Thermal Gradient and Neutron Irradiation Experiment Design for Fusion Reactor Materials in the Advanced Test Reactor
This work outlines a hypothetical coupled thermal gradient and neutron irradiation experiment in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Laboratory. Although the ATR is a thermal spectrum test reactor and doesn’t inherently produce a flux spectrum dominated by the high-energy neutrons typical in a fusion reactor, it’s multitude of experiment positions and […]
Fast Neutron Irradiation Capability in Existing Thermal Test Reactors
In today’s nuclear industry, momentum towards the design, licensing, and construction of advanced nuclear demonstration plants, including fast reactors, is at a remarkably high level. However, there are currently no dedicated fast spectrum irradiation test facilities in the United States to support the development of fast spectrum technologies. As a result, a unique situation is […]
Microstructural Development in Inconel 718 Nickel-Based Superalloy Additively Manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Excellent weldability and high temperature stability make Inconel 718 (IN718) one of the most popular alloys to be produced by additive manufacturing. In this study, we investigated the effects of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) parameters on the microstructure and relative density of IN718. The samples were fabricated with independently varied laser power (125 – […]
Conceptual Neutronics Scoping for Ramp Testing in the Advanced Test Reactor
With the closure of the Halden Boiling Water Reactor in 2018, the global capacity for in-reactor power ramp testing has been lost. As such tests provide valuable data for understanding pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) phenomena, finding new facilities for ramp testing is of interest to the United States Accident-Tolerant Fuel (ATF) Program. Several options at Idaho […]
Machine-Learning-aided Approach for Predicting the Thermal Expansion Behaviors in Advanced Test Reactor Capsules
Instrumented experiments at test reactors are essential to deploying new advanced reactor systems. Designing new experiments and generating data on specific conditions require both time and cost investment. A high-fidelity model of the experiment environment can be created using finite element analysis software to support the actual experiments, but computation time is still a concern […]
Accelerated radiation transport modeling techniques for pencil beam computed tomography using gamma rays
Monte Carlo radiation transport modeling studies were performed for a compact; high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography system designed for imaging irradiated nuclear fuel. The system comprises a 60Co source – chosen for its highly penetrating 1173 keV and 1332 keV gamma rays – a pair of high-aspect-ratio pencil beam collimators, and an inorganic scintillator detector. While […]
Thermal-hydraulic and Fuel Performance Scoping Studies of a Flowing Water Capsule in TREAT
The restart of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility has provided a much needed capability for integral transient testing of nuclear fuel. This testing is necessary to qualify new fuel concepts such as those developed under the Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) program, increasing the burnup limit of light water reactor (LWR) fuels, or a variety […]
Conceptual Neutronics Scoping for Ramp Testing in the Advanced Test Reactor
With the closer of the Halden Boiling Water Reactor in 2018, the global capacity for in-reactor power ramp testing has been lost. As such tests provide valuable data for understanding pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) phenomena, finding new facilities for ramp testing is of interest to the United States Accident-Tolerant Fuel (ATF) Program. Several options at Idaho […]
CCTE-ANEEL-1A Irradiation Experiment Test Plan
Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE), LLC is committed to the development of alternative nuclear fuels using thorium, primarily for Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWR) / Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors. CCTE requested Idaho National Laboratory (INL) support to conduct irradiation testing on various mixed thorium-uranium oxide ((Th,U)O2) fuel samples to help assess fuel performance. Experiment pellets […]
Irradiation performance of a U-7Mo in Al-Si matrix dispersion full-size fuel plate assembly
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is leading the Ki-Jang Research Reactor (KJRR) project with the intent to develop a new reactor for medical isotope production and other nuclear research purposes. The KJRR core is designed to use high density fuel system where uranium alloyed with 7 wt% molybdenum (U-7Mo) particles are dispersed in […]