b'Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) Phase IIGeneral ElectricDevelopment of LWR Fuels with Enhanced Accident TolerancePrincipal Investigator: Raul B. Rebak, GE Research, Schenectady, NYTeam Members/ Collaborators: Russ Fawcett, Global Nuclear Fuels; Evan Dolley, GE Research; Andy Nelson, ORNL;Ed Mai, INL; Kenneth McClellan, LANLoperate. The newer family of ATF fuels GE is on track on obtaining actual commercial reactorwill also add benefits such as; (a) plant irradiation data on two ATF concepts includingFuel cycle economics (i.e. increased ARMOR coated zirconium alloy and IronClad monolithicburnup), (b) Increased fuel reliability, clad fueled rods. and (c) Plant operational flexibility (for example using power reactors for peak demands of electricity). GE is working in fuel concepts that are for near term A s fuel vendors, Generalimplementation and for longer term Electric (GE) includingdevelopment (advanced concepts). The GE Research, GE Hitachifuel developments include cladding Nuclear Energy, and Global Nuclearcomponents, fuel components, and Fuel (GNF) and their partners thechannels for boiling water reactors reactor owners Southern Nuclear and(BWR) applications. For cladding, GE Exelon Generation plus Oak Ridgeis developing the ARMOR coating for National Laboratory (ORNL), IdahoZircaloy-2 tubing which will provide National Laboratory (INL), and Losoutstanding resistance to fretting Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)under normal operation conditions are working in the development ofand increased resistance to oxidation accident tolerant fuels (ATF) for thein Design Basis Accident (DBA) and current fleet of light water reac- Beyond Design Basis Accident (BDBA) tors (LWR). Activities include basicconditions. GE is also developing the research and testing to characterizeIronClad cladding concept which and evaluate advanced concepts thatinvolves the use of a monolithic FeCrAl were never used before in reactoralloy for housing the urania fuel. Since environments, fuel rod fabrica- the current zirconium alloy used for tion, as well as direct assessment ofchannel materials needs to be replaced fuel rods behavior by installationas well, GE is evaluating to utilize is operating civilian nuclear powernuclear grade silicon carbide composite plants. The current GE contract withmaterials to fabricate the channels. the DOE Office of Nuclear EnergySince the channel does not require DE-NE0008823 extends to Februaryhermeticity but requires stability in 2021. hot water and resistance to steam, Project Description: the development of silicon carbide The objective of the GE-led project iscomposites for channels is a logical to develop a family of fuels that willfirst step before this material can be make the current and future fleet ofimplemented for fuel cladding. On the light waterpower reactors safer tofuel side GE is exploring the30 2020|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'