ART GCR Metals and High Temperature Design Methodology Overview
Overview presentation on high temperature metals and design methodology work for the ART Gas Cooled Reactor Program Review.
36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
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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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Alloy 709 Advanced Austenitic Stainless Steel
Provide material solutions to enabling design, construction, licensing and operation of advanced reactors Including Fast Reactors, Gas-cooled Reactors and Molten Salt Reactors (solid or liquid fuel) Could be of modular or micro designs, and from hundreds of MWe to kWe Provide technical bases needed for design and licensing of advanced reactor components Develop & validate improved high temperature design methodology Provide qualification data (to NQA-1 or equivalent) on structural materials Utilize consensus standards when appropriate (e.g., ASME, ASTM, etc.) Target resolution of issues needed for near to mid-term deployment of advanced reactors
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Class B Materials Code Case
Class B Materials Code Case to include: FY25 - High temperature design methodology, overview of ASME Section III (Division 5), Design for elevated temperature service, Goal to address current gaps, evaluation of proposed rules, allowable stress development, Class A materials (existing ASME approach), variable confidence index, data extrapolation, bounding value for SEE, and next steps.
11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Advanced Materials Program Summary
DOE Office of Nuclear Energy: Strategic Vision
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Fast Reactor Materials R&D Update
Focus on materials and design methods to support advanced reactors deployment Design, construction, licensing and operations
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
High Temperature Optocoupler for 3D High Density Power Modules
The goal of this proposed research is to develop a reliable high-temperature optocouplers, which can operate at 250°C with at least ten-year lifetime, and replace isolation transforms as the galvanic isolation solution for the 3D integration of high density power modules. The electrification of future transportations (i.e., electric vehicles) will continuously drive the demand for high density power modules. Optocouplers (i.e., packaged light emitter and detector) as a promising candidate to replace bulky isolation transformers are highly desirable to facilitate the continuous scale-down of gate driver circuitry that will lead to 3D high density power modules and achieve disruptive performance in terms of thermal management, power density, power efficiency, reliability and operating environments. However, regular semiconductor optoelectronic materials and devices have significant difficulty functioning in the harsh environments designated for high density power module usage (such as operation at high temperatures). Ultimately, it is not the intrinsic properties of power devices that prevent their use at higher temperatures, but rather the low voltage electronics needed to drive them and the packaging that surrounds them. The typical operating temperature for optocouplers is only up to 100°C, due to the limitations of light emitting diode (LED) devices inside and packaging materials. A systematic characterization methodology will be developed to analyze the performance, lifetime and reliability of LED devices and distinguish multiple failure mechanisms at high temperatures. An original methodology of “design for reliability” will be developed to design the optoelectronic devices with high reliability and long lifetime at high temperatures. A new architecture of high temperature high reliable optocouplers will be developed, fabricated and demonstrated with continuous operating at 250°C. The development of efficient, reliable high density 3D power modules is the foundation for energy efficiency and energy reliability. Enabled with advanced 3D integration and packaging technologies, high density power module solutions can achieve much more superior performance over the conventional discrete solutions in terms of efficiency, thermal management and power density. The proposed concept of high temperature optocouplers as the galvanic isolation solution for high density power modules will bring together interdisciplinary research involving the wide bandgap materials, optoelectronics, high reliable device design, electronics packaging and power modules. A streamline of skilled personnel would be trained including graduate and undergraduate students, local engineers and scientists which are in great demand to both academia and optoelectronics industry. The proposed research topics, such as, solid state lighting and high temperature device reliability, are currently of major interest at the Department of Energy, in particular, Sandia National Laboratories. This project can enhance collaborations between the University of Arkansas (UA) and Sandia National Laboratories. The findings of the proposed research are expected to be integrated into high density 3-D power modules at the Engineering Research Center for Power Optimization for Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS).
