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A thorough review of the Module Reduction and Monitoring (MRM) process was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of processing. The degree of reduction was calculated using the mass balance of oxygen contained in carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) removed from all fuel processed between January 2014 through August 2019. The plutonia was slightly reduced from O/Pu ratio of 2.0 to a range of 1.991 to 1.999. The review evaluated publications generated when MRM processing was developed and performed at the Mound Laboratory. A similar degree of reduction was measured at Mound in the 1982 paper authored by Ernie Johnson as well as MRM processing of IHS-60 and some Cassini-era fuel. The original 1982 paper documenting the reduction process reported a mass balance reduction to 1.9931 yet reported a total reduction to ~1.98 (Johnson 1990). The IHS-60 and Cassini reductions were calculated at 1.995 and 1.997 using the number of moles of CO and CO 2 removed as published in a clad pressurization investigation report (Merten, et all 1995). MRM process changes are recommended to improve the accuracy of the CO partial pressure calcualtion.

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An AMTEC (Alkali-Metal Thermal-to-Electric Conversion) cell performance analysis model described by Hendricks et al. (1998) has been correlated with experimental data by comparing its predictions for Beta” alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) and evaporator temperatures, voltage, power output, and conversion efficiency with experimental measurements on two versions of a PX-6 AMTEC cell. The critical features of this AMTEC cell model, the PX-6 experimental set up and testing, and the model correlation PX-6 test data are discussed in this work. Model prediction/test data comparisons are presented across a wide range of current-voltage conditions and hot side temperatures for two significantly different cell lengths. Cell model predictions demonstrate good agreement with experimental PX-6 test data in simultaneously predicting BASE tube and evaporator temperatures, the onset of sodium (Na) condensation in the BASE tubes, current-voltage characteristics, and power output in high current ranges (i.e., > 1.5 A). The model also has demonstrated good capability to predict cell conversion efficiency at high currents when Na is not condensing in the BASE tubes. The good model prediction/test data comparisons have demonstrated the progress in developing this cell performance model and increased confidence in its technical foundations, algorithm implementation, and capability to predict AMTEC cell performance. The AMTEC cell model’s capability to simultaneously predict many critical cell performance parameters across a wide range of hot side temperatures, at high current conditions, and different cell lengths demonstrates the progress that has been made in its development. It has demonstrated good predictive capability, utility, and flexibility as a performance design and analysis tool for sophisticated AMTEC cell design. Testing limitations prevented testing at low current levels (i.e., < 1.5 A), so future experimental validation studies should focus on correlating model predictions at low currents.