Workshop on development of accident tolerant fuel for light water reactor. Development of SiC cladding and channel box

SiC (silicon carbide) is well-suited for Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) in light-water reactors due to its slow reaction rate with high-temperature steam and high strength at elevated temperatures. Toshiba Energy Systems has been developing SiC materials as an alternative to Zircaloy reactor core materials since the mid-2000s, and after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the company has been fully engaged in the development of SiC reactor core materials. In preparation for practical application, they are advancing long-length manufacturing technology, testing and inspection technology, and joining technology, while also expanding irradiation test data, aiming for commercialization in the 2030s. (J.P.N.)