IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

NFCMS’ activities to help Member States

address impacts of the development of

advanced fuel cycles on the back-end

Presentation by NFCMS to INPRO’s

10th Dialog Forum

Clément Hill (c.hill@iaea.org)

28 May 2015

IAEA

Presentation outline

• Spent Fuel Management (SFM) - Global statistics

• Current Fuel Cycles (FC) - FC phases and topical issues impacting SFM

• Advanced Fuel Cycles - Challenges in the back-end

• NFCMS’ role and activities - Assistance to Member States

• Technical Meetings, Workshops, documents

- Major forthcoming events

• Technical Meetings, International Conference

IAEA

Spent Fuel Management (SFM)

IAEA

Typical Fuels used in the World

Zr Zr - - 1%Nb clad 1%Nb clad

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235)UO 235)UO 2 2

Zircaloy clad

Enriched UO UO 2 2

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235) 235)

9x9

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

UO UO 2 2 or (U, Pu)O or (U, Pu)O

Fuel Pellets Fuel Pellets

SS Clad SS Clad

Enriched Enriched UO UO 2 2

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235) 235)

Magnesium Alloy Clad Magnesium Alloy Clad

Natural Uranium Metal Pin Natural Uranium Metal Pin

SS clad SS clad

( U,Pu)O ( U,Pu)O

PWR PWR BWR BWR VVER VVER

17x17

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

312

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

AGR AGR

MAGNOX MAGNOX

37 Fuel elements

Zircaloy clad

Natural UO UO 2 2

PHWR PHWR LMFR LMFR

RBMK RBMK

Zr Zr - - 1%Nb clad 1%Nb clad

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235)UO 235)UO 2 2

Zircaloy clad

Enriched UO UO 2 2

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235) 235)

9x9

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

SS clad SS clad

( U,Pu)O ( U,Pu)O

PWR PWR BWR BWR VVER VVER

17x17

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

312

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

AGR AGR

MAGNOX MAGNOX

37 Fuel elements

Zircaloy clad

Natural UO UO 2 2

PHWR PHWR LMFR LMFR

RBMK RBMK

Zr Zr - - 1%Nb clad 1%Nb clad

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235)UO 235)UO 2 2

Zircaloy clad

Enriched UO UO 2 2

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235) 235)

9x9

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

UO UO 2 2 or (U, Pu)O or (U, Pu)O 2

Fuel Pellets Fuel Pellets

SS Clad SS Clad

Enriched Enriched UO UO 2 2

(<5%U (<5%U - - 235) 235)

Magnesium Alloy Clad Magnesium Alloy Clad

Natural Uranium Metal Pin Natural Uranium Metal Pin

SS clad SS clad

( U,Pu)O ( U,Pu)O 2

PWR PWR BWR BWR VVER VVER

17x17

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

312

Fuel Fuel

Elements Elements

AGR AGR

MAGNOX MAGNOX

37 Fuel elements

Zircaloy clad

Natural UO UO 2 2

PHWR PHWR LMFR LMFR

RBMK RBMK

PHWRs & LWRs account for

more than 90% of operating

nuclear power reactors

They use natural uranium and low

enriched uranium oxide or U/Pu

mixed oxide, as fuel in the form of

pellets encapsulated in zirconium

alloy cladding tubes

IAEA

Global statistics on Spent Fuel

IAEA

Interim storage Options

AR Pools

Centralized

Passive Pools

Dry Storage

Vault Stores

Metal Casks

Concrete Casks

Ventilated Concrete

Casks

Vertical Ventilated

Silos

Horizontal Ventilated

Silos

Canisters

IAEA

Fuel Cycle phases

Fuel

Manufacture

Fuel

Irradiation

AR SF

Storage

AFR SF

Storage

SF

Reprocessing

Product

Storage

SF

conditioning

for disposal

Waste

Storage

Disposal

facility

Uranium

Purification

Uranium

Mining

Uranium

Enrichment

Impacts on the BEFC

IAEA

Example of topical issues impacting

current SFM

• Fundamental questions: - What are the alterations in the

mechanical properties of the fuel

rod cladding and fuel pellet/fuel

clad interaction associated with

high burnup, MOX fuel?

