ML20050P102
| ML20050P102 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/25/2020 |
| From: | NRC/OCM |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20002B811 | List: |
| References | |
| M200225 | |
| Download: ML20050P102 (11) | |
Text
U.S. Department of Energys Accident Tolerant Fuel Program Andrew Griffith Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain Office of Nuclear Energy U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Briefing on Accident Tolerant Fuel February 25, 2020
energy.gov/ne 2
- Background and History
- Our Industrial Team, National Laboratories, Universities, and International Collaborators
- Timeline for the Near-Term Coated Clad Concept (courtesy of NEI)
- Final Observations Outline
energy.gov/ne 3
Congressional Request Post Fukushima, 2012 Following the accident at Fukushima, Congress requested the Department to start developing fuel with enhanced accident tolerance that can be used in existing light water reactors.
The Committee...urges that special technical emphasis and funding priority be given to activities aimed at the development and near-term qualification of melt-down resistant, accident-tolerant nuclear fuels that would enhance the safety of present and future generations of light water reactors (Senate Appropriations Committee Report for FY 2012, S. 112-75)
energy.gov/ne 4
Defining Accident Tolerant Fuel 4
Fuels with enhanced accident tolerance are those that, in comparison with the standard UO2 - Zr system, can tolerate loss of active cooling in the core for a considerably longer time period (depending on the LWR system and accident scenario) while maintaining or improving the fuel performance during normal operations.
Fuels with enhanced accident tolerance are those that, in comparison with the standard UO2 - Zr system, can tolerate loss of active cooling in the core for a considerably longer time period (depending on the LWR system and accident scenario) while maintaining or improving the fuel performance during normal operations.
energy.gov/ne 5
The Department of Energy supports all elements of the accident tolerant fuel program and facilitates coordination among program participants.
Fuel vendor teams National laboratories Reactor owner/operators Universities International collaborations Participating in independent regulatory oversight role:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Program Participants
energy.gov/ne 6
Our Team - Industrial Accident Tolerant Fuel Concepts Under Development Framatome Cr-coated M5 cladding Doped UO2 for improved thermal conductivity and performance SiC cladding General Electric Coated Zr cladding Doped UO2 Iron-based cladding (FeCrAl)
ODS variants for improved strength Westinghouse Cr-coated Zirlo cladding Doped UO2 SiC cladding High uranium density fuel
energy.gov/ne 7
Our Team: The National Laboratories Test Facilities Examination Facilities High Flux Isotope Reactor Severe Accident Test Station Advanced Test Reactor Transient Reactor Test Facility Hot Fuel Examination Facility Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory Thermal Property Cell within IMCL
energy.gov/ne 8
Universities MIT Integrated Research Project (2016-2018)
Data Gaps and Failure Modes Critical Heat Flux (2017)
Four projects Silicon Carbide Cladding (2018)
Six projects Coated Cladding: Advanced NDE, Radiation effects in TREAT (2019)
Two projects International Collaborations OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel Working Group on Fuel Safety Framework for Irradiation Experiments (FIDES)
International Atomic Energy Agency Coordinated Research Project on Accident Tolerant Fuels for Light Water Reactors Our Team: Universities and International Collaborations
energy.gov/ne 9
Timeline for the Near Term Coated Clad Concept 2018 - 2026
energy.gov/ne 10
- We have a great team with impressive participants:
Industry, National Laboratories, Utility Representatives EPRI and the NEI
- All parties recognize the important, independent regulatory role of the NRC
- Significant progress has been made and the program is well on the road to meeting the spirit of the Congressional 2012 request
- However, we have significant future challenges:
- Maintain the momentum with budget uncertainties
- Effecting integration of High Burnup & Enrichment
- Defining a post 2025 commercialization related conclusion Final Observations
energy.gov/ne 11