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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Performance characterization of metal-supported solid-oxide fuel cell stacks at elevated pressure

Here, in this paper, we present results on performance characterization of solid oxide fuel cell stacks at elevated pressures up to 6 bar a . Stacks are designed and built by Ceres Power, Ltd., and are rated at 1- and 5- kW e . Fuel streams include H 2 / N 2 mixtures, synthetic natural-gas reformate, and simulated anode tail-gas recycle. Elevated operating pressure serves to increase stack electrochemical performance, with the most-pronounced gains found up to 4 bar a . Pressurized operation reduces the extent of methane conversion, promoting more-uniform internal reforming and cooling within the stack. Such cooling is critical at higher-current conditions. A previously developed one dimensional computational stack model is used to provide insight into stack operation. Pressurization is found to slightly increase internal thermal gradients, while promoting more-uniform reactant-concentration profiles across the cell, reducing the likelihood of local fuel starvation. The high fuel dilution brought by anode recycle can modestly decrease stack performance; however, this decrease is recovered through elevated-pressure operation at 3 bar a . Anode recycle further promotes compositional uniformity across the cell. These results reflect that pressurized operation can promote stack performance, while potentially promoting long-term stack durability through uniformity in stack environmental conditions.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ab-initio informed cluster dynamics simulation of self- and Xe diffusivity in uranium mononitride under irradiation

Uranium mononitride (UN) is one of the ceramic nuclear fuel alternatives to oxide fuels considered for light water reactor and advanced reactor designs, as it presents significant advantages such as high uranium density (better economics) and high thermal conductivity and melting point (increased safety). Self- and fission gas diffusivities need to be better understood, given that they influence key fuel performance phenomena like swelling and fission gas release. Recently, radiation enhanced diffusivity was investigated in UN by means of cluster dynamics simulations relying on empirical potential-based parameterizations, the reliability of which highly depends on the interatomic potential accuracy. Here, in this work, we refine this approach by determining, using ab-initio calculations, the properties of defect clusters containing vacancies, self-interstitials and Xe impurities. We also consider larger clusters than previous studies. The obtained dataset (formation enthalpies, entropies, and migration barriers) is used to parameterize a cluster dynamics model of mobile clusters, and to calculate the defect cluster concentrations under irradiation. This gives us access to the radiation enhanced self- and fission gas diffusivities. Although the resulting diffusivities are close to the values reported in the literature, we find important qualitative differences in the diffusion mechanisms. Capturing the correct mechanisms is crucial to properly describe the chemistry and fission rate dependence of the model.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Application of sensitivity analysis in DYMOND/Dakota to fuel cycle transition scenarios

The ability to perform sensitivity analysis has been enabled for the nuclear fuel cycle simulator DYMOND through its coupling with the design and analysis toolkit Dakota. To test and demonstrate these new capabilities, a transition scenario and multi-parameter study were devised. The transition scenario represents a partial transition from the US nuclear fleet to a closed fuel cycle with small modular LWRs and fast reactors fueled by reprocessed used nuclear fuel. Four uncertain parameters in this transition were studied – start date of reprocessing, total reprocessing capacity, the nuclear energy demand growth, and the rate at which the fast reactors are deployed – with respect to their impact on four response metrics. The responses – total natural uranium consumed, maximum annual enrichment capacity required, total disposed mass, and total cost of the nuclear fuel cycle – were chosen based on measures known to be of interest in transition scenarios and to be significantly impacted by the varying parameters. Furthermore, analysis of this study was performed both from the direct sampling and through surrogate models developed in Dakota to calculate the global sensitivity measures Sobol’ indices. This example application of this new capability showed that the most consequential parameter to most metrics was the share of new build capacity that is fast reactors. However, for the cost metric, the scaling factor of the energy demand growth was significant and had synergistic behavior with the fast reactor new build share.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Computational Study of a Cryopump Design for Fusion Exhaust Gas Purification Using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo

Cryopump-based direct internal recycling (DIR) of fusion fuel is an attractive prospect because it provides pumping of helium ash from a reactor along with separation of helium and other impurities from the fuel. Previous studies have demonstrated a continuously regenerating cryopump, referred to as the Snail pump, that separates helium ash from fusion fuel for reactor-relevant flow rates. Here, in this study, a conceptual cryopump was designed as a proof-of-principle study to target other impurities, besides helium ash, from the fusion exhaust that would complement the Snail pump. The impurity-removal cryopump consists of four sets of chevron fins, two sets operating at 80 K and the other two at 30 K. A computational study using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) was performed with a gas mixture of 96.5% D2, 2.0% He, and 0.5% each of CO2, N2, and CH4. In this configuration, 80 K chevron fin sets are capable of capturing CO2 and 30 K sets capable of capturing CO2, N2, and CH4. The computational study showed that the cryopump is capable of reducing the impurity content by more than two orders of magnitude from the flow.

Adhikari, Nirajan [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (↗
DOE OSTI2025

Community engagement in the development of bioenergy projects from cellulosic urban waste feedstock in Hawaii for sustainable aviation fuel

The purpose of the research project was to reveal the perceptions of residents and communities of the City and County of Honolulu concerning bioenergy projects, feedstock, and sustainable aviation fuel. The perception study was conducted via community-scale surveys, interviews, and town meetings to gather feedback on the preliminary design of a proposed bioenergy project, including feedstock choice and the need for sustainable aviation fuel in Hawaii. Residents on the west side of Oahu were targeted due to their proximity to the proposed plant site location. Findings from this study aim to identify resident perceptions, understanding, and desire for bioenergy projects and new infrastructure to, improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of Hawaiian islands. While Hawaii has created policies and mandates to move toward 100% renewable energy sources by 2045, the focus has been predominately on renewable electricity, largely overlooking other sustainable energy options such as sustainable aviation fuel. There is a lack of research on the community engagement and perceptions of Hawaiian residents on bioenergy projects and sustainable aviation fuel, contributing to the low adoption of bioenergy projects on the islands. Insights from this study aim to add literature on the need for community engagement in the design process, the importance of accepting new sustainable infrastructure, and the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Iodine Sorption on AgZ-PAN

The Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain Program Material Recovery and Waste Form Development (MRWFD) Campaign Off-gas Sigma Team has performed research and development on iodine control and iodine waste forms for the past several years. This research and development has included iodine adsorption tests using a laboratory-scale test system containing multiple-segmented fixed beds of iodine adsorbents. Iodine capture performance has been tested using (a) non-radioactive synthetic gas mixtures blended from air, nitrogen, NO, NO 2 , water, to simulate dissolver off-gas (DOG) and vessel off-gas (VOG) streams from used nuclear fuel aqueous reprocessing, (b) inorganic and organic iodine species, and (c) different sorbents. An initial test of silver-functionalized mordenite in polyacrylonitrile matrix (AgZ-PAN) was conducted to assess if this sorbent, initially designed for selective sorption of Xe that evolves into used fuel reprocessing off-gas streams, could also be a candidate for iodine sorption. This test was conducted using the same deep-bed test system and methodologies used in many prior iodine sorption tests using other sorbents. Diatomic iodine (I2) was used as the target iodide in a gas stream containing air, NO, NO 2 , and moisture designed to simulate an aqueous reprocessing dissolver off-gas (DOG) stream.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of a directly driven multi-shell platform: Laser drive energetics

Simulations predict that directly driven multi-shell targets can provide a robust alternative to conventional high-convergence implosion concepts by coupling two to three times more energy into the final igniting thermonuclear fuel assembly than indirect-drive concepts. The three-shell directly driven Revolver concept [K. Molvig, M. J. Schmitt, B. J. Albright, E.S. Dodd, N.M. Hoffman, G.H. McCall, and S.D. Ramsey, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 255003 (2016)] utilizes a design that maximizes laser energy conversion into inward kinetic energy of the outermost ablator shell (~9%) while minimizing the DT fuel convergence (~9) to reduce the mixing of material from the innermost shell into the fuel. Inherent in this design concept is the use of 192 narrow beams (with a 1/e laser beam-to-capsule diameter ratio of 0.33) from the National Ignition Facility laser pointed in a polar direct drive laser configuration. In this paper, we demonstrate that low average laser intensity at the capsule surface (≤300 TW/cm 2 ) limits the measured laser backscatter, indicating that a greater amount of laser energy is coupled into the target. Omega experiments have been performed to determine the coupling of laser energy to the outermost shell of a scaled Revolver target (i.e., the ablator shell) by measuring capsule implosion trajectories and scattered-light fractions for two different drive configurations. Comparisons of simulated shell trajectory and velocity profiles with experimental data obtained from self-emission images show good agreement and are consistent with measured scattered light data. Furthermore, the low levels of scattered light measured are consistent with post-shot simulation results that show high hydro-coupling efficiency. These results strengthen the case for using narrow beams at low intensity to drive large ablator capsules for future direct-drive, multi-shell ignition concepts.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dispenser Reliability: Materials R&D. A Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) Report

