Department of Energy FY 2012 Congressional ... - The FIRE Place

(dollars in thousands)
FY 2010
Actual FY 2011 FY 2012
Approp Request Request
Materials Development and Verification 106,100 109,600 117,600
To extend the lifetime of reactors, reduce costs, and achieve greater power capabilities, new
materials must be developed and qualified for use in the harsh reactor environment. Existing or
new materials selected for current or future advanced designs must also be economical to acquire
and feasible to manufacture. Manufacturing processes must be developed to ensure the materials
can be cost effectively produced to stringent specifications in appropriate quantities. Material
test specimens are fabricated and rigorously tested for desired characteristics. Irradiation testing
and quality control techniques are crucial to this qualification process. Materials exhibiting the
desired characteristics warranting further evaluation are committed to long-term tests and
verification in prototype cores and test reactors. Materials Development and Verification work is
concentrated in the following areas: (1) Irradiation Testing and Evaluation, (2) Core and Reactor
Materials Development, (3) Plant and Component Materials Development, and (4) Materials
Evaluation, Testing and Verification.
Irradiation Testing and Evaluation: This work involves fabricating, testing and examining
high integrity nuclear fuel, poison, cladding and structural materials for affordable advanced
naval reactor cores. The generated data is used to develop materials capable of maintaining their
structural and mechanical integrity over long periods of time in an operating reactor
environment. Funding has been identified in the estimated amount of $32,700,000 to support
this work in FY 2012, including the following:
• Design and procure hardware, and provide analytical models and predictions for the
development of sound test plans to support irradiation test qualification of high integrity core
and plant materials.
• Continue to analyze methods and hardware to irradiate and qualify new materials and
manufacturing methods for Pressurized Water Reactor designs.
• Continue destructive and non-destructive testing and evaluation of irradiated fuel, poison, and
cladding in support of development and improvement of core, plant and steam generator
materials.
• Continue to examine Pressurized Water Reactor fuel and cladding performance incorporating
results into predictive tools.
• Deliver test assemblies for irradiation testing at the Advanced Test Reactor.
• Support the Expended Core Facility in efforts to provide the technical work documents,
engineering follow and skilled labor to handle tests and examine specimens.
• Design and develop specialized irradiated material testing equipment.
• Maintain the regulatory, compliance, and maintenance requirements of the Radioactive
Materials Laboratory facility.
Naval Reactors/
Operations and Maintenance
Page 451
FY 2012 Congressional Budget