Analysis of fission gas release-to-birth ratio data from the AGR irradiations

A series of advanced gas reactor (AGR) irradiation tests is being conducted in the advanced test reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in support of development and qualification of tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel used in the High temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). Each AGR test consists of multiple independent capsules containing fuel compacts placed in a graphite cylinder shrouded by a steel shell. These capsules are instrumented with thermocouples (TC) embedded in the graphite enabling temperature control. For AGR-1, the first US irradiation of modern TRISO fuel completed in 2009, there were no particle failures detected. For AGR-2, a few exposed kernels existed in the fuel compacts based upon quality control data. For the AGR-3/4 experiment, particle failures in all capsules were expected because of the use of designed-to-fail (DTF) fuel particles whose kernels are identical to the driver fuel kernels and whose coatings are designed to fail under irradiation. The release-rate-to-birth-rate ratio (R/B) for each of krypton and xenon isotopes is calculated from release rates measured by the germanium detectors used in the AGR fission product monitoring (FPM) system installed downstream from each irradiated capsule. Birth rates are calculated based on the fission power in the experiment and fission product generation models. Thus, this R/B is a measure of the ability of fuel particle coating layers and compact matrix to retain fission gas atoms preventing their release into the sweep gas flow. The major factors that govern gaseous diffusion and release processes are found to be fuel material diffusion coefficient, temperature, and isotopic decay constant. To compare the release behavior among the AGR capsules and historic experiments, the R/B per failed particle is used. HTGR designers use this parameter in their fission product behavior models. For the U.S. TRISO fuel, a regression analysis is performed to establish functional relationships between R/B per failed particle of selected noble gas isotopes and temperature. The effect of isotopic half-life is also obtained from the data. To reduce measurement uncertainty of the release rate, the krypton and xenon isotopes selected for regression analysis have a short enough half-life to achieve equilibrium in the capsule, but are also long enough to provide a measurable signal in the FPM detector. The impact of uncertainty of the estimated number of failed particles in each capsule is also examined. This study found that R/B values for AGR test fuel are comparable to R/B obtained in historic tests. The correlation with isotopic half-life is very stable with time indicating no strong influence of burnup on release. The correlation can be used by reactor designers to estimate fission gas release from postulated failed fuel in HTGR cores.