The Department of Energy recently announced $13 million in funding for researchers to pursue a new light water reactor concept and potential improvements to reactor fuel.
The three new Integrated Research Projects fall under DOE's Nuclear Energy University Programs. The projects, each funded for three years, address capability gaps and issues identified by other DOE nuclear research and development programs.
According to the NEUP, the recipients of the newly announced funding are:
— The Georgia Institute of Technology ($5,999,784): "Researchers will develop a novel concept of a high-power LWR with inherent safety features. The inherent safety features will advance its safety level beyond that of advanced passive systems. Partners include University of Michigan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, University of Tennessee, University of Idaho, Morehouse College, Idaho National Laboratory, Westinghouse Electric Company, Polytechnic of Milan, University of Cambridge, Southern Nuclear Company and an independent consultant. The UK offers $446,387 in collaborative research."
— The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign ($3,499,945): "The team will fabricate and evaluate modified Zircaloy LWR cladding under normal BWR/PWR operation and off-normal events. A combination of computational and experimental protocols will be employed to design and test modified Zircaloy cladding with respect to corrosion and accelerated oxide growth. Cladding performance evaluation will be incorporated into a reactor system modeling effort of fuel performance, neutronics, and thermal hydraulics, thereby providing a holistic approach to accident tolerant nuclear fuel. Partners include University of Florida, University of Michigan, ATI Wah Chang, Idaho National Laboratory and University of Manchester. The UK offers $1,545,260 in collaborative research."
The University of Tennessee ($3,510,000): "Researchers will develop a fuel concept based on an advanced ceramic coating for Zr-alloy cladding. The coated cladding will exhibit demonstrably improved performance compared to conventional Zr-alloy clad by decreasing cladding oxidation and hydrogen pickup. Collaborating institutions include Pennsylvania State University; University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Michigan; Westinghouse Electric Company; Los Alamos National Laboratory; University of Manchester; University of Oxford; University of Sheffield and University of Huddersfield. The UK offers $1,646,956.48 in collaborative research."