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At least 667 records · Page 37

Development of the technological process for the IGR reactor's highly-enriched irradiated uranium-graphite fuel immobilization

The immobilization of irradiated highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel is a critical component of nuclear waste management and non-proliferation efforts. In Kazakhstan, at National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan special attention is given to managing legacy HEU fuel from research reactors. One such case involves the IGR research reactor, whose first core containing irradiated HEU uranium-graphite fuel was operated from 1961 to 1966 and removed following reactor modernization. This fuel now requires a reliable and secure immobilization strategy. Here, this paper presents the development of a technological process for immobilizing this fuel to reduce its enrichment to below 20 % in terms of 235U content. The proposed method involves down-blending irradiated HEU fuel with depleted uranium, followed by encapsulation in a Portland cement matrix. Full-scale experiments were conducted to assess the uniformity of uranium distribution within the matrix. The results confirm the effectiveness of this approach, ensuring reliable immobilization of fuel in accordance with international requirements, including IAEA standards and Kazakhstan's regulatory framework. These findings contribute to the broader effort of adapting immobilization strategies for the safe management of spent fuel from research reactors.

12 - MGMT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTE↗

Production and Characterization of Additively Manufactured Radiator Panels with Integral Branching Heat Pipes for High-Temperature Heat Rejection

Emerging concepts for fission surface power and nuclear electric propulsion necessitate lightweight, mechanically robust, and thermally efficient heat rejection radiators. State-of-the-art intermediate-temperature (~400 K) composite radiator assemblies have been developed based on titanium-water heat pipes bonded to metal, graphite, and carbon-fiber-based panels. NASA has identified a need for new radiator concepts that can operate at even higher temperatures (500 – 600 K), minimize thermal resistances and thermal stress failures at bond interfaces, and approach areal densities of 2 – 3 kg m -2 . To meet these needs, our team is developing additively manufactured (AM) radiator panels with integral branching wicking heat pipe networks. Water is selected as the working fluid for this temperature range. Based on simulations and thermal vacuum experiments, these branching embedded heat pipe networks can efficiently distribute heat over panels for finned surface efficiencies of η f >70% at T H = 500 K input heat. This paper first presents laser powder-bed fusion AM strategies to produce embedded porous structures for wicking heat pipes in Inconel 718 and titanium alloys (commercially pure and Ti-6Al-4V alloys). Post-build chemical and thermal treatments are described that yield hydrophilic wicking surfaces for operation with water. Transient rate-of-rise experiments with water and acetone are reported that yield estimates for AM wick porosity (ϵ), permeability (K), and effective pore radius (r pore ). Based on the wick characterization results, small prototype radiator panels (75 × 125 mm) with integrated heat pipe networks were manufactured. Heat rejection performance data are presented from cold thermal vacuum testing, with heat input temperatures up to ~510 K. Future efforts will focus on improving heat pipe performance, optimizing radiator mass, and evaluating larger panels to assess scalability.

thermal management↗

Radioisotope Power: A Key Technology for Deep Space Exploration

A Radioisotope Power System (RPS) generates power by converting the heat released from the nuclear decay of radioactive isotopes, such as Plutonium-238 (Pu-238), into electricity. First used in space by the U.S. in 1961, these devices have enabled some of the most challenging and exciting space missions in history, including the Pioneer and Voyager probes to the outer solar system; the Apollo lunar surface experiments; the Viking landers; the Ulysses polar orbital mission about the Sun; the Galileo mission to Jupiter; the Cassini mission orbiting Saturn; and the recently launched New Horizons mission to Pluto. Radioisotopes have also served as a versatile heat source for moderating equipment thermal environments on these and many other missions, including the Mars exploration rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The key advantage of RPS is its ability to operate continuously, independent of orientation and distance relative to the Sun. Radioisotope systems are long-lived, rugged, compact, highly reliable, and relatively insensitive to radiation and other environmental effects. As such, they are ideally suited for missions involving long-lived, autonomous operations in the extreme conditions of space and other planetary bodies. This paper reviews the history of RPS for the U.S. space program. It also describes current development of a new Stirling cycle-based generator that will greatly expand the application of nuclear-powered missions in the future.

