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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,711 records · Page 95
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Supersonic Combusting Jet Experiments for Code Development and Validation

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods based on the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are extensively employed in the design of hypersonic airbreathing engines. A fundamental weakness in these methods is the accurate mathematical modeling of turbulence and turbulence-combustion interactions. This paper is one of a companion pair of papers which describe the use of the combined dual pump CARS and newly developed interferometric Rayleigh scattering optical system to acquire time-accurate turbulence and mixing data with which to aid calibration and verification of the current turbulence models. This test program consisted of a pilot laboratory-scale experiment used to develop the optical system and data acquisition techniques, and a significantly larger experiment to acquire the necessary turbulence data. The flow is an axially-symmetric, supersonic, combusting, free jet that provides good optical access, consisting of a central jet of hot "vitiated air" and a coflow jet of hydrogen or ethylene fuel. In this paper the development of both experiments is described. Facility and flow visualization data are presented for various types of flames, including the flames selected for detailed study with the CARS/Rayleigh optical techniques.

Cutler, Andrew D.↗
DOE OSTI2025

In situ irradiation of spent nuclear fuels

To improve the economics of commercial nuclear reactors, nuclear vendors and utilities are seeking approval for increased burnup usage of the existing nuclear fleet. This is especially critical for meeting the clean energy initiative by the United States Government, Department of Energy (DOE). However, one of the key challenges the nuclear industry faces in this regard is that the regions exposed to high burnup and low temperatures exhibit a fine-grained microstructure with large bubbles known as high-burnup structure (HBS) [1]. The formation of HBS has been correlated to the diminished performance of the reactor, as well as fuel fragmentation and pulverization during transient and accidental conditions [2]. Therefore, it is paramount to understand the mechanisms for HBS formation along with its impact on the properties and performance of nuclear fuels. While existing programs, such as Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) and Advanced Fuel Campaign (AFC) are focusing on evaluating the performance impact of HBS, the physical mechanisms contributing to HBS formation are still not fully understood. In addition, having predictive capabilities and sound understanding of the microstructural evolution of nuclear fuel is essential for accelerated development, qualification, and deployment of new nuclear materials and novel reactor designs for advanced nuclear reactors. There is a lack of consensus among researchers regarding the mechanisms leading to such restructuring observed in HBS. Grain subdivision due to polygonization versus recrystallization, continuous versus discrete recrystallization occurring in tandem or conjunction, etc., have been proposed and debated. In general, it is hypothesized that defect accumulation and dislocation interaction within the grains cause the realignment of dislocations into grain boundaries, leading to the new subgrain formation, which over time transforms into new grains. However, due to the lack of transient data, the importance of fission rate, irradiation, thermal, and stress history of the fuel on the restructuring could not be assessed. In situ microstructural evolution under various irradiation conditions is desired to bridge this gap. Alternatively, phase-field-based models have been developed to capture HBS formation via discrete recrystallization utilizing the classical nucleation approach [3–5]. However, in these models, the grain nucleation criteria are often defined based on empirical relations for burnup and fission gas density leading to dislocation density change. A mechanistic approach to capture the dislocation interaction with the microstructural features leading to grain subdivision is lacking.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Direct Ammonia Fuel Cell with a KOH-Free Anode Feed Generating 180 mW cm −2 at 120 °C

The motivations to operate the direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) with no addition of aqueous base, include facilitated fuel management and prevention of corrosion and shunt currents in the DAFC stack. We describe here a polymer electrolyte DAFC, operating at a cell temperature (T cell ) of 120 °C on ammonia and water alone as anode feed, that demonstrated peak power of 180 mW cm −2 —a record for this type of fuel cell. We offer a detailed analysis of polarization curves recorded for PE-DAFCs in the T cell range of 60 °C–120 °C, allowing to estimate the effects of KOH-free operation on the ionic and faradaic resistances, R i and R F , that determine together the value of R app , CL – an , the apparent resistance of the anode catalyst layer. The latter resistance drops ten times between 60 °C and 120 °C as result mainly of the drop in R F . Consequently, DAFC performance at T cell > 100 °C improves substantially, including the cell performance on a KOH-free anode feed. The demsontrated performance levels reported here for KOH-free DAFCs support further development of this type of ammonia/air fuel cells.

