Westinghouse developed the CE16NGFTM next generation nuclear fuel assembly for 16x16 Combustion Engineering nuclear steam supply system (CE-NSSS) style reactors to improve fuel performance, especially at high-duty operation, enhance fuel reliability and provide additional value to users through power upratings, improved operability and favorable fuel cycle economics.
CE16NGF fuel key design features include:
The following figure provides an overview of the features of the CE16NGF fuel design. The figure is for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the customization aspects that are required for each specific 16x16 CE-NSSS reactor design.
The CE16NGF fuel design has demonstrated good grid-to-rod fretting and thermal margin performance in reactor use. Field inspections of post-irradiated fuel rods have shown low fuel rod wear, and the design has not had a fuel leak due to grid-to-rod fretting since its deployment.
The Westinghouse CE16NGF fuel design is supported by our highly experienced engineering and manufacturing teams, which are available to address customer operational needs and emergent issues.
Westinghouse has been delivering the CE16NGF fuel design in region quantities since 2008. Lead use assemblies (LUAs) were deployed in a 16x16 CE-NSSS reactor for testing in 2005 and these LUAs demonstrated good in-reactor performance.
In addition, plants using the CE16NGF fuel design with IFBA (ZrB2) as the burnable absorber in the fuel rods have achieved favorable fuel cycle economics.
Westinghouse CE16NGF fuel assemblies (over 700 to date) thus have a proven track record of good performance in reactor use.
CE16NGF fuel design features