Fuel qualification

The body of irradiation tests, examination and analysis showing that a fuel design behaves as predicted over a stated range of temperature, burnup and power, which a regulator accepts as a basis for licensing. It usually takes many years, because the fuel has to be irradiated in test reactors for long periods and then examined. A fuel is qualified for a particular envelope, not in general: a claim that it performs beyond the conditions it was tested under is not supported by that qualification, and a new fuel form, enrichment or manufacturer usually needs its own testing.

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concept:fuel-qualification

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