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DOE OSTI2025

Diffusion Behavior of Oversized Fission Products in bcc Fe Cladding: A First-Principles Study

Fuel-Cladding Chemical Interaction (FCCI) poses significant challenges in nuclear reactors, where fission products from nuclear fuel interact with Fe-based cladding materials, potentially compromising their structural integrity. This study investigates the diffusion behavior of oversized fission products, Pr, Nd, Ce, and La, within bcc Fe cladding using density functional theory (DFT), nudged elastic band (NEB) method, and self-consistent mean field (SCMF) theory. Our results reveal significant long-range vacancy binding energies, particularly up to the 6th nearest neighbor, with La exhibiting the strongest binding affinity, followed by Nd, Ce, and Pr. The NEB calculations indicate significant high barriers for the dissociation of 1nn vacancy-solute pairs for all fission products. The tracer diffusion coefficients of these fission products was derived in Arrhenius form. The significant trapping effect of vacancies by a very dilute amount of fission products reduces vacancy mobility, leading to an oversaturation of point defects, void nucleation, and swelling. These are critical issues for irradiated cladding materials. The tracer diffusion coefficients indicate that Nd diffuses the fastest, followed by La, Ce, and Pr. This study provides essential insights for developing advanced cladding materials and design strategies to mitigate FCCI, ultimately enhancing nuclear reactor safety and performance.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

SCALE 6.3 Validation: Spent Nuclear Fuel

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

SCALE 6.3 Validation: Spent Nuclear Fuel

This report is the fifth volume in a series documenting the validation of SCALE 6.3 with ENDF/B-VII.1 libraries for nuclear criticality safety, reactor physics, radiation shielding, and spent nuclear fuel applications. This fifth volume, which focuses on validating SCALE capabilities that impact spent nuclear fuel applications, provides an update of the similar validation reported for SCALE 6.2.4. The experimental data used as basis for validation herein consist of measurement data for nuclide inventories and decay heat, including the following: 1. radiochemical assay (RCA) measurements of nuclides important to burnup credit, decay heat, and radiation shielding in 205 light-water reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel samples that cover burnups ranging up to 80 GWd/MTU and initial fuel enrichments up to 4.9% 235U; 2. full-assembly decay heat measurements for 236 LWR assemblies with initial fuel enrichments ranging up to 4% 235 U, assembly burnups of 5–51 GWd/MTU, and decay times after fuel discharge in the 2- to 27-year range (of importance to spent nuclear fuel storage, transportation, and disposal); and 3. pulse fission irradiations for fissionable materials at cooling times of interest to severe accident analyses (<10 5 s).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Steady state radiolysis–polyhalide accumulation products [Poster]

The study of steady-state radiolysis of polyhalides is crucial as it simulates the prolonged radiation exposure that materials (e.g., alloys, molten salts) experience in reactor environments. This research provides valuable insights into the long-term effects on material properties, chemical stability, and structural integrity. It is closely linked with fundamental radiation chemistry, which aids in predicting the chemical behavior of accumulation products. Understanding the initial speciation, yield, and chemical evolution of radiolysis products is essential for managing material degradation, controlling corrosion, and ensuring reactor safety.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Impact of Irradiation-induced Lattice Defects and Dopants on Thermal Transport in Oxide Nuclear Fuels

Advanced nuclear reactor concepts aim to use fuels that must withstand unprecedented temperature and radiation extremes. In these fuels, thermal energy transport under irradiation is directly related to fuel longevity, reactor safety, and is arguably one of the most important performance metrics. Here we provide a comprehensive, first-principles-informed treatment of phonon mediated thermal transport in a defect-bearing actinide oxide with direct comparison to experimental measurements. Pristine and proton irradiated thorium dioxide was chosen as a model system to treat the complexity of thermal transport in the presence of lattice defects. A thermal transport model is implemented using the linearized Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) with input from first principles calculations and defect evolution models. The output of the LBTE is compared directly to mesoscopic measurements of thermal conductivity on length scales commensurate with defect accumulation. Parametric measurements of conductivity with irradiation dose and temperature reveal a monotonic decrease in conductivity with irradiation dose, in the range of 0.001 dpa to 0.1 dpa. Besides radiation-induced defects, doping the thorium dioxide crystal with small quantities of uranium atoms also results in a drastic reduction in thermal conductivity. Temperature-dependent measurements of thermal conductivity in uranium-doped thorium dioxide single crystals suggests a resonant scattering mechanism is responsible for the observed reduction. This comprehensive, atomistic- to meso-scale treatment provides the necessary basis to investigate thermal transport under irradiation in more complex systems that exhibit strong electron correlation. This is a poster presentation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Proceedings of the international conference on physics of reactors - Physor 2022