Dispensers are the top cause of maintenance events and down-time at hydrogen fueling stations. In an effort to help characterize and enable improvements in dispenser reliability, an extensive accelerated lifetime testing set-up was designed and built at NREL involving components typically part of dispensing operations at fueling stations. Device Under Test (DUTs) included different components such as normally open valves, normally closed valves, fueling nozzles, breakaways devices and filters. Conditions of testing included pressures, and flow rates similar to light duty fuel cell electric vehicles fueling at -40°C, and -20°C for thousands of cycles in hydrogen. Tested components (failed and non-failed) were disassembled at SNL and polymeric O-rings were carefully retrieved and cataloged for chemical and physical characterization. Data collected was compared to similar O-rings from unexposed or non-tested components for hydrogen effects, and failure modes. Degradation analyses, based on select polymer chemistries common across all component types, their location within components, visual assessment of damage coupled with strong hydrogen effects from chemical characterization, was completed and presented to NREL and DOE. Overall, the failure rate amongst the components was not as high as expected for the test conditions. Among the component types tested, breakaways were the most susceptible to damage under these test conditions, with fueling nozzles a close second. The proper combination of selection of the right polymer and optimum component design was found to make a strong difference in component reliability under severe dispenser operating conditions. Physical degradation of polymers, rather than chemical changes due to low temperature hydrogen exposure, is more prevalent as failure mode for these test conditions. The nature and the extent of the degradation was much less at -20°C as compared to -40°C. The damage and failure rates were higher at lower temperatures than at higher test temperatures. As expected, increasing the number of cycles at the lowest test temperature (-40°C) increased damage. This indicates that cycling at the low temperature of -40°C required by SAE J2601 can reduce component life in fuel dispensing operations

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integrating Immersive Visualization in Molten-Salt Reactor Waste Management for Experimental Design and Planning

The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) represents a significant innovation in nuclear technology, offering several operational and safety benefits over traditional solid-fuel reactors. However, MSRs face uncertainties in waste management due to their flexible designs and variable waste compositions. To address these challenges, we propose a visualization platform that illustrates solutions and performance predictions for various waste management strategies, enhancing user experience and improving strategy and communication. Immersive visualizations are widely used in the nuclear industry for training, simulation, and safety enhancement. Our project aims to develop a visualization platform incorporating virtual reality (VR) technologies to illustrate MSR characteristics immediately following reactor shutdown. This immersive simulation will allow users to interact, explore, and understand different waste management strategies. The platform will display MSR reactor characterizations, including nuclide decay, salt solidification, and corrosion, which are crucial for assessing and selecting backend management strategies. Using the Meta Quest 3 VR headset with Unity software, our platform will provide real-scale visualizations, enabling users to experience and evaluate designs and plans as if they were physically present. This user-friendly interface will make complex data accessible and understandable for non-domain experts, aiding in decision-making for MSR waste management. Our proposed visualization workflow can be applied to other nuclear reactors, assisting in the design and planning of waste management strategies.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optimization of Dry Storage Canister Cutting Operations - 20534

