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At least 37 records · Page 2

High Temperature Moderator Cladding Report

The hydrogen permeation system at LANL has been modified and improved to perform high temperature testing of metals and metal/ceramic samples. This will allow us to demonstrate the ability to reduce hydrogen permeation for microreactor materials. For this program, two metals have been chosen for analysis, stainless steel as a base metal and TZM based on its high temperature properties and anticipated higher H permeation resistance. Samples have been fabricated and coated with Al 2 O 3 via atomic layer deposition in order to evaluate the potential to reduce hydrogen permeation with a thin layer ceramic coating. Current efforts include literature review of systems and sample fabrication to demonstrate feasibility, future work will focus on collecting hydrogen permeation data.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Role of Elemental Substitution on Hydrogen Incorporation in Characteristic Ti/Fe-Based Oxides

Elemental substitution is well-known to benefit hydrogen storage in the intermetallic compound TiFe; however, the impact of these substituents on the native and passivating surface oxide has not been well-established. Here, we perform density functional theory calculations on several characteristic oxides that are likely to form on exposed TiFe surfaces, specifically, TiO 2 , FeO, TiFeO 3 , and Ti 4 Fe 2 O. In TiO 2 and TiFeO 3 , additional acceptor species substituting for Ti can increase the solubility of protonic hydrogen (H i + ), likely enhancing hydrogen permeation of the oxide layer. In FeO, few dopants will act as acceptors, and hydrogen will incorporate as substitutional H O + , which is likely to be less mobile and will hinder hydrogen permeation. Finally, we find that Ti 4 Fe 2 O, which is thermodynamically metastable, may be stabilized by defects under O-poor conditions, although the presence of certain substitutional elements can destabilize it. In general, Mn, V, and Cr are among the best substituents for enhancing hydrogenation through the oxide layer. In conclusion, our results help to explain what features make additional elements particularly effective for enabling reversible hydrogen storage in TiFe, and they can guide further technological development of high-performing TiFe-based alloys for future energy applications.

organic↗

Acceleration of Pd-V intermetallic diffusion by hydrogen

Vanadium-based membranes have great potential for hydrogen purification due to their perfect selectivity, high permeability, and relatively low cost. With appropriate surface cleaning, V efficiently permeates hydrogen at elevated temperature, but performance declines due to its affinity to absorb impurities. Here, the application of palladium thin films maintains a clean surface that catalyzes hydrogen dissociation and recombination. Hydrogen permeation in Pd-V-Pd membranes initially reach theoretical permeability, but declines due to Pd-V interdiffusion. The objective of this work was to quantify the intermetallic diffusion process as a function of temperature and ambient. Pd-V composites were subjected to various annealing treatments and characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, as well as correlated to measurements of membrane permeability. In an inert environment Pd-V interdiffusion was observable as low as 300 °C, and the diffusion coefficient had an activation energy of 44 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the presence of hydrogen at partial pressures > 10 kPa accelerated interdiffusion six-fold at T = 400 °C. Membrane performance degraded with an activation energy 75 kJ/mol, suggesting that intermetallic diffusion leads to both a loss of catalytic activity and as well as degradation of bulk permeability. These findings provide a baseline for evaluating hydrogen permeable interdiffusion barriers to overcome these challenges.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Importance of hydrogen oxidation reaction current in quantifying hydrogen crossover in PEM water electrolyzers at high differential pressure

Understanding hydrogen permeation in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) operating at high differential pressures (>25 bar) is critical towards developing effective gas recombination strategies that enable safe operation and high efficiency. Developing this understanding relies on accurate quantification of hydrogen crossover rates in water electrolyzers operating under such conditions. In this work, we show that PEMWEs operating at high differential pressures exhibit noticeable hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) currents. As the HOR consumes part of the permeated hydrogen at the anode, neglecting HOR currents leads to severe underestimation of the hydrogen crossover rate. We implemented a new method combining hydrogen oxidation current with online gas chromatography measurements to accurately quantify hydrogen crossover rates as a function of operating current density in PEMWEs operating at high differential pressures (10–30 bar g ).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

