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Technical Meeting on Design, Manufacturing and Irradiation Behaviour IPPE, PUBLISHED May 19, 2011 I. BACKGROUND Fast reactors are vital towards meeting security and sustainability of nuclear energy in long-term perspective. They offer vastly more efficient use of uranium resources and the ability to burn actinides which are otherwise the long-lived component of high-level nuclear wastes. These reactors require development, qualification and deployment of improved and innovative nuclear fuel and structural materials with better properties combined with high radiation resistance. Nowadays, efforts are made on the design, manufacturing and study of the fuels behaviour under extreme operating conditions of temperature and irradiation. Fast reactor fuels provide adequate long-term management of Pu and the minor actinides, thereby minimizing proliferation risks and waste repository requirements while still generating ample amounts of heat for energy, hydrogen, or water desalination. Considering the important role of nuclear fuels in fast reactor operation, R&D to advance the methods and tools used in the design and development of nuclear fuels is essential and needs to be constantly addressed. Hence, the design and manufacturing of innovative fuel systems requires exchange of knowledge and experience, generation of missing basic data, identification of relevant mechanisms of materials degradation, and development of appropriate models. Fuel fabrication technologies should be specifically engineered with the desired properties incorporated into the nuclear fast reactor fuels, such as high fissile atom density, high thermal conductivity, good compatibility with the cladding and reactor coolant, good mechanical properties, and low swelling caused by fission products. Moreover, a thorough insight into the physical, chemical, and mechanical behaviour of fuel materials under irradiative environments is important in order to predict the fuel's lifetime. The IAEA is initiating this Technical Meeting on "Design, Manufacturing and Irradiation Behaviour of Fast Reactors Fuels" in order to provide a forum to share knowledge, practical experiences and information on the improvement and innovation of fuels for fast reactors, through scientific presentations and brainstorming discussions. This meeting aims to bring together scientists and engineers from different fields to discuss critical issues and support the efforts allocated to the design and manufacturing of nuclear fuels for the existing and the next generation of fast reactors, as well as the optimisation of future irradiation experiments. II. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this meeting is to enable a rationalization and advancement of the design and manufacturing processes, a better selection of promising fuels, and a reduction of the time and costs currently required for R&D and testing, as well as to contribute to the improvement of the safety features of fuels under all operational states and accidental conditions. An overview of the status and perspective of the design, manufacturing and irradiation behaviour of fast reactors fuels will be provided during this meeting. The main objectives are the following: Ensure sharing and dissemination of knowledge and expertise; Discuss specific features and issues of existing fuels; Improve knowledge and data for the design and engineering of fast reactor fuel and core structural materials; Discuss perspectives on advanced fuels; Consider modern technological, design and testing tools enabling reliable performance of fuels in current and planned operational environments; Establish international consensus in the developmental efforts on advanced fast reactor technologies, including collaborative programs and experiments. Contribute to the preparation and outline of the planned IAEA Coordinated Research Project on "Examination of advanced fast reactor fuel and core structural materials". III. TOPICS TO BE COVERED Papers are invited on all aspects of fuels technology and irradiation performance analysis relative to current and future fuel designs and operational conditions. Both experimental and theoretical/modelling works are welcome. The following topics have been identified as being of particular interest: 1. Historically accumulated fast fuel irradiation experience; 2. Status, issues and prospects in fuel design and manufacturing technologies; 3. Characterisation, performance analysis and PIE of current and advanced cladding and wrapper steels for fast reactors; 4. Advanced and innovative fuels for fast reactors; 5. Fast neutron Irradiation Experiments: National and International Programs. Topics: Fast breeders Other news: Russia ready to finance Egypt first nuclear plant Russia confirmed its participation in a tender to build Egypt's first nuclear power plant and said it was willing to help finance the project. ARMZ acquires Australian uranium producer in $1.2 bln deal ARMZ will pay eight Australian dollars per share, which represents a 15.5 percent premium on the average market price for 20 trading days. Russia to start building Turkish NPP in 2013 Russia will start building Turkey's first NPP estimated at $20 billion in 2013, Russian ambassador to Ankara Vladimir Ivanovsky said. |
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