3D-printed fuel assembly brackets printed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory will be loaded in a commercial reactor for the first time.
December 1, 2020
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Additively manufactured channel fasteners for Framatome’s boiling water reactor fuel assembly.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will load four new 3D-printed fuel assembly brackets at its Browns Ferry nuclear power plant next spring. The brackets will be the first of their kind loaded into a commercial reactor and demonstrate the latest innovations in additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
The components were recently manufactured at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in a joint project with TVA and the utility’s fuel supplier, Framatome, as part of the lab’s Transformational Challenge Reactor program. The new demonstration program is designed to introduce new manufacturing techniques and approaches to industry partners in order to speed up the deployment of nuclear systems.
First-of-a-Kind Print
ORNL additively manufactured channel fasteners for Framatome’s boiling water reactor fuel assembly using a micro-welding process. The team created a 3D-printed part compliant with reactor safety regulations for deployment in a commercial reactor. The lab is also providing all of the 3D digital data captured during the manufacturing process that details each layer of the print, which can then be used to certify the quality of the bracket.
“This is one of the first steps in ORNL’s coordinated efforts with the NRC’s Office of Regulatory Research and the nuclear vendors to prove that a new and greatly accelerated approach for qualified part fabrication is possible,” said TCR Director Kurt Terrani.
The channel fasteners perform an essential function in the fuel assembly and are easy to fabricate using the new manufacturing techniques. This made it an ideal part for the team to print and use for the demonstration. It could also open the door to manufacturing more complex parts moving forward.
“Partnering with ORNL and TVA to pioneer additive manufacturing for the nuclear industry is a step change in the way we think and how we will design our components in the future,” said John Strumpell, Framatome’s research and development manager for the U.S. Fuel Business Unit.
The new brackets will be loaded into Unit 2 at Browns Ferry in March 2021 during a scheduled refueling outage. They will remain in the reactor for six years, with inspections planned during outages and after use.
“TVA is a leader in clean energy and innovation,” said Dan Stout, TVA’s director of nuclear technology innovation. “Being the first to use these additively manufactured components supports an innovative manufacturing approach that could pave the path for use across the existing nuclear fleet and in advanced reactors and small modular reactors.”
The TCR program is funded by the Office of Nuclear Energy within the U.S. Department of Energy. Learn more about TCR and its industry partnerships.