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Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
Lance J. Agee
Nuclear Technology | Volume 142 | Number 1 | April 2003 | Pages 3-9
Technical Paper | RETRAN | doi.org/10.13182/NT03-A3369
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The nuclear industry's current "vision" for 2020 is for growth in U.S. nuclear to a 23% share of generation in 2020. To support this vision, the Electric Power Research Institute's Nuclear Power Division has developed a strategic bridge plan. The major objectives of the plan are discussed. Of key importance is the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's proposed framework for risk-informed regulations. RETRAN-3D will undoubtedly be used by the industry to support Risk-Informed Regulation, specifically option 3.The reason that RETRAN-3D is the most logical tool to support Risk-Informed Regulation is that in January 2001 the NRC issued a safety evaluation report (SER) on RETRAN-3D. The significance of the SER to the RETRAN community is described, and a list of the most important SER conditions provided.Next, the new and unique applications of RETRAN-3D are referenced. Finally, discussion of the future direction of safety software indicates what the author feels is needed to adequately support both existing plant upgrades and future plant designs.
