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NASA NTRS2009

Assessment of Composite Delamination Self-Healing Under Cyclic Loading

Recently, the promise of self-healing materials for enhanced autonomous durability has been introduced using a micro-encapsulation technique where a polymer based healing agent is encapsulated in thin walled spheres and embedded into a base polymer along with a catalyst phase. For this study, composite skin-stiffener flange debonding specimens were manufactured from composite prepreg containing interleaf layers with a polymer based healing agent encapsulated in thin-walled spheres. Constant amplitude fatigue tests in three-point bending showed the effect of self-healing on the fatigue response of the skin-stiffener flange coupons. After the cycling that created debonding, fatigue tests were held at the mean load for 24 hours. For roughly half the specimens tested, when the cyclic loading was resumed a decrease in compliance (increase in stiffness) was observed, indicating that some healing had occurred. However, with continued cycling, the specimen compliance eventually increased to the original level before the hold, indicating that the damage had returned to its original state. As was noted in a prevoius study conducted with specimens tested under monotonically increasing loads to failure, healing achieved via the micro-encapsulation technique may be limited to the volume of healing agent available relative to the crack volume.

O'Brien, T. Kevin↗

NASA NTRS2001

Mathematical Analysis of Space Radiator Segmenting for Increased Reliability and Reduced Mass

Spacecraft for long duration deep space missions will need to be designed to survive micrometeoroid bombardment of their surfaces some of which may actually be punctured. To avoid loss of the entire mission the damage due to such punctures must be limited to small, localized areas. This is especially true for power system radiators, which necessarily feature large surface areas to reject heat at relatively low temperature to the space environment by thermal radiation. It may be intuitively obvious that if a space radiator is composed of a large number of independently operating segments, such as heat pipes, a random micrometeoroid puncture will result only in the loss of the punctured segment, and not the entire radiator. Due to the redundancy achieved by independently operating segments, the wall thickness and consequently the weight of such segments can be drastically reduced. Probability theory is used to estimate the magnitude of such weight reductions as the number of segments is increased. An analysis of relevant parameter values required for minimum mass segmented radiators is also included.

Juhasz, Albert J.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Effect of mass flow rate on gas propagation after vacuum break in a liquid helium cooled tube

Vacuum break in particle accelerators is a major concern due to risks associated with personnel and extensive equipment damage. Continuing research in our lab focuses on the sudden loss of vacuum in the liquid helium cooled beam-line tubes of superconducting particle accelerators. In our previous research, we studied nitrogen gas propagation in a uniform tube system immersed in both normal helium (He I) and superfluid helium (He II). It was observed that He II has a stronger effect in slowing down the gas propagation compared to He I, but this effect was largely due to the variation of the point where condensation and deposition of the nitrogen gas on the tube inner wall. Here, we discuss our modifications to the tube system that now allow us to accurately control the starting location of gas condensation in both the He I and He II experiments. Systematic studies of gas propagation were conducted using this new tube system by varying the nitrogen mass flow rate at the tube inlet.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Integrated Neutronics Modeling for Inertial Fusion Energy Systems: Development and Application to LD-FIRST

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is proposing a new Laser Driven Fusion Integration Research and Science Test Facility (LD-FIRST) with the goal of providing an experimental testbed for future Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) systems. However, IFE systems require detailed and accurate multiphysics modeling to quantify material damage, thermal loading, and tritium breeding within complex chamber environments. This article presents the first step in an integrated multiphysics framework that couples meshed CAD-based geometry within Monte Carlo neutronic simulations to enable high-fidelity analysis of IFE chamber concepts, with future coupling to external codes. The neutronics workflow utilizes OpenMC and its third-party capability to use CAD-based geometries through DAGMC and tally on unstructured meshes with Libmesh to evaluate neutron transport behavior, geometric fidelity, and material performance under reactor-relevant conditions. The use of tailored tallies on unstructured meshes in this framework allows direct transfer without interpolating to CFD simulation tools. Two IFE chambers were evaluated, both conceived by LLNL: HYLIFE-II and Laser IFE (LIFE). This work produced high-fidelity conformal surface and volumetric meshes of the HYLIFE-II and LIFE chambers with mapped spatial insight into material damage, thermal loading, and tritium breeding. The HYLIFE-II model was built utilizing available resources and used as a test case to verify that the neutronics framework can handle complex geometries. The LIFE chamber CAD was provided by LLNL and was the main focus of this work. This work analyzes multiple ternary alloy breeding materials for the LIFE chamber, across different 6 Li enrichments to produce data relevant to the LD-FIRST project. This work also investigates the level of model fidelity for the LIFE chamber, and results show that inclusion of detailed first wall and coolant structures increased the predicted tritium breeding ratio (TBR) by ~30%, highlighting the sensitivity of tritium breeding and the need for a high-fidelity simulation framework for IFE chambers. These developments provide a scalable toolset for the design and optimization of next-generation IFE chambers, forming a solid foundation for future coupled multiphysics analysis.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Cathodic Protection Modeling for Hanford Underground Double-Shell Tank Farms

