42CrMo High-Strength Chromium-Plated Shaft Hard Hollow Chrome Plated Rod for Mechanical Equipment

The Chepetsk Mechanical Plant (CMP), part of the TVEL Fuel Division of the Rosatom State Corporation, has established a pilot production facility for chromium-plated fuel cladding. This structural material is a promising solution for the production of next-generation advanced fuel (AF). It improves the operational reliability of nuclear fuel, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of reactors.

To produce innovative fuel rod cladding, ChMZ has commissioned a chromium-plating facility for traditional zirconium alloy cladding. The protective coating is applied directly to long zirconium tubes using a spraying method. In addition, modern analytical and research equipment has been commissioned to evaluate the adhesion, structure, and thickness of the chromium coating, which can be used for both production and research purposes in the development of new products. A pilot batch of chromium-plated fuel rod cladding has been produced.

Alexander Ugryumov, Senior Vice President for Scientific and Technical Activities at TVEL, noted: "Since 2021, three ATF fuel assemblies have been commissioned in the Rostov NPP's VVER-1000 reactors. Each VVER-1000 assemblies contains 312 fuel elements. The commissioning of the ChMZ chromium-plated fuel element production plant will enable the production of several complete assemblies of ATF fuel. Commissioning these assemblies in high-power reactors will mark the final stage of industrial ATF fuel production in Russia and the final qualification and decision-making stage."

Sergey Chineikin, Director General of the Russian Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Center, stated that participation in research and development on new nuclear fuel production technologies is of fundamental importance to the center. He noted, "The introduction of new, high-tech domestic equipment for applying protective coatings to fuel vessels and producing safer products will ensure the future competitiveness of Russian nuclear fuel in the global market."

The National Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad is currently conducting a large-scale testing program at the MIR research reactor, including testing various fuel cladding materials and ATF fuel pellets. In 2022, this program was expanded to include in-reactor testing of new fuel rods with uranium silicide-based fuel for VVER and pressurized water reactors. Since 2021, pilot operation of three combined fuel assemblies with ATF fuel rods has been underway at the Rostov NPP's VVER-1000 reactor. The structural materials used are 42KhNM chromium-nickel alloy or chromium-plated zirconium alloy.

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