PdAu/YSZ composite hydrogen separation membranes with enhanced stability in the presence of CO

The effects of gold composition on the tolerance of palladium-based composite membranes to CO exposure was studied under the presence of high CO concentrations. Membranes with PdAu compositions ranging up to 41% by mass were exposed to binary 50/50 H 2 /CO gas atmospheres and both hydrogen flux and purity were monitored over time. It was observed that the highest gold composition (41%) suffered no degradation in membrane performance in terms of permeate hydrogen purity and hydrogen permeation flux during the 48 h exposure. Furthermore, for lower gold compositions, X-ray diffraction patterns suggested that carbon entered the film and could be removed by exposure to a non-CO containing gas mixture over time. However, removal of the carbon adversely affected purity; interestingly, some of the purity decline could be reversed upon re-exposure to the CO gas mixture. It is hypothesized that carbon loading in the palladium films causes lattice expansion and may even fill pore defects, thus lowering leaks through the Pd films. Furthermore, this study suggests that a membrane exposed to a CO mixture should not be cycled between CO and non-CO environments, but rather run continuously for best performance. Additionally, the choice of Pd-alloy and metal composition should be considered in regard to its carbon solubility to best predict lifetime performance.

08 HYDROGEN↗

High temperature stability and transport characteristics of hydrogen in alumina via multiscale computation

Here, the impact of hydrogen charge states on the stability and transport characteristics of hydrogen interstitials in alumina polymorphs is evaluated by multiscale computational methods including density functional theory (DFT), ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and machine learned force fields. Thermodynamic calculations show that the protonic H i +1 interstitial is the most stable defect species for most values of the electronic bandgap in both and amorphous alumina (Al 2 O 3 ). Further, active learned Gaussian approximation potentials (GAP) were developed using AIMD data to study temperature dependent long time proton diffusion in alumina. Diffusivity calculations from GAP-MD simulations are found to be comparable with of the AIMD data, while being ~340 times faster and scalable to larger systems. Comparisons with diffusivity values for other interstitial charge states (H i 0 and H i -1 ) and published experimental literature indicate that H i +1 diffusion is the likely mechanism of hydrogen transport. A good agreement is obtained between H i +1 diffusivity calculated in α-Al 2 O 3 from DFT: 5.05 10 -3 exp(-0.81 eV/k B /T) cm 2 /s and reported experiment: 9.7X10 -4 exp(-0.83 eV/k B /T) cm 2 /s. Computationally and experimentally calculated energy barriers (0.81 and 0.83 eV respectively) only differ by 2.5%. Similarly, the pre-exponential diffusion coefficients only differ by 0.5 orders of magnitude. Moreover, the diffusivity of H i +1 in amorphous Al 2 O 3 in the 1000–2000 K range is calculated to be 2.53X10 -2 exp(-0.89 eV/k B /T), just one order of magnitude higher than the corresponding value in α-Al 2 O 3 . This suggests that local structural disorder does not significantly affect the energy landscape and diffusion behavior of H i +1 in Al 2 O 3 . Overall, these results show promise for the application of alumina polymorphs as hydrogen permeation barriers.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Surface effects on deuterium permeation through vanadium membranes

