Transient Overpower Testing in THOR -- Pre-Test PIE of Previously Irradiated Fuel and NDE PIE Results of Commissioning Test
Presentation for AFC Meeting on PIE Results for THOR Capsule Over Power Testing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
SEARCH · Search NASA
Results for “PIE”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Upgrade of Gamma Spectrometry Systems for ORNL TRISO Fuel PIE
Gamma spectrometry is a key element in much of the post-irradiation examination (PIE) work performed under the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification (AGR) Program (Demkowicz et al. 2015; Stempien et al. 2021). Gamma spectrometers are integrated into three major capabilities used at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory (IFEL) for PIE of tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) coated particles and fuel compacts: the Core Conduction Cooldown Test Facility (CCCTF), the Vertical Counting System (VCS), and the Irradiated Microsphere Gamma Analyzer (IMGA). The CCCTF includes liquid-nitrogen-cooled traps to extract 85 Kr out of the He sweep gas that passes through the furnace in which the fuel compacts are heated during safety testing. Analysis of the 85 Kr activity in the traps is the primary indicator for TRISO failure during safety testing. The VCS is a system used to accurately measure gamma emission from components placed in a lead-shielded chamber. It is used to count the CCCTF deposition cups after removal from furnace. Each cup resides in the CCCTF furnace for typically 12–24 h and is periodically replaced with a fresh cup throughout the safety test. Metallic fission products collect on the water-cooled cups and several gamma-emitting isotopes ( 110 mAg, 134 Cs, 137 Cs, 154 Eu, and 155 Eu) are often measured and provide indication of the retention performance of the TRISO coatings. The VCS is also used to measure the presence of these isotopes on the CCCTF tantalum liner and sweep gas inlet tube for the determination of cup collection efficiency, as well as support other gamma spectrometry needs related to calibration of the 85 Kr fission gas traps and various other special PIE tasks. The IMGA uses gamma spectrometry to measure the inventory of gamma-emitting isotopes in individual TRISO particles. An automated particle handling system within the IMGA hot cell removes each particle from a source vial and positions it in front of a gamma detector, and output from the gamma spectrometer is used by the IMGA software to determine a destination vial such that particles are sorted according to their inventory and retention characteristics. At the conclusion of the AGR-1 and AGR-2 PIE campaigns, the gamma spectrometer systems used at ORNL to support that PIE had reached the end of its life cycle due to gradual obsolescence of the hardware and software. Upgrade of the Canberra Genie 2000 software used by these systems to a Windows 10 version was not a viable option, because the newest Windows 10 version offered by Mirion (the new owner of the Canberra technology) did not include the dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) needed for integration with the custom PIE software used with the CCCTF and IMGA, and Mirion had no current plans for development and release of Windows 10 versions of these DLLs with the Model S560 Genie 2000 Programming Library. Ultimately a switch was made to ORTEC gamma spectrometry systems, which appeared to be a more sustainable solution due to more proactive vendor support. The ORTEC conversion involved replacing the aging detector preamplifier and multichannel analyzer (MCA) hardware, upgrading the obsolete Windows 7 computers to Windows 10 compatible models, adopting ORTEC GammaVision software, and extensive modification of the ORNL-developed Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET) programs that provide the CCCTF and IMGA user interfaces.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
INL ART AGR-5/6/7 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under potential accident conditions. PIE fuel work from the final test irradiation (Advanced Gas Reactor [AGR]-5/6/7) is expected to commence at INL in early 2021, but the PIE preparations work began in FY2016. The work scope in this statement of work includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing project management and technical support to PIE-related activities; technical input to the moisture/air-ingress furnace design, fabrication, and equipment qualification; and technical support for development of equipment and techniques for planned PIE evolutions.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
INL ART AGR-5/6/7 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under accident conditions. PIE work on fuel from the last in the series of test irradiations, Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR)-5/6/7, will begin at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in approximately September 2020, but because of the complexity of the experiment preparations for the PIE are going to begin in FY2016. The work scope in this memorandum purchase order (MPO) includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing project management and technical support to PIE-related activities, providing technical input to the moisture furnace design, providing technical support for development of equipment and techniques for planned PIE evolutions, and contributing general expertise to this effort.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
INL ART AGR-5/6/7 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under potential accident conditions. PIE fuel work from the final test irradiation (Advanced Gas Reactor [AGR]-5/6/7) is expected to commence at INL in early 2021, but the PIE preparations work began in FY2016. The work scope in this statement of work includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing project management and technical support to PIE-related activities; technical input to the moisture/air-ingress furnace design, fabrication, and equipment qualification; and technical support for development of equipment and techniques for planned PIE evolutions.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
AGR-2 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under potential accident conditions. PIE work on fuel from the second test irradiation, Advanced Gas Reactor-2 (AGR-2), began at INL in July 2014. This work scope includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing technical input, performing PIE testing and analysis, and contributing expertise to this effort.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
AGR-3/4 PIE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) is currently supporting a tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel development and qualification program, which includes fuel fabrication, test irradiations, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing to assess fuel performance during normal irradiation and under accident conditions. PIE work on fuel from the third and fourth test irradiations, Advanced Gas Reactor-3/4 (AGR-3/4), began at INL in April 2015. The work scope in this memorandum purchase order (MPO) includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) providing technical input, preparations for PIE testing and analysis, and contributing general expertise to this effort.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Second Target Station Target Segment PIE Dose Estimates
