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DOE OSTI2023

Precursor recommendation for inorganic synthesis by machine learning materials similarity from scientific literature

Synthesis prediction is a key accelerator for the rapid design of advanced materials. However, determining synthesis variables such as the choice of precursor materials is challenging for inorganic materials because the sequence of reactions during heating is not well understood. In this work, we use a knowledge base of 29,900 solid-state synthesis recipes, text-mined from the scientific literature, to automatically learn which precursors to recommend for the synthesis of a novel target material. The data-driven approach learns chemical similarity of materials and refers the synthesis of a new target to precedent synthesis procedures of similar materials, mimicking human synthesis design. When proposing five precursor sets for each of 2654 unseen test target materials, the recommendation strategy achieves a success rate of at least 82%. Our approach captures decades of heuristic synthesis data in a mathematical form, making it accessible for use in recommendation engines and autonomous laboratories.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Integral LOCA fragmentation test on high-burnup fuel

Increasing the fuel burnup limit in light water reactors is sought to enhance fuel cycle economics and requires establishing a technical basis. Experimental observations of severe fuel fragmentation under loss-of-coolant-accident conditions at Halden and Studsvik had raised the need for additional considerations during the development of this technical basis. These test data suggested that the burnup threshold for high burnup fuel fragmentation may be influenced by pre-transient power. Additional loss-of-coolant-accident test data is therefore valuable to complement these tests and enhance the current state of understating. Oak Ridge National Lab has developed the Severe Accident Test Station capable of examining the oxidation kinetics and accident response of irradiated fuel and cladding materials for design basis accident and beyond design basis accident scenarios. Severe Accident Test Station provides various temperature profiles, steam, and the thermal shock conditions necessary for integral loss of coolant accident testing, defueled oxidation quench testing, and high-temperature beyond design basis accident testing. Severe Accident Test Station has been successfully installed and demonstrated in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Lab. Furthermore, descriptions of the in-cell re-fabrication capabilities and assembly of the loss-of-coolant-accident test train are provided. Installation of the Severe Accident Test Station system and in-cell re-fabrication restores United States capability to examine postulated and extended loss-of-coolant-accident conditions on spent fuel and cladding and provides a platform for evaluating advanced fuel and accident-tolerant fuel cladding concepts. Lastly, three in-cell integral loss-of-coolant-accident test were performed in the Severe Accident Test Station and compared to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission sponsored loss-of-coolant-accident test as well as the original loss-of-coolant-accident test performed at Argonne National Lab. Finally, the results of these tests as well as all publicly available integral loss-of-coolant-accident test were used to validate a threshold for high burnup fuel fragmentation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of modeling and experimental data inconsistencies from burst testing for high-burnup commercial fuel rod applications

Fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal are some of the largest issues remaining in the nuclear industry before rod-average burnup can be increased beyond 62 GWd/tU. The issue is primarily related to the potential for fuel to be dispersed into the reactor primary system, which may increase public risk. One way to prevent dispersal is to avoid cladding burst. The objective of this work is to support the high burnup safety case by evaluating cladding burst under high-burnup, full-length fuel rods and to identify uncertainties that could improve model predictions. The results of this analysis will evaluate realistic, prototypic loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions; support future cladding burst test designs; and inform the development of mechanistic material models. Realistic high-burnup operating conditions were implemented in the BISON fuel performance code to simulate steady-state and LOCA transient fuel rod evolution to the point at which cladding burst occurred. Parametric studies are performed to assess code response to changes in rod internal pressures and heating rates. Results were compared with simulated LOCA experiments to identify inconsistencies between commercial fuel rod analysis and experimental validation. The representative full-length fuel rod LOCA simulation results did not agree with cladding burst tests. Cladding burst tests indicated burst occurring well below (100–150 °C) those calculated in the full-length fuel rod LOCA analysis. Further investigation indicated that the cladding burst tests do not appear to be representative for full-length fuel rods. The inconsistency investigated in this work showed that the differences between the BISON simulation and the experiment's cladding burst conditions arise from an incomplete characterization of the cladding surface temperature, detailed rodlet characterization, lack of cladding strain measurements, and uncertainty in the cladding creep and failure models.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

