Westinghouse Electric Company and its partners are adopting a two-phase approach to accident tolerant fuels (ATF) development, as Peng Xu, Robert L. Oelrich, Sumit Ray, Christian Deck and Christina Back explain. The zirconium-clad fuel currently in use as the industry standard for light water reactors (LWRs) has been safe and reliable in normal and accident conditions, but it has an exothermic reaction to steam when exposed to the high temperatures experienced in ‘beyond design basis’ accidents. This is why, in 2012, the US Congress directed the US Department of Energy (DOE) to give priority to developing enhanced fuels and cladding, leading to R&D investment in accident tolerant nuclear fuels (ATF) at US DOE laboratories, in universities, and in the nuclear industry.
Compelo 19th Sept 2018 read more »