Prototyping of nuclear fuel assembly parts by laser powder bed fusion of Inconel 718

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology offers various advantages, making it a promising option for the nuclear industry. This study presents an LPBF-prototyping case for its potential use in the nuclear industry. After optimizing the LPBF process and heat treatment conditions, mechanical tests were performed, including room- temperature and high-temperature tensile and fatigue tests. The samples demonstrated mechanical properties sufficient to replace commercial parts. The bottom grid and bottom nozzle parts of a nuclear fuel assembly were also manufactured using LPBF technology and compared to commercial parts. The high design flexibility of LPBF allowed for innovative structures, resulting in better performance than commercial parts. These research examples support the practical application of additive manufacturing in the nuclear field by providing necessary data for standardization and certification.