Hanford stores millions of gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste from the production of weapon materials in tank farms consisting of underground carbon-steel storage tanks surrounded by reinforced concrete. Six of these Hanford tank farms use double-shell storage tanks (DSTs). The DST farms were constructed from 1968 to 1986 with a planned 40–50 year design life, so some are already operating beyond their initial life expectancy. Ultrasonic testing (UT) has indicated significant thinning on the bottom of the secondary (outer) liner of these tanks, believed to arise from groundwater intrusion driving concrete side corrosion. There is no direct access to the steel/concrete interface between the tank and the concrete pad, making it difficult to apply a chemical-based mitigation strategy or to conduct repairs, but cathodic protection (CP) is a possible method to inhibit further concrete-side corrosion. Hanford already uses CP to protect below grade steel piping within the tank farms and connected to the tanks, but this system was not designed to protect the tank bottoms. CP design must account for the structures surrounding the DSTs, including the steel reinforcing bars (rebar) within the concrete pad and vault, various process lines, and the existing CP system. In this study, finite element analysis (FEA) modeling was carried out to simulate CP protection of 1) a single tank and CP anode to develop options for modeling the rebar and to compare to a simpler circuit model and 2) the entire Hanford AN tank farm as a representative example consisting of seven tanks, associated piping, and both existing and new CP anodes. Both circuit and FEA models predict that significant protective current could be delivered to the bottoms of the tanks with the addition of tank-protection anodes below the depth of the tanks. Simulations with only the existing pipe-protection anodes active confirmed that only a very small current to the tank bottoms is predicted under present conditions. Multiple simplified representations of the dome and wall rebar were tested to reduce the computational complexity of the tank-farm simulations, resulting in modeling the rebar as edge elements with a prescribed effective circumference that matches the real rebar surface area. The geometry of the rebar is also simplified into horizontal hoops around the tank walls and radial rebar over the dome with increased effective circumference to retain the target surface area. This simplification was found to greatly reduce the complexity and solution time of the models without large changes in current distributions, especially to the tank bottom. A range of values were tested for model parameters such as soil and concrete resistivities and polarization resistance to investigate their impact on the current and electric potential distributions. Depending on the parameters used, FEA simulations predict some risk of overprotection, particularly on the piping system; since overprotection can also lead to surface damage associated with hydrogen gas generation at the interface (e.g. hydrogen embrittlement or damage to coatings), this needs to be considered when refining the design of the new CP system. Comparison between the FEA models and the circuit model representation demonstrated that the circuit model could not match the predicted FEA current distribution, even when using the exact same surface areas. This discrepancy appeared to be at least partly attributable to the impact of the relative positions of the tank components and anodes to each other and to the ground surface. The FEA model accounts for the relative positions since it solves the governing equations in three dimensions, but the circuit model cannot account for the positioning. In particular, the circuit model underpredicts the current to the tank bottom and overpredicts the current to the dome compared to FEA for the baseline geometry. The FEA models omitted the electrically isolated rebar in the bottom concrete slab. However, a circuit based stray current model estimated that only 2.1% of the total current through the slab would stray into the rebar, corresponding to ~0.21 A for a target current density of 2 mA/ft2 to the tank bottom. The estimated corrosion driven by this amount of stray current is predicted to yield a lifetime of >400 years for the minimum rebar diameter, assuming an acceptable cross-section area loss of 10%.