Schmidt, George↗

Radioisotope Power: A Key Technology for Deep Space Explorations

A Radioisotope Power System (RPS) generates power by converting the heat released from the nuclear decay of radioactive isotopes, such as Plutonium-238 (Pu-238), into electricity. First used in space by the U.S. in 1961, these devices have enabled some of the most challenging and exciting space missions in history, including the Pioneer and Voyager probes to the outer solar system; the Apollo lunar surface experiments; the Viking landers; the Ulysses polar orbital mission about the Sun; the Galileo mission to Jupiter; the Cassini mission orbiting Saturn; and the recently launched New Horizons mission to Pluto. Radioisotopes have also served as a versatile heat source for moderating equipment thermal environments on these and many other missions, including the Mars exploration rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The key advantage of RPS is its ability to operate continuously, independent of orientation and distance relative to the Sun. Radioisotope systems are long-lived, rugged, compact, highly reliable, and relatively insensitive to radiation and other environmental effects. As such, they are ideally suited for missions involving long-lived, autonomous operations in the extreme conditions of space and other planetary bodies. This paper reviews the history of RPS for the U.S. space program. It also describes current development of a new Stirling cycle-based generator that will greatly expand the application of nuclear-powered missions in the future.

Schmidt, George R.↗

Study of the heat pipe vapor flow using the MOOSE application Sockeye and the CFD code Nek5000

Heat pipes are efficient heat transfer devices used in various applications, including nuclear microreactors. Heat pipe-cooled microreactors offer advantages in size and cost, which can significantly accelerate their deployment and adoption. Developing accurate models of heat pipes is crucial for a heat pipe-cooled microreactor design and operation. In this work a verification and validation of the heat pipe application Sockeye is presented. Results are compared against RANS simulations, performed with the code Nek5000, and the SPHERE experiment, conducted at INL.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Nuclear activation analysis of zirconium-90 isomeric and ground-state reactions at the OMEGA Laser Facility

Nuclear activation is a well-established technique for inferring neutron yields in laser direct-drive deuterium–tritium (DT) and deuterium–deuterium (D 2 ) implosions at the OMEGA Laser Facility. Zirconium has long been considered an excellent candidate for measuring DT neutron fusion yields by observing decays of the 90 Zr(n,2n) 89 Zr ground-state reaction. As it has a higher energy threshold than present activation detectors utilizing copper, zirconium provides a means to infer primary neutron yields that are less susceptible to being skewed due to neutron scattering within the experimental environment. However, with a 78.41-h half-life, it is not operationally practical to utilize this reaction for OMEGA experiments, which have a 1-h shot cycle. Zirconium’s 90 Zr(n,2n) 89 mZr reaction presents itself as a viable candidate to infer neutron yields within a shot cycle, given its half-life of 4.16 min. Here, we present an overview of the approach and methodology, utilizing first principles techniques, to infer the primary neutron yields from OMEGA DT fusion experiments by using both the isomeric and the ground-state reaction. Yields inferred from both reactions are compared, which are in good agreement between the two.

Activation analysis↗

Magnetohydrodynamics in free surface liquid metal flow relevant to plasma-facing components

