Description and characterization of HBWR Series H-1 test rods

The as-built characterization results are presented for the HBWR Series H-1 test rods to be irradiated as part of the Fuel Performance Improvement Program (FPIP). The irradiation of these rods is to be conducted in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR). Series H-1 consists of twelve rods for irradiation and six spares. Rod design types include (1) a reference dished pellet design, (2) an annular pellet design, (3) an annular pellet design combined with graphite-coated cladding, and (4) a packed-particle (vipac) design. The report, which describes the fabrication and detailed characterization results for the rods, is divided into four major sections: (1) experiment description, (2) process development required to fabricate the test rods, (3) methods and procedures used to fabricate and characterize the rods, and (4) a summary of the characterization results.