US-based fuel technology company Lightbridge Corporation and Canada’s specialised nuclear services company Stern Laboratories have entered into an initial engineering contract and statement of work to assess the thermal and hydraulic (TH) performance of Lightbridge Fuel for use in light water reactors (LWRs). Stern will provide laboratory services at its test facility in Hamilton, Ontario, to assess the TH performance of Lightbridge Fuel for LWRs.
The work will be carried out in phases. Phase 1 will involve: design and fabrication of an electrically heated fuel simulator; acceptance testing; and single-rod critical heat flux (CHF) investigation (steam-water, up to 1,450 psia). This phase is estimated to take approximately one year. Phase 2 will involve a nine-rod CHF investigation (steam-water at 600 to 2200 psia). A multi-year TH test programme will follow in Phase 3 to support the licensing of Lightbridge Fuel for the US domestic LWR fleet.
“This contract with Stern Labs represents a significant step forward in our fuel qualification programme,” said Birol Aktas, Manager of the Thermal Hydraulics & Safety Analysis Group at Lightbridge. “Stern Labs expertise in manufacturing electrically heated nuclear fuel simulators and performing full-scale CHF and component qualification tests makes them an ideal partner. Data from this programme will demonstrate the improved thermal margins of Lightbridge Fuel in LWRs and support US licensing for commercial deployment.”
Gordon Hadaller, President of Stern Laboratories welcomed participation in the experimental programme. “Stern Labs has a long history of providing high-quality laboratory services to the global nuclear industry, and we look forward to applying our expertise to assess the performance of Lightbridge’s innovative fuel technology,” he said.
Stern Laboratories, an employee-owned private Canadian company, established in 1988, provides custom fuel simulations, conducts advanced reliability and safety experiments, and designs and fabricates fuel inspection tooling for nuclear industry partners globally.
Lightbridge is developing a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for existing light-water and pressurised heavy-water reactors as well as fuel for new small modular reactors. DOE’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear programme has twice awarded Lightbridge to support its fuel development over the past several years. An extensive worldwide patent portfolio backs Lightbridge’s technology.