Achrai, Ben↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data-driven chemical kinetic reaction mechanism for F-24 jet fuel ignition

A data-driven chemical kinetic mechanism for the military version of Jet A, F-24, is developed for numerical simulations of the ignition process. The main purpose of this study is to obtain a practical F-24 mechanism across wide temperature and equivalence ratio ranges, with a particular focus on the negative temperature coefficient and low temperature regions. The new mechanism (ARLMech-HC-F24) is based on the HyChem model of a similar fuel and optimized using a micro-genetic algorithm against an experimental ignition delay data set of the target fuel. The development and optimization processes include reaction selection, population creation, shuffled tournament implementation based on a merit function, and child-individual creation for the next generation. Several techniques and parameters are proposed to generate an accurate mechanism through an efficient process. The newly introduced data-driven mechanism based on these techniques shows better merit value convergence and represents the ignition behavior more accurately than that without the techniques. This practical mechanism is suitable for the numerical simulations of the F-24 or Jet A ignition problem, and the suggested strategies can be employed in similar problems of rate coefficients estimation.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Safety Analysis for Accident-Tolerant Fuels with Increased Enrichment and Extended Burnup

The ERP research and development efforts in FY22 focused on the safety analysis of ATF with increased enrichment and extended burnup to provide scientific knowledge of the ATF fuel performance, failure mechanism and source term analysis during severe accident of the NPP. FeCrAl clad ATF was selected as basis of the reactor fuel. An optimized equilibrium cycle was developed for 24-months extended burnup operation. A 4-loop PWR model under loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) was assessed and the behavior of the major source term from failed ATF has been analyzed. The result showed that grace to enhanced mechanical characteristics of ATF, the fuel failure starts up to 200~500 seconds later than conventional Zr clad fuel. This time gives sufficient buffer until low pressure safety injection (LPSI) of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) restarted by the operator which reduces fuel fragmentation, relocation and dispersal (FFRD). As a consequence, the total amount of major radioactive materials released from FeCrAl clad fuel into the reactor containment was found up to three times less compare to Zr clad fuel.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor: Deployment Plan Report

The I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor, which spans I-80 from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, was designated an Alternative Fuels Corridor (AFC) in Round 1 of the Alternative Fuels Corridor program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Originally called the “I-80 Mid-America Alternative Fuels Corridor,” it is now named the “I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor.” As of Round 6 AFC designation, parts of the corridor have sufficient direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations to be designated Electric Vehicle (EV)-Ready and sufficient compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations to be designated CNG-Ready. However, much of the corridor’s approximately 1,240 miles (mi) are not yet EV- or CNG-Ready. This includes about 1,130 mi that are designated EV-Pending and 700 mi that are designated CNG-Pending. This report presents a plan to develop EV charging and CNG fueling infrastructure sufficient to convert the entire length of the corridor to EV-Ready and CNG-Ready. Specific sites are not identified for future infrastructure. Rather, priority exits are identified, and information, analysis, and additional steps are recommended to support further refinement of these locations, as well as additional outreach and deployment efforts.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Americium-Fuelled Radioisotope Stirling Generator Elegant Breadboard

High power solutions for spacecraft are becoming increasingly sought after in the new era of space exploration, with energy intensive in-situ lunar surface exploration becoming a key part of the roadmap for major space agencies, as well as commercial companies. Nuclear power provides the most feasible solution to achieve continued operation through the long lunar night, and in extended periods in Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs). Americium-241 (241Am) is used as the fuel of choice in European Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The University of Leicester have developed a number of systems using this fuel type, including a 200 Wth heat source. Building on existing international partnerships, the University of Leicester is continuing to work with NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to maximise the electrical output that can be generated from the heat source by progressing the radioisotope-Stirling generator concept to elegant breadboard level, building on the long heritage of dynamic power conversion developments at NASA Glenn. Presented in the following conference paper is the next iteration of the Americium-fuelled Radioisotope Stirling Generator (Am-RSG) Elegant Breadboard, following on from a successful technology demonstration design conducted at NASA Glenn in early 2025. The design laid-out in this paper is a more flight-like version of the technology demonstrator, and is intended to pair with the next generation of Stirling convertor technology, the SunPower Robust Stirling Converter (SRSC). The SRSC is able to operate more efficiently at lower thermal power levels than the previous Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), making it more suitable for the 241Am system.

