ABB Meets the Fuel Challenges of the 21st Century

Abstract

Excellent fuel performance contributes directly to excellent nuclear plant operation. Manyutilities estimate that a single failed fuel rod can increase a plant's operating costs by up to$1 million, while also raising as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) dosage issues.As a result, zero defect fuel is an important objective for World Association of NuclearOperators (WANO) and Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). ABBCombustion Engineering Nuclear Operation's (ABB CENO) fuel performance continuesfor the third straight year to be significantly better than the United States' pressurizedwater reactor (PWR) industry average. Ninety per cent of ABB CENO fueled plantsoperate with zero defects (as defined by INPO/WANO), compared to 79% for other U.S.PWR fuel vendors.This paper describes the reasons behind this excellent fuel performance. First, it reviewsthe ABB CENO fuel performance in the context of current industry fuel problems such as:axial power offset anomalies, clad oxidation failures, extensive grid-to-rod frettingfailures, slow insertion of control rods, and end cap weld failures. ABB CENO fuel hasoperated essentially free of these industry problems. Then, it reviews the reasons behindthis performance, including:1) a high strength rugged mechanical design that is better able to survive the longoperating cycles and high burnup of modern fuel managements;2) a variety of unique manufacturing processes that provide extra as-built margin todesign limits; and3) a formal program that carefully manages design change implementation includingequipment to test new fuel assembly designs at reactor operating flow, temperatureand pressure conditions.