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Methodology to evaluate design modifications intended to eliminate frosting and high discharge temperatures in air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) in cold climates
Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) operating in cold climates experience problems with frosting and high refrigerant temperatures. These problems increase energy consumption, and their severity depends on the climatic conditions. In the present paper, a methodology for identifying the prevailing problem between frosting and high discharge temperatures is presented. Three performance indices, the frosting index (FI), the discharge index (DI), and the total loss index (TLI), are proposed to quantify the impacts of frosting and high discharge temperatures on the annual performance of ASHPs in different climatic conditions. The FI and DI show which problem (frosting or high discharge temperature) dominates, and the TLI indicates the combined effect of frosting and high discharge temperatures on the performance of an ASHP. A thermodynamic model of an ASHP coupled with the TRNSYS building simulation tool is used to estimate the performance of an ASHP and the proposed loss indices to estimate the impact of both frosting and high discharge temperatures for 45 cities in Canada. The results can be extended to other parts of the world that experience similar climatic conditions The results reveal that in cities in ASHRAE climatic zones 5 and 6 (classified as cold regions) where the ambient air temperatures are predominantly between -15 °C to 6 °C, ASHPs are heavily impacted by frosting. The problem of high discharge temperatures in ASHPs is predominant in cities in climate zones 7 and 8 (classified as very cold and subarctic regions) where the temperatures are frequently below -20 °C in winter. Among the cities considered, St. John, NL has the highest fraction of heating hours experiencing frosting (90 %), where the annual increase in energy consumption due to frosting is 13.5 % of the annual heating energy consumption. The highest annual increase in energy consumption due to high discharge temperatures is in Isachsen, NU (zone 8), where the increase is 30 % of the annual heating energy consumption. Based on the proposed indices, another index called the performance gain index (PGI) is created, which can be used as a first step to assess the energy-saving potential of design modifications applied to ASHPs to solve the problems of frosting and high discharge temperatures. The PGI will aid in developing climate specific ASHPs. One possible design modification is the use of a two-stage ASHP with an economizer. It is observed that the two-stage ASHP with economizer can mitigate high discharge temperatures and improve performance in very cold and subarctic regions (zones 7 and 8). However, it is not as beneficial in zones 5 and 6, where the impact of high discharge temperatures on performance is minimal and frosting dominates. Finally, a case study, using the PGI to evaluate the economic and environmental effectiveness of a two-stage ASHP with economizer is presented for the city of Saskatoon.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
Machine learning for optimizing the manufacture and operation of intermediate temperature fuel cells
The project developed machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) methodologies for guiding and accelerating the materials design and processing of new high temperature proton conducing electrode ionomer binders and reinforced membranes for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC; aka intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells).
08 HYDROGEN↗
Design, Processing, and Properties of WTaCrV-Hf Multi-principal Element Alloys
Refractory multi-principal element alloys are candidates for high-temperature structural components due, in part, to their high strength and high melting points. Single-phase materials are initially preferred for isotropic material properties as a function of time and temperature in service conditions. This work outlines a computational rank-ordering and experimental validation methodology for single-phase body-centered-cubic phase stability in WTaCrV-Hf alloys using order–disorder transition temperature. Eight compositions were fabricated by arc-melting and heat-treated at 1400 °C for 24 hrs. X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and Vickers hardness testing showed alloys with order–disorder transition temperatures below 600 °C formed a single-phase body-centered-cubic structure during solidification and remained single-phase after heat-treatment. The sample possessing the lowest order–disorder transition temperature exhibited slip traces suggestive of room-temperature plastic deformation under Vickers indentation, with both heat-treated single-phase samples exhibiting hardnesses over 800 HV with little cracking compared to tungsten. These results establish order–disorder transition temperature as a viable predictive parameter for multi-principal element alloy phase stability. The methodology outlined in this work provides a framework for future design, fabrication, and characterization of high-temperature structural multi-principal element alloys.
CALPHAD↗
New ASME Section III, Division 5 Creep-Fatigue Design Rules Based on EPP and SMT Approaches
The integrated elastic-perfectly plastic (EPP) and simplified model test (SMT) creep-fatigue (CF) design methodology, referred to as the EPP-SMT method, is being developed as an alternative for CF evaluation in the design of pressure boundary components for high-temperature reactors. This report reviews the conceptual basis of the EPP-SMT methodology, summarizes the SMT experimental development efforts and results, and provides the technical basis for finalizing the EPP-SMT CF design curves for Alloy 617, based on a combined experimental and numerical approach conducted in FY 2024. This report presents the effect of hold time on the CF design curves for Alloy 617 at elevated temperatures. It includes proposed EPP-SMT CF design curves and tabulated values for continuous cycling, along with the effects of maximum hold time, for the use of this EPP-SMT CF evaluation method.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Experimental and Analytical Verification of ASME Section IiII Division 5 Creep-Fatigue Design Rules
The continuous advancement of structural materials and the growing demands for more reliable and economical structural components in high-temperature reactor applications have necessitated the development of comprehensive design methodologies and design rules. Mechanical degradation of structural components at elevated temperatures subjected to cyclic deformation is controlled by the creep-fatigue damage. Over the past few decades, diligent research efforts have been dedicated to refining the development of elevated temperature design rules in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), Section III, Division 5 and to develop conservative design rules that can effectively guard against the risk of creep-fatigue failure. In ASME Section III, Division 5, for a design to pass the creep-fatigue acceptance criteria, creep damage and fatigue damage are evaluated separately, and these damages must not violate the bi-linear creep-fatigue interaction diagram, i.e., the so-called D-diagram. The creep-fatigue damage evaluation procedure assumes that the effects of the actual cyclic loading sequence can be bounded by assuming that the individual loading cycles are uniformly distributed throughout the component design life. In this study, creep-fatigue experiments with variable amplitudes and loading sequencies were designed and performed on Alloy 617 at high temperatures. The results were analyzed to evaluate the loading history effect on creep-fatigue damage accumulation and to verify the assumptions for the creep-fatigue evaluation design rules.
