CHICAGO, May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clean Core Thorium Energy (Clean Core) announced a further collaboration with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) on their ANEEL™ fuel technology. Notably, the CNL has approved a Clean Core submitted proposal, “Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life (ANEEL) CNSC Licensing Verification and Validation,” as a proposed project managed under the Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI) Program. During the subsequent detailed discussion phase of the program, CNL will work with Clean Core to further establish scope and timeline.
Clean Core is commercializing a patented fuel, ANEEL™ fuel, made of thorium and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), designed for existing pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR) and CANDU reactors. The fuel retains the same external dimensions as the currently used natural uranium (NU) fuel and leverages a high burnup once-through fuel cycle. The ANEEL™ fuel derives several advantages to the currently used NU low burnup fuel including improved safety and operational characteristics, reduced nuclear waste volumes and proliferation resistance. Clean Core completed initial design studies, and recently, announced the successful conclusion of the Phase 1 Pre-licensing Vendor Design Review process with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Clean Core understands that successfully completed design studies are an essential part of the licensing process. This involves the verification and validation of the computer codes and analytical models employed in the design and safety analysis. The collaboration between CNL and Clean Core has the potential to enable accelerated evaluation of advanced solutions for heavy-water reactors, which could critically enable their improved economic operation.
“Clean Core recognizes this as an opportunity of accelerating their ANEEL™ fuel program by leveraging the existing domain expertise at CNL and the development and assessment of various fuel, physics and thermohydraulic models,” says Mehul Shah, CEO and Founder of Clean Core. “This collaboration will meaningfully accelerate the deployment of the ANEEL™ fuel, which can impact the Canadian and global nuclear industries.”
In addition, Clean Core signs a Strategic Partnership Project Agreement with the US DOE and begins their irradiation testing and qualification in the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Labs in April 2024 to achieve planned burnup targets of up to 60 GWd/T. Clean Core has been in actively partnering and engaging with key industry players including regulators, utilities, and suppliers to achieve a successful commercialization of the ANEEL™ fuel by 2026.
About Clean Core Thorium Energy
Clean Core Thorium Energy is a nuclear fuel company exploring thorium-driven nuclear innovations. Clean Core’s patented nuclear fuel technology (called the ANEEL™ fuel) is comprised of thorium and high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and is capable of improving the safety and cost-efficiency of pressurized heavy-water reactors. The ANEEL™ fuel is a novel solution to safety, waste, and proliferation concerns in today’s nuclear plants. Learn more at https://cleancore.energy/. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and X.
About Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfils three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
Clean Core Contact:
Milan Shah
Chief Operation Officer
milan@cleancore.energy
