CHICAGO, Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clean Core Thorium Energy (Clean Core) announced today that the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s Nuclear Engineering and Science Center has successfully fabricated the first fuel pellets of Clean Core’s proprietary advanced nuclear fuel technology in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
Clean Core’s proprietary fuel technology ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life) fuel technology uses a combination of thorium and high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for a much-improved fuel performance in CANDU reactors and in other pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) designs. ANEEL is a proliferation-resistant advanced nuclear fuel that enables CANDU and similar reactors to operate more economically while significantly minimizing waste and proliferation risk. ANEEL fuel can also be optimized for use in PWRs, BWRs, HTGRs and related SMRs.
“The successful production of ANEEL advanced nuclear fuel pellets brings us a step closer to our goal of providing a clean energy solution that can benefit people around the world. We applaud Texas A&M University and INL for successfully fabricating these innovative advanced nuclear fuel samples. Our ANEEL advanced fuel technology employs an innovative design using thorium and HALEU to provide better performance from nuclear power plants,” said Mehul Shah, CEO of Clean Core Thorium Energy.
“It is one thing to talk about designing an advanced nuclear fuel; it is another level of accomplishment to announce its fabrication. Our team here at the Fuel Cycle and Materials Laboratory at Texas A&M has worked extensively to develop ANEEL fuel pellets, and we are thrilled to have established a fabrication process to blend HALEU and thorium oxide successfully. This is the first of its kind nuclear fuel, in that it combines HALEU and thorium in proprietary unique compositions that can drive a global clean energy future,” said Dr. Sean McDeavitt, director of the Nuclear Engineering and Science Center and professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University.
Texas A&M is fabricating the ANEEL fuel pellets for accelerated irradiation testing and qualification at INL’s Advanced Test Reactor starting next year. The fuel sample production at Texas A&M was completed in accordance with INL quality assurance requirements. Clean Core is pursuing this testing and qualification as part of its pathway towards commercialization of its advanced nuclear fuel technology by late 2024.
About Clean Core Thorium Energy
Clean Core Thorium Energy (Clean Core) is a nuclear fuel innovation company exploring thorium driven power. Clean Core’s patent-pending, advanced nuclear fuel technology, ANEEL, comprised of thorium and high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), is capable of safely and cost-effectively powering existing PHWR/CANDU reactors for the nuclear power sector globally. ANEEL fuel is a revolutionary solution to nuclear energy’s safety, waste, and proliferation concerns. Clean Core entered the nuclear sector to provide clean, safe, and abundant power where and when it’s needed the most, offering a ready solution for our world’s growing power demand. Learn more at https://cleancore.energy/.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e9791cee-9be7-436f-9ae7-df1f8376030a