d'Entremont, Anna [Savannah River National Laborat↗

DOE OSTI2024

Spectroscopic analysis of Pu-bearing compounds in double-walled cells

Spectroscopic analysis of radiological materials has been historically limited to radiological labs with older or less advanced scientific instrumentation. The development of double-walled cells (DWCs) at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has enabled Pu-bearing compounds to be removed from radiological laboratories and studied in our radiologically clean spectroscopy laboratory with state-of-the-art instrumentation. In this manuscript, we discuss the contributions of DWCs that have allowed the application of Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) in the shortwave infrared, and gamma spectroscopy at SRNL. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the thermal decomposition of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) oxalates, alpha-induced damage to the PuO 2 crystal lattice, and the effect of calcination temperatures on the quality of PuO 2 . These techniques have enabled methods to conduct PuO 2 age dating since last calcination and estimate the calcination temperature with Raman spectroscopy and DRS. Additional spectroscopic information measured with DRIFTS has enabled the observation of the evolution of carbon species with calcination temperature, while gamma spectroscopy provides information on age dating since last purification.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2020

Functional Photoresists for Energy Applications. Final Report

Monolithic ultralow-density porous bulk materials have recently attracted much interest due to many emerging applications in the areas of catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and thermal insulation. They are also important components of high energy density (HED) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. However, despite tremendous progress that has been made in the synthesis of porous materials, deterministic and independent control over microscopic architecture, density and composition remain key issues, and their integration in high precision devices requires cost and time-intensive mechanical machining that not only reduces reproducibility by generating debris but also limits the complexity of the 3D shapes that can be realized. In this project, we overcame these limitations by developing a universal templating capability that provides deterministic and independent control over density, composition, architecture, and macroscopic sample shape. This was achieved by developing the technology to 1) 3D print ultrahigh resolution, ultra-high precision polymeric micro-lattice templates, 2) coat these templates with the desired materials, and 3) removing the template (Fig. 1a). Atomic layer deposition (ALD) provides the atomic scale coating thickness accuracy required for precisely controlling density. While this templating approach had been demonstrated in prior work, limitations in suitable photoresists, 3D print technologies, print design, and template removal techniques did not allow the fabrication of millimeter-sized high-precision parts with sub-micron resolution. To enable this technology, we developed 1) two-photon polymerization (TPP) print designs that enable the fabrication of millimeter-sized, mechanically robust polymeric templates with sub-micron resolution and 2) a continuum level TPP printing simulation capability for additional print design guidance; 3) atomistic models to study photoresist polymerization kinetics and network topography, 4) refractive index matched polymeric and preceramic TPP photoresists, and 5) functional TPP photoresists including porous voxel structures and self-immolative polymer photoresist chemistries; and 6) damage free template removal techniques that enable the fabrication of defect-free high-precision low-density foam components. We also developed a templating approach for pure carbon microlattices with a unique tube-in-tube ligament morphology. As a test platform, we pursued the fabrication of foam liners that promise to further increase the neutron yield in indirect drive ICF experiments by improving implosion symmetry control and coupling between the laser and the deuterium-tritium fuel. This application requires fabrication and integration of a ultra-high precision, millimeter-sized, thin-walled (200-400 micrometer thick), low-density (10-30 mg/cc), high atomic number (high Z) cylindrical foam tube into the gold hohlraum of an indirect drive ICF target (Fig. 1b). While our hohlraum liner test case will mainly find application in HED and ICF experiments, the underlying science will also directly apply to previously developed nanoparticle and additive manufacturing technologies and will advance those techniques as well.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Final Report on Development of Microwave Resonant Cavity Transducer for Fluid Flow Sensing: Development of Microwave Cavity Flow Meter for Advanced Reactor High Temperature Fluids