FFTF Acceptance and Startup Testing for GAIN

The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is the most recent liquid metal reactor (LMR) to be designed, constructed, and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The 400-MWt sodium-cooled, fast-neutron flux reactor plant was designed for irradiation testing of nuclear reactor fuels and materials for liquid metal fast breeder reactors. Following the demise of the breeder reactor program in the United States, FFTF continued to play a key role in providing a test bed for demonstrating performance of advanced fuel designs and demonstrating operation, maintenance, and safety of advanced liquid metal reactors. FFTF operations ceased in April 1992 after a determination by DOE that no combination of proposed missions was financially feasible over a ten-year period. The reactor is currently deactivated and in a long-term surveillance and maintenance (S&M) mode. This report provides information on the extensive and rigorous process that was used to conduct turnover from construction followed by acceptance and startup testing of the FFTF. This paper is in support of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), which provides the nuclear energy community with access to the technical, regulatory, and financial support necessary to move new or advanced nuclear reactor designs toward commercialization while ensuring the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the existing nuclear fleet. The information obtained from the design, startup, and operation of the FFTF provides valuable insight for follow-on reactor projects, such as the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR), in the areas of plant system and component design, component fabrication, fuel design and performance, prototype testing, site construction, reactor startup and operations, and reactor deactivation and decommissioning (D&D). The focus of this report is on the process used to startup the FFTF and to ensure that operations could be conducted efficiently and safely. A reference section is provided of documents detailing the successful turnover and testing process implemented for startup of the reactor and its supporting systems. The documents listed can be retrieved upon request and are believed useful for future reactor startup endeavors.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Development and Demonstration of a Fuel-Efficient, Class 8 Tractor & Trailer Engine System (SuperTruck II)

Navistar presents the SuperTruck II (ST II) Final Report to the Unites States Department of Energy (US DOE), which covers the five Budget Periods (BPs) from 10-1-2016 through 6-30-2022. For ST II, Navistar built on the achievements of the SuperTruck I (ST I) Program as a catalyst to continue critical research, design and development, testing, and operations to reach the ambitious goals of the ST II project. This approach allowed Navistar to continue contributing to the essential needs of our nation for safe, efficient, and cost-effective delivery of goods and services, as we reduced negative environmental effects and improved operational productivity. This document contains information specified in DOE F 4600.2, Final Scientific/Technical Report DOE F 241.3, B. SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL REPORTS, explaining how we met and exceeded program requirements. Throughout this Final Report, Navistar extracted information from documents prepared during the project that represent our management, design and development, building, and testing efforts to meet and exceed SuperTruck II project goals. Navistar followed Plan requirements to achieve / exceed Project Objectives: a) >100% improvement in vehicle freight efficiency (FE) (on ton-MPG basis) relative to 2009 baseline with stretch goal of 140% improvement [actual: 170%); b) >55% engine brake thermal efficiency (BTE) demonstrated in operational engine at a 65-mph cruise point on a dynamometer – ≥31% increase from 2009 baseline [actual: 55.20% of combined BTE) ; and c) development and implementation of commercially cost effective technologies (in terms of a simple payback). Technology selection / development path focused on developing technologies applicable for production within 3-year approach, while ensuring technology readiness and cost of ownership for end users. The Program was organized into five budget periods: Requirements / Technology Assessment and Initial Hardware Testing; Technology Development and Concept Readiness Demonstration; Technology Finalization and Validation Tractor / Trailer Fabrication, Integration and Commissioning Demonstration; and Fuel Economy (FE) and Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and Program Completion. Leadership was provided by DOE, with tasks performed by laboratories (Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory); partners at Bosch, TPI, Dana, and J.B. Hunt; , and support from University of Michigan and Clemson University. Navistar lead this team with Principal Investigator / Contracting Officer; Project Manager (PM); Vehicle, Engine, and Aftertreatment Engineers; Finance Manager, Technical Program Leads, and Legal/IP; and other key personnel. Work also included personnel in risk management; funding / budget / finance. Work involved analysis, development, testing, and down selection of individual/system engine, aftertreatment, and vehicle technologies, with integration of selected technologies into a prototype vehicle for demonstration of fuel-efficiency gain. Work also included component/integrated system level development of truck and trailer aerodynamics, base engine efficiency, advanced aftertreatment, combustion efficiency, waste heat recovery, hybrid powertrain, reduced rolling resistance, weight reduction, idle reduction, and driver feedback. As ST II progressed, Navistar performed computer-based modeling / simulations of technologies focused on the primary operational areas: Engine, Aftertreatment, and Vehicle. During the ST II Program, the COVID Virus outbreak unexpectedly challenged by the effects of, which affected staffing, scheduling, design, supplies, availability of materials, production procedures, and testing. The DOE responded by extending the program by three quarters to ensure that project tasks were completed for this vital project. Focus continued on analyzing, developing, testing, and down selecting individual-/system-level engine and vehicle technologies for integration of the final selected technologies into a prototype vehicle that would demonstrate fuel-efficiency gains made possible through these technologies. This included component/integrated system-level development of truck and trailer aerodynamics, base engine efficiency, advanced aftertreatment, combustion efficiency, waste heat recovery, solar power, distributed and intelligent vehicle power, hybrid powertrain, reduced rolling resistance, weight reduction, idle reduction, and driver feedback. Throughout the program, function, reliability, and performance at all levels were ensured through testing. Proof of this approach was demonstrated in multiple, on-road demonstrations: Scenario A (Flatland) Fuel Economy, Scenario B (Hilly) Fuel Economy, and City Cycle Tests. Other benefits derived from ST II included new/improved products, publications, patents, and next-step capabilities related to electric/hydrogen vehicles and autonomous driving.

