b'SiC/SiC Development Strategy and 5-Year Execution PlanPrincipal Investigator: Takaaki KoyanagiTeam Members/Collaborators: Yutai KatohS ilicon Carbide (SiC) fiber To support the accident reinforced SiC matrix (SiC/SiC) composite-based accident tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding tech- tolerant SiC-based nology is an engineered claddingcladding technology designed to withstand the severedevelopment, the thermomechanical and chemicaldevelopment strategy environment in light-water reactorsand the 5-year execution (LWRs). As a result, deploymentplan were developed.of SiC/SiC in LWRs could offer enhanced performance in design and beyond design basis accidents, thereby removing economic restric- Project Description:tions compared with existing fuelThe development of the ATF SiC/SiC cladding concepts. However, deploy- composite technologies is conducted ment of SiC/SiC LWR-specific SiCbased on a 5-year research and devel-technology requires advancementsopment (R&D) execution plan. The in the foundational understandingoverarching goal of the R&D activities of material behavior responses andis to advance SiC cladding concepts bridging science and technology.to a maturity level suitable to support The Advanced Fuel Campaign islead test rod (LTR) insertion into a supporting the vendors commer- commercial LWRs. To achieve this cialization program by evaluatinggoal, the development plan is made the industry-specific SiC/SiCto (1) obtain critical experimental composite cladding concept anddata by integrated test to address the providing material propertycladding performance issues (e.g., loss solutions based on in-depthof hermeticity, hydrothermal corro-understanding of general SiC/SiCsion behavior, failure behavior during composite material behavior undersimulated accident environments), (2) LWR-relevant environments. develop and experimentally validate an advanced fuel performance modeling tool to predict cladding behavior involving the interplay of 66 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'