We are investigating a microwave resonant cavity transducer for flow sensing in the vessel of a high temperature fluid advanced reactor (AR), such as a molten salt cooled reactor (MSCR) or a sodium fast reactor (SFR). This transducer is a hollow metallic cylindrical cavity, with one of the flat walls of the cylinder flexible enough to undergo microscopic deflection due to dynamic fluid pressure. Membrane deflection leads to a shift in the microwave resonant frequency, which can be detected with a spectrum analyzer. We have developed a continuum electromechanics model of the microwave resonant cavity transducer performance. The deflection of the membrane is calculated using equations from the theory of plates and shells for deflection of radially constrained thin circular disk under uniform load. The microwave frequency shift is calculated using the equations from the microwave cavity perturbation theory. The transducer model was validated with proof-of-concept experimental data of water flow sensing with a Brass 360 right circular cylinder with 22.2mm diameter and 203µm thick wall. The cavity was excited through a subwavelength hole in TE 011 mode with resonant frequency f ≈ 17.8GHz. Subsequently, we have performed a preliminary proof-of-principle test of flow sensing in high temperature liquid sodium in environment. For this test, we have developed a cylindrical resonator with the same dimensions as for the Brass 360 cavity. The resonator for high temperature liquid sodium test was machined from stainless steel 316 and electroplated with silver on the interior surfaces. We have also developed and insertion probe consisting of a 50cm WR-42 brass waveguide enclosed in a protective SS316 tube. The cavity was excited through a subwavelength hole on the side of the wall of the cylinder in the TE 011 mode with resonant frequency f ≈ 17.8GHz. The liquid sodium setup consists of a cylindrical vessel with a center feed line, where a transducer inserted through the top cap of the vessel measures velocity of the impinging liquid jet. The sodium flow sensing study was performed in a liquid sodium vessel at 340°C temperature and ambient pressure. The flow rate was changed by varying sodium pump power, and a frequency shift of several hundred kHz was observed. The transducer was removed after 70 days of testing. No visual damage was observed, and the electromagnetic response remained the same. As a calibration experiment, we have assembled a water vessel with a center feed, and with dimensions similar to those of the liquid sodium setup. Water flow sensing was performed before and after liquid sodium test. The responses in both cases are similar and agree with COMSOL computer simulations. Because long-term (multi-year) experimental tests of transducer resilience to harsh environment are not practical, we have developed a probabilistic model of creep to estimate transducer resilience to the harsh environment. The probabilistic model considers diffusion creep under the condition of high temperature and low stress, where the stress and temperature are allowed to be random variables with Gaussian distributions. Using the probabilistic model, we estimate inelastic membrane deflections due to creep for several temperature ranges. We conclude that for temperatures less than 650°C, creep has negligible long-term effect on the transducer performance.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS1980

Investigation of the fuel feed line failures on the Space Shuttle main engine

The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) development program experienced two similar appearing fuel feed line failures during the shutdown portion of two engine tests. Failure investigations into each incident showed that a few cycles of high-amplitude transient strain occurring during the start and cutoff portions of each test could have either accumulated damage and led to a fatigue failure after 46 tests, or caused rupture in a low-strength weld joint. The cause of the high strain was traced to a period of unsteady flow separation during the start and cutoff of each test coincident with the oblique shock approaching the nozzle exit. Since elimination of the flow separation was impractical, the steps taken to allow engine development and flight preparations to continue were: (1) establish the safe operating life of the nozzle, (2) reinforce all low-strength welds, and (3) eliminate the use of thin-wall fuel feed lines. In parallel, the feed line was redesigned and fabrication was initiated on units to be incorporated into the development program.

Larson, E. W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Milestone 4: Test plan for Reusable Hydrogen Composite Tank System (RHCTS). Task 3: Composite tank materials

This document is the detailed test plan for the series of tests enumerated in the preceding section. The purpose of this plan is to present the test objectives, test parameters and procedures, expected performance and data analysis plans, criteria for success, test schedules, and related safety provisions and to describe the test articles, test instrumentation, and test facility requirements. Initial testing will be performed to screen four composite materials for suitability for SSTO LH2 tank loads and environmental conditions. The laminates for this testing will be fabricated by fiber placement, which is the manufacturing approach identified as baseline for the tank wall. Even though hand layup will be involved in fabricating many of the internal structural members of the tank, no hand-layup laminates will be evaluated in the screening or subsequent characterization testing. This decision is based on the understanding that mechanical properties measured for hand-layup material should be at least equivalent to properties measured for fiber-placed material, so that the latter should provide no less than a conservative approximation of the former. A single material will be downselected from these screening tests. This material will be subsequently characterized for impact-damage tolerance and durability under conditions of mechanical and thermal cycling, and to establish a preliminary design database to support ongoing analysis. Next, testing will be performed on critical structural elements fabricated from the selected material. Finally, the 8-foot diameter tank article, containing the critical structural features of the full-scale tank, will be fabricated by fiber placement and tested to verify its structural integrity and LH2 containment.