Dense vanadium-based membranes offer high permeability and perfect selectivity to hydrogen isotopes, maintain favorable neutronic properties, and are compatible with liquid metals such as PbLi. These properties make vanadium membranes a promising fusion fuel cycle technology for processes such as tritium extraction from PbLi and exhaust processing. Surface contamination has a deleterious effect on the gas-phase hydrogen permeation through vanadium, and the reported permeabilities range from 10 -14 to 10 -7 mol m -1 s -1 Pa -0.5 . Thin dense films of palladium applied to clean vanadium surfaces enable a consistently high hydrogen permeability. In this study, uncoated vanadium resulted in deuterium permeabilities ranging from 2.8 × 10 -11 to 6.4 × 10 -9 mol m -1 s -1 Pa -0.5 at 300 °C–700 °C, respectively. Post-test analysis revealed a VO x surface layer and VC x subsurface layer formed on the feed side, while the as-received surface oxide dissolved leaving a submonolayer oxide on the permeate surface. Furthermore, the Pd-coated V resulted in a maximum deuterium permeability of 2.1 × 10 -7 m -1 s -1 Pa -0.5 at 375 °C upon activation of the Pd surface by oxidation and reduction. The deuterium permeation declined upon heating to 500 °C due to intermetallic diffusion between the Pd and V. The Mo 2 C-coated V resulted in deuterium permeabilities ranging from 2.7 × 10 -10 to 1.8 × 10-9 at 500 °C–700 °C, respectively, and a post-test analysis found the carbon in the Mo 2 C layer had dissolved into the V near the interface.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

A new perspective on the initial hydrogenation of $\mathrm{TiFe_{0.9}M_{0.1}}$ ($\mathrm{M = V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni}$) gained from surface oxide analysis and nucleation thermodynamics

Despite the promise of TiFe-based alloys as low-cost solid-state hydrogen storage materials with mild operating conditions and reasonable hydrogen capacity, their initial hydrogenation process is difficult, hindering broad utilization. The effect of alloying element on the initial hydrogenation kinetics of TiFe alloys, TiFe 0.9 M 0.1 (M = V, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni), was evaluated by analyzing changes to the passivating surface oxide layer that inhibits hydrogen permeation, as well as the ease of initial-stage hydrogen absorption into the underlying matrix. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atom probe tomography revealed key variations in surface oxide compositions and thinning of the passivating oxide layer compared to pure TiFe, which suggests suppressed oxide growth by alloying-induced elemental redistribution. At the same time, density functional theory calculations predicted exothermic formation of hydride nuclei when alloying with V or Cr, as well as a reduced nucleation barrier when alloying with Co or Ni. Overall, these results are consistent with the observed experimental trend of the activation kinetics. We propose that improvements in activation kinetics of TiFe with alloying arises from the combined effect of reduced passivating oxide thickness and easier hydride nucleation, offering a starting point for alloy design strategies towards further improvement.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Downselection of Cladding Materials for Zirconium Hydride Moderator

This report complete Milestone M3.1.1 — “Cladding downselection: Team will report to ARPA-E on at least two down-selected cladding options—one metallic and one ceramic.” In this milestone, we systematically assess FeCrAl alloys and SiC-based cladding options for a zirconium hydride (ZrHx) moderator in terms of their neutronics, radiation stability, hydrogen permeability, chemical compatibility, and fabricability. The analysis shows that FeCrAl alloys are excellent candidate cladding materials for a ZrHx moderator given their proven radiation stability, acceptable compatibility with ZrHx, and industrially established fabricability. The relative high hydrogen permeability is manageable by introducing a thin layer of an Al 2 O 3 hydrogen permeation barrier on the external surface. The SiC-cladded ZrHx moderator is promising because of its outstanding neutronics performance, excellent radiation stability, and extremely low intrinsic hydrogen permeability. However, potential interactions of SiC and Zr and the challenge in achieving a hermetic SiC-based cladding require further investigation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Introducing a novel technique for measuring hydrogen crossover in membrane-based electrochemical cells

