Fuel Development and Qualification

Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification R&D consists of seven experiments that will be assembled, irradiated, examined, and tested to provide a baseline fuel form qualification data set to support the licensing and operation of a high temperature gas‑cooled reactor (HTGR). The seven irradiation experiments, designated as AGR‑1 through AGR‑7, have been defined to provide the necessary data and sample materials for post‑irradiation examination. The purposes of the experiments are as follows:

• AGR‑1: Early laboratory‑scale fuel capsule shakedown
• AGR‑2: Large‑scale coated fuel performance demonstration
• AGR‑3/4: DTF fuel to determine fission product retention behavior
• AGR‑5/6/7: Fuel qualification proof and fuel performance margin testing.