Search

The purpose of the program was to validate the resource dependability of fuel rods with mixed uranium-plutonium nitride fuel, the consistency of the reproduction of characteristics and quality required for this pilot technology for manufacturing pellets, fuel rods and experimental fuel assemblies for testing in the BOR-60 and BN-600 reactors, as well as optimization, in terms of the results of reactor testing, of the design and manufacturing technology of fuel rods for BN-1200 and BREST-OD-300. The article presents key results of the investigations: methods, codes, and criteria have been developed to validate the performance of fuel rods with nitride fuel, the necessary set of pre-reactor properties of mixed nitride fuel and cladding materials has been obtained, a cycle of reactor tests of experimental fuel rods in BOR-60 and BN-600 has been completed, the maximum fuel burnup 9% h.a., damaging dose 107.6 dpa, technical designs of fuel rods for initial loading have been developed, and the manufacturing technology for fuel and fuel rods has been developed and optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactor tests in BN-600 and post-reactor studies of experimental FA of fuel rods with mixed nitride fuel and different cladding are being conducted in Project Breakthrough. In the present article, the irradiation parameters of fuel rods with mixed nitride fuel and cladding made from ChS68-ID c.d. austenitic steel are presented: maximum linear power density 38.3 kW/m, maximum fuel burnup 7.5% h.a., and maximum damage dose 73.6 dpa. No depressurization of the fuel elements was recorded. The results of post-reactor examination (PIE) of the irradiated fuel rods are presented – swelling, gas release from fuel, and mechanical and corrosion characteristics of the cladding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]