Greenberg, H. S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Hypervelocity Impact Test Results for a Metallic Thermal Protection System

Hypervelocity impact tests have been performed on specimens representing metallic thermal protection systems (TPS) developed at NASA Langley Research Center for use on next-generation reusable launch vehicles (RLV). The majority of the specimens tested consists of a foil gauge exterior honeycomb panel, composed of either Inconel 617 or Ti-6Al-4V, backed with 2.0 in. of fibrous insulation and a final Ti-6Al-4V foil layer. Other tested specimens include titanium multi-wall sandwich coupons as well as TPS using a second honeycomb sandwich in place of the foil backing. Hypervelocity impact tests were performed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Orbital Debris Simulation Facility. An improved test fixture was designed and fabricated to hold specimens firmly in place during impact. Projectile diameter, honeycomb sandwich material, honeycomb sandwich facesheet thickness, and honeycomb core cell size were examined to determine the influence of TPS configuration on the level of protection provided to the substructure (crew, cabin, fuel tank, etc.) against micrometeoroid or orbit debris impacts. Pictures and descriptions of the damage to each specimen are included.

Karr, Katherine L.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Defect Production and Microstructural Feature Impact for Radiation Damage in Additively Manufactured 316 Stainless Steel

This milestone presents multi-scale modeling research results for additively manufactured 316 stainless steel. A combination of phase field, cluster dynamics, molecular dynamics, and density functional theory with machine learning is used, allowing for predictions of radiation-driven microstructural evolution in additively manufactured 316 stainless steel over a range of temperatures, damage rates, neutron spectra, and microstructures, and supporting the development of combined ion and neutron irradiation for material qualification. Informed by ion irradiation and neutron irradiation results across the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program, we investigate the unique aspects of radiation-driven microstructure evolution in additively manufactured 316 stainless steel. In particular, we focus on understanding the impact of carbon concentration (varying, for example, between the 316L and 316H standards) on void formation; radiation-induced segregation at dislocation cells and grain boundaries; and the evolution of dislocation loops and network dislocation populations. We find that the unique characteristics of the additively manufactured microstructures must be accounted for in understanding the evolution of dislocation populations under thermal and irradiation conditions, such as the variation in sink strengths arising due to the variation in dislocation density. We also find that the radiation-induced segregation of Cr and Ni to grain boundaries and cell walls differs due to the differences in their defect sink biases. We also find that increasing the Ni content can slow vacancy diffusion, which may provide a mechanism for the observed reduction in transient swelling rate for austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni alloys with increasing Ni content. In addition, ion irradiations have shown that increasing carbon content in 316 SS results in a larger population of smaller voids, suggesting reduced vacancy diffusion. Our results show that the carbon content of additively manufactured 316 SS has a significant impact on the migration rate of defect clusters. The presence of carbon atoms results in carbon-vacancy trapping, significantly reducing the diffusion rate of vacancies. Carbon atoms may also be trapped near the surface of a void, which may reduce void growth by trapping vacancies that diffuse toward the void.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Demonstration of Super-X divertor exhaust control for transient heat load management in compact fusion reactors

Nuclear fusion could offer clean, abundant energy. However, managing the power exhausted from the core fusion plasma towards the reactor wall remains a major challenge. This is compounded in emerging compact reactor designs promising more cost-effective pathways towards commercial fusion energy. Alternative Divertor Configurations (ADCs) are a potential solution. In this work, we demonstrate exhaust control in ADCs, employing a novel method to diagnose the neutral gas buffer, which shields the target. Our work on the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak Upgrade shows that ADCs tackle key risks and uncertainties for fusion energy. Their highly reduced sensitivity to perturbations enables active exhaust control in otherwise unfeasible situations and facilitates an increased passive absorption of transients, which would otherwise damage the divertor. We observe a strong decoupling of each divertor from other reactor regions, enabling near-independent control of the divertors and core plasma. Our work showcases the real-world benefits of ADCs for effective heat load management in fusion power reactors.