- What is the amount of fuel

released in the event of rod

breakage?

Improving basic knowledge on

SF behaviour for retrieval and

transport situations

IAEA

Advanced fuel cycles under development

• For nuclear power to be sustainable as a global

source of emission-free energy, the fuel cycle should

remain sustainable

Motivation for advanced and innovative nuclear FC for

nuclear power sustainability through SF recycling and Fast

Reactors deployment

- Development of Fuel Cycle Options that are economically viable,

safe, environment-friendly and proliferation resistant

Constituent SF Composition

Uranium ~ 95 – 96 %

Plutonium ~ 1.0 %

Minor Actinides (Np, Am and Cm) ~ 0.1 %

Fission products ~ 3 – 4 %

IAEA

Summary of R&D development in MA

separation processes in Member States

France Advanced aqueous separation with recovery of most of the minor actinides, while

having a small activity in the area of pyro-chemical processing involving the liquid-

liquid reductive extraction in molten fluoride/liquid aluminum.

India Pyro-chemical recycling of actinides in metallic fuel, which is planned to be used in

fast breeder reactor (FBR) after 2020.

Republic of Korea

The most ambitious program with a steady investigation of pyro-chemical technology

since 1990 and plans to demonstrate the technology in collaboration with the United

States via the Joint Fuel Cycle Study Program and eventually construct an

engineering-scale hot cell facility

Russian Federation Applying pyro-chemical technology for UO2 and PuO2 recovery from spent oxide fuel.

China, P.R Investigation of aqueous process technology for the next two decade with pyro-

chemical process development planned for beyond 2030 to recycle metallic spent fuel

in fast reactors

USA

Focus on continued basic research to support a future decision on implementing

aqueous or pyro-chemical technology to close the nuclear fuel cycle (attention on

safety and safeguards). Meanwhile, pyro-chemical technology continues to be applied

at INL to stabilize spent fuels from FFTF and EBR-II.

Japan Focus on advanced aqueous process with minor actinide management under the

framework of the FACT program. Pyro-chemical process development explored in

parallel.

IAEA

Impacts of Advanced Fuels on SFM

• Higher burnup, Accident Tolerant Fuels Impact on storage and disposal (-radiolysis)

Same fundamental questions remain - What are the alterations in the mechanical properties of the fuel

rod cladding and fuel pellet/fuel clad interaction?

- What is the amount of fuel released in the event of rod breakage?

• New fuel matrix and cladding for Gen-IV Reactors

- Nitride, carbide, ceramic, metallic fuels

Impact on reprocessing (chemistry)

Investigate/simulate (because of lack of available

information) the behavior of these Advanced Fuels for

retrieval and transport situations

IAEA

Years

Interim

Storage

Reference Endpoint

Reference Fuel Irradiation Higher Fuel Burnup, MOX

Delays in Endpoint

Throughput Constraints

Interim Storage

Managing uncertainty in the BEFC

IAEA

Role and activities of NFCMS

IAEA

NFCMS’ working areas

• NFCMS’ work programmes are aimed at providing

Member States with assistance and required

information to aid successful management of SF and

inform decision makers for the BEFC management

- NFCMS undertakes cooperative research through CRPs

- NFCMS organizes Technical Meetings or Conferences to

assist MSs in sharing information on:

• SF management (SF and storage system performance

assessment)

• Lessons learned in SF management (e.g., high burn-up and short

cooled FR fuels)

• SF reprocessing/recycling (e.g., use of Pu and Minor Actinides)

IAEA

NFCMS’ working areas

• TMs aim at:

- Disseminating SF Knowledge among MSs

- Promoting SF strategies at early stages of

NP programmes (Newcomers)

