than in the absence of phosphate. In addition, phosphate concentration had a pronounced effect on the types of secondary minerals that formed; magnetite and chukanovite formed at phosphate concentrations of ≤1 mM (ferrihydrite), <~100 µM (lepidocrocite), 500 µM (feroxyhyte and ferric green rust), while green rust, or green rust and vivianite, formed at phosphate concentrations of 10 mM (ferrihydrite), ≥100 µM (lepidocrocite), and 5 mM (feroxyhyte and ferric green rust). These results further demonstrate that the bioreduction of Fe(III) oxides, and accompanying Fe(II)-bearing secondary mineral formation, is controlled by a complex interplay of mineralogical, geochemical, and microbiological factors.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Investigation into the instantaneous centre of rotation for enhanced design of floating offshore wind turbines

The dynamic behaviour of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) involves complex interactions of multivariate loads from wind, waves, and currents, which result in complex motion characteristics. Although methods for analysing global motion responses are well-established, the time- and location-dependent kinematics remain underexplored. This paper investigates the instantaneous centre of rotation (ICR), a point of zero velocity at a time instance of general plane motion. Understanding and strategically positioning the ICR can reduce the dynamic motion in critical structural locations, enhancing the performance and structural robustness of FOWTs. The paper presents a method for computing the ICR using time-domain simulation results and proposes a statistical analysis approach suitable for design studies. Building on prior research, it examines the sensitivity of the ICR to external loading and design features, providing insights into how these factors influence motion response and how the motion response influences the statistics of the ICR, structural loads, and other performance metrics of interest. The study explores two FOWT configurations, a spar and a semisubmersible, identifying design variables that most effectively control the ICR statistics and identifying the ICR statistics most correlated with the responses of interest. Finally, through two case studies, we demonstrate how to apply these new insights in a practical design scenario. By adjusting the design variables most correlated with the ICR (fairlead vertical position and centre of mass for the spar and mooring line length and offset column diameter for the semisubmersible), we successfully modified the designs of the floating support structures to reduce the loads in the mooring lines, tower base, and blade roots, improving the ultimate strength and fatigue characteristics compared to the original designs.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Formation and Consolidation of UN Nanostructures in U-Mo Fuel via Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering

Uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) alloys show promise as a nuclear fuel system due to their high thermal conductivity and high fuel loading capability. However, U-Mo systems suffer from irradiation induced swelling ultimately affecting the cladding via mechanical and chemical interaction. To address these shortcomings, this thesis investigated the formation of uranium mononitride (UN) nanoparticles within a U-10Mo matrix. To promote the formation of UN, U-10Mo powders were mechanically alloyed under a high purity nitrogen cover gas (99.9995%) atmosphere. Variations were made in stainless steel milling media size, duration of milling, and number of times the milling jar was re-aerated with nitrogen gas. UN nanoparticulates were successfully formed within the U-Mo matrix and was characterized utilizing light element analysis, X-ray diffractometry, scanning and transmission-electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography. Presence of the UN nanoparticles was found as early as 1-hour into the mechanical alloying process, and significant iron contamination found after 10-hours of milling. The U-Mo/UN powders were compacted using spark plasma sintering techniques in order to stabilize the nanostructure. U-Mo/UN compacts containing small amounts of neodymium and helium were analyzed to observe the defect migration tendencies of fission products within the fuel.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Expansion of the Direct Feed High-Level Waste Glass Composition in the High Al Range

Baseline glass compositions have been developed and demonstrated for successful immobilization of Hanford high-level waste (HLW) prepared through a pretreatment process. Recent enhanced waste glass formulations have shown promise to increase the waste loading of pretreated sludge compositions from a broader range of HLW feeds. This project proposes to increase the loading of minimally pretreated Hanford HLW in glass by expanding the existing database and glass property-composition models. Estimated direct-feed high level waste (DFHLW) compositions were generated by the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor and used by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to determine target glass compositions. Gaps in existing data were identified including one high-priority gap in the high Al compositional region. This report summarizes the data collected during the characterization of the DFHLW High Al Glass Matrix. These glasses were intentionally designed with high aluminum concentrations (15 to 30 wt%) and a high likelihood of nepheline formation, which is known to negatively affect glass durability. Some glasses were expected to either fail or approach property constraints to fill data gaps in poorly understood regions of the compositional space due to lack of data. Out of the 50 glasses tested, 14 glasses formed nepheline, while the model predicted nepheline formation in 20 glasses. All quenched glasses met the product consistency test durability constraint; however, 8 glasses failed this constraint after undergoing the canister centerline cooling treatment. Additionally, 17 glasses did not meet the viscosity constraints, 4 failed the EC constraints, and 2 exceeded the allowable T2% for spinel crystal formation. All glasses satisfied the SO 3 solubility limit. The resulting dataset provides valuable information to improve model accuracy and reduce prediction uncertainty. These insights will ultimately support the development of more robust glass formulation strategies, enabling higher waste loadings, reducing operational risks, and expanding the processing envelope.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Recrystallization driven softening and heating rate dependencies of FeCrAl nuclear fuel cladding during accident transients