Zukouski, Russ↗

DOE OSTI2020

High-Throughput Optical Mapping for Accelerated Stress Testing of PV Module Materials

The study will provide guidance towards the design and application of larger and/or outdoor-use intended instruments. Measurement capability will be benchmarked against existing specimens, examined in a round-robin study using conventional spectrophotometer instruments. Data acquisition and storage will be integrated into the DuraMAT DataHub network along with data visualization tool, facilitating sharing of information.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Repowering: The Other Side of the Reliability Coin

Extreme weather, cracked backsheets, severe PID, poorly built modules, and installation flaws - all can compromise a solar plant's health and force repowering long before end of life. With more than 70% of U.S. PV capacity less than seven years old, the fleet is young, but its rapid expansion has introduced new materials and system designs that are still being tested under real-world conditions. As a result, reliability - not economics - is what most often drives repowering decisions. Repowering is frequently assumed to be an economically motivated choice, but our work shows that reliability concerns are the real trigger. Drawing from industry interviews, case studies, and modeling, we highlight the physical, electrical, and policy barriers owners face when deciding whether to repair, repower, or decommission. At the same time, repowering can create opportunities: renewed interconnection periods, improved energy yields, and strategic upgrades to extend system value. We present a quantitative framework using NLR's System Advisor Model (SAM) and PV in Circular Economy (PV ICE) tool to evaluate trade-offs across financial, material, and energy impacts. These findings provide practical guidance for navigating the realities of repowering today and underscore the critical role of reliability in shaping the future performance and sustainability of the PV fleet.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Development of Surveillance Test Articles for Materials Degradation Management in MSR Environments

Materials in molten salt reactors (MSR) undergo accelerated degradation from corrosion, irradiation, and cyclic loads at elevated temperatures. Establishing a materials surveillance program to enable the assessment of material deterioration is critical to assure structural integrity of MSRs components. This presentation summarizes recent efforts towards the development of surveillance test articles for collecting various damages for monitoring materials degradation. Surveillance test articles with reduced dimensions were designed to capture creep-fatigue damage from cyclic loading at elevated temperatures. The strain evolution of test articles during thermal cycling was analyzed both numerically and experimentally. Out-of-reactor thermal cycling demonstrated successful capture of strain range for materials assessment. Moreover, test articles were subject to both mechanical loads and molten salt exposure, and the damage due to stress and corrosion was investigated. Additionally, damage inference models were developed to predict the remaining life of materials based on the accumulated damage in surveillance test articles.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

