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DOE OSTI2018

International Standards Development and Its Role in Transitioning D and D Technologies to Deployment - 18315

As the need to perform deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) of the most challenging nuclear facilities worldwide is growing, facilitating the integration of state-of-the-art, cutting edge technologies will be critically important to safely, effectively, and efficiently complete this mission. However, end users in the field face significant obstacles to integrating new technologies into cleanup initiatives. By leveraging the development of international standards and testing protocols, the risks associated with implementing new technologies can be mitigated and further support the need to update existing directives and guidance handbooks to account for the tremendous recent advancements in technology development. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International's E10.03 Subcommittee on Radiological Protection for D and D of Nuclear Facilities and Components has begun the development of standard specifications and uniform testing protocols designed to support the nuclear industry's testing and evaluation requirements for D and D technologies. The vision of the E10.03 Subcommittee is to promulgate operationally relevant, uniform testing protocols that can be leveraged by the various technology innovation and development programs across the nuclear environmental management community, and support decision makers and end users with common references in the selection and employment of those standards and associated technologies. These standards could also serve as the basis for updating existing directives and guidance documents such as the various DOE handbooks to better account for the role of cutting edge technology, and facilitate / expedite lab to market efforts that result in improved returns on investment (ROIs) for technology development programs. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Development of SiC-based Cladding for Accident Tolerant Fuels

Fuels and core structures in current light water reactors (LWR's) are vulnerable to catastrophic failure in severe accidents. This vulnerability is attributed primarily to the rapid oxidation kinetics of zirconium alloys in a water vapor environment at very high temperatures. Alternative materials to zirconium alloys with reduced oxidation kinetics are sought to enable enhanced accident-tolerant fuels and cores. Among the candidate alternatives, silicon carbide (SiC) - based materials, in particular continuous SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix ceramic composites (SiC/SiC composites), are considered to offer outstanding safety benefits. The primary objective of this work is to provide with updated overviews of the concepts, development status, and future prospect for the SiC-based accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) claddings. A systematic technology evaluation program plan was developed and updated to review the technologies needed, to identify and analyze critical gaps, and to lay out a road-map toward establishing key technologies. The technology review and the gap analysis in this exercise were based on an early study and community workshops. Many of the technical gaps identified are related with the three key feasibility issues: hydrothermal corrosion, mechanical failure, and fuel compatibility. Additional performance issues including accident-tolerance features and fission product retention during the normal operation have also been identified. The program plan was designed to systematically address the key gap issues and is formulated in a work breakdown structure. Simultaneously, the plan is being established to set a technical program for advancing the technological readiness levels of concept non-specific essential technologies in three top-level categories of Design and Failure, Environmental Effects, and Off-normal Behavior. The execution of the program plan is in progress across the U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, industries, universities, and international collaborators. The critical issues for SiC composite-based fuel cladding concepts were found to be related to the performance in the normal operation. In particular, radiation-assisted hydrothermal corrosion and the gaseous fission product (FP) retention are identified to be the most critical issues. The primary ORNL concept pursues the use of dual-purpose coating on the SiC composite cladding wall to mitigate the corrosion and the gas permeation issues at the same time, whereas the alternative approaches such as the dense monolithic SiC protective layer combined with the water chemistry control may be feasible. Surface metallization through variations of physical vapor deposition and electroplating are being demonstrated. The FP gas retention is an issue associated with the cracking for the ceramic matrix composite cladding. To establish the probabilistic failure behavior, the relevant test methods were developed in ASTM Committee C28 on Advanced Ceramics. Toward the end-plugging technology development, various methods for joining SiC to SiC had been developed and tested for mechanical properties, irradiation effects, and environmental effects. Multiple methods including the pressureless transient eutectic SiC joining and CVD-based SiC joining were identified particularly promising. In addition, a multi-physics, three-dimensional finite element-based modeling is in progress toward an integrated simulation of the SiC composite-cladded fuel evolutions. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Monolithic U-10Mo Fuel Development for U.S. High Performance Research Reactors

