About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Symposium
|
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Presentation Title |
Analysis of Historical HALEU TRISO Fuel in Support of the Deimos Experiment |
| Author(s) |
Adrien J. Terricabras, Peter Brain, Kristin Stolte, Benjamin Naes , Michael Klosterman, Travis Tenner, Theresa Cutler |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Adrien J. Terricabras |
| Abstract Scope |
The Deimos experiment conducted at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in Nevada allowed for the first critical experiment using High-Assay Low-Enriched uranium (HALEU) Tri-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel in several decades. Deimos combined years of R&D to establish an advanced platform testbed, but also included historical materials in its design, such as beryllium reflectors and fuel compacts. The HALEU TRISO fuel was fabricated in the 80’s for the Compact Nuclear Power Source (CNPS) experiment and are a core component for several studies for the DOE/NRC Collaboration for Criticality Safety Support for Commercial-Scale HALEU for Fuel Cycles and Transportation (DNCSH). To better inform current modeling efforts and understand results produced by the Deimos experiment, detailed characterization on the fuel compacts had to be conducted due to the lack of available information. Initial experimental observations indicated large deviations from these compacts compared to modern TRISO, pushing for modeling efforts to be updated with those imperfect structures in order to achieve the low uncertainties needed for neutronic benchmarking. Both fuel compact and TRISO particles were characterized using techniques such as X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Isotopic and impurity measurement was conducted by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Large Geometry Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (LG-SIMS). The impact of these updated results on Keff will also be discussed. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |