Kairos Power Introduces Automated Inspection System to Enhance Quality Control of Nuclear Fuel Pellets

Kairos Power has activated an automated inspection and laser marking system specifically designed for its nuclear fuel spherical pellets, adding new quality control capabilities for the company's upcoming reactor hardware tests and the future deployment of the Hermes 2 demonstration plant. This custom-built system operates at the Manufacturing Development Facility located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The system can measure each fuel pellet according to manufacturing specifications, record its characteristics, and engrave a unique tracking code on each pellet. Kairos Power aims to inspect 70,000 pellets for the upcoming test platform, including its second Engineering Test Unit (ETU).

Functions of the Automated Inspection System

The company stated that the same inspection and tracking capabilities will support the future Hermes 2 plant located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This milestone addresses the practical challenges faced in developing a nuclear reactor based on spherical pellets: maintaining consistent manufacturing quality during testing and operation while tracking each fuel component.

Kairos Power is developing fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor technology, which utilizes spherical fuel components, commonly referred to as pellets. Before the pellets enter the test platform or are prepared for transport, the new automated production line performs a series of quality checks. The system measures each pellet's diameter, geometry, and density in real-time to confirm compliance with manufacturing specifications. High-precision lasers then scan the external surface of the pellets at a micron level to assess their structural integrity. Automating these checks allows the company to process the pellets while collecting standardized measurements, providing individual data for each record.

This data will help engineers identify manufacturing variations and improve subsequent production activities.

The system no longer relies solely on batch records but links inspection results to each pellet, providing more detailed information about the fuel components entering testing. After inspection, each pellet moves to an infrared laser engraving station. The system engraves three redundant data matrix codes on the graphite surface, similar to QR codes, with a marking depth of about half a millimeter, according to company data. Each code connects the pellet to individual records containing its size, density measurements, product batch, and inspection status. Additional markings around the codes enable optical systems to identify different types of pellets, even if the data matrix is damaged.

The Importance of Traceability

This traceability will become increasingly important as Kairos Power expands its fuel development and testing activities.

By linking physical fuel components with manufacturing and inspection data, engineers can track each pellet's status throughout downstream processing and testing. The company also anticipates that these markings will help differentiate between different types of pellets, improve fuel consumption measurements, and enhance material accountability during reactor operation. Kirby Boone, Senior Engineer of Kairos Power's fuel team, stated, "By automating quality control and laser engraving processes in-house, we are establishing foundational capabilities and traceability to support fuel development."

Boone added that the system will generate data to guide future manufacturing and processing systems from Hermes 2 to the company's planned commercial fleet.

Currently, the automated production line is processing pellets for an upcoming hardware demonstration, with a near-term goal of inspecting 70,000 fuel components for the test platform, including the second ETU. The system is also designed to support Hermes 2, the demonstration plant the company plans to build in Oak Ridge. Kairos Power is developing inspection infrastructure in-house to refine manufacturing processes based on lessons learned from each production activity and prepare for large-scale fuel production.

Impact of the Automated Inspection System on Nuclear Fuel Development

Kairos Power's automated inspection system not only enhances the quality control capabilities of nuclear fuel but also lays the groundwork for future fuel development. Through precise measurements and tracking, the system can instantly identify variations in the manufacturing process, which is crucial for maintaining production quality. As nuclear technology advances, particularly with the promotion of high-temperature reactor technology, this traceability will become a key factor in ensuring safety and efficiency. It not only aids in improving fuel consumption measurements but also strengthens material accountability during reactor operation, which is significant for the development of the entire industry.