b'the system must be designed to better fit. This would also allow a simpler approach to operability,Figure 7. New welding system concept such as getting the required utili- with Swagelok connectionties installed to the system. Completed a pre-conceptual design of a seal welding system capable of accommodating higher pressures, longer rodlets, and able to function with rodlets that already have surface thermo-couples attached. In discussions with industry experts, established future fuel rodlet designs will have different design parameters (e.g., maximum pressure, rodlet length, rodlet diameter, etc.) than what was originally intended for the existing remote welding systems at INL. As discussed previously, while developing and testing integral junction TC wire welding on 3,000 psi pressurized rodlets, researchers noticed that weld puddles caused the internal pressures to blow out of the heated portion of the cladding. A potential solution tosupport frame for the rodlet during this problem would be to performthe weld. This allows for open the TC welds prior to rodlet pres- space around the rodlet for instru-surization, which would requirementation and TC wires. Figure 7 the existing welding equipmentillustrates this new Swagelok con-be modified allowing for thesecept with the following features:welds with already attached Smaller volumes of inert gas to instrumentation. To adequatelyperform the weldsaddress the future rodlet geom-etries with instrumentation, a very Smaller volume pressure vessel large volume chamber would bewith less potential energyrequired. A new remote welding Allows for instrumentation to system concept was developedbe attached to the rodletthat would allow the chamber to Allows for helium sniffing be attached to the end of a rodletof circumferential welds for assembly. This concept utilizesindication of leaks before seal a Swagelok fitting that would beweld is madepart of the rodlet end cap. The Allows for longer rodlet Swagelok fitting would supportassembly lengthsthe rodlet and wouldnt require a 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 209'