The AECL ACR reactor uses a unique 43-element CANDU fuel design incorporating first-of-a-kind features such as a larger diameter centre element containing burnable neutron absorber and smaller diameter LEU elements.
The design needs to be specified and qualified to meet the latest standards and regulatory requirements.
Kinectrics provided skilled staff with expertise in key qualification areas such as stress corrosion cracking, fuel element deformation, fission gas production / release, thermal analysis and material properties.
Work performed by our technical staff included:
A number of analyses and activities critical to the design verification
Contribution to the design of new computational tools needed to assess fuel performance
Assistance with the oversight of qualification testing
Development of strategies, and assessment of fuel performance during Anticipated Operational Occurrences
Provision of training on uncertainty analysis techniques