Lunar↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Oxygen Storage Components in Prototype Pd-Based Three-Way Catalysts under Exhaust Conditions Relevant to Propane Engines

With increasing concerns about global warming, the push for sustainable and eco-friendly fuels is accelerating. Propane, recognized as liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, has garnered research interest as an alternative fuel due to its notable advantages, including a high-octane rating, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and potential cost-effectiveness. However, to realize its full potential as an alternative fuel it is essential to develop catalysts that efficiently handle emissions at low temperatures. In our research, we investigated three distinct palladium (Pd)-based three-way catalyst (TWC) formulations (PdRh, Pd-only, and Pd-OSC) to investigate the influence of typical TWC components rhodium (Rh) and oxygen storage components (OSC) in exhaust scenarios relevant to propane-fueled engines. Among these, the formulation containing oxygen storage components (Pd-OSC) showed the highest reactivity for both NO and C 3 H 8 while minimizing performance degradation from hydrothermal aging (HTA). Notably, the temperature of 50% conversion (T50) for propane in the Pd-OSC fresh and HTA sample was lower by 30 °C and 13 °C, respectively, compared to the Pd-only sample, highlighting the role of oxygen storage materials in enhancing catalyst performance, even without dithering. Additionally, N 2 physisorption showed that the PdOSC sample has a higher surface area and increased pore volume. This underscores the idea that OSC materials not only augment the catalyst’s porosity but also optimize reactant accessibility to active sites, thus elevating catalytic efficiency. In addition to evaluating performance, we further explored the performance and characteristics of the catalysts using catalytic probe reactions, such as water–gas shift and steam reforming reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels (2019 State of Technology)

Each year, the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) assesses progress in their research and development efforts toward sustainable production of renewable fuels. Technical and cost targets were previously established for the wet waste hydrothermal liquefaction and biocrude upgrading pathway and summarized in a design report. The present report summarizes the research and associated techno-economic analysis (TEA) in support of the 2019 state of technology (SOT) assessment for this pathway. Data from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Conversion hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) program for wet waste was used to update the pathway techno-economic analysis (TEA) for the fiscal year 2019 State of Technology (2019 SOT). An overview of the current process model, experimental data and plant economics for the SOT is presented.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2008

Fiber-Optic Determination of N2, O2, and Fuel Vapor in the Ullage of Liquid-Fuel Tanks

A fiber-optic sensor system has been developed that can remotely measure the concentration of molecular oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), hydrocarbon vapor, and other gases (CO2, CO, H2O, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.) in the ullage of a liquid-fuel tank. The system provides an accurate and quantitative identification of the above gases with an accuracy of better than 1 percent by volume (for O2 or N2) in real-time (5 seconds). In an effort to prevent aircraft fuel tank fires or explosions similar to the tragic TWA Flight 800 explosion in 1996, OBIGGS are currently being developed for large commercial aircraft to prevent dangerous conditions from forming inside fuel tanks by providing an inerting gas blanket that is low in oxygen, thus preventing the ignition of the fuel/air mixture in the ullage. OBIGGS have been used in military aircraft for many years and are now standard equipment on some newer large commercial aircraft (such as the Boeing 787). Currently, OBIGGS are being developed for retrofitting to existing commercial aircraft fleets in response to pending mandates from the FAA. Most OBIGGS use an air separation module (ASM) that separates O2 from N2 to make nitrogen-enriched air from compressed air flow diverted from the engine (bleed air). Current OBIGGS systems do not have a closed-loop feedback control, in part, due to the lack of suitable process sensors that can reliably measure N2 or O2 and at the same time, do not constitute an inherent source of ignition. Thus, current OBIGGS operate with a high factor-of-safety dictated by process protocol to ensure adequate fuel-tank inerting. This approach is inherently inefficient as it consumes more engine bleed air than is necessary compared to a closed-loop controlled approach. The reduction of bleed air usage is important as it reduces fuel consumption, which translates to both increased flight range and lower operational costs. Numerous approaches to developing OBIGGS feedback-control sensors have been under development by many research groups and companies. However, the direct measurement of nitrogen (N2) is a challenge to most OBIGGS ullage sensors (such as tunable diode laser absorption) as they cannot measure N2 directly but depend on the measurement of oxygen (O2). The problem with a singular measure of O2, is that as the concentration (number density) of O2 decreases due to the inerting process or due to lower pressures from high altitudes, the precision and accuracy of the O2 measurement decreases. However, measuring O2 density in combination with N2 density (which is more abundant in air and in a N2-inerted fuel tank) can provide a much more accurate and reliable determination of the OBIGGS efficacy.