ELASTOMERIC MICROVASCULAR SELF-HEALING MATERIALS

Damaged elastomeric diaphragms within pneumatic controllers used in the oil and gas industry lead to an unintended release of methane. Self-healing microvascular materials capable of healing various types of damage have been fabricated. These microvascular materials are designed to replace currently available commercial diaphragms found in pneumatic controllers and provide a solution to reduce unintended methane leaks. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was used as the main matrix material, with additional testing conducted on polyurethane and flexibilised epoxy materials. Microvascular networks were implemented into the elastomeric membranes to act as ves- sels to deliver healing agents to the damaged areas. The complex, interdigitated channel networks were created using a 3D printed custom compounded filament composed of polylactic acid (PLA) and tin(II) oxalate. Two-part liquid casting polymers were poured around the channels into a mould to create samples with the scaffolding of the microvascular channels intact. Hollow microvascular networks were created by placing the samples within a vacuum oven at 250◦C which causes the thermal depolymerisation of PLA into its gaseous monomers. The manufactured materials were placed in test stands and pressurized using nitrogen gas to determine their healing and mechanical behaviour. Self-healing behaviour was demonstrated using PDMS matrix materials and healing chemistries within a pressure test cell. This test cell was designed to detect any damage to a sample by record- ing an outlet pressure. Damages including puncture holes, diagonal cuts and star-shaped central iv cuts were applied to the samples and a reduction in the outlet pressure was recorded for all sam- ples. A variation in channel spacing and diameter was studied to determine the optimal design of the microvascular network for self-healing performance. The mechanical performance of elastomeric membrane materials within a diaphragmatic pressurised stand was observed. Deformations and strains around the channels and channel inter- sections at the midplane of the materials were recorded using digital image correlation. Normal stresses were calculated using Hooke’s law and the material properties of the PDMS matrix. A reduction in leak rate, implying the success of self-healing, was recorded within manu- factured diaphragm samples tested within a commercial valve. PDMS is the favourable material when compared to polyurethane and flexibilised epoxy for creating

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Subcomponent Validation of Composite Joints for Marine Energy Structures

The Marine Energy Advanced Materials project addresses the barriers and uncertainties facing marine renewable energy developers in using composite materials for load-bearing structures. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office, the multiyear project comprises of collaborators from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratories, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Montana State University (MSU), Florida Atlantic University (FAU), and industry stakeholders. As part of the Marine Energy Advanced Materials project, marine renewable energy industry surveys and assessments were conducted to identify key materials and knowledge gaps that hinder the adoption of composite materials in marine renewable energy structures. Specific knowledge gaps highlighted for composite materials were environmental effects, fatigue strengths, and bonded and bolted interconnects (composite/composite and composite/metal). It was concluded that many of these gaps could be addressed through subcomponent validation; consequently, a program was developed at NREL with the goals of developing subcomponent validation methods for appropriate marine energy materials, which would improve the understanding of design allowables for full-scale structural components and joints. Ultimately, the aim is to reduce timelines and costs associated with full-scale structural validation efforts while also providing near-net-scale static and fatigue data of composite/metal subcomponents for marine renewable energy systems. To approach these goals, a testing program was developed at NREL to investigate a variety of materials and structural design details at the subcomponent scale to understand (a) the effects of harsh and corrosive marine energy environments and (b) the static and fatigue strengths of the complex geometries. The recent study from this testing program is perhaps the largest that has ever been conducted with respect to specimen scale and geographic diversity of underwater environmental conditions that the specimens were subjected to. A variety of specimen geometries were designed by NREL to highlight key features of multimaterial (composite/composite or metal/composite) interconnects that may be used in marine renewable energy structural designs. The designs used several different composite matrices, adhesives, and marine-grade steels, which were highlighted in the surveys as being the most appropriate for harsh marine environments. Composite panels were then manufactured at MSU, and were subsequently manufactured into test specimens by NREL. The specimens were shipped to FAU and PNNL for conditioning in ocean water tanks at various temperatures for an extended period. The specimens were then returned to NREL for structural validation. This presentation will provide an overview of recent advances within the testing program in terms of specimen design and test methods, and will discuss results and key findings of the subcomponent testing program to date at NREL.

