IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
Fuel and Fuel Cycle: IAEA Activities
Uddharan Basak
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section
Division of Nuclear Fuel cycle and Waste Technology
Department of Nuclear Energy
IAEA
● Fuel and Fuel Cycle for Thermal and Fast Reactors
● Fuel and Fuel Cycles for HTR
● Reuse options for Reprocessed Uranium
● Thorium Fuel Cycles
● Innovative Technologies in Fuel Manufacturing
● Fuel Cycle options for SMRs with long core life
● Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) options
including minor actinide bearing fuels and targets
● Minor Actinide Properties Data Base (MADB)
IAEA Programme on
Advanced Nuclear Fuels
IAEA
Activities : Partitioning &Transmutation
This publication
highlights emerging
innovations and
R&D needs for the
back end of the fuel
cycle with emphasis
on reprocessing of
spent U and Pu
based ceramic and
metallic fuels.
IAEA
On-going Activities: Partitioning & Transmutation
CS on Status and Trends in Advanced Partitioning Methods: Development in Pyro-chemical Processes was held in July 26 – 28, 2010 in Vienna
Significant progresses in pyro-chemical processes were reported in following areas:
• Implementation plan in national nuclear fuel cycle
• Process R&D and materials accounting
• Engineering scale development
• Shortening of the institutional control period of the final waste
TM on Advanced Partitioning Processes
planned during June 28 – 30, 2011 in Vienna
IAEA
Activities on Fuel and Fuel Cycle for SMRs with
long core life
The design and development of
advanced fuels based on uranium,
uranium-plutonium and thorium based
fuel cycles are being explored in many
Member States for water cooled, gas
cooled and liquid metal cooled SMRs.
Technical Meeting is being organized
during October 12 – 14, 2011 in the
Agency Head Quarter where all the
aspect of various options for fuels and
fuel cycles suitable for SMRs, will be
discussed in detail with the aim of
exchanging valuable information
among the Member States.
Focus on
Proliferation
Resistance fuels
and fuel cycle
options
IAEA
Activities: Reprocessed uranium
IAEA Nuclear Energy Series Report (NF-T-4.4) entitled“Use of Reprocessed Uranium: Challenges and Options” has been published.
This report gives a complete overview of the opportunities for the use of Reprocessed Uranium (RepU) in reactors highlighting the challenges faced by the industry and the options currently available and being explored.
IAEA
Activities: Minor Actinide bearing fuel
The current status of
minor actinide bearing
fuel types under
development in Member
States has been
documented in the form
of IAEA Nuclear Energy
Series report (NF-T-4.4)
entitled “Status of
Minor Actinide Fuel
Development”
IAEA
Activities on Advanced Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing Methods
TM on Manufacturing Methods for Advanced Nuclear Fuels
was organized during May 18-21, 2010. This was followed
by two CS in June and December, 2010.
Draft NE Series Report on Experiences and Trends of
Manufacturing Technology of Nuclear Fuels is recently
placed to the Publication Committee for approval
Metal (U,Pu) - Nitrate Sol. NH
4OH
Metal (U,Pu) - Nitrate Sol. NH
4OH
Gelation additives HEXA / UREA Carbon
Gelation additives HEXA / UREA Carbon
Mixing / CoolingMixing / Cooling
Drop FormationDrop Formation
Gelationµ-Wave
Gelationµ-Wave
GelationSilicon Oil
GelationSilicon Oil
Surface washingSurface washing
Evaporation of Organic Solvent
Evaporation of Organic Solvent
WashingWashing
Thermal TreatmentThermal Treatment
Pin Vibro FillingPin Vibro Filling
Advanced microwave process
Silicon oil
based process
Internal Gelation
Process developed at
PSI, Switzerland
IAEA
Activities on HTGR Fuels
This document
published in 2010,
serves as the primary
resource material as
hand book for
Education & Training
in the area of HTGR
fuels for future
development in the
interested Member
States
IAEA
On-going activities on HTGR fuel and fuel materials
1. TM on High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor
Fuel and Fuel Cycle was organized during
September 6 – 9, 2010
2. Draft NE Series Report on HTR Fuel and Fuel
Cycle---- Current Issues and Perspective has
been prepared. This report will be finalized in a
meeting to be held in China during June 24 – 27,
2011.