36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Initial Design Curves for Alloy 709 for an Improved Creep-fatigue Design Method
Creep-fatigue (CF) interaction damage is the primary damage mode for high-temperature structural components subjected to cyclic loading. Over the past several decades, researchers within the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), Section III, Division 5, have focused on developing elevated temperature code rules to ensure conservative structural designs that mitigate CF failure in high-temperature reactors. The existing CF evaluation methodologies in the Code are based on the creep and fatigue damage diagram approach, which is complex and often excessively conservative. The alternative CF evaluation approach proposed here is intended to significantly simplify the evaluation procedure while reducing conservatism in high-temperature component design analysis. This alternative CF evaluation method integrates the elastic–perfectly plastic (EPP) analysis approach with the simplified model test (SMT) CF design concept, leveraging the advantages of both methods. This report presents the preliminary analysis and the approach for developing CF design curves for Alloy 709, utilizing fatigue and CF data generated for the 100,000-hr Code Case to support its qualification to ASME Section III, Division 5 for Class A construction of high temperature reactors. This study is to support the incorporation of Alloy 709 in this alternative CF evaluation method. Recommendations for the remaining work needed to complete the effort are also provided.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Design and Challenges of Edge Computing ASICs on Front-End Electronics
In situ or hardware-embedded data processing of raw signals, close to their source, in radiation detectors is expected to provide dramatic improvements in data quality and volumes. However, the implementation of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in the front-end electronics, and the design of custom integrated circuits (ASICs), comes with challenges. In addition, detectors have to operate with limited power budget and implement complex functionalities in a very dense space. They often are exposed to extreme conditions as they work in high-radiation environments and/or cryogenic temperatures. This paper presents examples of applications and design methodologies for in-situ ANNs, along with the challenges of retaining the fidelity of the trained networks. For illustration, we use the problem of estimating the energy deposited by the radiation from digitized waveforms. The proposed implementation starts with an ML algorithm trained in Qkeras and eventually leads to an equivalent ASIC implementation. The associated design challenges in realizing energy and area efficient implementations in CMOS processes are reviewed. Novel approaches that employ hybrid technologies (combination of CMOS with memristors), in-memory computing models, and bio-inspired spiking neural networks are also highlighted
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Critical Evaluation of a Novel Analysis Technique for Assessment of Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers in High-Temperature Nuclear Service
Application of printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) to very high-temperature reactors (VHTRs) requires mechanical performance assessment methodologies. The PCHE morphology consists of thousands of millimeter-scale channels, for enhanced thermal efficiency, enclosed in a meter-scale PCHE core. PCHE geometry under thermomechanical creep-fatigue transients results in multi-axial interactions between its different segments, such as channeled core, walls, and headers. These global-level interactions influence the local channel-level responses. Hence, developing a PCHE performance assessment methodology, following the ASME Code, Section III, Division 5 provisions, is a critical gap to be filled. There is no analysis or design methodology available in ASME Code to assess a PCHE for its global and local level performances under high temperature and pressure loadings. This paper critically evaluates a recently proposed two-step analysis technique to estimate global interactions and local channel-level responses of PCHEs. In this novel analysis technique, the channeled PCHE core is replaced with orthotropic solid blocks of representative stiffness properties for the global thermomechanical analysis. Here, subsequent channel scale submodel analysis with detailed channel geometry, loading, and elastic-perfectly plastic (EPP) material model estimates the local responses for PCHE performance assessment. This paper critically evaluates this novel technique for its effectiveness in PCHE performance assessment. Finite element (FE) models imitating various analysis issues are developed, and FE analysis results are scrutinized. An important outcome of this study is the validation of the novel two-step PCHE analysis technique for application to the performance assessment of PCHEs in VHTRs.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Continuum Damage Mechanics Modeling of High-Temperature Flaw Propagation: Application to Creep Crack Growth In 316H Standardized Specimens and Nuclear Reactor Components