adhesives↗

DOE OSTI2024

Material characterization of seven photovoltaic backsheets using seven accelerated test conditions

A variety of polymeric backsheet materials can be found in fielded photovoltaic (PV) modules, mostly based on fluoropolymer and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) materials. Cost reduction and sustainability considerations drive the recent development of alternative backsheet materials and designs [1]. In some fielded PV installations, polymeric materials are susceptible to environmental degradation in the form of backsheet cracking. To prevent backsheet degradation that can result in a module failure, thorough laboratory reliability testing is needed. In this report we studied the durability of seven commercial and experimental PV backsheets through accelerated stress testing using seven photolytic, hygrometric, and custom tests with the goal to understand if novel fluoropolymer-free backsheets are sufficiently environmentally durable to be commercialized. We divided the mechanisms observed during aging into two categories: core degradation and surface degradation. Although core degradation due to hydrolysis was observed in all commercial PET-, and polyamide (PA)-based backsheets aged with 85 degrees C/85% relative humidity, this test is unlikely to be field relevant. Photo-oxidative reactions on the exposed surface during UV weathering affected all seven backsheets regardless of the outer layer polymer material and additives. This degradation was limited to the outermost micrometers of the surface, except for backsheets containing PA-12, which resulted in surface cracking. A custom test combining UV with water spray caused the most severe backsheet degradation, including surface erosion and loss of insulating properties in polyolefin (PO)- and PA-based backsheets. This highlights the importance of combined accelerated stress testing to screen for complex backsheet degradation mechanisms. We also showed that, with material and design optimization, coextruded experimental PO-based backsheets have the potential to be a durable alternative to commercial PET- and fluoropolymer-based PV backsheets.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Broadband, 920-nm mirror thin film damage competition

This year’s competition proposed to survey the state-of-the-art broadband, near-IR multilayer dielectric (MLD) mirrors designed for ultra-short, pulsed laser applications. The requirements for the coatings were a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45-degree incidence angle for S-polarization from 830 nm to 1010 nm and group delay dispersion (GDD) < ± 50 fs 2 . The participants in this effort selected the coating materials, coating design, and deposition method. Samples were damage tested at a single testing facility to enable direct comparison among the participants using a 25 ± 5 fs OPCPA laser system operating at 5 Hz. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity. The damage performance results, sample rankings, details of the deposition processes, coating materials and substrate cleaning methods are shared here. We found that multilayer coatings using tantala and/or hafnia as high index materials were top performers within several coating deposition groups. Specifically, dense coatings by ion-beam sputtering (IBS), magnetron sputtering (MS), and electron-beam ion assisted deposition (e-beam IAD) exhibited highest damage initiation onset (LIDT) while e-beam coatings were low performers. In addition, damage growth onset (LDGT) was also examined and the results are reported here for all samples as this performance metric plays an important role in establishing the safe operational conditions for larger aperture, ultrashort pulsed lasers. As a result, not all coating samples in the survey met the GDD requirements stated above and associated measurements are discussed in the context of the present and past competitions focused on similar broadband, near-IR MLD coatings.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

Direct Air Capture of CO2 (DAC) [Tech Snapshot]

Researchers at Los Alamos have extensive capabilities in design, testing and optimization of: (1) new capture materials based on membrane separation, amine and other solvent and sorbent separation, and porous materials; (2) biological capture methods, particularly algae and plants; (3) full-scale systems using science-based virtual learning; and (4) system performance under specific meteorological conditions, impacts of CO2 capture via atmospheric data and simulations, and availability of energy and storage capacity. The goal for Los Alamos is advancing our physical technologies and engineered systems approaches from the development phase to a minimal viable product in the energy sector for commercial purposes. Los Alamos is seeking strategic commercialization partners to work with us in advancing these capabilities and technologies for commercial viability.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