A recent project investigated the optimal cutting method for the opening of a welded dry storage/shielded canister (DSC) or dual purpose canister (DPC) containing Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF). Due to the lack of a disposal path for UNF in the U.S., the majority of UNF is currently moved into welded DSCs and DPCs designed by Orano TN, NAC, and Holtec. As the DSCs/DPCs were neither designed nor licensed for disposal and may not be able to be emplaced in a geologic repository due to physical emplacement constraints, near-term thermal limitations, or long-term criticality issues, the UNF in these existing DSCs/DPCs may need to be repackaged into transportation, aging, and disposal canisters (TADs), generic standard TADs (STADs), transportation casks, new cask/canister systems, and/or cask/canister/package systems suitable for disposal. These DSCs/DPCs may also be opened to simply remove the UNF in preparation for recycling, re-storage, or placement into a waste package suitable for disposal. Regardless of need, the DSCs/DPCs would require to be cut open by a potentially large scale operation. This project examined the multiple means for cutting welded metal systems and considered several factors to determine an optimal approach. Issues arose around some of the cutting approaches when applied to systems with 2 or 3 lids and with pre-cutting gas testing required. The resulting preferences in cutting methods with an optimized application for the opening of DSCs/DPCs are presented. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ethanol-fueled metal supported solid oxide fuel cells with a high entropy alloy internal reforming catalyst

High-performance metal supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFC) with an integrated high entropy alloy (HEA) internal reforming catalyst (IRC) are demonstrated for transportation applications using ethanol and methanol as fuels. Addition of the HEA IRC dramatically improves cell performance and stability when using ethanol/water blend fuel. Absence of carbon deposition predicted by thermodynamic calculations is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy analysis of posttest anodes. Optimal catalyst processing (deposition technique, loading, firing temperature) and cell operation conditions (flow rates, temperature, fuel compositions) are explored. Infiltrated HEA reforming catalyst provides a highly porous structure and low catalyst loading (6 mg cm –2 ). The designed structure and catalysts achieve small mass transport resistances in the fuel electrode (26.2 s m –1 ) and oxygen electrode (41.6 s m –1 ). The best ethanol concentration (60:40 v% ethanol: water) provides 0.83 W cm –1 at 700 °C, without carbon deposition. The ethanol-fueled MS-SOFC is operated for 500 h, including five thermal cycles. As a result, cell evolution is similar to that reported previously for hydrogen fuel; nickel aggregation and chromia deposition were the major observed changes, and carbon formation can be avoided even after long-term operation.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improved evaluation of safeguards parameters from spent fuel measurements with the Differential Die-Away (DDA) instrument

The Differential Die-Away (DDA) technique is a highly sensitive non-destructive assay method for characterizing and detecting the presence of fissile material within an item of interest. DDA utilizes a series of pulses from a neutron generator (NG) to actively interrogate an item of interest. The die-away time of the neutron population induced by this active interrogation and the integral of the total differential die-away signal can be used to characterize items such as nuclear waste drums and spent nuclear fuel assemblies. In this work, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) conceptualized, designed, and fabricated a DDA instrument that was deployed for field test measurements at the Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (Clab) in Oskarshamn, Sweden. The instrument performed multiple static measurements at fixed locations and dynamic axial scans of 15 pressurized water reactor (PWR) and 10 boiling water reactor (BWR) spent fuel assemblies, collecting both passive and active measurement data. The static assays of the assemblies measured the differential die-away signal, die-away time, and total passive neutron emission rate to create calibration curves for the evaluation of assembly multiplication, burnup, initial enrichment, effective fissile mass, and total elemental plutonium mass. Each calibration curve was optimized by minimizing the relative root mean square error (RRMSE) of assembly assay results compared to declared assembly parameters. The same quantities were also measured with the axial scans, and the resulting data were applied in two ways: (1) in the creation of calibration curves to improve evaluation of the same safeguards parameters as static assays, and (2) for comparison to simulation. In most cases, across both PWR and BWR assemblies, axial scan data improved the estimation of the above parameters, quantified by decreasing the calibration curve RRMSE. These axial scan results demonstrate the ability of the DDA instrument and analysis method to characterize spent PWR and BWR fuel as well as, or better than, a static assay of the same assembly. Furthermore, the DDA instrument’s unique ability to obtain both active and passive data in a single, axial scan of an entire spent fuel assembly represents a more efficient and accurate way of assaying spent fuel for verification purposes. These results represent a significant advancement for characterizing spent nuclear fuel compared to current technologies.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of Explainable Data-Driven Turbulence Models with Application to Liquid Fuel Nuclear Reactors

