Westinghouse gaat EnCore proefstaven brandstofleidingen toepassen in Exelon Generation’s Byron Unit 2
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Westinghouse maakt vandaag bekend dat het in de lente van 2019 loden proefstaven brandstofleidingen die de accident-tolerante brandstofoplossing EnCore TM Fuel bevatten, gaat toepassen in Exelon Generation’s Byron Unit 2.
De brandstofsamenstelling bevat chromium-coated zirconium leidingen gevuld met uranium silicide pellets. Dat maakt EnCore Fuel anders dan andere accident-tolerante brandstofsamenstellingen vanwege de hogere dichtheid en hogere thermische geleidbaarheid van de pellets.
“Accident-tolerante brandstof is een game-changer voor de nucleare sector”, zegt Ken Peterson, vice-president van Nuclear Fuels for Exelon Generation. “Het heef de potentie om de veiligheid aanzienlijk te verbeteren, terwijl de kosten worden verlaagd en de brandstofefficiëntie juist wordt verhoogd.”
Westinghouse’s EnCore Fuel Lead Test Rods to Be Inserted in Exelon Generation’s Byron Unit 2
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Westinghouse today announced that it will load fuel assemblies containing lead test rods of its accident tolerant fuel solution, EnCore
TM Fuel, in Exelon Generation’s Byron Unit 2 in spring of 2019. The fuel assemblies will contain chromium-coated zirconium fuel rods loaded with uranium silicide pellets, which set EnCore Fuel apart from other accident-tolerant fuel solutions because of the pellets’ higher density and higher thermal conductivity.
“Accident tolerant fuel is a game-changer for the nuclear industry,” said Ken Peterson, vice president of Nuclear Fuels for Exelon Generation. “It has the potential to greatly enhance safety while reducing costs and enhancing fuel efficiency.”
Delivered in two phases, the initial EnCore Fuel product phase is comprised of the chromium-coated cladding containing uranium silicide pellets. The reduced oxidation and hydrogen pickup of the coated cladding during normal operation (250° – 350°C) is intended to prolong cladding life, provide enhanced resistance to wear and increase margins.
The second phase of EnCore Fuel features uranium silicide pellets and silicon carbide (SiC) composite cladding, and is under development by Westinghouse with General Atomics. SiC composite cladding is intended to offer significant safety benefits in beyond-design-basis accident scenarios, enabled by its extremely high melting point (2800ºC or higher). It reacts 10,000 times slower with water and steam than zirconium, resulting in minimal generation of heat and hydrogen in beyond-design-basis accident scenarios.
“As the largest global supplier of nuclear fuel, we have utilized our design knowledge and experience in manufacturing every type of commercial nuclear fuel, to develop our EnCore Fuel product,” said Michele DeWitt, Westinghouse senior vice president, Nuclear Fuel. “Westinghouse is also working to establish a credible licensing basis that will allow utilities to realize the full benefits of EnCore Fuel.”
Westinghouse and its network of partners are developing EnCore Fuel as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Accident Tolerant Fuel Program. Westinghouse has received awards totaling more than $30 million for the development of EnCore Fuel.
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Contacts
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Communications, +1 412-374-4744
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