NUCLEAR FUEL TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear fuel engineering experts solving the industry’s fuel performance challenges across the entire nuclear fuel life cycle. SI is a pioneer in developing the highest fidelity fuel analysis codes & methods to ensure advanced/new fuel design licensing

Fuel Behaviour Analysis

Fuel Project Design/Licensing Management

Advanced Reactor & Fuel Engineering

PegasusTM

FUEL BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Industry experience in nuclear fuel performance analysis and modeling ranging from development of fundamental material constitutive and behavioral models to integral behavioral and predictive computer software.

High burnup and high enrichment (LEU+) fuel modeling

Large deformation fuel-clad behavior for Reactivity Insertion Accidents and LOCA

Pellet-Clad Interaction (PCI) failure thresholds

Spent fuel integrity assessments

FUEL RELOAD PROCESS, LICENSING, AND LICENSING MANAGEMENT

Expertise and experience delivering fuel design change projects and navigating the licensing process. Experience managing fuel design transitions, developing margin improvement strategies and automating reload analysis. SI is a leader in developing and executing expert informed methodologies to align regulatory requirement and operational constraints.

License Amendments ranging from fuel cycle length extensions and fuel design / fuel vendor changes to site-specific software change implementations

Automation and streamlining of fuel reload analysis codes and processes to mitigate error-likely situations and streamline reload-related operations

General support to augment utility’s fuel organization in fuel reload, supply, and vendor surveillance / audit related areas

Independent origination, checking, or third-party review of thermal hydraulic analysis, transient safety analysis, core safety setpoint analysis (digital and analog), fuel mechanical design and fuel rod analysis, and radiological consequence analysis

ADVANCED REACTOR & FUEL ENGINEERING

Fuel technical experience and expertise applicable to advanced reactor and fuel designs and concepts such as those proposed for SMRs and micro reactor systems.

TRISO fuel performance methodology development, predictions, and failure modeling

ATF fuel model development and performance analysis

Metal alloy fuel model development and performance analysis

Fuel qualification testing and fuel design licensing support

PEGASUS™

SI is leading the development of one of the most advanced fuel performance codes in the world. Drawing from decades of fuel integrity knowledge and finite element modeling, SI is breaking ground in unlocking a higher-order code to allow advanced fuels to meet tomorrows safety and performance objectives.

Fuel vendor independent assessments

LWR and Advanced Reactor fuel modeling and simulation

Combines nuclear fuel thermal-mechanics with full structural mechanics large deformation capabilities

Predictive capabilities across entire fuel cycle (operation, storage, and transport)

Supports multiple fuel designs, materials, and configurations – UO2, SiC, metallic alloys, TRISO, and unique geometries

Built-in 3D visualization tools and GUI based on CAE/CAD engineering tool interfaces