AGC-2 Graphite Preirradiation Data Analysis Report

Program Document · Mon Dec 08 00:00:00 EST 2025

OSTI ID:3014373

Windes, William ^[1]; Swank, W. David ^[1]; Rohrbaugh, David ^[1]; Lord, Joseph ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Laboratory

This report describes the specimen loading order and documents all preirradiation examination material property measurement data for graphite specimens contained within the Second Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC 2) irradiation capsule. The AGC 2 capsule is the second in six planned irradiation capsules comprising the Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) test series. The AGC test series is used to irradiate graphite specimens in order to garner quantitative data necessary for predicting the irradiation behavior and operating performance of new nuclear grade graphites. This testing will ascertain the in service behavior of the graphite for pebble bed and prismatic very high temperature reactor designs. Similar to the First Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC 1) preirradiation examination report, material property tests were conducted on specimens from 18 nuclear grade graphite types. However, AGC 2 tested an increased number of specimens (i.e., 512) prior to loading them into the AGC 2 irradiation assembly. All AGC 2 specimen testing was conducted at Idaho National Laboratory from July 2009 to August 2010. This report also details the specimen loading methodology for graphite specimens inside the AGC 2 irradiation capsule. The AGC 2 capsule design requires “matched pair” creep specimens that have similar dose levels above and below the neutron flux profile mid plane. This provides similar specimens with and without an applied load. Analysis in this document utilizes the neutron flux profile calculated for the AGC 2 capsule design, the capsule dimensions, and the size (i.e., length) of the selected graphite specimens to create a stacking order that produces “matched pairs” of graphite specimens above and below the AGC 2 capsule elevation mid point, thus providing specimens with similar neutron dose levels.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 3014373
• Report Number(s): INL/EXT-13-28612
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AGC
Data Analysis
Graphite
NGNP
TDO