Advanced fourth-generation nuclear reactors are on the brink of deployment in the United States, following the launch of an innovative fuel line into operation.
The United States is taking a significant step towards re-establishing itself as a global leader in nuclear energy with the completion of a new TRISO fuel production line by BWXT. The new line, situated at BWXT's Technology Centre in Lynchburg, Virginia, promises to revolutionise uranium nitride (UN) fuel production for Generation IV (Gen−IV) reactors.
The production line integrates advanced additive manufacturing and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) techniques, paving the way for the manufacture of Uranium Nitride TRISO fuel embedded in additively manufactured fuel forms. This innovative approach results in a nuclear fuel product with a higher uranium mass per unit volume than traditional TRISO compacts, offering improved cost-effectiveness and longer reactor lifespans, which could reduce overall system costs.
The CVI furnace, the final step required to make the production line operational, solidifies pre-forms filled with TRISO particles. These particles consist of carbon and silicon layers surrounding a uranium fuel kernel, which can be Uranium Nitride or Uranium Oxy Carbide depending on the application.
This development enables the loading of Uranium Nitride TRISO fuel into complex, additively manufactured fuel shapes, not limited to traditional fuel compacts. This flexibility supports diverse fuel geometries suited for advanced micro- and small modular reactors (SMRs).
The higher uranium density of the new TRISO fuel supports longer reactor operations and potentially lowers costs by optimising fuel utilisation and reactor lifetime. BWXT plans to ramp up production to meet increasing market demand, particularly for the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) and the BanR program.
BWXT is collaborating with Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to test and qualify this different form of TRISO fuel. The TRISO fuel consists of a uranium core encased in layers of carbon and silicon carbide (SiC).
Kate Kelly, president of BWXT Advanced Technologies, expressed her pride in the company's advanced capability to manufacture TRISO fuel in multiple forms and shapes at scale. She believes this capability will play an important role in enabling the SMR and advanced microreactor market to flourish.
The new TRISO fuel production line is part of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and is a significant step towards the DOE's efforts to re-establish the US as a global leader in nuclear energy. NASA is also exploring the use of a new kind of nuclear fuel, Americium-241, which could replace Plutonium-238 in the agency's longest space missions, expanding power options for missions to the outer solar system and beyond.
In addition, BWXT has other agreements related to its nuclear fuel and reactor business, including a cooperative agreement with a Tata Chemicals subsidiary to explore deploying up to eight BANR reactors at a site in Green River, Wyoming, in the early 2030s.
In July 2022, BWXT announced it was cooperating with the Wyoming Energy Authority to evaluate potential locations for a TRISO fuel fabrication facility. These developments underscore BWXT's commitment to advancing nuclear energy technology and positioning the US as a leader in advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing for Generation IV technologies.
- The integration of additive manufacturing and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) techniques in the new TRISO fuel production line promises to revolutionize uranium nitride (UN) fuel production for Generation IV (Gen−IV) reactors.
- BWXT's new TRISO fuel product, with a higher uranium mass per unit volume than traditional TRISO compacts, offers improved cost-effectiveness and longer reactor lifespans, which could reduce overall system costs.
- The collaboration between BWXT and Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory aims to test and qualify this different form of TRISO fuel, which consists of a uranium core encased in layers of carbon and silicon carbide (SiC).
- The US Department of Energy's (DOE) investment in advanced additive manufacturing, as demonstrated by the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, is a significant step towards re-establishing the US as a global leader in nuclear energy and innovation in the industry, particularly in financing and energy sectors.
