TRISO fuel made in Canada for first time

[Oscar]

TRISO fuel made in Canada for first time

[ https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Arti ... first-time ]

14 April 2021

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has fabricated proprietary advanced fuel pellets for Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's (USNC) Micro Modular Reactor (MMR). This is the first time that a TRISO-based nuclear fuel has been manufactured in Canada.

CNL's project to produce fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel pellets has been funded through the Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI), a programme launched in 2019 by CNL to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada by enabling research and development, and to give SMR vendors access to the laboratory's expertise to help advance the development and commercialisation of their technologies.

"The successful fabrication of this innovative fuel design represents a major milestone for SMR research here in Canada, and demonstrates that CNL has the necessary expertise and capabilities to help move these advanced fuels from concept to reality," CNL President and CEO Joe McBrearty said.

MORE . . . .

[Oscar]

WHAT IS TRISO FUEL?

[ https://www.ccnr.org/SMR-Tracker_2021.pdf ]

(See: GRAPHICS)

The eVinci reactor (Westinghouse) considered by SRC (Saskatchewan Research Council) would use 19.75% enriched uranium fuel in the form of TRISO — tiny kernels of uranium that are triply-coated and intended to contain all fission products including the fission gases (20 % of the initial fission products are gases).

Any uranium enriched to 20% or more is called HEU (highly enriched uranium) and is considered weapons-usable. Such uranium cannot be used in commercial reactors in Europe or North America.

Gordon Edwards, President
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
http://www.ccnr.org