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The facility now known as the Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) facility was originally created as a laboratory for plutonium studies. With the increased interest in graphite for high temperature gas cooled reactors in the 1960’s, the emphasis of this laboratory shifted to thermophysical property measurement of graphite irradiated at various US fission reactors. The irradiated graphite research effort decreased in the 1980’s due to dwindling funding. Over the past ten years, several programs within the division have increased their emphasis on the basics of radiation effects and the development of so-called “low activation” materials. As a result of this redirection, the materials to be studied were of lower radiological threat, allowing materials to be evaluated in a less restrictive environment than the hot-cells typically used for the previous nuclear programs. For this reason the LAMDA facility became a primary facility for materials evaluation. The LAMDA facility provides an opportunity for safe, economically efficient and thorough examination of materials.
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LAMDA Facility Building 4508 |
The LAMDA facility is a multipurpose laboratory for evaluation of materials with low radiological threat. This threat is defined both by the potential for absorbed dose and the possibility of radiological contamination. All materials to be observed in the facility are accepted from one of the ORNL hot-cells (predominantly 3025E, 3525, and 3047), with the radiological hazards previously identified. Once in the facility they undergo a further radiological screening and decontamination. At this point the materials are cataloged and stored in the lead-lined storage vault within the facility. Research to be conducted on materials in this facility is proposed and submitted as a work package on the Materials Science & Technology Division Web-Server. The LAMDA facility manager (Jeremy Busby) reviews the work package, identifies any potential problems with the conduct of work, ensures through interaction with the Health Physics, ES&H organizations, and current ORNL procedures that the proposed work is appropriate for the facility, and schedules the work and personnel to carry out the work package.
The most commonly conducted work includes mechanical testing, optical and scanning electron microscopy, densitometry, metallography, thermal and electrical conductivity. A list of equipment is provided below. New or infrequently performed activities are possible with the appropriate planning and interface with health physics and the ES&H organization. Programs utilizing the LAMDA Facility The LAMDA facility is utilized by several programs within the division, with primary emphasis on the evaluation of irradiated materials. Current programs actively using the LAMDA facility include the Naval Reactor advanced structural materials program, US Fusion Materials Sciences, US DOE-JAERI fusion materials collaboration, US-Japan Jupiter-II fusion materials collaboration, several NERI projects, and the NE-Generation IV program. |