Nguyen, Quang-Viet↗
DOE OSTI2026

Alternative Method for Performing As-Built, As-Irradiated Neutronics Analyses

Neutronics analyses have been used to assist in the design, development, and qualification of miniature fuel (MiniFuel) experiments irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) since their conception almost a decade ago. In recent years, upon completion of a MiniFuel target’s irradiation, neutronics analyses that reflect the as-built, as-irradiated conditions of an experiment have also been performed to validate postirradiation examination (PIE) efforts. Several radiation transport and depletion/activation software wrapper programs have been developed to increase the fidelity of these calculations; at ORNL, a program called HFIRCON is the primary software method employed. However, the utilization of these wrapper programs comes at a cost. To produce accurate results, the radiation transport portion of these analyses requires significant time and resources to execute. Therefore, this report discusses an alternative methodology for calculating some of the desired output for PIE validation—specifically, the output used in evaluating the experiment’s fuel burnup—without complete reliance on ORNL’s wrapper program. The alternative method is not a new software but rather a procedure for utilizing the depletion/activation software, SCALE, in conjunction with limited input data and reasonable assumptions to bypass most of the radiation transport calculations and thereby reduce the time required for the completion of a standard analysis.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2010

In the Beginning...

Having just emerged from the warmest decade on record and watching as the oceans acidify and sea level rises, global resources peak, the world's population continues to climb, and nearly half of all known species face extinction by the end of the century. We stand on the threshold of one of the most important transition in human history-the transition from hunting-and-gathering our energy to cultivating sustainable, carbon-neutral, environmentally-friendly energy supplies. Can we develop an alternative to fossil fuels in time to make a difference for our children and the "children" of all species? NASA puts people into outer space, where all resources (food, water, air, pressure, gravity, energy) are limited and far away and where conditions (temperature, radiation, vacuum) are problematic and dangerous-the life expectancy of an unprotected astronaut (physically exposed to the space environment) is 15 seconds. Therefore, by necessity, NASA has explored and developed "life-support systems" that optimize the use of resources, minimize the use of energy, and recycle, refurbish, re-use everything that on earth would be considered a waste material. Emerging from the legacy of life-support systems, the NASA OMEGA project uses microalgae, municipal wastewater, and the encroaching oceans to address our global needs for a sustainable, carbon-neutral, environmentally friendly energy supply that does not compete with agriculture. The OMEGA project is focused on producing aviation fuel, treating municipal wastewater, and sequestering carbon dioxide. More generally, however, OMEGA is an example of an "ecology of technologies" in which all processes are integrated and inter-dependent and wastes become resources. From a NASA perspective, the OMEGA project is also a reminder that "we are not passengers on Spaceship Earth, we are the crew."

