Publications

Sep, 2026

Journal

Review and analysis of the high-burnup fuel fragmentation and dispersal data: Comparing LOCA test programs

A significant amount of data have been collected on high-burnup fuel fragmentation and dispersal; however, the data from various programs have been analyzed using different approaches. These approaches have led to differing observations, which regulators worldwide may interpret as uncertainties, and therefore, the regulators have to incorporate this uncertain transposabili…

Sep, 2026

Journal

Quantifying biases and limitations of two-dimensional DIC during LOCA burst testing of fuel cladding to support deployment in hot cell environments

Accurately characterizing nuclear fuel cladding deformation under postulated loss-of-coolant (LOCA) conditions is essential for refining reactor safety limits and qualifying accident tolerant fuel (ATF). Nondestructive hot-cell techniques are particularly valuable for providing real-time measurements of scarce irradiated specimens without compromising integrity. Digital im…

Sep, 2026

Journal

Effect of spacer grids on high-burnup fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal

Increasing the fuel burnup limit in light-water reactors to improve fuel cycle economics requires a strong technical foundation. Experimental observations from the Halden and Studsvik programs have revealed severe fuel fragmentation during loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions, highlighting the need for additional technical evaluation. Consequently, further LOCA test…

Jul, 2026

ORNL Report

Building a High-Throughput MiniFuel PIE Pipeline for HFIR-Based Advanced Fuel Evaluation

May, 2026

ORNL Report

Long-Length SiC/SiC Tube Irradiation Experiment at LWR Temperatures Inserted into HFIR

May, 2026

ORNL Report

M3UF-26OR020608012 WIRE-21 PIE Report (E. Shipulski)

May, 2026

Journal

Estimation of post-burst vibration-induced fuel dispersal thresholds following LOCA-simulant testing

The nuclear industry intends to increase burnup past the regulatory limit of 62 GWd/MTU, and to be successful, the dispersal behavior of fragmented high-burnup fuel during loss-of-coolant accidents must be better understood. Part of this behavior is fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal. This work reports on testing concerning the dispersal of fuel from rods follow…

Apr, 2026

Journal

ROADRUNNER uranium nitride MiniFuel: Experimental design, fabrication and pre-irradiation baseline characterization for accelerated burnup testing

Uranium Nitride (UN) is considered as a possible driver fuel for a variety of advanced reactor designs; however, its qualification remains limited by the lack of consistent, high-quality irradiation performance data. To address this gap, the ROADRUNNER (Research On ADvancing the peRformance of UraNium Nitrides in Extreme enviRonments) irradiation campaign leveraging the Mi…

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

Low-Pressure and Fluidized-Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition of PyC and ZrC for Space Nuclear Propulsion

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

Parallel Irradiation Testing to Support Accelerated Down-Selection of Advanced Fuels

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

FUEL FRAGMENT DISPERSAL DURING A POSTBURST VIBRATION EVENT

Mar, 2026

Conference Paper

Irradiation Vehicles for Evaluating SiC/SiC Cladding Bowing Under Neutron Flux Gradients

Silicon carbide fiber–reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composites are among the most promising candidates for long term accident-tolerant nuclear fuel cladding. A key challenge related to their deployment is lateral bowing caused by differential radiation-induced swelling under dose or temperature gradients, which could obstruct coolant flow or interfere with co…