Liquid fuel nuclear reactors offer innovative possibilities in terms of nuclear reactor designs and passive safety systems. Molten Salts Reactors (MSRs) with a fast spectrum are a particular type of these reactors using liquid fuel. MSFRs often involve large open cavities in their core in which the liquid fuel circulates at a high speed to transport the heat generated by the nuclear reactions into the heat exchangers. This high-speed flow yields a turbulent field with large Reynolds numbers in the reactor core. Since the nuclear power, the neutron precursor’s transport and the thermal exchanges are strongly coupled in the MSFR’s core cavity, having accurate turbulent models for the liquid fuel flow is necessary to avoid introducing significant errors in the numerical simulations of these reactors. Nonetheless, high-accuracy simulations of the turbulent flow field in the reactor cavity of these reactors are usually prohibitively expensive in terms of computational resources, especially when performing multiphysics numerical calculations. Therefore, in this work, we propose a novel method using a modified genetic algorithm to optimize the calculation of the Reynolds Shear Stress Tensor (RST) used for turbulence modeling. The proposed optimization methodology is particularly suitable for advanced liquid fuel reactors such as the MSFRs since it allows the development of high-accuracy but still low-computational-cost turbulence models for the liquid fuel. We demonstrate the applicability of this approach by developing high accuracy Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models (averaged flow error less than 5%) for a low and a large aspect ratio in a Backward-Facing Step (BFS) section particularly challenging for RANS models. The newly developed turbulence models better capture the flow field after the boundary layer tipping, over the extent of the recirculation bubble, and near the boundary layer reattachment region in both BFS configurations. The main reason for these improvements is that the developed models better capture the flow field turbulent anisotropy in the bulk region of the BFS. Then, we illustrate the interest in using this turbulence modeling approach for the case of an MSFR by quantifying the impact of the turbulence modeling on the reactor key parameters.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Deimos Experiment: Advanced Reactor Testbed

Advanced reactor initiatives are growing significantly through programs nationwide. This research area includes small modular reactors, microreactors, and space reactors. Many of the reactors being designed are untested concepts. They include unique moderators, varying fuel types, high temperatures, and compact configurations. The shift in fuel type, from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to high assay, low enriched uranium (HALEU), is particularly important as it has driven many of the other changes. For example, lower enrichment requires advanced moderators, which in turn require different reflectors to make the systems compact. The change in materials including the transition from HEU to HALEU affects the temperature feedback of the systems. Additionally, these advanced reactor concepts generally have a thermal neutron spectrum in contrast to earlier fast spectrum advanced reactor. With the extensive changes from previous reactor designs, validation experiments are needed. The National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) is uniquely equipped to perform such experiments. The Deimos experiment, designed for execution at NCERC, will serve as a testbed for advanced reactor concepts. It will use HALEU fuel in a graphite matrix, provide the ability to use advanced moderators, and allow measurements of temperature reactivity coefficients (TRCs).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling and analysis of the tritium fuel cycle for ARC- and STEP-class D-T fusion power plants

Abstract The limited tritium resources available for the first fusion power plants (FPPs) make fuel self-sufficiency and tritium inventory minimization leading issues in FPP design. This work builds on the model proposed by Abdou et al (2020 Nucl. Fusion 61 013001), which analyzed the fuel cycle (FC) of a DEMOnstration nuclear FPP-class FPP with a time-dependent system-level model. Here, we use a modified version of their model to analyze the FC of an Affordable, Robust, Compact (ARC)-class tokamak and two versions of a Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP)-class tokamak. The ARC-class tokamak breeds tritium in a 2LiF + BeF 2 liquid immersion blanket, while the STEP-class tokamak breeds tritium utilizing either a liquid-lithium blanket design or an encapsulated breeding blanket. A time-dependent system-level model is developed in Matlab Simulink ® to simulate the evolution of tritium flows and tritium inventories in the FC. The main goals of this work are to assess tritium self-sufficiency of the ARC- and STEP-class designs and to determine quantitative design requirements that can be used to analyze the adequacy of a proposed FC system. These design requirements are aimed at achieving a low tritium inventory doubling time ( t d ) and a low start-up inventory ( I s t a r t u p ) while keeping the required tritium breeding ratio (TBR r ) as low as possible. We also consider how improvements in FC technology and POs affect TBR r and I s t a r t u p . The model results show that TBR r for ARC- and STEP-class FPPs should be achievable if the tritium burn efficiency (TBE) reaches 0.5%–1% (TBR r < 1.2). This assumes significant, but attainable, improvements over current abilities. However, the model results indicate that an FPP must achieve ambitious performance targets, including FPP availability > 70%, tritium processing time < 4 h, and the implementation of direct internal recycling (DIR). If future research yields major improvements to achievable TBE, it may be possible to achieve tritium self-sufficiency while operating at lower availability and without implementing DIR.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Gasification of Coal and Biomass: The Route to Net-Negative-Carbon Power and Hydrogen