NETL Direct Air Capture Center

In 2022 Congress authorized the $25M National Energy Technology Laboratory Direct Air Capture Center. The facility will be specifically targeted at accelerating the commercialization of technologies beyond the conceptual stage which have not yet reached full pilot-scale (TRL 3 to 6). The ability to operate over a wide range of conditions will help the developers to understand how their technologies respond in different climates, from summer to winter and arid to tropical. NETL recognizes that DAC technology is still early in its evolution, and a wide variety of highly varied technologies are being explored. The Center will be designed with substantial flexibility to accommodate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Testing systems at three scales will be included: lab-scale systems designed to examine the long-term stability of DAC materials, bench-scale module testing systems capable of probing flow dynamics, and small pilot-scale skid rooms able to test prototype DAC units under a wide variety of climate conditions. The NETL DAC Center will feature dedicated engineering, technician, scientific and logistical support for experimental system design, installation, operation of experiments, and interpretation of results for projects including but not limited to kinetics of absorption/desorption, thermal duty, and post-mortem elemental characterization to understand degradation. The NETL DAC Center projects will also have access to dedicated process modeling and analysis to evaluate the technoeconomic aspects of new technologies. NETL’s Systems Engineering and Analysis (SEA) team, the Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI), and the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) are all potential collaborators with NETL’s testing partners from industry, academia, and other research institutions. NETL also has world class capabilities in device scale modeling (i.e., MFIX) that will be available to help design more efficient contactors and optimize unique internal configurations that can be realized by advanced manufacturing. The talk will cover the design and capabilities of the center, the planned availability, and feedback will be solicited from the audience on DAC testing needs.

Luebke, David↗

DOE OSTI2023

Accelerating commercialization of direct air capture technology

Luebke, David↗

DOE OSTI2021

Modular SOEC System for Efficient H 2 Production at High Current Density

The overall objective of the project was to demonstrate the potential of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) systems to produce hydrogen at a cost of $\$$2.00/kg H 2 or less (excluding delivery, compression, storage, and dispensing). An additional objective of the project was to enhance Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) stack endurance and impart subsystem robustness for operation on load profiles compatible with intermittent renewable energy sources. The project was designed to achieve the overall objectives through a multi-disciplinary approach that included SOEC stack and materials development, systems development and optimization, techno-economic analyses, and ultimately the demonstration of a > 4 kg H 2 /day SOEC system. The scope of work included research and development efforts to develop an advanced, high temperature, water splitting (HTWS) system with superior performance and durability relative to the current state-of-the-art. In support of the aforementioned goals, the project activities included: 1) Develop and test cell materials with improved endurance at high current densities; 2) Design and fabricate a >4 kg H 2 /day SOEC stack optimized for high efficiency operation in the range of 1 - 2 A/cm 2 ; 3) Perform stack testing under simulated system conditions; 4) Perform systems analysis including configuration and parametric studies, to maximize SOEC system efficiency and minimize H 2 production costs; 5) Develop the conceptual design of a >4 kg H 2 /day thermally self-sustaining SOEC demonstration system including stack module and balance of plant (BoP).

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2023

AFC FY 2023 HFIR Irradiation Test Matrix – Supported by the Design of a Ring Specimen Irradiation Vehicle

The development and deployment of accident-tolerant cladding materials in light water nuclear reactors requires the collection of neutron-irradiated properties of these materials with specific consideration to the material properties orientation (i.e., tube geometry). To that end, a test plan to irradiate several cladding tube and ring specimens in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was proposed, along with the development of a new capsule design that features ring specimens with a preexisting gauge section. This ring specimen geometry removes the need to machine a gauge section on the irradiated specimen and thus allows for direct application of a ring-pull test post-irradiation. The test matrix includes uncoated and chromium-coated Zircaloy-4 and advanced zirconium alloy cladding specimens, pre-characterized at ORNL. Plans are to irradiate the specimens at about 4 and 10 dpa—corresponding to two and five cycles at the HFIR centerline—with a target specimen gauge section temperature of 330°C.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2021

A Compilation of Historical Data on Hagan Drop Testing with Results

The Hagan nuclear material storage container was designed in the late 1990’s to provide a robust container for daily use, safe transport within the plutonium facility PF-4, and storage of nuclear material for up to twenty years. There are currently >3000 loaded Hagan containers in use at TA-55. The majority of these are in the TA-55 vault, but they are also used in safes and in floor locations on the main floor of PF-4. The original design criteria are given below

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