To support the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) mission to reduce the threat posed by the civilian use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) worldwide, the US High Performance Research Reactor (US HPRR) fuel development program is pursuing development and qualification of a new high-density monolithic U-Mo fuel to facilitate conversion of five higher power research reactors located in the U.S. (ATR, HFIR, NBSR, MIT and MURR) and one critical facility (ATR-C) from HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU). These reactors require higher uranium fuel density than is achievable with dispersion fuel systems used to convert lower power research reactors. The down selected fuel system consists of U-10Mo alloy fuel foils having a thin Zr diffusion barrier interlayer, clad in 6061 Al alloy by hot isostatic pressing. In order to support fabrication development, fuel performance evaluations, generic fuel qualification through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and eventual reactor licensing, a series of irradiation experiments and testing campaigns are being planned. The tests are designed to provide data needed for fabrication process down selection, to establish acceptable fuel performance under normal operating conditions and anticipated transients, and to demonstrate successful scale-up to prototypic reactor-specific fuel element designs. A comprehensive testing program is being executed as part of the US HPRR fuel development program to develop and qualify a new monolithic UMo fuel system to allow conversion of five high power research reactors and one critical facility within the US in support of the NNSA mission to convert research reactors worldwide from HEU to LEU fuels. A significant outcome of this program will be the qualification and eventual licensing of a new plate-type fuel system for use in research reactors through the NRC for the first time in nearly 3 decades. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Double-Shell Tank Primary Bottom Inspection Development - 19067

Double-Shell Tank (DST) integrity at Hanford is maintained with a variety of activities such as ultrasonic and visual inspections, chemistry controls, corrosion monitoring and structural analyses methods [1]. A pressing need for the Double-Shell Tank Integrity Program is the ability to inspect the bottom of the tanks. Though the DSTs' annulus spaces (the space between the internal and external tank walls) have been inspected visually since 1992 and with Ultrasonic Testing (UT) since 1996, WRPS has been unable to conduct inspections of the tank bottoms due to limitations of available technology, omitting about 40 percent of the tank surface below the maximum fill level from routine inspection. Visual inspections of the tank annulus have been conducted up to five times in some DSTs and the annulus space for all of the DSTs has been inspected twice with UT. The annulus region includes the walls of the primary tank and secondary liner along with accessible portions of the secondary liner bottom. Due to the lack of under-tank inspection technology, degradation of the primary tank bottom in Tank AY-102 was undetected until the tank leaked into its annulus space, confirmed in 2012 [2]. Since that time, WRPS has been working with the nondestructive examination community and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to evaluate potential technologies to conduct these challenging remote inspections. Recent work has included the development, testing, and deployment of several remote visual inspection technologies to observe the condition of the primary tank bottom of the DSTs by leveraging air distribution slots in the refractory pad on which it rests. Robotic solutions to conduct this inspection were developed with a detailed understanding of the physical configuration and operational logistics. Understanding and subsequent communication of these details to vendors within the robotics and nondestructive examination community was a critical component to the successful production of these new tools. In total, two remote visual inspection tools were produced by two vendors. The first tool was designed to leverage existing ultrasonic testing magnetic wall crawler technology in use within the double-shell tank annuli at Hanford. This resulted in a cost savings, immediate familiarization with the equipment, and a more streamlined shop to field experience. The second tool was developed from the ground up, and represents a more tailored and purpose-built solution to the problem. While costlier and more complex, it is also more versatile and capable of future growth or adaptation. Initial design of both tools began in early FY17 with fabrication and testing completed in early FY18. The tools were designed to be deployed alongside existing inspection operations and expand coverage. Development of visual inspection tools to evaluate the primary tank bottom region of the double-shell tanks was planned as the first stage of inspection. Continued development of volumetric sensors and incorporation of these inspection tools into Hanford's ongoing Double-Shell Tank Integrity Program are the next steps, continuously seeking to expand understanding of asset integrity and remaining useful life. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Development of a Preliminary Performance Assessment to Support Single-Shell Tank Waste Retrieval - 19446