- Providing technical guidance on good

practices (Technical Documents)

• NFCMS also supports IAEA Nuclear

Safety Action Plan related to SFM

• Analysis of storage data from Fukushima

• Support to Technical Cooperation/

Peer Review Missions

IAEA

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs)

• Already Closed - BEFAST CRP series: BEhaviour of spent Fuel Assemblies in Storage

• BEFAST I (1981-1986); BEFAST II (1986-1991); BEFAST III (1991-1996)

- SPAR CRP series: Spent Fuel Performance Assessment and Research

• SPAR I (1997-2001); SPAR II (2002-2008); SPAR III (2010-2014)

- Technical documentation gathering relevant results and main conclusions:

• BEFAST and SPAR CRPs have demonstrated

that international cooperation can

successfully be accomplished, providing major

benefits to MSs

• SF storage is approaching a mature

technology in the back end of the FC

• More than 30 years of accumulated

experience showed that interim SF storage

is safe in both wet and dry conditions

IAEA

• Active (2012-2016)

• DEMO: Demonstrating performance of spent

fuel and related storage systems beyond the

long term

• Initiated November 2011

• Supported by extra budget funding from USA (PUI)

• RCMs held in April 2013 and in November 2014

• Overall Objective

• To support the technical basis for water reactor SF dry

storage as durations extend

• Research Areas

• Demonstration tests in USA (for more than 15 years)

and Japan

• Stress Corrosion Cracking mechanisms and monitoring,

rod behaviour, concrete systems, bolted closure

systems, neutron shielding and system demonstration

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs)

IAEA

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs)

• Active (2012-2015)

- Near Term and Promising Long Term Options for

Deployment of Thorium Based Nuclear Energy

- CRP provides a platform for sharing research results and

previous experience among participating MSs

- Key focus

• Development of strategies for deployment of Th based nuclear

energy in near, medium and long term timeframes

• Identification of gaps

- Participating Member States

• Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, UK, India, USA

IAEA

• New and Planned - Management of severely damaged SF and corium

• To expand the existing basic knowledge and identify optimal

approaches

• CRP approved by the CCRA and open for proposals

(research contracts/agreements)

- SPAR-IV*: Spent fuel performance assessment

and research

- Demo-II*: Demonstrating performance of spent

fuel storage • To follow up and assess results from demonstration projects

in USA, Japan and RoK

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs)

- Ageing management programmes for SF dry storage systems* • To develop in co-operation with NSRW the technical basis and methodology to provide

guidance to MSs

• To build on the working group activity (2011-2013) on the preparation of a safety case

for storage and transport of Spent Fuel

*CRPs pending for approval by the CCRA

IAEA

Technical Meetings (TMs)

• TM on SF storage options (2-4 July 2013)

• 23 Member States represented (> 90% of the world’s stored fuel)

• Overall Objective - Establish which storage systems are

currently available or under design

- Design innovations to meet latest

safety standards and fuel cycle

demands

- Review operating experience and

impact of Fukushima

- Update IAEA-TECDOC-1100

“Survey of wet and dry spent fuel

storage”

IAEA

Technical Meetings (TMs)

• Overall Objective - Build upon foundations established in

IAEA-TECDOC 1725 (Spent Fuel Storage

Operations - Lessons Learned, published

December 2013)

- Expand lessons learned to cover all spent

fuel management activities

- Particular attention being paid to draw

upon Member States experiences in

managing leaking, failed, degraded,

damaged or severely damaged spent

fuel/fuel debris

• TM on Lessons learned in SFM (8-10 July 2014)

• TM attended by 36 participants from 16 MSs

IAEA

• Challenges in reprocessing of Fast Reactor fuels

− 24-26 June 2015, Vienna (Austria)

• Achieving zero fuel failure rates: challenges and

perspectives

− 1-2 October 2015, Varna (Bulgaria)