Trent, Jonathan↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluate Compatibility of Alloy 244 in NaCl-MgCl 2

Alloy 244 is a potential material of interest for molten salt reactor (MSR) developers employing molten chloride as fuel and coolant salts because of its improved mechanical properties compared to the austenitic stainless steel 316H and the Ni-base alloy Hastelloy-N. However, data are limited on the corrosion behavior of alloy 244 in molten chloride salts. Experimental data on the corrosion behavior of 244 in chloride salts will provide valuable data to MSR developers while simultaneously aiding in improving mechanistic understanding of the role of salt chemistry, alloying constituents and microstructure of 244. This task evaluated the compatibility of alloy 244 in two different eutectic NaCl–MgCl 2 salt mixtures. Similar corrosion behavior in terms of depths of attack and compositional changes in the alloy subsurface was observed after exposure in both salts for 500 h at 750°C. However, severe corrosion attack was observed after 500 h at 850°C in one of the chloride salt mixture. This was most likely due to the combined effects of the differences in the two salt chemistries, distinct microstructure of 244 at 850°C compared to 750°C, and the temperature dependence of the chemical interactions (thermodynamic and kinetic) between the alloying constituents.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated Process Testing of MSR Salt Spill Accidents

Part of the licensing process for new nuclear reactors requires vendors to assess the potential consequences of identified accident scenarios using accident progression modeling. The accident scenario that will likely be evaluated by all molten salt reactor (MSR) developers is a spill of radionuclide-bearing fuel salt onto the reactor containment floor (i.e., a salt spill accident). The development of accident progression models requires experimental data to inform which processes to incorporate, to enable the calculation of parameters to model these processes, and to validate the model predictions. The data should quantify the sensitivities of key processes (e.g., molten salt spreading, heat transfer, containment structure corrosion, radionuclide vaporization, and aerosol generation) towards the initial conditions of the spill, the ambient environment, and the features of the containment. In addition, results from integrated process tests that quantify coupled processes are required to validate systems-level models. This report documents results from integrated process tests conducted on simulated molten salt spill accidents. The generated experimental data simultaneously quantify the heat transfer behavior of the spilled salt, compositional changes to the bulk salt, and the release of surrogate fission products from the spilled salt as aerosol particles. All tests that were conducted used FLiNaK doped with surrogate fission products, and the variables that were evaluated included the initial salt temperature and the concentration of surrogate fission products present in the salt. The major accomplishments of this work include identifying surrogate fuel salt compositions that provide insight into the dispersal behavior of radionuclides of potential significance to the source term, employing previously developed methods and measurement techniques to simultaneously measure key processes, generating data on the coupled processes of molten salt heat transfer and surrogate fission product release as aerosol particles, demonstrating new test methods for real-time monitoring of the flow rate of the spill and aerosol size quantification in an argon atmosphere, and developing a mass transfer model for cesium and iodine release from molten FLiNaK to provide insight into aerosol formation by vapor condensation. The same methodology applied herein can be employed to study different salt compositions of interest to MSR developers, different environmental conditions, and other variables that are relevant to postulated accident scenarios. The insights gained from these integrated process tests conducted at a laboratory scale will be incorporated into future integral effects tests conducted at an engineering scale.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Qualification and Quantification of Porosity at the Top of the Fuel Pins in Metallic Fuels Using Image Processing

Approximately 130,000 metal fuel pins were irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) during its 30 years of operation to develop and characterize existing and prospective fuels. For many of the metal fuel irradiation experiments, neutron radiography imaging was performed to characterize fuel behavior, such as fuel axial expansion. While several fuel expansion results obtained from neutron radiography imaging have been published, the analysis of neutron radiography for the purpose of describing statistical properties of porous matter formed on top of the fuel pins, also referred to as fluff in previous publications, is significantly less represented in the literature with just a single paper so far. This study aims to validate and augment results reported in previous publications using automated image processing. The paper describes the statistical properties of the porous matter in terms of nine parameters derived from radiography images and correlates those parameters with such fuel properties as composition, expansion, temperature, and burnup. The reported results are based on 1097 fuel pins of eight different fuel compositions. For three major fuel types, U-10Zr, U-8Pu-10Zr, and U-19Pu-10Zr, a clear negative correlation is found between the Pu content and five parameters describing the amount of porous matter generated. The parameters describing granularity properties, however, showed either negative correlation or nonlinear dependency from fuel composition. The parameters describing the amount showed a positive correlation with fuel axial expansion, while granularity parameters showed a negative correlation with axial expansion. The dependency on cladding temperature was found to be weak. A positive correlation is demonstrated for volume parameters and fuel burnup. In general, reported results confirm and validate findings published in previous studies using a much larger number of pins and automated processing techniques, which easily lend themselves to reproducibility, thus avoiding subjective bias.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1997

