b'PIE Technique Development for SiC CladdingsPrincipal Investigator: Alexander J. WinstonTeam Members/Collaborators: Jordan M. Argyle, Spencer H. Parker, Jerry A. Kahn, Katie A. Hawkins, Jake A. Stockwell, David Kamerman, Peng XuT his project is to conductsecurely while distributing the assessment and prepara- compressive force evenly around the tion to remote handlemost robust portion of the rodlet, Silicon Carbide (SiC) rodlets inthe end cap.hotcell for non-destructive andThis collet will allow mating to the destructive examinations. E/M crane T-handle for cross cell Project Description: movements, mating to the 3-jaw In anticipation of the receiptchuck used for rotational profilom-of irradiated SiC rodlets frometry at the measurement bench, Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), themating to the gripper for precision Hot Fuel Examination Facilitygamma scanning, and will travel as (HFEF) has begun developingan assembly (collet and rodlet) for the capabilities for examiningneutron radiography.non-metallic cladding. Due to theAdditionally, the collet may be ideal nature of ceramics, special handlingfor gripping when the rodlet is to be methods must be implementedsectioned for mechanical testing and to avoid mechanically stressingceramatorgraphy purposes in the the cladding prior to destructivecontainment box.testing for remote handling.Accomplishments: 2. Leak Testing:The in-cell post irradiation examina- In the past few years, many programs tion (PIE) readiness preparation forhave shown in the capability of HFEF SiC fuel rodlets can be summarizedto re-encapsulate previously irradiated in two scopes: material handling andfuel in accident tolerant fuel (ATF) leak testing.style cladding pins for re-irradiations at Transient Reactor Test Facility and 1. Material Handling: ATR. The system that was devised Reduction in handling of the rodletto perform this exercise was the itself will be achieved via grasping ofICWUPS or In-Cell Weld Under Pres-the end plug assembly in a speciallysure System, as shown in Figure 3.designed, yet multi-use collet, thatDuring the evolution of re-encapsula-will be near-universally acceptedtion, the welding vessel is pressurized by examination instrumentation inwith helium as a weld cover gas and the HFEF hot cell. Metallic rodletthe end cap is mated to the body of handling is normally done with athe cladding. To verify the quality press fit style holder specific to eachof the weld, the sealed rodlet is then rodlet geometry. The collet (modeltransferred to a bell jar, where a on left, seen orange as 3D printedvacuum is pulled for verification of polymer in mock-up testing) seenhermiticity i.e., leak checked.Figure 1. 3D printed Collet below will be able to grasp rodlets 80 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'