Significant efforts are underway in several Member States to
develop High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGR) for
process heat, hydrogen production and electricity generation
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor
Prismatic Block Type Reactor
IAEA
The meeting broadly covered the presentations on the following topics:
● Review of present and potential fuel and fuel cycle for high temperature gas
cooled reactors;
● Conventional and advanced fuel for HTGRs;
● Advanced fuel manufacturing technology including the recent developments in
coating technology;
● Fuel characterization including non destructive techniques;
● Quality assurance and quality control of coated particle fuel;
● Irradiation performances under normal and off-normal conditions;
● Post irradiation examination and fuel failure mechanism;
● Issues related to plutonium, spent fuel & minor actinide management using
HTGRs
No. of Participants: 14
Participating Member States:
Germany, Rep. of Korea, P.R. of China, India,
Russian Federation , Ukraine, Netherlands,
Turkey, Indonesia and EC
TM on HTGR Fuel and Fuel Cycle
IAEA
HTR Fuel and Fuel Cycle----- Current Issues and Perspective
1. Introduction followed by general technology
development – Experience, Current status & Issues.
2. Analytical approaches for coated particle
manufacturing processes.
3. Fuel element making both pebble and compacts
4. Measurement methods including non-destructive
characterization.
5. Coating materials and their properties & performances.
6. New fuel materials.
8. Irradiation testing under normal and off-normal
conditions
9. Fuel cycle issues related to (i) disposal of irradiated
graphite waste and (ii) PuMA / Deep-burn
10. Conclusion
IAEA
Activities on Thorium Fuels
Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Assessment of
Thorium Fuel Cycle for Thermal and Fast Reactors
Objectives of CRP include various issues involved in
manufacture, properties evaluation, irradiation performance
including modeling, high burn up capability, licensing of thorium
fuel cycle etc.
CS has been planned during April 13 – 15, 2011 for the finalization
of CRP proposals
Technical Meeting on World Thorium Resources planned during
October 17 – 21, 2011
On-line data base on World Distribution of Thorium
deposits and Resources (ThDEPO)
IAEA
NFCIS • Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information
System
• Directory of Civilian Nuclear
Fuel Cycle Facilities Worldwide
• Facilities from under planning
stage to the decommissioned
stage
• Facilities from uranium milling
to reprocessing, spent fuel
storage and heavy water
production
• Available online since 2001
• 689 facilities in 55 countries
(Apr 2009)
• TECDOC published in 2009
(TECDOC-1613)
NFCSS Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation
System
• Scenario based simulation
system
• Estimates nuclear fuel cycle
material and service
requirements
• Calculates spent fuel arisings
and actinide contents
• TECDOC Published in 2007
(TECDOC-1535)
• The simple web version is
online since 2005
• Full web version is available
since June 2008.
UDEPO • World Distribution of Uranium
Deposits
• Technical and geological
information on uranium
deposits
• Country level maps of the
deposits will be displayed on
the web site
• Available online since 2004
• Currently 1107 deposits in 67
countries (Apr 2009)
• TECDOC to be published in
2009
MADB • Minor Actinide Property
Database
• Bibliographical database on
physico-chemical properties of
materials containing minor
actinides
• Carbides, Nitrides, Alloys,
Oxides, Halides, Elements and
other forms are covered
• More than 1000 data records
from 159 publications (Apr
2009)
• Online since May 2009
PIE • Post Irradiation Examination
Facilities Database
• Catalogue of PIE facilities
worldwide
• General information about the
facilities
• Technical capabilities of the
facilities
• Available online since 2004
• 45 facilities in 21 countries
(Apr 2009)
www-nfcis.iaea.org
ThDEPO to be started
Properties of LMFR fuel and
fuel assembly structurals.
IAEA
Thank You For Kind Attention