The purpose of the analysis described in this document is to support post irradiation examination (PIE) future decisions as related to the Second Target Station (STS) Project. The STS Project is discussing plans for future PIE studies, and the radionuclide inventories and dose rates included in this study will aid decision makers as they consider the need for various PIE-related machinery. Three configurations of the lasagna-type target segment are evaluated for this analysis: a single bare tungsten plate, a slice of the segment containing a single tungsten plate, and the upstream half of a segment. The lasagna type target segment used in this analysis has a precipitation hardenable nickel alloy (UNS N07718 or inconel 718) shroud, copper (C10100) cladding, and pure tungsten plates. The target segment is evaluated for 10 years of operation followed by two decay periods: 6 months and 2 years. For each decay period, decay gamma dose rates are tallied 30 cm from the upstream, downstream, top, bottom, and sides of the configurations. Radionuclide inventories are also provided in this report separated by material. The highest dose rates calculated in this study are 2872 rem/hr 30 cm away from the top and bottom of the half-target configuration after 6 months of decay.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Building a High-Throughput MiniFuel PIE Pipeline for HFIR-Based Advanced Fuel Evaluation
MiniFuel irradiation experiments have become a key capability for accelerated evaluation of advanced and high-burnup nuclear fuels in the High Flux Isotope Reactor. As the number of irradiated MiniFuel targets entering postirradiation examination (PIE) has increased, improvements to the PIE workflow were needed to support more repeatable target disassembly, subcapsule processing, specimen recovery, and downstream measurements. This report summarizes FY 2026 improvements developed and implemented at the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory to improve the MiniFuel target-to-specimen (T2S) workflow and related PIE activities.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Hourly gap-filled meteorological data from PIE LTER measurements (2004-2023) used as drivers to run ELM PFLOTRAN simulations
This dataset contains continuous gap-filled precipitation, solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and barometric pressure data recorded primarily at the Marshview Farm weather station within the Plum Island Long Term Ecosystems Research (PIE LTER) in Newbury Massachusetts (MA) from 2004 to 2023. We compiled the data set from published annual data packages in 15min resolution available on DataOne. Gaps were filled using different statistical techniques or available observations from the vicinity, e.g. the US-PLo and the US-PHM Ameriflux sites, also located within the PIE LTER. Flags are included in this dataset to indicate the origin of each data point. Metadata files ELMPFLOTRAN_met_dd.csv and ELMPFLOTRAN_met_flmd.csv contain more information on site locations, gap filling protocols, data variables, flags, and QA/QC methods. The data set was used in the spin up and simulations of a land surface model coupled to a biogeochemical reaction network (ELM PFLOTRAN) assessing impacts of hydrology and salinity input on methane fluxes in 2022 and 2023 (Sulman et al., 2024).
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Plutonium Infrastructure Engineering Division (PIE) [Poster]
PIE supports $\$8.5$ Billion of Plutonium Infrastructure upgrade projects. Approximately $\$167$ Million of architectural & engineering service contracts awarded. PIE Division consists of 130 personnel and growing.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
AGR-5/6/7 PIE Updates
Update on AGR-5/6/7 PIE including initial results, plans, and future work. This is a presentation to our DOE sponsors.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Slides on AFC-4C-R5 MNT20E destructive PIE :SEM, Micro-tensile testing, Post-test TEM Characterization
Slides containing updated PIE results for AFC-4C-R5 (MNT20E)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Metallic fuel PIE at INL: from harvesting legacy materials to ATR/TREAT experiments
CNWG JAEA-INL: presentation on metallic fuel PIE at INL
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Legacy EBR-II / FFTF Metallic Fuel PIE Examinations
DOE - CEA WP3 advanced fuel and materials presentation on legacy EBRII and FFTF PIE
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
2024 AGR 3/4 PIE Overview
An overview of work done on the AGR 3/4 PIE experiment is presented, with some modeling results and description of the R-DLBL of as-irradiated and heating test samples
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Redox potential in Typha-dominated tidal brackish marsh, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, June–December 2022
This dataset includes soil redox potential measurements collected at multiple depths within a tidal brackish wetland in the upper estuary of the Plum Island Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER), Plum Island Sound, Newbury, Massachusetts. Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in redox potential in relation to hydrological events at three replicate locations. Data were recorded every 5 minutes using a Campbell Scientific Volt116 connected to a CR6 datalogger with SWAP instrument redox probes (ORP-30-4-B) and reference electrodes. Measurements were made at the AmeriFlux site US-PLo at four soil depths (5, 10, 15, and 30 cm). The file redox_soiltemp_2022.csv contains temperature-corrected redox values and soil temperature following Silva-Machado et al. (2024). Metadata files redox_soiltemp_dd.csv and redox_soiltemp_flmd.csv provide detailed descriptions of variables and site locations.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Specific conductivity and salinity of the Parker River, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound MA, August-November 2022
This dataset contains specific conductivity and calculated salinity data of Parker River water at a tidal brackish wetland dominated by Typha angustifolia at the upper estuary of the Plum Island Sound in Newbury, Massachusetts (MA) within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER). Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal changes in surface water salinity in high frequency to characterize boundary conditions of soil and plant responses to changes in salinity. A PVC pipe was installed in a low elevation spot in the creek bank so that the bottom of the pipe sat on the sediment surface allowing flushing with water during flooding. Raw measurements were collected using an Onset HOBO U24-002 Saltwater Conductivity/Salinity data logger. The specific conductance and salinity measurements were corrected and calculated respectively using Onset’s HOBOware software and reference specific conductivity measurements taken in tandem with the first and last points recorded by the HOBO sensor. These reference measurements were taken using a HACH HQ14D Portable Conductivity Meter. Because of the installation design, only data one hour before and after high tide are used. Metadata files Typha_ctd_salinity_dd.csv and Typha_ctd_salinity_flmd.csv contain detailed information on data variables, sampling and QA/QC methods, and site location.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