b'Postirradiation Examination of First Generation MiniFuel SamplesPrincipal Investigator: Jason HarpTeam Members/ Collaborators: Robert Morris, Christian Petrie, Joseph Burns, Darren Skitt and Kurt TerraniT he first postirradiation examina- failure was observed [1]. Renewed tion (PIE) results on uraniuminterest in novel fuel concepts now nitride (UN) kernels and UNdemands a more agile approach to coated particles from a MiniFuelirradiation testing. The evaluation irradiation are now available. Theof new or minimally studied fuel MiniFuel irradiation vehicle provides aconcepts requires accelerated separate means to quickly accumulate burnupeffects testing to rapidly screen fuel in nuclear fuel while maintaining theconcepts at several different irra-fuel at a steady temperature condition.diation conditions while leveraging In this initial irradiation, the accu- modeling and simulation capabilities mulated burnup was modest, and theto target the experimental evaluations fuel demonstrated good performanceof key fuel properties that have the with minimal swelling and fission gasgreatest impact on fuel performance release. The initial PIE also validated the[2]. The MiniFuel irradiation vehicle modeling and simulation tools used tois designed to rapidly evaluate nuclear predict conditions in MiniFuel capsules. fuel under well-controlled conditions Project Description: while minimizing the number of Historically, the development andvariables that occur during irradia-qualification of novel nuclear fueltion [3]. In MiniFuel irradiations, concepts, and even incrementalheating is decoupled from the fission changes to established nuclear fuelrate so that concepts can be evaluated concepts, have been evaluated by iter- under a specific conditionsuch atively irradiating fuels in prototypicas temperature, composition, and fuel geometries, neutron flux condi- geometrywhile simultaneously tions, and temperatures in integralvarying other conditions.fuel tests that approximated the fuelPostirradiation examination of nuclear concept environment. During itera- fuel was also historically done on a tions, conditions were made incre- large number of fuel pins that were mentally more strenuous until fuelevaluated at the macroscopic scale to 50 2020|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'