Predicting creep crack growth (CCG) of flaws found during operation in high-temperature alloy components is essential for assessing the remaining lifetime of those components. While defect assessment procedures are available for this purpose in design codes, these are limited in their range of applicability. This study assesses the application of a local damage-based finite-element methodology as a more general technique for the prediction of CCG at high temperatures on a variety of structural configurations. Numerical results for stainless steel 316H, which are validated against experimental data, show the promise of this approach. This integration of continuum damage mechanics (CDM) based methodologies, together with adequate inelastic models, into assessment procedures can therefore inform the characterization of CCG under complex operating conditions, while avoiding excessive conservatism. This article shows that such modeling frameworks can be calibrated to experimental data and used to demonstrate that the degree of tri-axiality ahead of a growing creep crack affects its rate of growth. The framework is also successfully employed in characterizing CCG in a realistic reactor pressure vessel geometry under an arbitrary loading condition. These results are particularly relevant to the nuclear power industry for defect assessment and inspections as part of codified practices of structural components with flaws in high-temperature reactors.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Predictive design of novel nickel-based superalloys beyond Haynes 282
Nickel-based superalloys are in great demand for harsh-service conditions involving high temperatures and oxidative environments. Haynes 282 stands out due to its excellent high-temperature properties and easy fabricability. However, the upper operation temperature of Haynes 282 is limited due to its relatively low liquidus temperature. Equipped with high-fidelity density-functional theory calculations and high-throughput experimentation methodology, we explored new compositional spaces that exhibit higher liquidus temperature and higher strength. While maintaining the manufacturability, the newly designed alloy shows improved strength and ductility at room temperature and better oxidation resistance up to 800°C. Here, the new compositions showcase a minor change in the refractory and metalloid content can significantly impact the mechanical and oxidation performance of superalloys.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Computational Design of Interlayers for Thermally Stable Compositionally Graded Coatings on Nickel Alloys
To extend the service life of Ni-based superalloys, refractory metal coatings are often used. However, direct bonding between metals with dissimilar crystal structure promotes brittle intermetallic phase formation. This work presents a computational thermodynamic framework for high throughput design of functionally graded interlayers to suppress deleterious phases that may form at the interlayer. The Thermo-Calc software package was used to screen candidate metallic interlayer elements based on stability of solid-solution phases. Vanadium was identified as a promising interlayer due to its consistent suppression of intermetallic phases. Temperature-dependent phase diagram mapping between 600 and 1000 °C guided selection of a compositional pathway that significantly reduced intermetallic formation compared to directly joining the Ni-based and Nb refractory alloys. Time–temperature–transformation analysis was performed to assess whether equilibrium-predicted phases are kinetically accessible along regions of the graded path where non-solid-solution phases are not fully suppressed. The methodology was further applied to additional Ni-based alloy and coating systems, illustrating its transferability as an approach for rapid computational design of graded interlayers in dissimilar high-temperature materials.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
A laser ultrasonics-based approach for rapid screening of high entropy alloys
This project demonstrates a laser ultrasonics-based characterization methodology for rapid metallic materials design and discovery via in situ determination of phases, microstructures and elastic properties with respect to temperature. Ultrasonic waves are strongly affected by material microstructure, and therefore serve as a facile means to probe elastic properties, phase content and their size distributions and volume fractions. In this study, a laser ultrasonic technique is used to systematically study the evolution of properties in a set of interrelated simple binary alloys and high entropy alloys (HEA). Phase transformations and microstructural changes inferred from the ultrasonic signals will be correlated with electron microscopy data and predictions using calculations of phase diagrams (CALPHAD). The non-contact and non-destructive ultrasonic testing approach developed in this study could overcome several limitations associated with current material characterization methods for materials discovery. It is expected that laser ultrasonics-based methodology developed in this work will be utilized to evaluate novel graded composition HEAs currently being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) using advanced manufacturing methods based on direct energy deposition and spark plasma sintering processes, and contribute to accelerate the discovery of HEAs.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