b'Accomplishments: Over several months, test objectives After its first full year of executionwere translated into achievable design (halfway mark), the ARES project has: targets working closely with JAEACompleted final design ofcollaborators. Both JAEA and INL were required to simulate these conditionsthe THOR Commissioningusing their own modeling tools to (THOR-C experiment) series tovalidate design objectives will be commission a new test platformmet and concur on the final targets. in TREAT, A similar process was followed forthe Mixed Oxide Transientmetallic fuel experiments at INL, OverPower (MOXTOP) experi- working to balance the constraints ment series in close collaborationof achieving design targeted condi-with JAEA to design and select testtions but also to develop and ensure parameters, compliance with the correspondingand (very near completion) forsafety case for shaped transients. the THOR Metallic (THOR-M)Figure 2 presents several examples of experiments. final predicted experiment tempera- Fabricated, assembled, and loadedtures. The latter exercise proved the first THOR-C capsule, ready forchallenging yet very fruitful towards irradiation in TREAT planned withininterpreting TREAT Safety Analysis days of fiscal year end Report (SAR) language that is a firstDeveloped methods for and com- for TREAT since restart for complex pleted neutronic characterizationtransients and energy-demanding using modern tools of the MOX testexperiments. In all, eleven separate specimens irradiated in EBR-II experiments were designed betweenand has been transferred from thethe three ARES project experiments. storage facility to INL hot cellsThe complete assembly of the first where preliminary visual examsTHOR capsule (and using sodium) indicate they are in good condition. represents a first of a kind for TREAT Each of these accomplishmentsexperiments and facilities at the represents a significant accomplish- Materials & Fuels Complex (MFC). The ment by themselves but also towardsscale and logistics of the test device completion of the ARES project goals.required careful cooperation in new The final design of multiple irradia- supporting facilities and has aided in tion experiments required significantdeveloping understanding to address effort from a large multidisciplinedfuture challenges with assembly in the design team. As an important example,Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) the THOR experiments have requiredfacility for irradiated specimens. More new understanding of TREAT capa- details of the THOR capsule design bility to tailor reactor power historiesincluding schematics and pictures are to represent relevant fuel conditions.found in another article in this report.2021|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 125'