Irradiation and Postirradiation Examination of AFC-1 Transmutation Metallic Fuels for Fast Reactors

The Fuel Cycle Research & Development program is examining advanced metallic fuels for transmutation in fast reactors. These fuels contain varying amounts of uranium, plutonium, americium, and neptunium, e.g., U-29Pu-4Am-2Np-30Zr. Such fuel alloys are being studied in order to understand how fuel incorporating transuranic elements from recycled light water reactor fuel would perform in fast reactors, with particular focus on transmuting actinides. Irradiation experiments conducted in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory are designed to mimic prototypic fast reactor neutron spectra and high burnups, up to 30 at.% HM achieved to date. Irradiation experiment hardware incorporates a cadmium-shrouded basket to simulate a fast reactor neutron spectrum in the light water moderated ATR. Non-destructive and destructive postirradiation examinations of these alloys have been completed, primarily within the hot cell at the Hot Fuel Examination Facility. Baseline postirradiation examinations included neutron radiography, gamma scanning, fission gas release, optical microscopy, and microhardness testing. Select results will be presented and compared to results from lower burnup companion experiments and the historical metallic fuel performance database. (author)