A refined understanding of FeCrAl cladding behavior during rapid transients is critical for its potential deployment in light-water reactors. Current assessments focus on transient burst testing metrics such as balloon geometry, burst temperature, and hoop stress, often used as proxies for simpler conventional tensile properties. However, directly correlating isothermal tensile and creep data with accident transient scenarios remains a challenge, although it is essential for high fidelity model development. Recent modeling based on tensile tests up to 800 °C, conducted with both immediate loading and a 10-minute soak, showed that immediate loading better predicts experimental burst temperatures, indicating a thermal softening effect. Building upon this observation, the current study connects transient performance, microstructural evolution, and high-temperature tensile properties by leveraging results from C26M claddings burst tests performed at heating rates of 1–50 °C/s and hoop stresses from 25 to 100 MPa. At 25 MPa, rupture temperatures varied by only 6 °C, but at 100 MPa, the difference reached 116 °C, with faster heating yielding higher burst temperatures. Microstructural analysis identified recrystallization as the primary cause of heating rate-dependent softening, eliminating prior cold-working. In-situ thermomechanical data linked ballooning onset to localized instabilities, similar to ultimate tensile strength behavior in conventional tensile tests. High heating rates correlated with immediate loading tensile data, while lower rates matched soaked data. Furthermore, by linking burst performance to microstructural evolution and tensile properties, this work provides a foundation for more accurate modeling of FeCrAl claddings and potentially other Fe-based materials under accident conditions.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Codisposal Waste Package Loading Options for DOE SNF and HLW PPT

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for managing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that is currently in, or will in the future come into, its possession. DOE must continue to safely store that SNF, transport it to an interim storage site or a repository, and dispose of it. These fuels come from a wide range of reactor types with various cladding materials and enrichments. Many of these reactors, now decommissioned, had unique design features, such as core configuration, fuel element and assembly geometry, moderator and coolant materials, operational characteristics, and neutron spatial and spectral properties, resulting in a large diversity of reactor and fuel designs. Because of the wide variety and conditions of SNF, a robust DOE Standard Canister was proposed that would confine radionuclides and preclude moderator. The DOE Standard Canister had four variations: 3.05-meter (10-foot) or 4.57-meter (15-foot) length, and 45.7-cm (18-inch) or 61.0-cm (24-inch) diameter. For ultimate disposal in the Yucca Mountain Repository, these canisters were to be grouped with 61.0-cm (24-inch) diameter high level waste (HLW) canisters in a 2.13-meter (84-inch) diameter co-disposal waste package. The smaller 45.7-cm (18-inch) diameter DOE Standard Canister could be placed in the middle of five HLW canisters. The larger 61.0-cm (24-inch) diameter DOE Standard Canister would take the place of one of the five HLW canisters on the outer ring in the co-disposal waste package. No DOE Standard Canisters have been loaded. A preliminary evaluation has estimated the number of elements of a fuel type that can fit into the different sizes of the DOE Standard Canister, but no definitive loading configuration has been selected. Changing the loading configuration could impact the number of loadable DOE Standard Canisters and the number of co-disposal waste packages needed for eventual disposition. This paper conveys the ranges of DOE Standard Canisters and HLW canisters that may be produced under certain conditions. It also examines the differences in the estimated number of co-disposal waste packages produced for eventual disposal when using different loading strategies in the DOE Standard Canister for Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), Peach Bottom, and High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) SNF. Changing the loading configurations of ATR, Peach Bottom, and HFIR SNF slightly impacted the number of co-disposal waste packages that may be needed for ultimate disposal. The change in loading configuration was more impactful when a different canister was used, as opposed to varying the number of elements that could fit inside the same size canister. In one case, a reduction of co-disposal waste packages could be achieved by allowing mixing of short HLW canisters with long DOE Standard Canisters. The main conclusion from this analysis is that the ratio between HLW canisters and DOE Standard Canisters will drive the total number of co-disposal waste packages. If too many HLW canisters (i.e., more than five times the number of 18-inch DOE standard canisters) or DOE Standard Canisters are produced, some co-disposal waste packages may not have all positions filled. A co-disposal waste package may be filled with all HLW with no DOE Standard Canister, or a co-disposal waste package could be filled with a single DOE Standard Canister. A ratio that does not closely align to optimum could allow for the design of waste packages that hold just HLW canisters or just DOE SNF canisters.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Co-Disposal Waste Package Loading Options for DOE SNF and HLW - 20331

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