AREVA introduces GAIA lead test assemblies to U.S.

AREVA Inc. announced on Thursday that it has completed the first orders of their GAIA lead test assemblies for the U.S.

The product is specifically made for pressurized water reactors (PWR), and it serves as a mixing vane spacer grid capable of managing highly complex fluid mixing operations common in nuclear energy generation. The company states that the grid has a high critical heat flux.

“This delivery is an important step in the deployment in the U.S. market of GAIA, an innovative solution that provides an answer to some of the operational and economic challenges faced by our customers,” Ron Land, senior vice president of AREVA Inc.’s Fuel Business Line, said. “This is a major success for AREVA’s research and development teams.”

The GAIA line from AREVA also has specific fuel rods designed to lessen end-of-life pin pressure and other features that can allow increased uranium loading capacity in certain applications.

According to the company, the GAIA line of fuel design comes from global research and development to determine the best product design to meet the safety, reliability and performance needs of the nuclear power generation industry worldwide. The company has been able to improve its designs, incorporating better thermal performance and resistance to seismic activity.