Abstract While flowing Liquid Metal (LM) Plasma-Facing Components (PFCs) represent a potentially transformative technology to enable long-pulse operation with high-power exhaust for fusion reactors, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) drag in the conducting LM will reduce the flow speed. Experiments have been completed in the linear open-channel LMX-U device [Hvasta et al 2018 Nucl. Fusion 58 01602] for validation of MHD drag calculations with either insulating or conducting walls, with codes similar to those used to design flowing LM PFCs for a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility [Kessel et al 2019 Fusion Sci. Technol . 75 886]. We observe that the average channel flow speed decreased with the use of conducting walls and the strength of the applied transverse magnetic field. The MHD drag from the retarding Lorentz force resulted in an increase of the LM depth in the channel that ‘piled up’ near the inlet, but not the outlet. As reproduced by OpenFOAM and ANSYS CFX calculations, the magnitude and characteristics of the pileup in the flow direction increased with the applied traverse magnetic field by up to 120%, as compared to the case without an applied magnetic field, corresponding to an average velocity reduction of ∼45%. Particle tracking measurements confirmed a predicted shear in the flow speed, with the surface velocity increasing by 300%, despite the 45% drop in the average bulk speed. The MHD effect makes the bulk flow laminarized but keeps surface waves aligned along the magnetic field lines due to the anisotropy of MHD drag. The 3D fringe field and high surface velocity generate ripples around the outlet region. It was also confirmed that the MHD drag strongly depends on the conductivity of the channel walls, magnetic field, and volumetric flow rate, in agreement with the simulations and a developed analytical model. These validated models are now available to begin to determine the conditions under which the ideal LM channel design of a constant flow speed and fluid depth could be attained.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Codebase release 2.0 for sauce

Low energy nuclear physics experiments are transitioning towards fully digital data acquisition systems. Realizing the gains in flexibility afforded by these systems relies on equally flexible data reduction techniques. In this paper, methods utilizing data frames and in-memory techniques to work with data, including data from self-triggering, digital data acquisition systems, are discussed within the context of a Python package, sauce. It is shown that data frame operations can encompass common analysis needs and allow interactive data analysis. Two event building techniques, dubbed referenced and referenceless event building, are shown to provide a means to transform raw list mode data into correlated multi-detector events. These techniques are demonstrated in the analysis of two example data sets.

Marshall, Caleb (ORCID:0000000211942920)↗

Cigeo Design Options, Risks and Opportunities Management: A Continuous Project Management Goal - 20015

Andra is currently completing the detailed engineering phase of the stepwise design development of Cigeo, the French HLW and IL-LLW Deep Geological Repository. If licensed in the coming years, Cigeo's progressive construction, industrial operation and closure will last over more than a century. Such a duration, associated with the requirements in terms of reversibility, lead to the choice of an incremental design that allows, for next operator generations, to integrate improvements derived from scientific and technical progress as well as from experience feedback from its operation. This incremental design approach, associated with a permanent risks and opportunities management process, will continue after licensing of Cigeo as a tool for the governance of the reversibility. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

ANS Winter 2024 Summary: Optimizing the ATF-2Ramp Power Profile

When the Halden Boiling Water Reactor closed down in 2018, a need to restore the capability for in-reactor power ramp testing arose. Such testing is valuable for studying pellet-clad interaction phenomena in nuclear fuels. The data from these studies is of great interest to a number of research programs, including the accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) program at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In 2022, Woolstenhulme et al. proposed several power ramp testing ideas using facilities at INL, including irradiation in the Transient Reactor Test Facility (better known as TREAT) and the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) [1]. Worrall et al. [2] and Labossiere-Hickman et al. [3] subsequently performed feasibility studies for the ATR testing options in 2023. This summary further investigates the three-pin trefoil design (Fig. 1) for the proposed ATF-2Ramp Experiment discussed in Labossiere-Hickman et al. [3]. ATF-2Ramp is designed to operate in the center flux trap (CFT) of the ATR during a powered axial locator mechanism (PALM) cycle: a short, variable-powered cycle with an asymmetric power distribution. Previously, it was shown that tailoring the thickness of the hafnium (Hf) neutron shields (“mini-shrouds”) surrounding each pin offered a degree of control sufficient to achieve the programmatic linear heat generation rate (LHGR) targets for ATF-2Ramp during the high-power period of a PALM cycle. New work involves shortening the experiment test train for consistency with the fuel pins in ATF-2D [4] and then shaping the axial power profile of the three test pins.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Characterization of the Fast-Neutron Irradiator and the Fast-Flux Tube Irradiation Fixtures at the Pennsylvania State Breazeale Reactor

Accurate knowledge of the neutron spectrum at a nuclear research reactor is a prerequisite for planning irradiation experiments, as well as for evaluating irradiation exposure results. The neutron-flux spectrum in the fast-neutron irradiator (FNI) and the fast-flux tube (FFT) irradiation fixtures at the Pennsylvania State Breazeale Reactor (PSBR) were characterized using the multi-foil neutron activation method. These irradiation fixtures make use of graded shielding to produce unique neutron fields. Multiple foil sets were irradiated in the fixtures with different exposure times and reactor powers to understand the stability over a wide range of operating conditions. Measured results were evaluated against a MCNP6 simulation to produce a measurement-informed neutron flux-energy spectrum for each fixture using STAYSL_PNNL. Simulated estimates of the FNI fixture, a newer fixture (~25 years old), demonstrated excellent agreement with measured results; the FFT did not. Thermal neutron measurements from the FFT suggest there is additional thermal leakage not captured in the simulation model. In conclusion, possible explanations for the discrepancy include burn-out or degradation (i.e., micro-cracking, gaps, etc.) in the boral and cadmium liners over the lifetime of the fixture (~40 years old).

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Assessment of buffer-IPyC thermomechanical debonding behavior using new experimental strength data in BISON

TRIstructural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel is a nuclear fuel commonly used in High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs). A single sub-millimeter-diameter TRISO fuel particle consists of a spherical fuel kernel surrounded by four coating layers: a low-density pyrocarbon buffer layer, an inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer, a silicon carbide (SiC) layer, and an outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layer. The kernel is commonly made of UO2 or a mixture of uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO). During reactor operation, the TRISO coating layers are subjected to irradiation-induced dimensional changes and the associated thermomechanical behavior of each layer. One of the observed behaviors is gap formation between the buffer and IPyC layer due to the porous buffer’s irradiation-induced shrinkage exceeding that of the IPyC layer. Not all irradiated particles will experience buffer-IPyC gap formation. The debonding may be partial, or it may be nearly total. However, from post-irradiation examination of UCO TRISO fuels irradiated as part of the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program, it was concluded that partial buffer-IPyC debonding was the most common type of buffer-IPyC interaction. To predict TRISO thermomechanical performance, multi-physics models have been built that are being continually updated and refined. The BISON code is a finite element-based nuclear fuel performance code that may be used for 1D, 2D, and 3D TRISO particle simulations. This code is used to calculate fuel temperature, kernel swelling, buffer densification, thermal and irradiation creep, fracture, and fission gas production and release. One of the recent additions to the BISON code is the ability to model the process of layer debonding. This paper will focus on the simulation results of the improved BISON debonding model that will utilize updated strengths measured from irradiated AGR TRISO fuel particles. The new experimental strength data from micromechanical tests of irradiated TRISO fuel samples were exercised in the BISON simulations and compared to baseline strength data to assess their applicability in the models. This also includes updated buffer-IPyC bond strengths to simulate layer delamination. Based on current experimental observations it is noted that the buffer-IPyC separation occurs not exactly at the junction of these two layers, but more on the side of the buffer layer. That observation is also implemented in the TRISO interface debonding model. This improved modeling approach using experimental strength data to characterize buffer-IPyC debonding and its potential subsequent cracking will be presented in the paper along with comparisons to available experimental observations.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Report Summarizing Boiling Transition (Dryout) Testing of FeCrAl Cladding