TURBO-AE: An Aeroelastic Code for Propulsion Applications

NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program is developing new technologies to increase the fuel efficiency of commercial aircraft engines, improve the safety of engine operation, and reduce engine emissions and noise. With the development of new designs for ducted fans, compressors, and turbines to achieve these goals, a basic aeroelastic requirement is that there should be no flutter or high resonant blade stresses in the operating regime. To verify the aeroelastic soundness of these designs, we need an accurate prediction and analysis code. Such a two-dimensional viscous propulsion aeroelastic code, named TURBO-AE, is being developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The TURBO-AE aeroelastic code is based on a three-dimensional unsteady aerodynamic Euler/Navier-Stokes turbomachinery code TURBO, developed under a grant from NASA Lewis. TURBO-AE can model viscous flow effects that play an important role in certain aeroelastic problems, such as flutter with flow separation (or stall flutter) and flutter in the presence of shock and boundary-layer interaction. The structural dynamics representation of the blade in the TURBO-AE code is based on a normal mode representation. A finite element analysis code, such as NASTRAN, is used to calculate in-vacuum vibration modes and the associated natural frequency. A work-per-cycle approach is used to determine aeroelastic (flutter) stability. With this approach, the motion of the blade is prescribed to be a harmonic vibration in a specified in vacuum normal mode. The aerodynamic forces acting on the vibrating blade and the work done by these forces on the vibrating blade during a cycle of vibration are calculated. If positive work is being done on the blade by the aerodynamic forces, the blade is dynamically unstable, since it will extract energy from the flow, leading to an increase in the amplitude of the blade's oscillation. Initial calculations have been done for a configuration representative of the Energy Efficient Engine fan rotor. The accompanying figure shows the work-per-cycle after each cycle of vibration. It can be seen that the work-per-cycle does not vary much after the fourth cycle. The negative sign of the converged work-per-cycle shows that the fan blade is dynamically stable and will not flutter. TURBO-AE will provide a useful aeroelastic prediction/analysis capability for engine manufacturers. It will reduce design cycle times by allowing new blade designs to be verified for aeroelastic soundness before blades are built and tested. With this prediction capability, it will be possible to build thinner, lighter, and faster rotating blades without encountering aeroelastic problems like stall flutter and high-cycle fatigue due to forced vibrations.

Bakhle, Milind A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fuel Storage Requirements

2023 No fuel storage plan had been developed 2024 The shipping & receiving requirements are understood A storage location has been selected and designated The storage limitations are known and incorporated The INL coordination & approval groups have been determined

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impacts of Ionizing Radiation on Sulfur Chloride Compounds for Advanced Fuel Cladding Decontamination Processes

Tripling the nation’s nuclear energy capacity is a critical component for significantly increasing energy production and reducing energy costs for American families and businesses. Achieving this vision requires fuel cycle technologies that maximize resource utilization while minimizing radioactive waste generation. Advanced sulfur chloride–based chlorination technologies are being developed to enable efficient recycling of fuel cladding materials, which account for a significant fraction of used nuclear fuel. However, the impacts of ionizing radiation on the longevity and performance of these sulfur chloride compounds are not well established. Here, we will explore the effects of gamma and electron-beam irradiation on the chemical composition of select sulfur chloride reagents, specifically sulfur monochloride (S2Cl2) and thionyl chloride (SOCl2), and the impacts of pre-irradiation on the chlorination yield/chemical dissolution of surrogate aluminum alloy 6061 (AA6061-T6) materials.

38 - RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCL↗