Inactive
Notice ID:748396
The United States to reduce the use of high enriched uranium (HEU) seeks to enable the use of high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) silicide fuels by expanding the fabrication windows for high densi...
The United States to reduce the use of high enriched uranium (HEU) seeks to enable the use of high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) silicide fuels by expanding the fabrication windows for high density geometrically challenging fuel designs. In particular, a HALEU-based design of the inner fuel element (IFE) for the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) represents several technical challenges or the fabrication of fuel plates1.The IFE fuel plate design uses a symmetric airfoil shaped fuel zone with filler above and below to form a rectangular center. This rectangular center is then encapsulated in aluminum cladding. The current HEU IFE fuel plate uses die pressing of Al and U3O8 powders followed by hot rolling to form the fuel zone and bond the cladding. There is no current process for the fabrication of the HA LEU IFE fuel plates and an offeror may propose any practical manufacturing method(s) including additive manufacturing in place of die-press and hot rolling. Disruptive technologies coupled with proven manufacturing experience are especially encouraged.