Nuclear fuel and cladding in a light water reactor must maintain integrity under all normal operational and anticipated operational occurrences. In a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) some Anticipated Operational Occurrences (AOOs) and Anticipated Transients Without SCRAM (ATWS) events have been known to result in cladding damage due to dryout with conventional Zircaloy-2 claddings. This work presents an assessment of commercially-fabricated, accident tolerant iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy C26M cladding in such events with regard to the ballooning failure mode for unirradiated cladding In the severe accident test station (SATS), an experiment has been developed to gauge accident tolerance of fuel cladding materials under simulated cyclic dryout conditions. Thermal cycling from 300°C to 650°C was implemented on C26M and Zircaloy-2 tubes. The C26M tube did not fail after 54 cycles. The Zircaloy- 2 tube run under the same parameters as the C26M tube failed during the fourth cycle, consistent with expectations from the literature. Due to thermal gradients present in the furnace, both tubes experienced a maximum temperature at ~780°C. Due to differences in tube geometry, the hoop stress of the C26M tube was significantly higher than that of the Zircaloy-2 tube, 76 MPa at the maximum peak temperature compared to 55 MPa at burst, respectively. The cyclic dryout experiments show an increased performance of C26M over Zircaloy-2 under simulated conditions, an indication of C26M possessing superior high temperature oxidation resistance, mechanical properties and potentially resistance to fatigue.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Effects of moisture and aging upon decomposition of methyl iodide by reduced silver mordenite

Abstract Reduced silver mordenite has been considered as a sorbent for the capture of organic iodides, especially methyl iodide, from off-gases produced by aqueous used nuclear fuel reprocessing operations. The adsorption capacity of this material has been unpredictable especially when NO x and water are present. Previous work has found that a catalytic decomposition reaction is occurring on the surface but few determinations have been made of the kinetics of this reaction. The work presented tested the adsorption behavior and apparent catalytic reaction rate in humid conditions and compared those to dry conditions testing. Both experiments observed a first order reaction with rate constants of 0.0847 L/g sorbent/s and 0.1202 L/g sorbent/s respectively. Such a reduction in apparent rate constant is possibly due to either water obstructing methyl iodide adsorption or product desorption limitation. Changes in the adsorption profile were also apparent between these two, with the humid conditions experiment reaching saturation sooner than the dry conditions experiment. Additionally, an experiment into the effects of sorbent storage in a controlled laboratory environment was performed. The performance of the sorbent materials that were stored with silver in the zerovalent state was slightly inferior to those materials that were stored in ionic form (Ag + ) and reduced to zerovalent silver immediately prior to subjecting them to sorption test. The materials stored with silver in the ionic form (and reduced just prior to application) behaved essentially similarly to the freshly synthesized (and reduced) sorbents in the sorption tests. This suggests that zerovalent silver experiences some oxidation resulting in deactivation of some sites.

Goettsche, Heinrik↗

ECAR-3873 Acceptance of Nonconforming Fuel for the AGR-5/6/7 Irradiation Experiments

Low-enriched fuel compacts fabricated for the AGR-5/6/7 irradiation experiments did not conform to all fuel specifications. Reasons why the fuel is acceptable for use in the AGR-5/6/7 irradiation are discussed. Revision 1 alters the characterization data for the dispersed uranium and exposed kernel defect fractions. Additional characterization data was obtained for fuel compacts analyzed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This enabled statistical outliers to be rejected and to confirm that results obtained from BWX Technologies Nuclear Operations Group were statistically independent of the Oak Ridge results and should be excluded from the analyses. Revision 2 alters the characterization data for the TRISO lot, J52R-16-98005, used in the fabrication of the AGR-5/6/7 fuel. Data from the BWXT J52R-16-98005 Certification package is used to calculate the reported values.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Unconventional Applications of Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors are becoming a dominant technology in quantum optics and quantum communication, primarily because of their low timing jitter and capability to detect individual low-energy photons with high quantum efficiencies. However, other desirable characteristics, such as high detection rates, operation in cryogenic and high magnetic field environments, or high-efficiency detection of charged particles, are underrepresented in literature, potentially leading to a lack of interest in other fields that might benefit from this technology. We review the progress in use of superconducting nanowire technology in photon and particle detection outside of the usual areas of physics, with emphasis on the potential use in ongoing and future experiments in nuclear and high energy physics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Demonstration of Subscale Cermet Fuel Specimen Fabrication Approach Using Spark Plasma Sintering and Diffusion Bonding