Hydrogen crossover that is the unwanted hydrogen permeation across the membrane driven by the difference of gas concentrations causes a critical concern of safety and efficiency for electrochemical cells, such as fuel cells and electrolyzer cells. Although the hydrogen crossover measurement in fuel cells that employ platinum based catalysts is simple and widely used in laboratory settings, it is questionable to apply existing limiting current method to water electrolyzer cells and alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) systems, which is due to the typical catalyst materials used and membrane properties, respectively. In this work, we demonstrate the operation of a compact and low-cost method of measuring hydrogen crossover that works for both AEM and proton exchange membrane (PEM) systems. The method entails a tandem configuration that utilizes an upstream crossover cell with a downstream cell in hydrogen pump configuration to measure the crossover in the cell of interest. We have successfully measured the hydrogen crossover with different membranes at various differential pressures. The developed method can be applied to catalyst-free membranes (both PEM and AEM) as well as PGM free catalyst containing cells. It will be a promising technique for measuring hydrogen crossover in-situ for a real operating membraned-based electrochemical cell or stack.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Self-sustainable protonic ceramic electrochemical cells using a triple conducting electrode for hydrogen and power production

The protonic ceramic electrochemical cell (PCEC) is an emerging and attractive technology that converts energy between power and hydrogen using solid oxide proton conductors at intermediate temperatures. To achieve efficient electrochemical hydrogen and power production with stable operation, highly robust and durable electrodes are urgently desired to facilitate water oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions, which are the critical steps for both electrolysis and fuel cell operation, especially at reduced temperatures. In this study, a triple conducting oxide of PrNi 0.5 Co 0.5 O 3-δ perovskite is developed as an oxygen electrode, presenting superior electrochemical performance at 400-600°C. More importantly, the self-sustainable and reversible operation is successfully demonstrated by converting the generated hydrogen in electrolysis mode to electricity without any hydrogen addition. The excellent electrocatalytic activity is attributed to the considerable proton conduction, as confirmed by hydrogen permeation experiment, remarkable hydration behavior and computations.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Advanced Moderation Module for High-Temperature Micro-Reactor Applications

Development and deployment of micro-reactors that provide competitive efficiency, prevailing compactness, and inherent safety is an immediate focus of the U.S. nuclear industry. For thermal neutron micro-reactors operating at elevated temperature for optimized efficiency, such as micro molten-salt reactors (MSRs), heat-pipe reactors, and very-high temperature reactors (VHTRs), high-performance moderator based on metal hydride can enhance the neutron economy and therefore achieve reduced weight and enhanced portability. As unclad metal hydride inevitably decomposes at elevated temperature, an enclosure is required for hydride moderator to deliver desired performance at elevated temperatures. Conventional moderator enclosure solutions based on high-temperature alloys introduce extraneous neutron penalty into the micro-reactor, affecting the neutronic benefits provided by the hydride moderator. Additionally, the compatibility between the high-temperature alloy enclosure and the micro-reactor matrix is also a potential issue. In this report, we disclose an Advanced Moderator Module (AMM) concept enabled by an innovative enclosure solution combining the advantages of refractory metals, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), and advanced coating technology to serve as hydrogen permeation barrier up to very-high temperatures. A schematic description of the AMM structure is illustrated in Figure A1. The AMM contains a moderating material core made of metal hydride with high thermal stability, such as YH 2-x . The hydride core is enclosed by an H 2 barrier layer coated on a ductile refractory metal liner to minimize hydrogen loss during high-temperature operation. A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) cladding is adopted to provide further structural strength, especially during power transients. Between the CMC cladding and metal liner, an extra diffusion barrier coating is inserted to suppress the chemical interaction at elevated temperatures. Hence, based on a series of innovative material solutions, the AMM is capable of containing the metal hydride core at elevated temperature (>900oC) inside coated and lined CMC envelop with negligible hydrogen loss throughout the microreactor lifetime. The benefit of the AMM technology was assessed based on a comprehensive multi-stage reactor-physics analysis. Advanced moderation based on hydride metals (such as YH2-x) enables reaching optimum moderation with higher fuel content than traditional VHTR technology, which is required to design compact micro-reactor cores targeting long-life operation. The AMM enclosure technology provides lower thermal neutron absorption rates than traditional solutions (based on stainless steel or Mo-based alloy such as TZM), which reduces the fissile enrichment requirements by 6-8% on a TRISO-fueled design based on the EMPIRE core. Finally, combining the hydride moderator with neutron transparent enclosure solutions provides significant potential to boost neutronics performance of micro-reactors in terms of increased core lifetime or reduced size and weight by 30-50% on a micro-reactor based on the Holos Quad technology. The progress and plans for on-going development and demonstration efforts are also discussed in this report. The current demonstration of AMM is focused on the hydrogen diffusion barrier demonstration under thermal cycling, while radiation tolerance demonstration is planned. The next step of the demonstration plan will be the assembly of miniature AMM for high-temperature testing, which can be used as a prototype for future pilot scale demonstration.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Application of a temporal multiscale method for efficient simulation of degradation in PEM Water Electrolysis under dynamic operating conditions