The theme for this year's conference is 'Making Virtual a Reality: Advancements in Reactor Physics to Leap Forward Reactor Operation and Deployment'. As we leap forward to the future of nuclear technology, micro-reactors, small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and high energy LWR fuel are at the forefront of the topics.The Physor 2022 will cover a broad range of topics in thirty standard and special sessions tracks, and ten panel sessions gathering more than 350 papers.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Development of a Computational Framework for Multiphysics Multiphase Species Tracking using NEAMS Tools

This report implements a high-fidelity multiphysics modeling framework using the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program tools to track isotopic species in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), with a specific focus on the 91-depletion chain within the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). The model integrates neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, depletion, and thermochemistry to simulate the production, transport, and phase transitions of isotopes under steady-state and transient conditions. The main findings reveal that isotopes such as bromine-91 largely remain in the liquid phase, while others, including krypton-91and yttrium-91, transition to the gas phase, significantly influencing the reactor’s radiological source term. The study also shows that during transients, like a reactivity insertion transient, rapid void formation and the expansion of the liquid-gas interface led to substantial transfers of dissolved isotopes into the gas phase, altering isotope distribution and largely increasing the source term in the off-gas system. Additionally, the research highlights that short-lived isotopes dominate the initial off-gas response during transients, while longer-lived isotopes determine the equilibrium state, underscoring the necessity of dynamic simulations for accurate species tracking and reactor safety analysis. The developed methodology will be applied in the future to the tracking of a larger number of species and introduce other species tracking mechanisms, such as deposition and plating.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

(Doublon) Benchmarking of Different Inverse Point Kinetics Implementations for an Autocorrected Reactimeter Algorithm

In November 2017, the Transient Reactor Test Facility returned to operation. Since that time, many transient test series have been completed, such as the Transient Heatsink Overpower Response capsule (THOR), the Transient Water Irradiation System for TREAT (TWIST), and Sirius. Each has provided valuable data for materials performance and reactor safety that can be applied in future designs. During each experimental series, detector count rates provided important information on the core behavior during transients. However, a limitation of these data is that variations in the neutron distribution during experiments can cause errors when attempting to infer reactivity evolution from detector signals. Neutron physics codes can be used to compute the flux shape variations. However, this is a poor solution when the experimental data is used for code verification, validation and uncertainty quantification. Indeed, if the output of the code is used both as a reference and to correct what the reference is compared to, the circular dependency limits the quality of the verification, validation and uncertainty quantification approach. To overcome this problem, the autocorrected reactimeter algorithm (ACRA) has been developed. This approach infers a time-dependent reactivity evolution by testing different spatial corrections and selecting the one that minimizes reactivity variations when the core is in a frozen configuration (i.e., when there is no variation in parameters affecting reactivity). However, the scope of this method was limited to transients where there were negligible thermal feedback. Indeed, the core is never in a frozen configuration when the fuel temperature varies during the whole transient. This is our motivation for developing an improved version of the ACRA that does not require frozen configurations. To develop this new algorithm, we need a precise and unbiased implementation of the inverse point kinetic equations (IPKEs) as any error in the reactivity evaluation will be propagated into the choice of the optimal spatial correction. Indeed, the previous reactimeter algorithm would use approximations, such as a negligible flux amplitude derivative, to focus on rapidity. For the numerical validation of ACRA, we aim at absolute error under for reactivity derived from signals similar to the one of this study. In this summary, we test eight different IPKE implementations. Each will process a mockup signal built for this study, similar to those that the future ACRA will process. Each reactivity output will be compared to the reference reactivity that has been used to generate the mockup signal. The implementation minimizing the difference with the reference reactivity will be used in the development of a new ACRA formulation.

