FAIRFUELS

"FAbrication, Irradiation and Reprocessing of FUELS and targets for transmutation"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'FAbrication, Irradiation and Reprocessing of FUELS and targets for transmutation (FAIRFUELS) provides a way towards a more efficient use of fissile material in nuclear reactors with a view to reducing the volume and hazard of high level long-lived radioactive waste, closing the nuclear fuel cycle. In order to contribute to the competitiveness of Europe, the Collaborative Project FAIRFUELS will conduct appropriate studies in synergy with other fuel and actinide partitioning & transmutation projects while maintaining close links with Gen IV International Forum. In fabrication technology and assessment of transmutation performance, FAIRFUELS will focus on minor actinides. Dedicated fuels will be fabricated and a fairly comprehensive irradiation programme will be carried out to address transmutation performance. In parallel, FAIRFUELS will conduct Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of certain previously irradiated fuels and targets to provide in-depth information on their irradiation behaviour. In support of the PIE, modelling aspects of these fuels will be developed. A training and education programme will also be implemented to share the knowledge among the community, with a link to other related projects. In accordance with the road-mapping exercise undertaken in FP6 and the SNE-TP vision report, the FAIRFUELS consortium, comprising of nuclear research bodies, industry, European Joint Research Centres, and European universities, will endeavour to improve our knowledge in the area of fuels and targets to form a basis for the development of future demonstration systems.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

One of the main problems of the use of nuclear energy is nuclear waste management. An EU-funded project focuses on assessing the use of minor actinides from the used nuclear fuel as a fuel for next-generation nuclear reactors.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The radioactivity of nuclear waste is by nature a result of the significant amounts of usable energy present in fissile materials. Recycling and transmutation of minor actinides is an important step towards an ultimate closed fuel cycle.

Funded by the EU, the project http://www.fp7-fairfuels.eu/ (FAIRFUELS) (Fabrication, irradiation and reprocessing of fuels and targets for transmutation) is developing novel fuels based on recycling of nuclear waste through re-irradiation in next-generation reactors with sustainability in mind. By increasing recycling and transmutation of nuclear waste, FAIRFUELS contributes to reducing the volume and hazards of radioactive waste.

Fabrication and characterisation studies were undertaken at the Joint Research Centre - Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU) in Karlsruhe, Germany and at the Atalante facility in Marcoule, France. The studies should provide further insight into the optimal fabrication routes and best options for incorporating minor actinides such as americium and curium into innovative fuels. The irradiation behaviour was tested at the High Flux Reactor at Petten, in the Netherlands.

The focus of the experimental and modelling studies was on further comprehending the behaviour of helium gas. Helium is formed abundantly during transmutation of minor actinides, and is responsible for most of the irradiation damage.

The MARIOS experiment on americium transmutation to collect data on irradiated fuel at different temperatures and porosities was successfully completed. Post-irradiation examination was performed in the context of another EU-funded project.

In the SPHERE experiment, the irradiation testing on minor actinide bearing driver fuel is ongoing. Researchers employed neutron radiography techniques before and after the first cycle of irradiation to register the fuel restructuring processes. In total, researchers completed four irradiation cycles and initiated a fifth.

FAIRFUELS has organised two workshops in Petten and Stockholm, Sweden. In addition, researchers have published a textbook on minor actinide bearing fuels and targets.