Operating procedure for SiC defect detection: Data support document

The feasibility of the Hg Intrusion QC method for measuring SiC coating defects for the MHTGR was conducted as a potential improvement for the Burn/Leach (B/L) QC method currently used. The purpose for evaluating the Hg Intrusion QC method as an alternative method was to determine if B/L QC method underestimated SiC coating defects. Some evidence in work conducted earlier, indicated that TRISO-coated fuel particles with low SiC coating defects measured by the B/L QC method showed higher releases of metallic fission products. These data indicated that the SiC coating defect fractions were higher than the B/L measured data indicated. Sample sizes used in the current study were too small to conclusively demonstrate that the B/L QC method under estimate SiC coating defects. However, observations made during this study indicated a need for an additional QC method to the B/L QC method to measure SiC coating defects for the higher quality MHTGR fuels. The B/L QC method is the best method for measuring SiC coating defects with missing SiC layers or broken SiC coatings (gross SiC defects). However, SiC coating defects with microcracks and other SiC defects not detected by the B/L method may contribute to the release of metallic fission products in-service. For these type of SiC coating defects, the Hg Intrusion QC method investigated in this study is feasible, but particle sample size should be increased to a much larger sample size (100,000 particles per test) for the MHTGR. 7 refs., 5 figs., 9 tabs