On Advanced Fuel Design Features with ATF and AFC for Operating CANDU Reactors

Abstract

Accident tolerant fuels for light water reactors (ATFLs) have become a topic of international interest ever since the events of March 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Accident tolerant fuel (ATF) features are designed to improve fuel system performance under accident conditions. With increased enrichment required to offset the negative reactivity of light-water reactor (LWR) ATF materials, fuel cycle economics can be improved as fuel can be licensed for higher burnup (HBU) than typical current limits. This leads to an international task on fuel safety implications of extended enrichment for ATFLs. This paper discusses aspects including safety enhancements, economic improvement, operational enhancements and high performance, possible simple options of advanced CANDU fuel design employing concepts with ATFs and advanced fuel cycles (AFCs) in light of international activities for operating LWRs.