b'1.2 FROM THE DIRECTORI ts a great pleasure to open theoff-normal transient scenarios, and 2021 Advanced Fuels Campaignstorage/disposal. This approach (AFC) Accomplishments Report. includes advancing the theoretical While a report of this type is, byunderstanding of fuel behavior, necessity, unable to comprehensivelyconducting fundamental and integral capture all the accomplishmentsexperiments, and supporting the made by this long standing, nation- mechanistic, multi-scale modeling ally relevant research and develop- of nuclear fuels to inform and ment program, it is my hope that itguide fuel development projects, reflects the quality and talent of theadvance the technological readiness remarkable people that staff it and theof promising fuel candidates, and world class scientific facilities theyultimately support fuel qualification wield. Even in the face of a pandemicand licensing initiatives. Daniel Wachsthat curtailed many of our personalThis methodology is built on a National Technical Directorand collective routines this year,foundation of analytical experiments (208) 526-6393impactful research continued and thethat merge advanced modeling and daniel.wachs@inl.gov summaries that follow in this reportsimulation with modern data-rich provide clear evidence. experimental methods to investigate The mission of the Advanced Fuelsthe dominant physical phenomena Campaign (AFC) is to perform orassociated with a given fuel system support research, development, andas necessary to drive its development demonstration (RD&D) activitiesto completion.AFC researchers to identify and mature innovativeutilize and evolve the nations most fuels, cladding materials, and associ- important nuclear materials research ated technologies with the potentialcapabilities, a comprehensive nuclear to improve the performance andfuels testbed that spans multiple enhance the safety of current andnational laboratories, to serve this future reactors; increase the effi- mission.These capabilities range cient utilization of nuclear energyfrom the worlds best nuclear mate-resources; contribute to enhancingrials test reactors (ATR, HFIR, TREAT, proliferation resistance of the nuclearand, hopefully in the future, VTR) fuel cycle; and address challengesto state-of-the-art materials science related to waste management andinstruments and manufacturing ultimate disposal.technologies.AFC works in close AFC pursues its mission objectivespartnership with the Nuclear Energy using a goal-oriented, science-basedAdvanced Modeling and Simulation approach that seeks to establish(NEAMS) program to implement a fundamental understanding ofadvanced tools for modeling and fuel and cladding behaviors undersimulation by collaborating on conditions that arise during fabrica- development of mechanistic fuel tion, normal steady-state irradiation,behavior models and conducting experimental studies that inform 12 2021|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'