73 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI1988

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 29, No. 3, July-September 1988]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 259 Fifteenth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting by E. G. Silver; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 284 Reliability Technology to Improve and/or Maintain Emergency Diesel Generator Performance by S. Karimian and J. H. Taylor, 293 A Noise Diagnostics System for Operator Advice by G. Hessel, P. Liewers, P. Schumann, W. Schmitt, and F.-P. Weiss; PLANT SAFETY FEATURES: 307 A Passive Containment System for Advanced Light-Water Reactors by O. B. Falls, Jr., and F. W. Kleimola; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 318 Data Base Construction for a Computerized Radiological Risk Investigation System by L. M. Hively, J. E. Nyquist, J. L. Bledsoe, and A. L. Sjoreen, 326 Erratum to "Radiation Hormesis and Nuclear Safety," Vol. 29, No. 1; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 327 Operational Safety Experience and Passive Safety Testing at the Fast Flux Text Facility by Q. L. Baird, J. L. Rathbun, D. D. Stepnewski, R. L. Stover, and A. E. Waltar, 344 Backfilling of Independent Residual Heat Removal Systems in West Germany and Switzerland by G. Eckert and Y. Salomon, 353 Reactor Shutdown Experience Compiled by J. W. Cletcher, 356 Selected Safety-Related Events Compiled by G. A. Murphy, 363 Operating U.S. Power Reactors Compiled by E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 384 General Administrative Activities Compiled by E. G. Silver, 390 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides by D. S. Queener, 395 Status of Power-Reactor Projects Undergoing Licensing Review Compiled by E. G. Silver, 400 Proposed Rule Changes as of Mar. 31,1988; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 283 International ENS/ANS Conference on Thermal Reactor Safety "NUCSAFE 88", 317 Northwestern University Short Course on Radiation Safety, 407 Second International Seminar on Small- and Medium-Sized Nuclear Reactors, 407 International Workshop on New Developments in Occupational Dose Control and ALARA Implementation at Nuclear Power Plants and Similar Facilities, 408 Fourth International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-4), 404 The Authors.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI1975

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 16, No. 2, March-April 1975]

Nuclear Safety covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. The scope is limited to topics relevant to the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, safety considerations in regard to the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 127 Quality Assurance in the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants by Sidney A. Bernsen, 141 1974 ANS Topical Meeting on Fast Reactor Safety by M. H. Fontana; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 150 GBR-4 Protection Systems: Failures and Their Consequences by Peter Burgsmüller, J. J. Dekais, Albert Krähe, Raffaello Pignatelli, and Gottfried Vieider, 162 Standby Emergency Power Systems. Part 2—The Later Plants by E. W. Hagen; PLANT SAFETY FEATURES: 180 Radiotoxic Hazard Measure for Buried Solid Radioactive Waste by J. Hamstra, 190 The Thirteenth AEC Air-Cleaning Conference by D. W. Moeller, D. W. Underhill, and M. W. First, 203 Book Review: Nuclear Criticality Safety; CONSEQUENCES OF EFFLUENT RELEASE: 204 Environmental Radiation Effects of Nuclear Facilities in New York State by M. S. Terpilak and B. L. Jorgensen, 222 Book Review: Thermal Ecology; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 223 Set-Point Drift in Nuclear Power-Plant Safety-Related Instrumentation Adapted by the Nuclear Safety Staff, 224 Diesel-Generator Operating Experience at Nuclear Power Plants, 227 Summary of Operating U. S. Power Reactors as of Jan. 1, 1975, 232 Selected Safety-Related Occurrences Reported in November and December 1974 Compiled by William R. Casto, 235 Recent Occurrences at Nuclear Reactors and Their Causes Compiled by William R. Casto; CURRENT EVENTS: 243 General Administrative Activities Compiled by Wm. B. Cottrell, 251 Action on Power-Reactor Projects Undergoing Regulatory Review or Consideration Compiled by Wm. B. Cottrell, 266 Action on Nonreactor Projects Undergoing Regulatory Review or Consideration Compiled by Wm. B Cottrell, 268 Proposed Rule Changes as of Jan. 1, 1975; MISCELLANY: 149 Course in Italy on High-Energy Radiation Dosimetry and Protection (Announcement), 250 Course at Northwestern on Safety of Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants (Announcement), 266 Symposium of the Combined Effects on the Environment of Radioactive, Chemical, and Thermal Releases from the Nuclear Industry (Announcement), 271 Short Course on Engineering for Extreme Winds and Tornadoes (Announcement), 272 Three 1-Week Courses at MIT on Nuclear Power-Reactor Safety (Announcement), 272 Harvard University Short Courses (Announcement).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI1989

