An Approach to Fuel Development and Qualification -AND- An Approach to Fuel Safety Testing -AND- Fuels for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

Emergence of nuclear energy R and D programs in the US (e.g., the Generation IV initiative, and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative) and elsewhere has motivated consideration of new reactor fuel types. To support long-range planning in the recent programmatic environment, it was necessary and useful to consider and describe the process needed to bring a new fuel type to implementation. The fuel development approach described here is a view based on experience gained in successfully developing and qualifying several different driver fuels for the Experimental Breeder Reactor II and on observations of other programs. Other descriptions are equally as valid, but this approach has proven useful for recent U.S. purposes. We describe the approach in terms of four phases, distinguished by specific objectives and nature of activities. These are summarized as follows.