Hydrogen is emerging as a vital energy carrier, driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions. Proton Electrolyte Membrane Water Electrolysis (PEMWE) enables hydrogen production under fluctuating renewable power conditions but requires improved understanding and stability of the anode catalyst layer under dynamic operating conditions, especially with low noble metal loadings. Long-term degradation experiments are both time-consuming and costly; therefore, a systematic, model-aided approach is essential. In the present work, a temporal multiscale method is applied to reduce the computational effort of simulating long-term degradation processes in PEMWE, with an exemplary focus on catalyst dissolution. A mechanistic model incorporating the oxygen evolution reaction, catalyst dissolution, and hydrogen permeation from the cathode to the anode was hypothesized and implemented. In this way, the local periodicity of transport and reaction processes in dynamic PEMWE operation, which influence the gradual degradation of the catalyst layer, is captured. The temporal multiscale method significantly reduces the computational effort of simulation, decreasing processing time from hours to mere minutes. This efficiency gain is attributed to the limited evolution of Slow-Scale variables during each period of time P of the Fast-Scale variables. Consequently, simulation is required only until local periodicity is achieved within each Slow-Scale time step. Hence, the fully resolved dynamic problem is decoupled into these two scales, employing a heterogeneous multiscale technique. The developed approach effectively accelerates parameter estimation and predictive simulations, supporting systematic modeling of PEMWE degradation under dynamic conditions.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Hydrogen and deuterium permeation in Hastelloy N

Hastelloy N was chosen as the fluoride salt-contacting structural material for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment due to its excellent compatibility with the fuel salt FLiBe. FLiBe is currently investigated for several advanced fusion and fission reactor concepts where tritium generation in the FLiBe is anticipated. Knowledge of hydrogen transport properties through Hastelloy N is important to understand how tritium would permeate through this material and result in an unintentional release. In this study, the hydrogen and deuterium permeability, diffusivity, and solubility were measured from 500 to 700 °C at a primary-side pressure of 10 kPa in a well-characterized sample of Hastelloy N. The prepared polycrystalline Hastelloy N had C and O impurities present on the surface. These impurities were investigated using Auger Emission Spectroscopy and Ar depth profiling. Here, the adventitious C was removed upon the first Ar sputter cycle whereas O persisted deeper into the sample. For permeation experiments, applied deuterium pressures ranged from 13 Pa to 100 kPa and deuterium transport remained in the diffusion-limited regime (J ∝ P 0.5 ) throughout the pressure range examined. Two methods are employed to measure the effective hydrogen and deuterium diffusivity: rise and decline. The decline method produced improved statistical model fits for calculating the effective diffusion coefficient compared to the rise method. The resultant transport properties compared well to published values for other nickel alloys.

08 HYDROGEN↗

HyPerPy (Hydrogen Extraction and Parabolic Trough Plant Performance Models using Python) [SWR-21-53]

