Experimental fuel assemblies manufactured at the JSC VNIINM institute within the «Proryv» project

JSC «A.A. Bochvar High-tech Research Institute of Inorganic Materials» (is part of ROSATOM’s TVEL Fuel Company) manufactured two  two successive experimental fuel assemblies with mixed nitride fuel for testing in the BN-600 reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP as part of the «Proryv» project. Acting as the designated Responsibility center for nitride fuel, the institute managed a wide range of operations, from producing intermediate components to manufacturing the fuel assemblies themselves at SChK. The engineering and design documentation was developed at JSC VNIINM and JSC Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering. 

In addition, this year VNIINM specialists in cooperation with colleagues from other ROSATOM companies are expected to produce experimental nitride mixed fuel with minor actinides with neptunium in particular – a first-of-a-kind experiment.

«We will continue producing experimental fuel assemblies,» said Michael Skupov, the VNIINM director of research and design-technological department of fuel elements for fast gas reactors. «The data received will help us upgrade the codes that are used for the fuel element design. We strive to improve the economic efficiency of the fuel cycle.»

Source: JSC VNIINM