China Realizes Mass Production of Fuel Assemblies for Commercial Pressurized Water Reactor

Four sets of CF3 fuel assemblies were inserted into the No. 4 unit reactor for testing at the second phase of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant on Sept 20.

It marked that production and industrial application of the first domestically made fuel assemblies for large-scale advanced commercial pressurized water reactors has entered a new stage.

The fuel assembly was independently developed by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and the testing was proof that the company has mastered the entire technology for development of high-performance nuclear fuel.

China now has international competitiveness in self-made nuclear fuel systems and product supply capacity.

The fuel assemblies are the core of a nuclear reactor.

Eight sets of CF3 fuel assemblies have been installed in the No. 2 unit of the Fangjiashan Nuclear Power Plant, a part of the first phase of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant project.

It is expected that eight sets of CF3 fuel assemblies will be supplied to the No. 1 unit of the second phase of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant by the end of this year.

The CF3 fuel assembly has good performance and meets third generation nuclear power standards.

It can be used in Hualong One, Linglong One and Yanlong low-temperature heating reactors, which lays a solid foundation for construction of the country's third generation nuclear power plants and domestic mass application of nuclear power. It also plays a significant role in guaranteeing the country's safe energy supply.

Development of nuclear fuel assemblies is one of CNNC's first key technological research projects and a major part of its "Dragon Rising 2020" technological and innovation plan.

Many subsidiaries of CNNC like the Nuclear Power Institute of China, CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd. and CNNP Nuclear Power Operations Management Co., Ltd. (CNNO) contributed to the assemblies' development.

The research team also realized mass application of several domestically-produced raw materials such as N36 zirconium alloy, made breakthroughs in production of CF3 fuel and established the assemblies' mass manufacturing technical and quality control systems.

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)