Milestone for metallic fuel fabrication

Thursday, 13 February 2025

The demonstration entailed pressing a metallic alloy billet encased in zirconium alloy cladding through a die to produce a cylindrical rod about 8 feet (just under 2.5 metres) long.

The uranium-zirconium alloy used in the demonstration rodlet is the same composition that Lightbridge plans to use for its future commercial Lightbridge Fuel. Lightbridge and the lab will analyse the co-extruded coupon sample to confirm the extrusion process parameters.

_{The extruded rodlet (Image: Lightbridge)}

Last year, the company successfully extruded samples of an alloy of depleted uranium and zirconium. The company said the latest efforts pave the way for future production of coupon samples using enriched uranium, which will undergo capsule irradiation testing in Idaho National Laboratory's Advanced Test Reactor under a cooperative research and development agreement between Lightbridge and Battelle Energy Alliance LLC, the US Department of Energy's operating contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The irradiation testing programme and post irradiation examination activities will generate irradiation performance data for Lightbridge's advanced fuel and support regulatory licensing efforts for its commercial deployment.

"This milestone exemplifies the collaboration and innovation driving the advancement of Lightbridge Fuel," INL Associate Laboratory Director Ron Crone said. "The co-extrusion of this coupon sample leverages the capabilities of INL's Materials and Fuels Complex and underscores our commitment to advancing nuclear energy innovation."

Lightbridge Fuel is a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for existing light water reactors and pressurised heavy water reactors which the company says can significantly enhance reactor safety, economics, as well as proliferation resistance. It is also developing the fuel for small modular reactors.