Imaging techniques↗

DOE OSTI2024

Combustion Performance and Emissions Optimization Through Integration of a Miniaturized High-Temperature Multi Process Monitoring System

The main objective of this research program is to design, manufacture, and demonstrate a miniaturized, multi-process, monitoring system (mMPMS) for boiler condition management and easy system deployment to obtain a higher spatial resolution of wall conditions in utility boilers. This system will facilitate a Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) philosophy that actively monitors the health of assets to predict and prevent failures and maximize availability and generating capacity at a reduced cost. CBM systems can provide boiler data that the advanced process control (APC) system can utilize for plant performance optimization, which is increasingly relevant as coal power plants shift from predominantly base-load operation to predominantly transient operation involving large load swings. The mMPMS is based on an electrochemical sensor that provides a real-time indication of the risk of damage to key locations in the radiant or convective section of a coal-fired boiler such as metal loss rates, heat flux, metal surface temperature, and deposit thickness. These indications can be utilized to optimize boiler performance as well as improve boiler availability in conjunction with corresponding operating conditions. This monitoring system was developed and tested in the high-temperature regions of a coal-fired utility boiler in this project but can be applied to many other industries and applications as well. The new sensor design, leveraging the existing electrochemical noise-based monitoring system, is small enough to be installed through the webbing of the waterwalls without the need for long shut-downs to bend tubes and to make it feasible to obtain high spatial resolution in the boiler. Data can be transferred to the plant distributed control system (DCS) and any other control system. The sensor body that houses the sensor assembly was designed to ensure good conductive contact with boiler tubes to ensure the sensor is held at an identical temperature to the tube surface temperature. The data acquisition and signal conditioning modules were redesigned into a small footprint with optimized cooling of the module. System software was developed specifically for the new signal conditioning module and is compatible with plant PLCs. After the preliminary testing at a pilot-scale facility, five mMPMS were installed at a full-scale pulverized coal-fired plant, Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Leland Olds Unit 1. The systems were demonstrated over a 6-week period during typical operation. Sensor measurements of deposit thickness were validated during the demonstration and subsequently leveraged to determine sensor-based boiler cleaning strategies. These strategies have the benefit of reduced thermal stresses on boiler tubes from over-cleaning and improved boiler water management. At the end of the project, continued development of the sensor technology was carried out at PacifiCorp’s Hunter Station. REI leveraged the permanent installation of the mMPMS in Unit 3 made possible by DOE funding on a separate program. The work at Hunter Plant focused on application of machine learning and artificial intelligence-based models for integration of sensor signals into control and optimization of Hunter Unit 3 processes.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS2011

Issues and Design Drivers for Deep Space Habitats

A cross-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers applied expertise gained in Lunar Lander development to the conceptual design of a long-duration, deep space habitat for Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) missions. The design reference mission involved two launches to assemble a 5-module vehicle for a 380-day round trip mission carrying 4 crew members. The conceptual design process yielded a number of interesting debates, some of which could be significant design drivers in a detailed Deep Space Habitat (DSH) design. These issues include: a) Launch loads: Potentially drives layout of equipment mounted to module floors or walls, and whether temporary internal structure is required to distribute launch loads to minimize shell mass; b) Unmanned loiter time: When added to an already lengthy mission, loiter time further drives risk and reliability, and poses issues for equipment shelf life such as material degradation or cryogenic fluids boil-off; c) Pointing and Visibility: A habitat embedded in a 5-module stack may drive Communications, Tracking, Guidance, and Navigation equipment out onto long booms to maintain line-of-sight visibility with targets. However, long booms will be more susceptible to disruption from exercise-induced vibration, potential damage during docking/undocking operations, and increased power distribution mass; d) Water: although it is assumed that a water processor will collect and recycle water, several interesting question were posed, such as: How much water to start with? Should potable water serve double-duty as radiation protection? And if so, should it be stowed in a single large tank, or smaller, portable containers? e) Design for repairability: one of the worst-case scenarios identified was a cabin depressurization that required suited repair from inside the module, potentially driving the need for long umbilical hoses or special equipment to allow smaller, mated modules to be used as safe havens for up to 180 days;

