Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. announced the opening of its fuel production facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The PFM (Pilot Fuel Manufacturing) facility is expected to produce TRISO and ceramic microencapsulated nuclear fuel, designed for use in USNC’s micro modular reactors and other advanced reactors.
Ultra Safe Nuclear has said it will be able to process uranium powder into fuel particles onsite, producing multiple kilogram quantities of fuel and helping it scale up its fuel-production capabilities.
The fuel manufacturing processes and modules are based on U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear fuels research and development. One example, a 3D-printing process for manufacturing refractory ceramic carbides, was recently licensed by USNC from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Fully ceramic microencapsulated fuel consists of microencapsulated coated fuel particles embedded in a silicon carbide matrix. FCM technology development efforts have mostly been conducted at ORNL as part of the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Fuels Campaign.
The PFM facility is located in the East Tennessee Technology Park, the site of the Manhattan Project’s K-25 gaseous diffusion plant. Ultra Safe Nuclear purchased the site in 2021.
Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff toured the plant Aug. 18 just before it opened.
I’m incredibly impressed at the folks who have joined us here, and I think it’s an indication of how clearly important this mission is going to be and what part this facility will play in the future of our nuclear energy as we transform this nation into a factory fighting the calamity of climate change,” said Dr. Huff.
Ultra Safe Nuclear has partnered with Ontario’s McMaster University and Global First Power (GFP) to potentially deploy its micro modular reactor (MMR) at the university.
The university plans to spend 18 months consulting with community, business, and government stakeholders, indigenous communities and municipal councils.
Based on the findings and McMaster’s decision to pursue deployment, the process of seeking the necessary licenses from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission would begin.
USNC’s MMR Energy System includes a nuclear plant, which would contain a high temperature gas-cooled reactor to provide process heat to an adjacent plant. The nuclear plant will have only essential systems and components, while services will be provided by an adjacent plant.
The adjacent plant’s design uses a molten salt buffer to isolate the reactor from fast load transients. It is designed to isolate high-pressure water or steam from entering the nuclear plant. The adjacent plant will use thermal energy storage technology used by Concentrating Solar Power (CSP). The molten salt storage tank will be sized for storage needs.
The MMR would produce approximately 15 MW of thermal process heat (sufficient to generate five MW of electricity) over an operating lifespan of 20 years. The reactor would be fueled once in its lifetime. The core can then be replaced to extend the operating life of the reactor for another 20-year cycle.
The reactor core consists of hexagonal graphite blocks that contain stacks of the fully micro encapsulated fuel pellets. The core has a low power density (1.24 W/cm3) and a high heat capacity, resulting in what are expected to be slow and predictable temperature changes. The core provides coolant flow paths for heat removal, and the graphite material of the blocks assists with further heat removal. The graphite core provides a neutron moderation and reflection function.
The power generation system, located in the adjacent plant, consists of the turbine generator and supporting infrastructure. The adjacent plant has a main electrical grid connection for supply of the electrical power generated from transmission infrastructure. This is confirmed once a project’s site location is finalized. Additionally, there is an auxiliary grid connection to provide station power when the main connection is not available.