The DRIFT series of experiments at Idaho National Laboratory’s TREAT transient testing facility explored pellet cracking behavior in ceramic UO2 fuel pellets at LWR-relevant conditions to create data to support modeling and simulation of fuel performance. This session will march through the irradiation testing process to highlight the steps required to turn a hypothesis into an irradiation test that can produce usable data. The DRIFT-UO2 experiment at TREAT is based on the IRP-16-10905 - Heng Ben (PITT), Mary Lou Dunzig-Gougar (ISU), “Transient Reactor (TREAT) Experiments to Validate MBM Fuel Performance Simulations” https://neup.inl.gov/SiteAssets/FY%202016%20Abstracts/IRP/IRP-16-10905_TechnicalAbstract_2016CFAAbstract10905.pdf Benjamin Spencer, et al., “Dry in-pile fracture test (DRIFT) for separate-effects validation of ceramic fuel fracture models,” Journal of Nuclear Materials, 568 (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153816

Papers

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Structure and Process of Managing the UO2 Dry In-Pile Fracture Test Irradiation Experiment

3:15–3:35PM EDT

Leigh A. Astle (INL), Trevor J. Smuin (INL)

Paper

Neutronics Programmatic and Safety Evaluation of the DRIFT Experiment in TREAT

3:35–3:55PM EDT

Connie M. Hill (INL)

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Research Objectives and Findings from the DRIFT Experiments

3:55–4:15PM EDT

Benjamin Spencer (INL), Nicolas E. Woolstenhulme (INL), Jason L. Schulthess (INL), Austin D. Fleming (INL)

Paper

Experiment Safety Analysis Process for the DRIFT Irradiation Experiment at TREAT

4:15–4:35PM EDT

Sterling S. Morrill (INL)

Paper