Irradiation testing of enhanced uranium oxide fuels
Journal article, 2019
Enhanced uranium oxide fuel types are being tested in the Halden Research Reactor in Norway with the aim is to assess the effect that these enhancements have on fuel performance. Fuel temperatures, rod pressures and dimensional changes are being monitored online and an extensive post-irradiation examination programme is planned. Preliminary data show that fuel centerline temperatures can be lowered by addition of ThO2 to the fuel matrix, or by incorporating Cr or SiO2-TiO2 as a network structure within the fuel. In parallel, two types of cladding coatings are tested in order to investigate their in-core properties. No abnormal behaviour has been noted during the first 100 days of irradiation.
Test irradiation
Cladding coating
Thorium
Halden reactor
Additives
Uranium oxide fuel
Author
Klara L Insulander Björk
Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic and Plasma Physics
Thor Energy
J. F. Kelly
Thor Energy
C. Vitanza
Thor Energy
S. S. Drera
Thor Energy
Scott Holcombe
Institutt for energiteknikk
T. Tverberg
Institutt for energiteknikk
H. Tuomisto
Fortum Corporation
J. Wright
Westinghouse Electric Company
Mark Sarsfield
National Nuclear Laboratory
Trevor Blench
Steenkampskraal Thorium Limited
Jae Ho Yang
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
Hyun Gil Kim
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
Dong Joo Kim
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
Cheuk Wah Lau
Thor Energy
Annals of Nuclear Energy
0306-4549 (ISSN) 1873-2100 (eISSN)
Vol. 125 99-106Subject Categories
Energy Engineering
Other Chemical Engineering
Other Materials Engineering
DOI
10.1016/j.anucene.2018.10.050