Anderson, Molly S.↗

DOE OSTI2021

High-Temperature Multi-Process Sensor Development and Demonstration at a Full-scale PC Combustion System

Advanced Sensors, Corrosion, Ash Deposition, Optim↗

DOE OSTI2020

Aging of Concrete for the Evaluation of Repair Materials to Protect the Walls of the HCAEX Tunnel at Savannah River - 20301

H-Canyon, located in the Savannah River site, is a unique facility for chemical reprocessing of plutonium, highly-enriched uranium, and other radioactive materials. The exhaust gases of the H-Canyon are sent through the H-Canyon Exhaust (HCAEX) tunnel for contamination removal. Robotic inspections of the tunnel revealed significant degradation of the reinforced concrete structure that was associated with acid attack, and could compromise the structural stability of the tunnel. Thus, the identification and evaluation of potential repair materials that could be applied on the degraded walls to mitigate and prevent further degradation is of significant interest to the Department of Energy and the Savannah River representatives. This research effort has been divided into two phases: 1) Development and evaluation of aged concrete under accelerated aging conditions (which is the focus of this paper) and 2) Evaluation of potential repair materials applied on aged and non-aged concrete under simulated aggressive conditions. In order to develop and evaluate concrete samples exposed to accelerated aging conditions in simulated aggressive environments, a literature review of the HCAEX tunnel was conducted that included 1) characterization and extent of the concrete damage, 2) environmental conditions inside the tunnel and 3) primary deterioration mechanisms. In addition, potential coatings and/or repair materials for degraded concrete surfaces exposed to aggressive environments (primarily acidic) were selected from the literature review and the most common testing and measurements for evaluating acid attack phenomena, erosion, etc. were reviewed. From the literature review findings, a preliminary bench-scale test plan for the concrete aging was developed, including accelerated aging tests with aggressive conditions (acid fumes, humidity, etc.). Concrete samples were exposed to the aging accelerated conditions (e.g. immersion in acid solutions) and visual inspection, mass loss and pH change (acid solution) were recorded over time. Correlations between the visual inspection, mass loss and pH changes results and the aging time or the aging conditions were developed. Specimens submitted to the highest acid concentration showed the fastest and most intense degradation. The type of coarse aggregate (limestone) used for the concrete seemed to be the cause of the fastest aging observed, compared to the cement paste. The research findings created the foundation for the ongoing investigation, in which new concrete samples with a mix design similar to the HCAEX tunnel will be tested and will serve as the substrate for testing the selected coatings and /or repair materials. In this paper, the literature review and preliminary results from the aging tests are provided. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2024

Erosion resistance test of SiC mirror sample for ITER divertor VUV spectrometer

A series of tests have been performed to validate the resistance of the Silicon Carbide (SiC) mirror as the first mirror material of ITER VUV spectrometers to all ITER environmental conditions. Here we focused on the erosion (and deposition) of the SiC mirror sample caused by high-energy neutral particles. The flux of neutral particles reaching the first mirror was calculated using the ZEMAX software with a simplified entrance duct model. In the calculation, the particle flux reaching the first wall is necessary and the previously reported values derived from the SOLPS calculations were used. Based on this estimated particle flux, the erosion resistance tests were performed to check the erosion effect due to the high-energy neutral particles on the first mirror of ITER divertor VUV spectrometer. In the experiment, erosion was induced by exposing the SiC mirror sample to hydrogen and deuterium plasmas (and ions). The target fluence of incident ions in experiment is based on the estimation of the flux of neutral particles in ITER. The surface shape, composition, erosion depth, and surface roughness were measured to check the damage of the mirror surface after erosion test. Based on simulations and erosion resistance tests, it was concluded that the SiC mirror can be used as the first mirror of ITER divertor VUV spectrometer.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