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Preliminary results of AGC-4 irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor and design of AGC-5

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Abstract

The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Technologies Program will irradiate up to six nuclear graphite creep experiments in Idaho National Laboratory' s Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The graphite experiments are being irradiated over an approximate 8-year period to support development of a graphite irradiation performance database on new nuclear grade graphites now available for use in high-temperature gas reactors. The goals of the irradiation experiments are to obtain irradiation performance data, including irradiation creep, at different temperatures and loading conditions to support design of the very high-temperature gas reactor and other future gas reactors. Each of the experiments consist of a single capsule that contains six stacks of graphite specimens, with half of the graphite specimens in each stack under a compressive load and the other half of specimens not subjected to a compressive load during irradiation. The six stacks have differing compressive loads applied to the top half of the diametrically opposite pairs of specimen stacks. A seventh specimen stack in the center of the capsule does not have a compressive load. The specimens are being irradiated in an inert sweep gas atmosphere with online temperature and compressive load monitoring and control. Also, samples are taken of sweep gas effluent to measure any oxidation or off-gassing that may occur during initial startup of the experiment. The first experiment Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC)-1 started irradiation in September 2009 and completed in January 2011; the second experiment AGC-2 started irradiation in April 2011 and completed in May 2012; the third experiment AGC-3 started irradiation in late November 2012 and completed in April 2014; and AGC-4 is currently being irradiated in ATR. This paper will briefly discuss preliminary irradiation results from the AGC-4 experiment and design of AGC-5.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology, HTR 2016
PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
Pages552-560
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9780894487323
StatePublished - 2016
Event8th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology, HTR 2016 - Las Vegas, United States
Duration: Nov 6 2016Nov 10 2016

Publication series

NameInternational Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology, HTR 2016

Conference

Conference8th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology, HTR 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLas Vegas
Period11/6/1611/10/16

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