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 30, No. 1, January-March 1989]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 1 International Conference on Thermal Reactor Safety: NUCSAFE 88 by A. P. Malinauskas and J. G. Pruett; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 18 Chernobyl Today: State of Research by A. Yu. Gagarinskii; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 23 Problems Associated with Routine In-Plant Radioactive Effluent Monitoring Systems at U.S. Light-Water Reactors by Barry G. Wahlig, David M. Walker, Mahmoud R. Ghavi, and John M. Palms; DESIGN FEATURES: 34 Twentieth DOE/NRC Nuclear Air-Cleaning Conference by R. R. Bellamy, D. W. Moeller, and M. W. First, 46 Design Options for the Core Support Structure for Liquid-Metal-Cooled Reactor Plants by J. P. Burelbach, W. J. Kann, J. G. Saiveau, and R. W. Seidensticker; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 53 The Radiological Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident by L. V. Konstantinov and A. J. González; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 70 Activities Related to Waste Management Compiled by E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 80 Fuel Performance Annual Report for 1986 by W. J. Bailey, 103 Safety Considerations Related to 12-Hour Shift Schedules by S. Gould, 105 Reactor Shutdown Experience Compiled by J. W. Cletcher, 108 Operating U.S. Power Reactors Compiled by E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 130 General Administrative Activities Compiled by E. G. Silver, 140 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides by D. S. Queener, 145 Status of Power-Reactor Licensing Activities Compiled by E. G. Silver, 153 Proposed Rule Changes as of Sept. 30, 1988; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 69 Northwestern University Short Course on Radiation Safety, 79 International Seminar on Fission Product Transport Processes in Reactor Accidents, 129 Harvard School of Public Health Offers Short Courses, 152 MIT Offers Summer Short Courses on Reactor Safety and Nodal Analysis, 152 Seminar on Use of PCs in Probabilistic Safety Analysis, 157 The Authors, 160 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 29.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Safety Analysis for the Versatile Test Reactor Conceptual Design

Safety analysis simulations have been carried out using the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 safety analysis code system to update the baseline set of results for the Versatile Test Reactor conceptual design. Results from a previous revision of this work provided input for the Conceptual Safety Design Report summarizing the overall safety basis for the VTR. This work will also support future analyses that will be required for Chapter 13, “Accident Analysis,” of a preliminary safety analysis report. A number of transients have been evaluated based on categories of postulated accident sequences suggested for consideration in NUREG-1537. Ultimately, the full spectrum of event initiators and subsequent accident sequences will be defined through a probabilistic risk assessment of the plant design following the implementation of the Licensing Modernization Project guidelines as described in the VTR Safety Design Strategy. Since that process is ongoing, the present analysis addresses several transients that are expected to be bounding accident scenarios that represent the three key ways to perturb a reactor: through changes to the core inlet temperature, mass flow rate, or reactivity. These correspond to a loss of heat sink (LOHS), loss of flow (LOF) or station blackout (SBO), and transient overpower (TOP), respectively. Both Protected and Unprotected versions of these transients have been evaluated, along with additional transients that include transient overpower with one stuck rod, pump coast-down failures, seismic events, and overcooling events. At the current stage of design, transient simulation results for the Versatile Test Reactor indicate that large safety margins exist for many event initiators. However, several “enabling” assumptions have been made, in terms of both design features and design limits, in order to perform the analyses; and these assumptions will need to be revised as the design matures. In addition, a larger spectrum of events needs to be evaluated as part of the on-going probabilistic risk assessment process.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI1992

