BWXT along with GNF-A would certainly be giving Centrus a few shivers down the spine, I believe they will play a big part in the US military area and others like NASA? they will also play some part in the next generation of nuclear fuels for some of the coming SMR,s ? but they wont be able to compete where the fuel is mainly HALEU, like that used in today's LWR reactors, or even some of the SMR's based on Light Water, I reckon that will be GLE's and Lightbridges domain?
I do think GLE may also play some part in the fuel required for those reactors that will use recycled UNF as well, we may be supplying the depleted Uranium U238 and possibly some HALEU as the catalyst to start the reaction, the HALUE produced by GLE would be a lot cheaper than what BWXT could produce IMHO and if it was to be used for civilian reactors then there would not be a problem with GLE supplying them for that purpose, BWXT would possibly use some of it's own HALEU due to the fact that the centrifuge cylinders need to keep spinning so in any slack time after supplying the military they may use excess HALEU production just for that purpose of maintaining the plant in working order?
mce-anchor BWXT ahead of schedule on TRISO fuel restart activities
24 December 2019
Print Email
US-based BWX Technologies (BWXT) announced on 18 December that its TRISO nuclear fuel manufacturing restart activities are ahead of schedule.
BWXT technicians are now producing uranium solutions for TRISO fuel as the company moves forward with its previously announced plans to restart its manufacturing line and increase capacity at its Lynchburg facility, a press release said. A uranium solution is one of the starting materials required for TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) coated kernel formation. The solution is produced by dissolving uranium-bearing materials in aqueous nitric acid solution. Batches of uranium solution with any enrichment class (including highly enriched uranium) can be blended to achieve the desired product enrichment, BWXT said.
“We’re very proud of how our employees have been working to get the line restarted,” said Joel Duling, president of BWXT Nuclear Operations Group. “While the vast majority of the production equipment is already in place, we have been making some equipment upgrades to prepare the line for what we anticipate will be consistent production runs in the future.” BWXT is restarting its existing TRISO fuel production capability and increasing its capacity to position the company to meet emergent client interests in the US Department of Defense microreactors, space reactors, and civil advanced reactors. By co-locating the TRISO production line with other existing uranium processing capabilities, BWXT has a vertically integrated facility capable of handling all TRISO-related needs from feedstock preparation through uranium recovery and purification.
BWXT is the only US company to manufacture irradiation-tested uranium oxycarbide TRISO fuel using production-scale equipment. As a participant in the US Office of Nuclear Energy’s Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) programme for more than 15 years, BWXT has developed the expertise to manufacture TRISO coated kernels for this unique application. And, under the Department of Energy’s Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development Programme, BWXT has manufactured and certified TRISO coated kernels and fuel compacts in production-scale quantities.
SLX Price at posting:
41.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)