Experimental Advanced Fuel Rods Loaded in Russian Nuclear Reactor
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Successful test of recycled fuel : Waste & Recycling
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24 February 2021
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Unit 4 of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant, Russia s BN-800 reactor, has been connected to the grid and resumed operations upon completion of scheduled maintenance. For the first time the refuelling has been carried out with uranium-plutonium fuel only.
The turbine hall of Beloyarsk 4 (Image: TVEL)
Distinct from traditional nuclear fuel with enriched uranium, mixed oxide (MOX) fuel pellets are based on the mix of nuclear fuel cycle derivatives, such as oxide of plutonium bred in commercial reactors, and oxide of depleted uranium which comes from defluorination of depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6), the so-called secondary tailings of uranium enrichment facilities.
Beloyarsk Refueling Shows MOX Commitment
Unit 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP with the BN-800 reactor has resumed operations after its recent refueling, which was the first time the reactor has been refueled with only assemblies loaded with MOX, uranium-plutonium fuel, making another substantial step towards operating the reactor with only MOX fuel.
“The first batch of 18 MOX fuel assemblies was loaded into the reactor core in January 2020, and now 160 assemblies additional MOX fuel assemblies have been put in place, replacing the traditional enriched uranium assemblies. As such, the BN-800 core is now one-third filled with innovative fuel. The plan is to use only MOX fuel for Unit 4 in the future,” Rosatom said.