Facilities for Development of Modified Nitride-Based Fuel Pellets

Facilities to support development of modified nitride-based reactor fuel pellets have been activated and are now in operation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These facilities provide the controls and monitored laboratory conditions required to produce, evaluate, and verify quality of the nitride-based product required for this fuel application. By preserving the high melting point, high thermal conductivity, and high actinide density properties of nitride fuel while enhancing stoichiometry, density, and grain structure, and by applying inert matrix (ZrN) and neutron absorbing (HfN) additives for improved stability and burn-up characteristics, the requirements for a long-life fuel to support sealed core reactor applications may be met. This paper discusses requirements for producing the modified nitride powders for sintering of fuel pellets, translation of these requirements into facility specifications, and implementation of these specifications as facility capabilities.