A preliminary Performance Assessment (PA) of Single-Shell Tank (SST) Waste Management Area A-AX (WMA A-AX) located at DoE's Hanford Site in southeastern Washington is being conducted to satisfy the requirements of the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (HFFACO), as well as other Federal and State requirements of closure plans and permits. The WMA A-AX PA effort is assessing the fate, transport, and impacts of radionuclides and hazardous chemicals within residual wastes left in tanks, ancillary equipment, and facilities in their assumed closed configuration, and the subsequent risks to humans into the far future. WMA A-AX includes the 241-A Tank Farm (A Farm), the 241-AX Tank Farm (AX Farm), and the ancillary equipment associated with each Farm. There are six underground SSTs in A Farm, and four underground SSTs in AX Farm. Each of these SSTs have a storage capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. A complex waste transfer system of ancillary equipment supported the transfer and storage of waste within WMA A-AX SSTs. This ancillary equipment includes transfer lines, catch tanks, diversion boxes, vaults, valve pits, and other miscellaneous structures. This paper emphasizes the development of the PA effort focused on radiological impacts to meet the requirements for a closure authorization under DOE Order 435.1. Lessons learned from retrieval and development of a recently completed PA of the nearby Waste Management Area C (WMA C) led to the decision to develop a preliminary PA for WMA A-AX prior to initiation of retrieval efforts so that a site-specific risk management capability could be available to support anticipated retrieval decisions. The technical approach for the PA analysis includes developing both a process-level model using site-specific hydrogeological data, as well as a system-level model. The system model is being developed to facilitate uncertainty and sensitivity analyses being conducted in the PA effort. Preliminary results of the DOE Order 435.1 PA are evaluating potential impacts to the groundwater and air pathways to determine radiation exposure once radionuclides are released to the environment from residual waste after closure of the tank farm. To meet other analysis requirements in DOE Order 435.1, the PA effort must also evaluate potential radiological impacts from inadvertent intruder scenarios into the closed WMA A-AX facility. The results of the PA evaluation will be compared to performance objectives and measures in the DOE Order 435.1 to support retrieval and eventual closure decisions at WMA A-AX. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of the 3 m{sup 3} Low Level Radioactive Waste Container in Taiwan - 20037

Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant stopped its business operation in July, 2019, and Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant will also be permanently shut down in 2023. Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act requires a nuclear facility must be dismantled in 25 years after being permanently ceased operation. According to the approved decommissioning plan of Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant and the proposed one of Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant, the 3 m{sup 3} low level radioactive waste container is planned to store the low level radioactive wastes with higher radiation produced during the decommissioning. However, 3 m{sup 3} low level radioactive waste containers are not used or developed in Taiwan before. To meet such need, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research develops a new type of 3 m{sup 3} low level radioactive waste container and performs the corresponding analyses and tests based on Guidelines of Applying the Usage License of Low Level Radioactive Waste Containers and Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. In this article, it provides the information of the low level radioactive waste containers that have been approved or is under reviewing in Taiwan, and so do the design specifications of the developed 3 m{sup 3} waste container. Besides, the numerical evaluation and test results of the developed 3 m{sup 3} waste container are also included in this article. Based on the evaluation and test results, the developed 3 m{sup 3} waste container satisfies the requirements of the storage container and industrial package type 2. Institute of Nuclear Energy Research will submit the usage license applications to the authority this year, and the usage licenses would be granted in 2021, expectedly. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Issue Resolution During the Development of the Performance Assessment for the Savannah River Site Saltstone Disposal Facility - 20125

