Irradiation performance of Fast Flux Test Facility drivers using D9 alloy

Six test assemblies similar in design to the FFTF driver assembly but employing the advanced alloy D9 in place of Type 316 stainless steel for duct, cladding, and wire wrap material were irradiated to demonstrate the improved performance and lifetime capability of this design. A single pinhole-type breach was incurred in one of the high exposure tests after a peak fuel burnup of 155 MWd/kgM and peak fast neutron fluence of 25 x 1022 n/cm2 (E > 0.1 MeV). Postirradiation examinations were performed on four of the test assemblies and measured results were compared to analytical evaluations. A revised swelling correlation for D9 Alloy was developed to provide improved agreement between calculated and measured cladding deformation results. A fuel pin lifetime design criterion of 5% calculated hoop strain was derived. Alternatively, fuel pin lifetimes were developed for two irradiation parameters using statistical failure analyses. For a 99.99% reliability, the analyses indicated a peak fast fluence lifetime of 21.0 x 1022 n/cm2, or a peak fuel burnup greater than 120 MWd/kgM. The extended lifetime capability of this design would reduce fuel supply requirements for the FFTF by a third relative to the reference driver design