CANFLEX

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CANFLEX; the name is derived from its function: CANDU FLEXible fuelling, is an advanced fuel bundle design developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL), along with the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) for use in CANDU design nuclear reactors. The designers claim that it will deliver many benefits to current and future CANDU reactors-using natural uranium or other advanced nuclear fuel cycles. These include greater operating and safety margins, extended plant life, better economics and increased power.

The CANFLEX bundle has 43 fuel elements, with two element sizes. It is about 10 cm (four inches) in diameter, 0.5 m (20 inches long) and weighs about 20 kg (44 lbs) and replaces 37-pin standard bundle. It has been designed specifically to increase fuel performance by utilizing two different pin diameters. This reduces the power rating of the hottest pins in the bundles, for the same total bundle power output. Also, the design incorporates special geometry modifications that enhance the heat transfer between the fuel and surrounding coolant. Twenty-four of these fuel bundles have been tested in the Point Lepreau CANDU 6 reactor in New Brunswick, Canada, and results indicate CANFLEX meets all expectations and regulatory requirements.

The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station has recently announced a conversion to CANFLEX fuel for their reactors, in 2006.

[edit] See also

• Nuclear fuel
• Nuclear fuel cycle
• Uranium market
• Reprocessed uranium
• Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

[edit] References

• Thermalhydraulic Evaluations of CANFLEX Bundles of Natural or Recycled Uranium Fuel.
• Development of CANFLEX-NU Fuel as a CANDU Advanced Fuel

v • d • e Nuclear technology
Nuclear engineering	Nuclear physics | Nuclear fission | Nuclear fusion | Radiation | Ionizing radiation | Atomic nucleus | Nuclear reactor | Nuclear safety
Nuclear material	Nuclear fuel | Fertile material | Thorium | Uranium | Enriched uranium | Depleted uranium | Plutonium
Nuclear power	Nuclear power plant | Radioactive waste | Fusion power | Future energy development | Inertial fusion power plant | Pressurized water reactor | Boiling water reactor | Generation IV reactor | Fast breeder reactor | Fast neutron reactor | Magnox reactor | Advanced gas-cooled reactor | Gas cooled fast reactor | Molten salt reactor | Liquid metal cooled reactor | Lead cooled fast reactor | Sodium-cooled fast reactor | Supercritical water reactor | Very high temperature reactor | Pebble bed reactor | Integral Fast Reactor | Nuclear propulsion | Nuclear thermal rocket | Radioisotope thermoelectric generator
Nuclear medicine	PET | Radiation therapy | Tomotherapy | Proton therapy | Brachytherapy
Nuclear weapons	History of nuclear weapons | Nuclear warfare | Nuclear arms race | Nuclear weapon design | Effects of nuclear explosions | Nuclear testing | Nuclear delivery | Nuclear proliferation | List of states with nuclear weapons | List of nuclear tests