In 2019, Savannah River Remediation developed a revision to the performance assessment (PA) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Operations Office (SR) for the near-surface disposal of low-level waste at the Savannah River Site (SRS) Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). Soluble waste from SRS Tank Farms undergoes salt processing to remove cesium and other high-activity constituents. The low-activity decontaminated salt solution (DSS) is then immobilized by mixing it into a cementitious waste form known as saltstone. After mixing, the saltstone is poured into leak-tight concrete vaults, known as saltstone disposal units (SDUs), where the waste form cures. By the time of facility closure, the SDF is expected to consist of 15 SDUs with a combined capacity of 1.06 E+09 L (280 Mgal) of cured saltstone. The facility operates under a Disposal Authorization Statement from DOE and a permit from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). Since the start of operations in 1990, the SDF has received almost 6.7 E+07 L (18 Mgal) of DSS, resulting in the safe disposal of 2.7 E+16 Bq (7.3 E+05 Ci) of activity. Due to the radioactive decay of short-lived contaminants, the total remaining activity in the disposed waste is estimated to be approximately 1.4 E+16 Bq (3.9 E+05 Ci), as of September 2018. The Disposal Authorization Statement requires a demonstration that the system of engineered and natural features of the disposal facility will limit releases from the facility and be protective of human health and the environment for at least the next 1,000 years. The long-term performance of the facility was evaluated under the requirements of the DoE's Radioactive Waste Management Manual (US DOE Manual 435.1-1). Simulations were performed to demonstrate that the disposal facility would meet performance objectives specified in the manual. The evaluation was based on numerical models that simulate the releases of contaminants from the saltstone waste form. Contaminants were transported through groundwater and air pathways to points of assessment to evaluate compliance (i.e., 100 m from the SDUs). In addition, the potential consequences of an inadvertent human intrusion (IHI) were also evaluated. A number of issues were overcome during the development of these simulations. These issues were identified as part of internal technical reviews. Simulations are developed by people and people make mistakes, so the internal technical review process is a vital step in PA development. Specific examples of resolved issues include a unit-conversion error, an inappropriate definition for a model boundary condition, a model time-stepping issue, and an error in the calculation for the buildup of contaminants in soil. Actions taken to address these issues resulted in an improved product with a better supported technical basis and more defensible results. The identification and correction of these issues are discussed. By understanding these issues, model developers and technical reviewers working on PAs in the future may avoid repeating these types of mistakes. Transparency with respect to these mistakes builds trust between waste management sites, regulators, and stakeholders. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Technical Evaluation of the Department of Energy Research and Development Activities in Underground Research Laboratories - 20287

Congress created the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB) in the 1987 Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act (Public Law 100-203) to evaluate the technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the Secretary of Energy to implement the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Since 2012, DOE has collaborated in research conducted in several underground research laboratories (URLs) located in Europe and Asia. According to DOE, these international collaborations have been beneficial to its spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level waste radioactive (HLW) disposal research program, particularly after the termination of the Yucca Mountain repository program when DOE began generic research on alternative host rocks (crystalline, clay, and salt) and repository environments very different from those at Yucca Mountain. In accordance with its mandate, the NWTRB is reviewing the DOE research and development (R and D) activities related to URLs. The NWTRB's review is documented in a report to Congress and the Secretary of Energy that will be released in January 2020, and this paper summarizes the NWTRB review and findings. The NWTRB held a fact-finding meeting with DOE and subsequently held a workshop on international URL collaborations in April of 2019. Based on the presentations and discussions at the workshop and at the fact-finding meeting, as well as information from reports published by DOE and others, there are four principal findings related to DoE's URL-related R and D activities. First, DOE participation in URL-related international research greatly benefits the U.S. geologic disposal R and D program by furthering its understanding of generic and site-specific disposal issues relevant to alternative repository host rocks and environments. DOE-funded R and D activities also are benefiting the URL-related research of other countries, especially in the area of complex analytical and numerical model/software development. Second, the more developed repository programs in other countries have focused on creating and strengthening their safety cases and making them transparent to the public. Repository programs in other countries use URLs to explain the technical bases underlying their safety cases, periodically reassess knowledge gaps and define new activities to strengthen the technical bases, and demonstrate the technology that will allow implementation of the proposed safety concept. Third, countries with more developed geologic disposal programs have found domestic URLs essential to their repository programs. DOE needs domestic URLs to advance geologic disposal efforts over the next decades and further its ability to train the next generation of scientists, engineers, and skilled technical workers. Fourth, DoE's international URL collaborations have advanced its generic disposal R and D program, including development of modeling capabilities recognized internationally as state-of-the-art, but further work on its coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical models and URL- and laboratory-based research can strengthen its program. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Overview of Salt Repository Research and Development for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-level Nuclear Waste in the United States - 20307