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 33, No. 1, January-March 1992]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 1 Technical Note: A New Approach to Fission Reactor Safety, Yu. V. Petrov; 5 Erratum; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 6 Analysis and Modeling of Fission Product Release from Various Uranium-Aluminum Plate-Type Reactor Fuels, R. P. Taleyarkhan; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 23 Applications of a Surveillance and Diagnostics Methodology Using Neutron Noise From a Pressurized-Water Reactor, R. T. Wood, L. F. Miller, and R. B. Perez; DESIGN FEATURES: 36 Westinghouse Advanced Passive 600 Plant, B. A. McIntyre and R. K. Beck; 47 System 80+™ PWR Safety Design, C. W. Bagnal, R. A. Matzie, and R. S. Turk; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 58 The MATS Experiments—Mesoscale Atmospheric Transport Studies at the Savannah River Site, A. H. Weber, S. Berman, R. J. Kurzeja, and R. P. Addis; 75 Book Review: Environmental Radioactivity in the European Community 1984-1985-1986, C. A. Little; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 76 Activities Related to Waste and Spent Fuel Management, M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 87 Aging Assessment of BWR Control Rod Drive Systems, R. H. Greene; 100 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; 103 Selected Safety-Related Events, Compiled by G. A. Murphy; 110 Operating U.S. Power Reactors, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 129 General Administrative Activities, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 139 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 143 Proposed Rule Changes as of Sept. 30 1991; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 128 Harvard School of Public Health Announces Short Courses; 128 16th Biennial ANS Topical Meeting on Reactor Operating Experience: Present and Future Technologies—Applying Lessons Learned (Call for Papers); 147 The Authors; 150 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 32; 154 Errata.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI1992

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 33, No. 1, January-March 1992]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 1 Technical Note: A New Approach to Fission Reactor Safety, Yu. V. Petrov; 5 Erratum; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 6 Analysis and Modeling of Fission Product Release from Various Uranium-Aluminum Plate-Type Reactor Fuels, R. P. Taleyarkhan; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 23 Applications of a Surveillance and Diagnostics Methodology Using Neutron Noise From a Pressurized-Water Reactor, R. T. Wood, L. F. Miller, and R. B. Perez; DESIGN FEATURES: 36 Westinghouse Advanced Passive 600 Plant, B. A. McIntyre and R. K. Beck; 47 System 80+™ PWR Safety Design, C. W. Bagnal, R. A. Matzie, and R. S. Turk; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: 58 The MATS Experiments—Mesoscale Atmospheric Transport Studies at the Savannah River Site, A. H. Weber, S. Berman, R. J. Kurzeja, and R. P. Addis; 75 Book Review: Environmental Radioactivity in the European Community 1984-1985-1986, C. A. Little; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 76 Activities Related to Waste and Spent Fuel Management, M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 87 Aging Assessment of BWR Control Rod Drive Systems, R. H. Greene; 100 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; 103 Selected Safety-Related Events, Compiled by G. A. Murphy; 110 Operating U.S. Power Reactors, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 129 General Administrative Activities, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 139 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 143 Proposed Rule Changes as of Sept. 30 1991; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 128 Harvard School of Public Health Announces Short Courses; 128 16th Biennial ANS Topical Meeting on Reactor Operating Experience: Present and Future Technologies—Applying Lessons Learned (Call for Papers); 147 The Authors; 150 Indexes to Nuclear Safety, Volume 32; 154 Errata.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Molten Salt Reactor Technical and Safety Considerations Outside of Guidance Documents

This document provides information on distinctive characteristics of liquid salt–fueled molten salt reactors (MSRs) for US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) consideration as it seeks to achieve effective and efficient advanced reactor mission readiness. The NRC has requested that Oak Ridge National Laboratory provide advice regarding technical and safety considerations that might be advantageous to address via policy, rulemaking, or license conditions (i.e., beyond the scope of guidance documents) for accommodating MSRs. It is recognized that MSRs could be regulated based on existing rules, with exceptions, to reflect their distinctive characteristics and technologies. However, directly applying the existing regulatory processes that evolved with the light water reactor fleet to MSRs could be unduly burdensome to the point that their application would inhibit deployment of MSRs in the United States.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Laser ablation spectrometry for studies of uranium plasmas, reactor monitoring, and spent fuel safety