The HyPerPy package consists of three scripts: 1) Model for Hydrogen Tracking in Parabolic Trough Power Plants, 2) Model for Receiver Performance, and 3) Model for Hydrogen Extraction Process. The power plant model (1) tracks hydrogen generation and transport within the circulating heat transfer fluid (HTF) of the power plant. This script is a transient, initial value simulation, in which the hydrogen concentration in the circulating HTF is 0 moles per cubic meter everywhere at time 0 seconds. Hydrogen concentration is calculated at discrete locations within the circulating HTF with 4-second time resolution. During each time step, the change in hydrogen concentration due to hydrogen generation and permeation is calculated for each location according to the local HTF temperature, vessel or piping properties, hydrogen concentration and partial pressure. This model predicts hourly hydrogen concentrations for typical operating days in the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons. Data is used to create hourly mappings of hydrogen concentrations for a typical operating year. The receiver model (2) uses a 1-hour time step to estimate getter loading and annulus pressure. For each time step, the model uses HTF and ambient temperature data to estimate absorber tube, bellows, and getter temperatures for the time step. In addition, the model uses hourly HTF hydrogen concentrations that are generated by the power plant model (1), and annulus hydrogen pressure from the previous time step. With these data, the model calculates the moles of hydrogen permeating across the absorber tube and bellows during the time step. The net change in moles hydrogen is added or subtracted from the getter loading for the previous time step, and the hydrogen pressure is re-calculated based on getter loading and temperature. The model uses this algorithm to simulate hydrogen permeation and loading 24 hours per day, 365 days per year using seasonal temperature data. The model repeats these calculations for 25 years to create a mapping of receiver getter loading and annulus hydrogen pressure for four seasons of each year. The model for hydrogen extraction (3) estimates hydrogen extraction rates for a specific separation module configuration. The rate depends primarily on membrane area, vacuum pump performance, headspace gas flowrate to the membrane, and headspace gas hydrogen partial pressure. This model has two versions. The steady-state version predicts hydrogen extraction rates when the module is operating in separation mode. The dynamic version predicts hydrogen transfer through the membrane when the module is operating in sensor mode. The steady-state version is used with the plant model (1) to predict hydrogen partial pressures in the power plant when the extraction process is operating.

Glatzmaier, Gregory↗

Evaluation of Hydrogen Gas Generation and Permeation in the 9979 Type AF Shipping Package

The 9979 Type AF Shipping Packaging is a cost-effective radioactive material package designed by Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) that consists of two primary components: a foamed outer drum for structural protection and an inner containment drum. The packaging was designed to transport Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU), Low Enriched Uranium (LEU), and other isotopes not exceeding a Type A quantity. These contents have the potential to generate flammable hydrogen gas during transport due to the degradation of hydrogenous materials (e.g. water vapor, plastics, etc) by high-energy alpha radiation. Since 10 CFR 71.43(h) prohibits the incorporation of packaging features explicitly designed for continuous venting, alternative justification was required to demonstrate that the requirements of 10 CFR 71.43(d) for negligible reactions between packaging components and contents were satisfied. An analysis was performed to demonstrate that the potential for hydrogen gas generation over a one-year period was limited by the effects of permeation through the packaging materials. The rate of hydrogen collection was evaluated for both the inner containment drum and the outer structural drum under 10 CFR 71.71 Normal Conditions of Transport (NCT). The analysis concludes that the Lower Flammability Limit (LFL) for hydrogen gas will not be reached in a one-year shipping period assuming a minimum void volume is maintained within the drum.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Density functional theory study of formation and diffusion of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium in Pd-V intermetallic compounds

Permeation of hydrogen isotopes in palladium/vanadium bimetallic membranes is known to deteriorate over time because of Pd-V interdiffusion. Additionally, intermetallic compounds may form in the interdiffusion region. Density functional theory is employed to study how Pd-V compounds may affect the permeation. Three compounds Pd 8 V, alpha-Pd 2 V, and PdV 4 are explored in this study. Formation and migration energies of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium are calculated and subsequently compared to the data in pure Pd and V metals. The calculations show that both the formation and migration energies in the compounds are higher than in the pure metals. Thus, the permeation of these isotopes in the compounds is lower than in the pure metals. In addition, the least permeable compound is the one near the middle of the composition range, i.e. the alpha-Pd 2 V. The results provide atomistic insight for the permeation reduction in Pd/V membranes as interdiffusion progresses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