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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Texas A&M welcomes uranium conversion research
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has signed a research agreement with Quantum Leap Energy (QLE) “to advance and de-risk the commercial production of high-purity uranium hexafluoride (UF6).”
QLE is an Austin, Texas–based subsidiary of ASP Isotopes (ASPI), which is developing an isotope enrichment platform for applications in nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, and semiconductors. QLE specializes in the uranium conversion step of the nuclear fuel cycle—the conversion of yellowcake uranium concentrate (U3O8) into UF6 prior to enrichment.
Brian D. Wirth, Nicholas R. Brown, Massimiliano Fratoni, Elizabeth Sooby, Wen Jiang
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 200 | Number 9 | September 2026 | Pages 1975-1991
Review Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2025.2568256
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper provides a review of the technical accomplishments from a multiyear integrated research project (IRP) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Energy University Programs and discusses outstanding remaining questions that are currently being investigated. The focus of our completed IRP project was to develop and validate accurate and computationally efficient multiphysics tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel performance models for the generic fluoride salt–cooled high-temperature reactor (g-FHR) and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Our activities involved predicting the thermal-mechanical response of TRISO fuel compacts and failure probabilities and the radionuclide source term released from the fuel during anticipated reactor transients and design basis accident (DBA) conditions. The tools we utilized, including enhancements and developments, are relevant to normal operation, anticipated operational occurrences, and DBA conditions. Solid-fueled fluoride salt–cooled reactors benefit directly from years of research and development focused on TRISO fuel and fission research and development programs. Notably, our original work scope did not focus on the issue of palladium (Pd) attack, as this was not originally deemed to be an important fuel failure mechanism in the advanced gas reactor experimental database and the g-FHR operating conditions, but recent preliminary investigation of TRISO fuel performance for advanced, high-burnup reactor concepts has raised concern about this potential fuel failure mechanism. This paper will recap the characteristics and performance of TRISO fuel for advanced reactors and conclude by discussing our ongoing research, which has objectives to validate and apply our dynamic multiphysics models for TRISO fuel within microreactors, such as eVinci, and to develop a mechanistic model to assess the Pd corrosion of SiC and its impact on SiC layer failure probability. Our recent and ongoing activities also highlight sensitivity and uncertainty involving diverse designs and operational parameters of TRISO fuel in microreactor concepts to delineate the requisite safety margins and TRISO fuel failure probabilities leading to radionuclide release.