Back to Search Start Over

Metal Fuel Development and Verification for Prototype Generation IV Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor

Authors :
Jin Sik Cheon
Jeong-Yong Park
Chan Bock Lee
Sung Ho Kim
Hyung-Kook Joo
Source :
Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Vol 48, Iss 5, Pp 1096-1108 (2016)
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 2016.

Abstract

Metal fuel is being developed for the prototype generation-IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR) to be built by 2028. U–Zr fuel is a driver for the initial core of the PGSFR, and U–transuranics (TRU)–Zr fuel will gradually replace U–Zr fuel through its qualification in the PGSFR. Based on the vast worldwide experiences of U–Zr fuel, work on U–Zr fuel is focused on fuel design, fabrication of fuel components, and fuel verification tests. U–TRU–Zr fuel uses TRU recovered through pyroelectrochemical processing of spent PWR (pressurized water reactor) fuels, which contains highly radioactive minor actinides and chemically active lanthanide or rare earth elements as carryover impurities. An advanced fuel slug casting system, which can prevent vaporization of volatile elements through a control of the atmospheric pressure of the casting chamber and also deal with chemically active lanthanide elements using protective coatings in the casting crucible, was developed. Fuel cladding of the ferritic–martensitic steel FC92, which has higher mechanical strength at a high temperature than conventional HT9 cladding, was developed and fabricated, and is being irradiated in the fast reactor.

Details

ISSN :
17385733
Volume :
48
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Nuclear Engineering and Technology
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....373facf5790d0e388933cced9d0ff65a