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) has the potential to expand the limits of human space exploration by enabling crewed missions to Mars and beyond. The viability of NTP hinges on the development of a robust nuclear fuel material that can perform in the harsh operating environment (> or = 2500K, reactive hydrogen) of a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine. Efforts are ongoing to develop fuel material and to assemble fuel elements that will be stable during the service life of an NTR. Ceramic-metal (cermet) fuels are being actively pursued by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) due to their demonstrated high-temperature stability and hydrogen compatibility. Building on past cermet fuel development research, experiments were conducted to investigate a modern fabrication approach for cermet fuel elements. The experiments used consolidated tungsten (W)-60vol%zirconia (ZrO2) compacts that were formed via spark plasma sintering (SPS). The consolidated compacts were stacked and diffusion bonded to assess the integrity of the bond lines and internal cooling channel cladding. The assessment included hot hydrogen testing of the manufactured surrogate fuel and pure W for 45 minutes at 2500 K in the compact fuel element environmental test (CFEET) system. Performance of bonded W-ZrO2 rods was compared to bonded pure W rods to access bond line integrity and composite stability. Bonded surrogate fuels retained structural integrity throughout testing and incurred minimal mass loss.

Barnes, Marvin W.↗

Impact of Heaters on Molten Salt Reactors Dynamics

Recently, there has been renewed interest in the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) concept. This interest is mainly due to its advantages over Light Water Reactors (LWRs). Among these advantages are the flexibility in the fuel choice and the possibility to burn actinides [1]. Currently, two molten research reactors are under development. A 2 MW molten salt experimental reactor has been constructed and is planned for operation in China. A 1 MW Molten Salt Research Reactor is under construction in the United States [2]. Thus, Research and Development (R&D) programs are needed for the MSR technology. Reactor dynamics studies are crucial safety evaluation studies. The development of reactor dynamics tools for MSRs started during the Molten Salt Reactor Program (MSRP) at ORNL, focusing on the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) [3]. Although various dynamic simulation tools are available, R&D efforts to develop specialized tools for MSRs are still ongoing [4]. The primary motivation for this interest is the goal of commercializing MSRs. Developing a dynamics tool for MSRs is crucial for analyzing their safety and supporting their demonstration efforts. A crucial safety issue in MSRs is ensuring that the fuel salt in the primary loop remains molten. This concern becomes particularly important when the reactor operates at lower power levels. Most chloride and fluoride salts used as fuel have a melting point of approximately 450 °C [5]. Therefore, maintaining fuel salt temperatures above this melting point is essential to prevent it from freezing. Freezing of the fuel salt can lead to volume expansion, potentially causing damage to reactor components [6]. Moreover, it can create local blockages within fuel salt channels, reducing cooling efficiency and resulting in hot spots [7]. Various methods can prevent fuel salt from freezing at low power levels. These include reducing the fuel mass flow rate in the primary loop, decreasing heat exchange between the primary and secondary loops in the reactor, and using electric fuel salt heaters. Reducing the mass flow rate of fuel salt in the primary loop can increase the fuel salt transit time in the core, enhancing heat production and increasing temperature. However, it can potentially lead to challenges. These include increasing the potential for fuel salt deposition on the reactor channel walls [8], affecting the overall heat transfer processes. Thus, alternative methods should be used [9]. This research investigates the effects of fuel salt heaters on the dynamics and stability during MSR operation. The investigation includes studying the reactor stability with the fuel salt heaters on and off. In addition, the reactor response to transients is compared with and without the operation of fuel salt heaters. These transients include reactivity insertion, primary and secondary pump failure, and heat sink temperature increase. The results of the reactivity insertion transient are presented in the summary.

73 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