The United States and the United Kingdom have achieved a major milestone by creating advanced test capsules crafted from metal alloys and graphite. These capsules are destined to play a crucial role in the development of cutting-edge nuclear reactors.
This groundbreaking project represents a powerful alliance aimed at propelling civilian nuclear energy technologies forward. The next phase involves subjecting the meticulously crafted capsules to irradiation testing, slated to take place at the Idaho National Laboratory (IDL) in the U.S. later this year. It all began with the finalization of the experimental design at INL, followed by the assembly of the eight capsules by the U.K. research team at the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Culham Campus in Abingdon.
The Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. recently announced an exciting development: 578 samples of advanced steel and various forms of graphite are set to undergo rigorous testing to determine their potential use in advanced nuclear reactors.
These materials will be subjected to neutron irradiation and high temperatures to assess their performance, with the goal of potentially integrating them into high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.
The world’s most powerful test reactor, the Advanced Test Reactor at INL, will simulate conditions in advanced reactors by subjecting the samples to temperatures of up to 1382 degrees Fahrenheit (750 degrees Celsius).
After testing, the materials will be carefully analyzed at the lab’s Hot Fuel Examination Facility to evaluate their performance. Following this, the materials will be made available to the public for examination at the NSUF’s Material Library, an open archive housing over 9,000 irradiated nuclear fuel and material samples in the U.S.
The collaborative efforts of research teams from the U.S. and U.K. are driving a groundbreaking project aimed at revolutionizing nuclear reactor technology for civilian use. This joint initiative, involving the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) and the U.K.’s National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF), is a testament to a powerful bilateral cooperative action plan.
By fostering nuclear energy research and resource sharing, this endeavor is poised to propel the advancement of energy technology through the enhanced utilization of nuclear energy user facility resources.
“NSUF facilitated U.S. and U.K. working groups to select materials important for nuclear energy in both countries,” said NSUF Director Brenden Heidrich. “The project is an important example of how we can effectively work with and share resources with an international partner to more efficiently answer questions about advanced materials.”
“The U.S. and U.K. teams have established a genuine, warm working friendship, and to have completed this first part of the joint irradiation campaign so efficiently is a real achievement for all involved,” added the NNUF Management Group’s Chair Chris Grovenor.
The project involved collaboration from top institutions such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Purdue University, Westinghouse, the National Nuclear Laboratory, University of Manchester, University of Oxford, and University of Sheffield.
Designated as the sole nuclear energy user facility in the United States, NSUF provides access to state-of-the-art irradiation and post-irradiation testing facilities, along with cutting-edge high-performance computing resources that can be leveraged to advance nuclear energy research and development.