Nuclear security is one of the defining challenges of our time. Nuclear threats range from deliberate dispersal of radioactive material to contaminate the vital infrastructure to diversion and smuggling of special nuclear material for clandestine nuclear programs and nuclear terrorism, respectively. There is an associated need to develop and sustain the nuclear forensics capabilities, which requires the understanding of complex processes that occur in plasmas of nuclear materials. The area of nuclear safety has seen a resurgence of public interest, and there is a concomitant need to safely store used nuclear fuel and detect structural material failure in nuclear power systems, especially in innovative reactor designs envisioned for future adoption. Laser-produced plasmas are complicated extreme environments that can generate intense and rich, highly specific signatures of nuclear and radiological materials, which can then be explored in a wide range of applications. They include interdiction and rapid detection of nuclear materials, including their isotopic composition, detection over long distances, laboratory simulation of weapons effects, monitoring the condition of structural materials in dry cask storage containers, and novel instrumentation for nuclear power systems. We present a compilation of recent representative examples of the application of laser spectroscopy, and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in particular, to nuclear safety and security problems. A case is made that spectroscopic techniques based on laser-produced plasmas offer complementary, and sometimes unique, capabilities that motivate the continued exploration of their efficient production and understanding of the signatures they produce

(020.3260) Isotope shifts, (140.3440) Laser-induce↗

DOE OSTI2020

Seismic Isolation of Major Advanced Reactor Systems for Economic Improvement and Safety Assurance

Advanced reactor concepts currently under development in the United States [e.g., the High-Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) of X-Energy and the Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) of TerraPower] are striving to improve the economics of nuclear power primarily by using passively and ‘walk-away’ safe technologies in the reactor. The recently published report, ‘Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World’ by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Institute (MIT EI) has shown that a significant contributor to the capital cost of NPPs is the ‘civil works’ i.e., the construction of the balance of plant (BoP: all SSCs except those involved in power generation, e.g., reactor vessel) such as the buildings, containment dome, foundation, etc., which amount to almost half of the overnight capital cost. The report suggests that using advanced construction technologies such as seismic isolation and high-performance concrete to significantly reduce the capital costs of advanced reactors. This report demonstrates the application of two cost-cutting solutions on advanced reactor designs that are currently under development. These solutions include, (1) seismic base isolation, and (2) risk- and cost-based seismic design optimization including seismic isolation of individual components.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Steam Condensation Scaled Experiment in the Presence of Non-condensable Gas for Reactor Containment Passive Safety Analysis

This study presents scaled experiments using steam condensation with non-condensable gas (NCG)—helium, simulating hydrogen—as these experiments are pivotal for water-cooled reactor passive containment cooling system (PCCS) design and analysis. Research into PCCSs for small modular reactors (SMRs) is especially important in light of SMR system design; however, studies in the literature reflect limitations due to test geometry and operational condition variations, without considering SMR prototypic design. To address these challenges, a scaled test facility was developed to accurately replicate SMR PCCSs. This facility includes vertical down-flow condensing test sections with 1-, 2-, and 4-in.-diameter condensing tubes, accompanied by annular water cooling. Experiments were conducted using both superheated and saturated steam, with steam mass flow rates varying from 55 to 66 kg/hr., in the presence of helium as the NCG mass flow rate ranges from 1.8 to 22 kg/hr. Test data were collected on (a) the axial temperatures of the annular cooling water; (b) the outer wall temperature of the condensers; and (c) the mass flow rate, temperature, and pressure at the test section inlets and outlets. These primary test data were used in conjunction with a standard data reduction methodology to estimate essential thermal parameters such as heat fluxes, heat transfer coefficients, and condensation rates. The effects of NCGs on steam condensation within the geometry of the scaled test sections were then presented in regard to various testing conditions.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