One promising process that is a candidate for meeting the goals of the US Department of Energy’s 21st Century Power Plant initiative is to gasify a mixture of coal and biomass to yield a syngas, which can have CO2 removed and then be used to produce hydrogen as well as an off-gas that can be used to flexibly produce power. This concept would overall be carbon net-negative and readily meet the 21st Century Power Plant initiative targets of smaller scale MW generation, high ramp rates and turndown, feedstock flexibility, and high efficiency—at a reasonable cost. Moreover, adding the large-scale production of “ultra-green” hydrogen yields a system tailored for the coming hydrogen economy, providing long-term energy storage and an attractive co-product for sale. The objective of the work being led by the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI), with support by Bechtel Corporation (Bechtel), Gas Technology Institute (GTI), Hamilton Mauer International, Inc. (HMI), Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), NexantECA, Inc. (Nexant), and Wärtsilä, is to perform a front-end design and engineering (FEED) study on an oxygen-blown gasification system coupled with water-gas shift, pre-combustion CO2 capture, and pressure-swing adsorption working off a coal/biomass mix to yield high-purity hydrogen and a fuel off-gas that can generate power. Several designs are being considered that will be capable of producing 50 MW net from a flexible generator, over 8500 kg/hr of hydrogen, and net-negative CO2 emissions, at an efficiency of 50% net HHV. The plant would be hosted at an NPPD site, where opportunities for enhanced oil recovery and sequestration have been investigated and the need for low-carbon power and hydrogen is imminent. The principal biomass to be used is corn stover—prevalent in Nebraska where the plant will be located—mixed with Powder River Basin (PRB) coal, necessitating a gasifier that can use this feedstock and be flexible to allow other types. Waste plastics will also be reviewed for use. Two oxygen-blown gasifiers have been identified as candidates that have done testing with biomass including corn stover: the GTI gasifier—a high-pressure, fluidized-bed type—and HMI’s, a lower pressure moving-bed type. Both have relative advantages that were investigated in the Phase I design study, with a resultant down select of one system for which the FEED will be performed in Phase II. The technical tasks for the project are: • Design Development: Completion of design activities necessary to provide inputs for the FEED study. Multiple design cases will be assessed with the selection of the optimal one for the FEED. • Investment Case Preparation: Development of the draft investment case for the proposed process with business cases performed for the proposed host site and two other locations. • Host Site Selection: Evaluation of the two potential host sites within NPPD’s portfolio to select the preferred candidate based on technical, economic, and environmental considerations. • Environmental Information Volume (EIV) Development: Completion of the EIV for the host site. • FEED Study: Completion of a FEED study based on the design selected in Phase I. A Greenhouse Gas Life Cycle Analysis will also be performed for the process. • Update Investment Case: Finalization of the investment case based on findings from the FEED. The advantages of the proposed project are significant. Having an engaged U.S. power utility willing to provide a host site that will produce energy from coal plus a deep and experienced team is critical; the process meets all the goals of DOE’s 21st Century Power Plant initiative at an estimated total plant cost of ~$880M and a production cost of hydrogen of ~$2/kg-H2 while producing net-negative carbon power. If developed, this process has real commercial potential in the United States—supported by EPRI’s initial review of the considerable interest from selected U.S. utilities—and elsewhere around the globe. The process has fewer environmental hurdles compared to other concepts, lowering regulatory and protest risks—providing a pathway to preserving the viability of a critical indigenous energy source by transforming its use to match a changing world. This presentation outlines the motivation for the effort, summarizes project plans, work completed to date, results of the Phase I effort and, and detailed work scope for the remainder of the project in the Phase II FEED effort.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2025

