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Fuel rods manufactured by GE Vernova-led JV to be evaluated at PNNL
High burnup fuel rods, manufactured by Global Nuclear Fuel have been delivered to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for examination after commercial operation.
www.gevernova.com
The shipment of GNF2 rods arrives at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Radiochemical Processing Laboratory. Image credit: PNNL
High burnup fuel rods, manufactured by Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF, a GE Vernova-led joint venture with Hitachi, Ltd.) have been delivered to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for examination after commercial operation.
The shipment contained rods from GNF2 assemblies that were initially loaded into a U.S. nuclear power plant for two cycles of operation. In close coordination with the plant operator, the assemblies were redesignated as high burnup lead use assemblies through GNF’s U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved licensing process and then reloaded for an additional cycle to achieve operation in the reactor beyond current NRC licensing limits. PNNL is analyzing the rods to determine the impact of the additional cycles on the fuel and cladding performance.
The fuel rods were manufactured at GNF’s Wilmington, NC facility. Evaluation of the rods will help provide GNF and DOE with valuable information about high burnup fuel, a key goal of DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) program.
High burnup fuel is expected to improve fuel cycle economics and further support power uprates for commercial nuclear power plants by enabling fuel to remain in the reactor core for longer periods of time while also operating at higher efficiency.
The lid of the shipping container is removed to access the GNF2 rods at PNNL for examination in a heavily shielded laboratory called a hot cell. Image credit: PNNL
It is anticipated that the need for fewer bundles over time will enhance nuclear safety and reduce the spent fuel generated for long-term storage. The post-irradiation fuel rod examinations to be performed by PNNL support GNF’s development, engineering and licensing efforts to ensure the continued safe and reliable performance of fuel under expanded operating conditions.
The fuel shipped to PNNL is the same design that will be used in the initial core designs of the GVH BWRX-300 small modular reactor. The data obtained through this program will be used to support future potential economic improvements in BWRX-300 fuel cycle designs, including extending fuel cycle lengths to 36 to 48 months.
High burnup fuel rods, manufactured by Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF, a GE Vernova-led joint venture with Hitachi, Ltd.) have been delivered to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for examination after commercial operation.
The shipment contained rods from GNF2 assemblies that were initially loaded into a U.S. nuclear power plant for two cycles of operation. In close coordination with the plant operator, the assemblies were redesignated as high burnup lead use assemblies through GNF’s U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved licensing process and then reloaded for an additional cycle to achieve operation in the reactor beyond current NRC licensing limits. PNNL is analyzing the rods to determine the impact of the additional cycles on the fuel and cladding performance.
The fuel rods were manufactured at GNF’s Wilmington, NC facility. Evaluation of the rods will help provide GNF and DOE with valuable information about high burnup fuel, a key goal of DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) program.
High burnup fuel is expected to improve fuel cycle economics and further support power uprates for commercial nuclear power plants by enabling fuel to remain in the reactor core for longer periods of time while also operating at higher efficiency.
The lid of the shipping container is removed to access the GNF2 rods at PNNL for examination in a heavily shielded laboratory called a hot cell. Image credit: PNNL
It is anticipated that the need for fewer bundles over time will enhance nuclear safety and reduce the spent fuel generated for long-term storage. The post-irradiation fuel rod examinations to be performed by PNNL support GNF’s development, engineering and licensing efforts to ensure the continued safe and reliable performance of fuel under expanded operating conditions.
The fuel shipped to PNNL is the same design that will be used in the initial core designs of the GVH BWRX-300 small modular reactor. The data obtained through this program will be used to support future potential economic improvements in BWRX-300 fuel cycle designs, including extending fuel cycle lengths to 36 to 48 months.
www.gevernova.com
