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The information included in this poster is designed to provide information on a visualization system needed in a hot-cell with a high radiation dose level. The system is necessary to enable real-time remote monitoring of microscope function. The current configuration for viewing function of in-cell equipment is through a single window. This makes for difficult viewing of the microscope workstations which are located away from the window. A properly designed camera system enhances troubleshooting capability in-cell. The poster will aid in the exposition of the design process and implementation of the system described above.

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Graphite Research and Development (R&D) Program is currently measuring irradiated material properties for predicting the behavior and operating performance of new nuclear graphite grades available for use within the cores of new very high temperature reactor designs. The Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) experiment, consisting of six irradiation capsules, will generate irradiated graphite performance data for NGNP reactor operating conditions. The AGC experiment is designed to determine the changes to specific material properties such as thermal diffusivity, thermal expansion, elastic modulus, mechanical strength, irradiation induced dimensional change rate, and irradiation creep for a wide variety of nuclear grade graphite types over a range of high temperature, and moderate doses. A series of six capsules containing graphite test specimens will be used to expose graphite test samples to a dose range from 1 to 7 dpa at three different temperatures (600, 900, and 1200°C) as described in the Graphite Technology Development Plan. Since irradiation induced creep within graphite components is considered critical to determining the operational life of the graphite core, some of the samples will also be exposed to an applied load to determine the creep rate for each graphite type under both temperature and neutron flux. All six AGC capsules in the experiment will be irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). AGC-1 and AGC-2 will be irradiated in the south flux trap and AGC-3–AGC-6 will be irradiated in the east flux trap. The change in flux traps is due to NGNP irradiation priorities requiring the AGC experiment to be moved to accommodate Fuel irradiation experiments. After irradiation, all six AGC capsules will be cooled in the ATR Canal, sized for shipment, and shipped to the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) where the capsule will be disassembled in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF). During disassembly, the metallic capsule will be machined open and the individual samples removed from the interior graphite body containing the samples. Samples removed from the capsule will be loaded in a shipping drum and shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Research Center (IRC) for initial post-irradiation examination (PIE) and storage for any future testing at the newly completed Carbon Characterization Laboratory (CCL). All work was performed under an ASME NQA-1-2008;1a-2009 compliant quality assurance program.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) shipments of irradiated experiments from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) to the Hot Fuels Examination Facility (HFEF) have historically been accomplished using the General Electric Model 2000 (GE 2000) Type B shipping container. Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) concerns regarding the future availability and leasing and handling costs associated with the GE 2000 cask have warranted an evaluation of alternative shipping options. One or more of these shipping options may be utilized to perform non-destructive examinations (NDE) such as neutron radiography and precision gamma scans of irradiated experiments at HFEF and then return the experiments to ATR for further irradiation, hereafter referred to as “intermediate NDE.” This evaluation includes transportation options for intermediate NDE using the GE 2000 cask, BEA Research Reactor (BRR) package, Dry Transfer Cubicle (DTC) insert, and the General Electric Model 100 (GE 100) cask. The GE 2000 cask is the only Type B shipping container currently in use for shipments of irradiated material (exceeding Type A quantities) from ATR to HFEF; therefore it is included as one of the four shipping options in this evaluation. Cost and schedule estimates are provided for performing neutron radiography and precision gamma scans of a five-capsule drop-in-type ATR experiment for each transportation option. All costs provided in this evaluation are rough order-of-magnitude costs based on input from knowledgeable vendor employees and individuals at INL facilities.

Safety issues associated with the dry storage of EBR-II spent fuel are presented and discussed. The containers for the fuel have been designed to prevent a leak of fission gases to the environment. The storage system has four barriers for the fission gases. These barriers are the fuel cladding, an inner container, an outer container, and the liner at the RSWF. Analysis has shown that the probability of a leak to the environment is much less than 10^⁻6 per year, indicating that such an event is not considered credible. A drop accident, excessive thermal loads, criticality, and possible failure modes of the containers are also addressed.

This paper addresses the important safety considerations related to the unique Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) fuel cycle technology, the pyroprocess. Argonne has been developing the IFR since 1984. It is a liquid metal cooled reactor, with a unique metal alloy fuel, and it utilizes a radically new fuel cycle. An existing facility, the Hot Fuel Examination Facility-South (HFEF/S) is being modified and equipped to provide a complete demonstration of the fuel cycle. This paper will concentrate on safety aspects of the future HFEF/S operation, slated to begin late next year. HFEF/S is part of Argonne's complex of reactor test facilities located on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. HFEF/S was originally put into operation in 1964 as the EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) (Stevenson, 1987). From 1964-69 FCF operated to demonstrate an earlier and incomplete form of today's pyroprocess, recycling some 400 fuel assemblies back to EBR-II. The FCF mission was then changed to one of an irradiated fuels and materials examination facility, hence the name changes to HFEF/S. The modifications consist of activities to bring the facility into conformance with today's much more stringent safety standards, and, of course, providing the new process equipment. The pyroprocess and the modifications themselves are described more fully elsewhere (Lineberry, 1987; Chang, 1987).

The Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) complex comprises four large hot cells. These cells are used to support the nation's nuclear energy program, especially the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor, by providing nondestructive and destructive testing of irradiated reactor fuels and furnishing the hot cell services required for operation of Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II). Because it is research rather than a production facility, HFEF assignments are varied and change from time to time to meet the requirements of our experimenters. Such a variety of operations presents many challenges, especially for nuclear criticality safety. The following operations are reviewed to assure that accidental criticality is not possible, and that all rules and regulations are met: transportation, temporary storage, examinations, and disposition.