According to an announcement by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Chinaâs first batch of self-developed zirconium alloy materials, N36, assemblies of CF3 nuclear fuels, which can meet the demands of third-generation nuclear power technology, passed checks and were delivered for the manufacturing of CF3 nuclear fuel assemblies.
The development is expected to provide strong support for Chinaâs self-developed third-generation nuclear technology, the HPR1000, to âgo globalâ? and for the sustainable and sound development of Chinaâs nuclear industry.
Fuel assemblies make up the core of a nuclear reactor, and the safety and reliability thereof largely depend on the zirconium alloy cladding. Acting as the âboneâ? and âskinâ? of fuel assemblies, zirconium alloy materials constitute the first safety barrier of a nuclear reactor, and are important for a nuclear power plant to function safely and to maintain stable operations. The materials are often cited as an important indicator to evaluate the research standard of fuel assemblies. For a long time, the nuclear-grade zirconium alloy materials in domestic nuclear power plants were mostly imported from foreign countries, but thanks to CNNC, this industry bottleneck has now been resolved.