Lightbridge, a nuclear fuel technology firm based in Virginia, announced it will explore research projects with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute.
Their memorandum of agreement seeks joint research of fuel designed by Lightbridge – specifically, pre-irradiation testing in advance of loop irradiation experiments at Russia’s MIR research reactor and the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. The Korean institute is undertaking research aimed at reducing fuel operating temperatures and increasing burn-up.
“This is an exciting development for Lightbridge as we and KAERI plan to collaborate in a key area,” Jim Malone, Lightbridge chief nuclear fuel development officer, said in a release. “KAERI is interested in Lightbridge-designed metallic fuel technology and its potential application to Korean OPR-1000 and APR-1400 reactors.”
Known as Thorium Power until 2009, Lightbridge Corp. is developing all-metal fuel using a zirconium-uranium alloy, as well as thorium fuel based on a seed-and-blanket fuel assembly configuration. Last year it formed a Nuclear Utility Fuel Advisory Board with fuel managers from Exelon, Duke Energy and Dominion to collect input on its fuel design.
According to the company’s website, Lightbridge says its fuel has the potential to increase power output by 30 percent in new pressurized water reactors and by 17 percent in existing PWRs, while also extending fuel life.