The purpose of the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), now within the broader context of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), is to develop and demonstrate the technologies needed to transmute the long-lived transuranic isotopes contained in spent nuclear fuel into shorter-lived fission products. Success in this undertaking could potentially dramatically decrease the volume of material requiring disposal with attendant reductions in long-term radio-toxicity and heat load of high-level waste sent to a geologic repository. One important component of the technology development is investigation of irradiation/transmutation effects on actinide-bearing metallic fuel forms containing plutonium, neptunium, americium (and possibly curium) isotopes. Goals of this initiative include addressing the limited irradiation performance data available on metallic fuels with high concentrations of Pu, Np and Am, as are envisioned for use as actinide transmutation fuels. The AFC-1 irradiation experiments of transmutation fuels are expected to provide irradiation performance data on non-fertile and low-fertile fuel forms specifically, irradiation growth and swelling, helium production, fission gas release, fission product and fuel constituent migration, fuel phase equilibria, and fuel-cladding chemical interaction. Contained in this report are the to-date physics evaluations performed on three of the AFC-1 experiments; AFC-1D, AFC-1G and AFC-1H. The AFC-1D irradiation experiment …

This report provides documentation of experimental research activities performed at the Idaho National Laboratory and at Ceramatec, Inc. during FY07 under the DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative, High Temperature Electrolysis Program. The activities discussed in this report include tests on single (button) cells, short planar stacks and tubular cells. The objectives of these small-scale tests are to evaluate advanced electrode, electrolyte, and interconnect materials, alternate modes of operation (e.g., coelectrolysis), and alternate cell geometries over a broad range of operating conditions, with the aim of identifying the most promising material et, cell and stack geometry, and operating conditions for the high-temperature electrolysis application. Cell performance is characterized in erms of initial area-specific resistance and long-term stability in the electrolysis mode. Some of the tests were run in the coelectrolysis mode. Research into coelectrolysis was funded by Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD). Coelectrolysis simultaneously converts steam to hydrogen and carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. This process is complicated by the reverse shift reaction. An equilibrium model was developed to predict outlet compositions of steam, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide resulting from coelectrolysis. Predicted ompositions were compared to measurements obtained with a precision micro-channel gas chromatograph.

This document provides a summary of research and development activities in the System Interface and Support Systems area of the DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative in FY 2007. Project cost and performance data obtained from the PICS system, at least up through July 2007, are presented and analyzed. Brief summaries of accomplishments and references are provided. A mapping of System Interface and Support Systems technical issues versus the work performed is updated and presented. Lastly, near-term research plans are described, and recommendatioins are provided for additional research.

The Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) coupled to the High Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE) process is one of two reference integrated systems being investigated by the U.S. Department of Energy and Idaho National Laboratory for the production of hydrogen. In this concept the VHTR outlet temperature of 900 °C provides thermal energy and high efficiency electricity for the electrolysis of steam in the HTSE process. In the second reference system the Sulfur Iodine (SI) process is coupled to the VHTR to produce hydrogen thermochemically. In the HyPEP project we are investigating and characterizing these two reference systems with respect to production, operability, and safety performance criteria. Under production, plant configuration and working fluids are being studied for their effect on efficiency. Under operability, control strategies are being developed with the goal of maintaining equipment within operating limits while meeting changes in demand. Safety studies are to investigate plant response for equipment failures. Specific objectives in FY07 were (1) to develop HyPEP Beta and verification and validation (V&V) plan, (2) to perform steady state system integration, (3) to perform parametric studies with various working fluids and power conversion unit (PCU) configurations, (4) the study of design options such as pressure, …