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The TVEL Fuel Company’s scientific and technical program is focused on further strengthening of technical and economic features of NPP nuclear fuel. Newly designed fuel assemblies (FAs) are to extend the fuel campaign, feature higher burnup and operational reliability.
Research and development
The TVEL Fuel Company’s scientific and technical policy is aimed at strengthening technical and economic efficiency of the entire cycle of nuclear fuel fabrication - from geologic survey and mining through development of new modifications and designs of fuel assemblies of new generation and contract support. It pursues compliance with rigorous requirements in the field of environmental and radiation safety.
Newly designed fuel assemblies (FAs) are to extend the fuel campaign, feature higher burnup and operational reliability. The implementation of advanced technologies at JSC TVEL’s key enterprises enables the customers to obtain safe, cost-effective and flexible fuel cycles in terms of NPP demands.
The TVEL Fuel Company’s scientific and technical program is focused on further strengthening of technical and economic features of NPP nuclear fuel.
JSC TVEL has recently commenced the works related to VVER-1500 fuel design project. Scientific and technical activities have been completed for development and implementation of VVER-1000 fuel assemblies of new generation based on TVSA and TVS-2 designs – TVS 2M and TVSA Plus. They open up the possibilities to run more efficient fuel cycles with up to five- year fuel campaign, to achieve maximum fuel burnup and to reduce fuel component in NPP electric power generation. Design features, as well as increased fuel load of the fuel assemblies provides for a positive effect associated with these FAs. According to the experts’ opinion, the use of newly designed fuel assemblies will increase fuel consumption by 4-5%.
The implementation of the second generation fuel assemblies for VVER-440 of Kola NPP is the most important result achieved. A wide spectrum of works has been completed to improve RBMK and BN-600 fuel to extend fuel campaign and burnup.
Interaction with scientific and technical institutes of Russia
In the framework of implementation of the scientific and technical policy JSC TVEL actively cooperates with many Russian and foreign scientific centers and design institutions - in particular, with the Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute, which works on physical properties of commercial nuclear fuel; the State Scientific Center Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE), which is involved in thermal physics, reactor physics and thermal mechanics works. Additionally, the main partners of JSC TVEL in the area of scientific and design developments are the Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (NIKIET), DB Gidropress, Experimental Design Bureau of Machine Engineering (OKBM) named after I.I. Afrikantov, VNIINM named after A.A.Bochvar and NIIAR (Dimitrovograd). Printable version |