This paper summarizes the current US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's (DOE-NE) work towards developing and executing a research and development program that addresses both scientific and technical issues related to long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level waste (HLW) in a hypothetical bedded salt based geological repository. A primary goal of the program is to create a generic Geologic Disposal Safety Assessment (GDSA) Framework that can be used to help guide decisions on siting a possible future bedded salt repository. The generic GDSA work includes analysis of the impacts of heat generation caused by decay of short-lived radionuclides. We report progress in four primary areas. First, we discuss the development and recent modifications of a research and development road-map. Second, we briefly describe an experimental approach to better understand thermal processes in salt. Third, we highlight collaborations with the international research community that leverage salt-based repository science around the world. Finally, we discuss how our findings are being used to aid in the development of a generic safety assessment for a bedded salt repository containing SNF and HLW. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Development of a new IEC standard for HDL-programmed devices performing category B or C functions - 147

This paper presents an ongoing project within IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) SC45A regarding the development of a new standard addressing the development of HDL (Hardware Description Language) -Programmable Devices (HPDs) carrying out category B or C functions. This paper initially presents the context and the approach that was adopted for the development of the initial proposal, presented at the IEC SC45A meeting in the Republic of South Korea in March 2016. The objective of this paper is to present the current state of progress of the new standard, which has now been allocated the project number IEC 62566-2. A number of key points and topics for discussion in the coming months are presented. It is hoped that the standard will be published in 2019, completing the body of normative requirements for all function categories and for all technological families currently addressed by the IEC SC45A set of standards. The final content of the standard will be based on a necessary compromise between the need to maintain coherence with the SC45A set of standards, in particular with requirements imported from IEC 62566 and IEC 62138, and the need to perfect requirements specific to class 2 and 3 HPD developments. A number of conclusions and recommendations are made, especially the need to encourage the use of HPDs when they are well suited to the target application, even if no standards currently exist. It is only through such experiences that relevant, industrially-applicable standards can be developed. In order to harmonize requirements between countries and increase the competitively of nuclear power, stakeholders should be encouraged to contribute to, and endorse standards where they are available. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2017

Development of a bayesian belief network model for the software reliability assessment of nuclear digital I and C safety systems - 206

Since the digital instrumentation and control systems are expected to play an important role for the safety systems in nuclear power plants (NPPs), the need has emerged to not only establish a basis for incorporating software behavior into digital I and C system reliability models, but also to quantify the failure probability of the software used in NPP digital protection systems. In this study, a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model is developed to quantitatively assess software reliability by estimating the number of faults in a software program considering its software development life cycle (SDLC). The model structure and parameters are established based on the information applicable to NPP safety-related systems and the evidence used to construct and quantify the BBN model was collected from three stages of expert elicitation. The software failure probability is estimated from the number of residual defects in a software program at the end of SDLC phase. As a case study, the BBN model was applied to quantify the software reliability of a typical digital protection software having the size of 50 function points and having the Medium development and validation and verification (V and V) qualities. The developed model can be applied to estimate the failure probability for both developing and deployed safety-related NPP software, and such results can be used to evaluate the quality of the digital I and C systems in addition to estimating potential reactor risk due to software failure. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Development of criticality safety awareness training for front line workers at AWE - 14422

This paper provides an overview of the current criticality safety training given to front line workers at the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). This 'Criticality Awareness' training has been developed to provide front line workers with adequate instruction to ensure that they are aware of the hazards and risks associated with the plant and its operations. Additionally, this training details the actions to be taken in the event of an accident or emergency. When the current Criticality Awareness training course was initially created in 2008, it was considered beneficial to use both criticality safety specialists and criticality trainers to deliver the course. The format chosen was a classroom style of teaching, to help facilitate open questions/answers between the training staff and course participants. Experience gained through previous methods of delivering the course found that it was more effective to include both the criticality and training specialists in the development and delivery of the course, as each supplements the other with respect to their fields of expertise. This paper provides an overview of the course content and structure and discusses the development of the course over time. This development has arisen based on feedback from the participants and accredited professional training staff. The benefits to the participants from the style of delivery of the course is discussed, together with the wider benefits to criticality safety across site from direct interaction between the criticality safety specialists and the operators who have the practical experience and knowledge of actual work with fissile material. Future developments to the course are also discussed, and potential improvements highlighted. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of a second COMB dipole magnet with STAR wires

Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) coated conductors are an attractive option for application in high-field accelerator magnets due to their high critical field and the convenience of fabrication without heat treatment compared to some other superconductors. Fermilab plays a vital role in superconducting accelerator magnet R&D under the framework of the U.S. Magnet Development Program. An integral part of that program is the accelerator magnet development based on REBCO conductors to demonstrate self-fields of 5 T or greater compatible with operation in hybrid configurations to generate fields beyond 16 T for future High Energy Physics (HEP) applications. A small, two-layer REBCO dipole magnet based on the Conductor on Molded Barrel (COMB) magnet technology, developed at Fermilab with Symmetric Tape Round (STAR®) wires from AMPeers LLC was recently fabricated and tested in liquid helium, demonstrating the design feasibility. A second dipole magnet based on the same technology is currently under development at Fermilab. The coil has a 60-mm clear bore and a 120-mm OD and consists of six layers of STAR® conductor, which allows to significantly increase the magnetic field compared to the previous design, and potentially probe the 5 T self-field target. This presentation reports the progress in the magnet development.

Kashikhin, Vadim [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hanford Tank Waste Technology Development Integration and Innovation Synergy

The Chief Technology Office (CTO) within Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) identifies technology development needs and develops solutions for tank waste treatment. One key element of the technology development (TD) program is the annual Technology Development Integrated Coordination (TDIC) meeting series. The main goal of these meetings is to inform the National Laboratories and other entities of the needs identified by the end users of the technology. In turn, the meetings provide an opportunity for National Laboratories and others to provide insight into potential solutions. This dynamic facilitates dialogues that frequently identify not only new, innovative approaches, but also enhancements to ongoing technology development projects.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION TESTBED FOR THE REMOTE OPERATIONS AND MONITORING OF MICROREACTORS

The nuclear industry is rapidly developing many advanced-reactor concepts for near-term deployment in both traditional and non-traditional nuclear-powered applications. One such category of advanced reactor is the microreactor, a class of reactor with less than 20MWth power output, intended for applications where the economics or logistics of traditional power sources are difficult. This includes applications such as remote communities, mining sites, defense installations, or humanitarian and disaster-relief missions. One key enabling feature for the successful deployment of microreactors is a remote operations capability. Remote operations provide monitoring and control capabilities which can significantly reduce staffing costs by eliminating the need for licensed operators at each reactor facility and improve the economic viability for microreactor deployment. A remote concept of operations is not currently an established capability in the nuclear industry. In addition, no demonstration microreactor is expected to complete construction or go critical until at least 2026. This leaves two major capability gaps: the successful demonstration of a remote concept of operations for microreactors and a test bed suitable for said demonstration. Both gaps must be addressed in order to advance the remote concepts of nuclear operation and, more broadly, microreactors themselves from paper to reality. This paper aims to fill these gaps and describes a test bed that would support development and deployment of a remote concept of nuclear operations, initial experimental results from that test bed, and the application of the test bed and experimental results for a digital-twin-based remote concept of operations underdevelopment at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The platform chosen as a remote concept of nuclear operations test bed is the Single Primary Heat Extraction and Removal Emulator, known as SPHERE, located at INL. SPHERE is a small-scale non-nuclear test bed that emulates thermal behavior of a microreactor. The small-scale and non-nuclear nature of SHPERE limit safety concerns associated with remote operations while still providing the physical response representative of a microreactor. A network connection was added to SPHERE that enables remote-monitoring capability. This allows for real-time data streaming to networked workstations, data historians, and human-machine interfaces (HMIs). These are all critical components in a remote concept of operations, thus providing a robust development and demonstration platform. An initial experiment was performed using the SPHERE remote operations testbed. This included running a comprehensively instrumented SPHERE through a series of steady-state and transient operating scenarios in both normal and abnormal operating conditions, all while streaming live test data to a remote HMI and data warehouse. This initial experiment served three purposes: (1) characterizing the response of SPHERE, (2) demonstrating the remote connection to SPHERE, and (3) providing a baseline data set for development of a digital-twin-based remote concept of operations that is under development at INL.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED SECURITY AND SAFETY MONITORING SYSTEM FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND HIGH-LEVEL WASTE TRANSPORTATION

