Coated particle fuel: Historical perspectives and current progress

Paul A. Demkowicz; Bing Liu; John D. Hunn

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.09.044

Coated particle fuel: Historical perspectives and current progress

Paul A. Demkowicz, Bing Liu, John D. Hunn

Particle Fuel Forms

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

149 Scopus citations

Abstract

Coated particle fuel concepts date back some 60 years, and have evolved significantly from the relatively primitive pyrocarbon-coated kernels envisioned by the first pioneers. Improvements in particle design, coating layer properties, and kernel composition have produced the modern tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle, capable of low statistical coating failure fractions and good fission product retention under extremely severe conditions, including temperatures of 1600 °C for hundreds of hours. The fuel constitutes one of the key enabling technologies for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, allowing coolant outlet temperatures approaching 1000 °C and contributing to enhanced reactor safety due to the hardiness of the particles. TRISO fuel development has taken place in a number of countries worldwide, and several fuel qualification programs are currently in progress. In this paper, we discuss the unique history of particle fuel development and some key technology advances, concluding with some of the latest progress in UO₂ and UCO TRISO fuel qualification.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	434-450
Number of pages	17
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	515
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.09.044
State	Published - Mar 2019

Funding

The preparation of this article was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy and by the China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and National Energy Administration. The preparation of this article was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy , Office of Nuclear Energy and by the China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and National Energy Administration .

Funders	Funder number
China Ministry of Science and Technology
National Energy Administration
U.S. Department of Energy
National Endowment for the Arts
Office of Nuclear Energy
Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
Ministry of Science and Technology
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Keywords

Coated particle fuel
HTGR
High temperature gas cooled reactor
TRISO
Tristructural isotropic

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10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.09.044

Cite this

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abstract = "Coated particle fuel concepts date back some 60 years, and have evolved significantly from the relatively primitive pyrocarbon-coated kernels envisioned by the first pioneers. Improvements in particle design, coating layer properties, and kernel composition have produced the modern tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle, capable of low statistical coating failure fractions and good fission product retention under extremely severe conditions, including temperatures of 1600 °C for hundreds of hours. The fuel constitutes one of the key enabling technologies for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, allowing coolant outlet temperatures approaching 1000 °C and contributing to enhanced reactor safety due to the hardiness of the particles. TRISO fuel development has taken place in a number of countries worldwide, and several fuel qualification programs are currently in progress. In this paper, we discuss the unique history of particle fuel development and some key technology advances, concluding with some of the latest progress in UO2 and UCO TRISO fuel qualification.",

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AB - Coated particle fuel concepts date back some 60 years, and have evolved significantly from the relatively primitive pyrocarbon-coated kernels envisioned by the first pioneers. Improvements in particle design, coating layer properties, and kernel composition have produced the modern tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle, capable of low statistical coating failure fractions and good fission product retention under extremely severe conditions, including temperatures of 1600 °C for hundreds of hours. The fuel constitutes one of the key enabling technologies for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, allowing coolant outlet temperatures approaching 1000 °C and contributing to enhanced reactor safety due to the hardiness of the particles. TRISO fuel development has taken place in a number of countries worldwide, and several fuel qualification programs are currently in progress. In this paper, we discuss the unique history of particle fuel development and some key technology advances, concluding with some of the latest progress in UO2 and UCO TRISO fuel qualification.

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Coated particle fuel: Historical perspectives and current progress

Abstract

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Keywords

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