Solving a Longstanding Safeguards Challenge
In a major breakthrough for advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing and safeguards, Kairos Power has commissioned an automated inspection and laser-engraving system at its Manufacturing Development Campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This innovative system is designed to give every TRISO (Tristructural Isotropic) nuclear fuel pebble a permanent, unique identity, addressing a complex challenge in advanced reactor fuel management.
Overcoming Previous Technical Barriers
The development of this tracking system resolves a significant safeguards gap that had long hindered the deployment of pebble-bed reactors. A 2020 Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) report, commissioned by the Department of Energy (DOE), had previously deemed individual item accounting of fuel pebbles in pebble-bed reactors technically unfeasible at a commercial scale. Tracking tens of thousands of continuously circulating fuel pebbles was considered too complex compared to conventional fuel assemblies. Kairos Power’s new system proves that this hurdle can be overcome with modern automation.
By implementing redundant data matrix codes on every single pebble, Kairos Power is setting a new industry standard for nuclear material control and accounting in advanced pebble-bed reactor designs.
How the Automated System Works
The automated system processes annular TRISO pebbles through a rigorous three-stage inspection and marking process. First, it measures the diameter, geometry, and density of each pebble to ensure manufacturing quality. Second, it scans the exterior using high-precision lasers. Finally, it engraves 0.5 mm deep redundant data matrix codes using an infrared laser.
Enabling Digital Tracking for Safeguards
These deeply engraved codes enable individual digital tracking for nuclear material control and accounting. This capability is crucial for regulatory compliance and safeguards, ensuring that every piece of HALEU-containing TRISO fuel can be precisely accounted for throughout its lifecycle. As advanced reactors like the Kairos Molten Salt Reactor move toward commercialization, such fuel fabrication and tracking innovations are essential for gaining regulatory approval and public trust. This system not only secures the fuel supply chain but also demonstrates the viability of pebble-bed reactor technology on a global scale.
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