This paper provides an overview of the progress to date, and discussion of the path forward, related to designing, fabricating, and testing an integrated security and safety monitoring system (ISSMS) for railcars used to transport spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in the United States. The system will comply with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Order 460.2B “Departmental Materials Transportation Management” and the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) standard S-2043 “Performance Specification for Trains Used to Carry High-level Radioactive Material” [1] developed specifically for railcars used to transport high-level radioactive material (HLRM). DOE is in the process of developing and testing an ISSMS that will satisfy both DOE requirements and AAR standards. DOE has already developed railcar designs for transportation of HLRM. In 2024, DOE’s Atlas railcar project completed the design, fabrication and testing of three railcar types: transportation cask-carrying, buffer, and security escort, resulting in AAR conditional approval to operate on freight rail networks in North America. DOE decided to combine the required security and safety systems into one system, and this combined system is the subject of the current effort. DOE is developing and proposes to implement the ISSMS for these railcars as part of the build out of the railcar fleet. DOE began planning for development of the ISSMS in February 2020. The project is divided into seven phases starting with conceptual design and continuing through production design, as shown in Figure 1. An earlier version of the system was tested as part of the Atlas railcar consist demonstration test run in 2023. This paper describes the design features and system testing using the Atlas project railcars, and laboratory testing completed to date. The paper will also describe the activities planned to support the DOE project to ship the High Burn-Up Research Cask (HBRC) in 2027.

Schultze, Michael [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283205671)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Autonomous experimentation systems for materials development: A community perspective

Solutions to many of the world's problems depend upon materials research and development. However, advanced materials can take decades to discover and decades more to fully deploy. Humans and robots have begun to partner to advance science and technology orders of magnitude faster than humans do today through the development and exploitation of closed-loop, autonomous experimentation systems. This review discusses the specific challenges and opportunities related to materials discovery and development that will emerge from this new paradigm. Our perspective incorporates input from stakeholders in academia, industry, government laboratories, and funding agencies. We outline the current status, barriers, and needed investments, culminating with a vision for the path forward. We intend the article to spark interest in this emerging research area and to motivate potential practitioners by illustrating early successes. We also aspire to encourage a creative reimagining of the next generation of materials science infrastructure. To this end, we frame future investments in materials science and technology, hardware and software infrastructure, artificial intelligence and autonomy methods, and critical workforce development for autonomous research.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Quantifying socio-economic indicators in developing countries from mobile phone communication data: applications to Côte d’Ivoire

The widespread adoption of mobile devices that record the communications, social relations, and movements of billions of individuals in great detail presents unique opportunities for the study of social structures and human dynamics at very large scales. This is particularly the case for developing countries where social and economic data can be hard to obtain and is often too sparse for real-time analytics. In this paper, we leverage mobile call log data from Côte d’Ivoire to analyze the relations between its nation-wide communications network and the socio-economic dynamics of its regional economies. We introduce the CallRank indicator to quantify the relative importance of an area on the basis of call records, and show that a region’s ratio of in- and out-going calls can predict its income level. We detect a communication divide between rich and poor regions of Côte d’Ivoire, which corresponds to existing socio-economic data. Our results demonstrate the potential of mobile communication data to monitor the economic development and social dynamics of low-income developing countries in the absence of extensive econometric and social data. Finally, our work may support efforts to stimulate sustainable economic development and to reduce poverty and inequality.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