Microreactor Incident-Free Transportation Radiation Dose Assessment

This report, prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, provides an estimate of the radiation dose related to the transportation of microreactors following the regulatory limits established in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 71.47(b). The transportation of irradiated microreactors poses unique challenges. Microreactors may be challenged to meet the current 10 mrem/hr limit at 2 meters from the vehicle in 10 CFR 71.47(b). The need to modify packaging to be within practical weight and size limits for shipping may limit the amount of shielding that can be applied for a microreactor transportation package design. Operational strategies that would necessitate moving a reactor within a short time after its operating life may result in higher radiation dose rates associated with lower cooling times. This study estimates the radiation dose to maximally exposed individuals (MEIs) under the current regulatory radiation level limit of 10 mrem/hr at 2 meters from the vehicle as well as alternative limits of 10, 50, 100, and 200 mrem/hr at 2 meters from the vehicle. This analysis expands on prior incident free transportation radiation dose assessments conducted for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste transportation. The key factors analyzed include the microreactor fuel type and burnup, shipment cooling periods, shielding designs integrated into transport packaging, and exposure scenarios for MEIs for highway and rail transport. This report considers additional distances that may be associated with compensatory measures to ensure safe transport conditions under varying radiation dose limits, including enhanced routing measures, escort protocols, vehicle inspections, and operational restrictions.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

5G Enabled Energy Innovation: Advanced Wireless Networks for Science (Workshop Report)

Rapidly expanding, new telecommunications infrastructure based on 5G technologies will disrupt and transform how we design, build, operate, and optimize scientific infrastructure and the experiments and services enabled by that infrastructure, from continental-scale sensor networks to centralized scientific user facilities, from intelligent Internet of Things devices to supercomputers. Concurrently, 5G will introduce, or exacerbate, challenges related to protecting infrastructure and associated scientific data as well as to fully leveraging opportunities related to expanded infrastructure scale and complexity. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science operates scientific infrastructure, supporting some of the nation’s most advanced intellectual discoveries, spanning the country and including 30 world-class user facilities from supercomputers to accelerators. Along with field experiments and remote observatories, every aspect of DOE’s scientific enterprise will be affected by 5G, which amounts to a complete renovation of the underpinnings of the nation’s information infrastructure. In this report we explore the scientific opportunities and new research challenges associated with 5G, ranging from scalability to heterogeneity to cybersecurity. The rapid commercial deployment of 5G opens the opportunity to rethink and reinvent DOE’s scientific infrastructure and experimentation, from intelligent sensor networks at unprecedented scales to a digital continuum of cyberinfrastructure spanning low-power sensors, high-performance computing embedded within and at the edge of the network, and DOE’s large-scale user instrument and computing facilities. New programming paradigms, workflow and data frameworks, and AI-based system design, operation, and autonomous adaptation and optimization will be necessary in order to exploit these new opportunities. Field deployments and centralized scientific instruments can also be revolutionized, moving (without traditional performance penalties) from wired to wireless connectivity for data and control systems, improving flexibility, and opening new sensing modalities, including the use of the 5G electromagnetic spectrum itself as an environmental probe. For DOE science, in contrast to commercial 5G applications and settings, devices will be deployed in extreme environments such as cryogenically cooled instrument control systems and in remote settings with harsh conditions, requiring the design of new materials for RF communication and edge processing to operate in these regimes. Concurrently, 5G infrastructure comprises both hardware and sophisticated software systems - currently closed and proprietary. The cybersecurity challenges to 5G-empowered reinvention mirror the complexity and variety of new 5G features, from virtualization to private network slices to ubiquitous access. Research is also needed in order to accelerate the development of secure and open 5G software infrastructure, reducing reliance on hardware and software produced outside the United States and providing the transparency and rigorous evaluation and testing afforded through open software. Twelve broad research thrusts are laid out in four chapters, with a companion fifth chapter (and three additional research thrusts) underscoring the needs and opportunities for an aggressive testbed program co-designed by networking experts and scientists involved in the 15 research thrusts. The urgency of undertaking this research is fueled by a global, accelerating deployment of new telecommunications infrastructure that is designed for entertainment and commercial applications - barely scratching the surface of what 5G can do to extend U.S. leadership in scientific discovery.

42 ENGINEERING↗