• Technical options for management of RW and SF in

countries developing new nuclear programmes

− In cooperation with NEFW-Waste Technology Section

− To be organized in Vienna in Q4

Technical Meetings planned in 2015

IAEA

Documents published on SFM

• Nuclear Energy Series Documents

-Technical Reports

www.iaea.org/publications

IAEA

Documents published on SFM

• Nuclear Energy Supporting Documents (TECDOCs)

IAEA

Establishment of a Spent Fuel Management Network

• Background - Develop a Network for spent fuel recovery

Operations (IAEA NS Action Plan)

• ToRs - To foster safe, sustainable and efficient SF

management practices across all MSs

- To address the management of SF after

discharge (including handling, maintenance,

storage, transport, reprocessing, SF data

management, etc)

• SFM Network hosted by CONNECT

platform - since October 2014

• Partners - AREVA, NEI & ROSATOM

IAEA

Forthcoming event: 15-19 June 2015

• Int. Conf. on Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors

- Main goal: Highlighting the importance of an integrated

long term approach to the management of SF from NPPs

- Seven topical sessions • Spent fuel management strategies

• Storage options in support of the integrated approach

• Status and challenges in an integrated approach

• Ageing management programmes

• Impact of the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle on the back end

• Research and development required to deliver an integrated

approach

• Safety aspects of spent fuel management

- 230 Registered participants

- 4 keynote talks, 7 invited speakers, 65 oral

presentations and 29 posters

- Conference President: Ms Fiona Rayment

• Director of Fuel Cycle Solutions at UK NNL

Premise: BR-A

IAEA

…atoms for peace

Thank you for your attention

IAEA

IAEA

• Advanced fuel cycles for waste burden minimization

− Focus on reducing the amount of waste as well as the radiotoxicity of the waste

to de disposed

• MSs approaches to societal confidence and political

acceptance in the back end of the fuel cycle

− Communication with all stakeholders is one of the significant aspects to be

taken into account when establishing SF management strategy/policy

• Developing nuclear fuel cycles

− Options for closing the back-end

− Impacts on the existing options

− Benefits/issues associated with transitioning to a new fuel cycle

• Deployment of mitigation technologies

− To provide technical guidance to MSs on measures to mitigate the

consequences of extreme adverse conditions in stored SF and storage facilities

Technical Meetings (2016-2017)

IAEA

• To review methodologies used to assess costs in the

back end of the nuclear fuel cycle

• To define the impact of policy and strategic

uncertainties on the sustainability of existing and future

nuclear fuel cycles

- How to manage (missing information, knowledge management) cliff

edges (i.e. risks, concerns and challenges)

• To identify processes for strengthening interfaces in the

nuclear fuel cycle

- Impact of the optimization of one stage on the others

- Importance of common goals of all stages

Workshops (2016-2017)

IAEA

Documents published on Advanced FC

www.iaea.org/publications

• Nuclear Energy Series Documents

-Technical Reports

IAEA

• Hydrogen behaviour in zirconium cladding

- Short cooling times or high burnup or MOX fuel

- Transfer to the next phase BEFC

- On discharge from reactor, hydrogen in

solution ppts in form of circumferential hydride

platelets

- Only hydrides which dissolve during heating

from a wet to a dry environment can re-orient

on cooling

• Drying fuel in T up to 420°C and >internal rod pressure

(hydrides dissolution and re-ppt on cooling in the radial

direction)

• Amount dissolved is temperature dependent for

example at 400°C 210 ppm of hydrogen would go into

solution (rest remains as hydrides)

Example of topical issues impacting

current SFM

IAEA

Example of topical issues impacting

current SFM

Graph provided by the NDA (UK)

Reprocessing plant

is 50 years old

Reprocessing plant

would be ~63 years old

• Throughput and availability of reprocessing plant

IAEA

Motivation for MA Transmutation

Plutonium and

minor actinides

are responsible

for most of

repository

hazard beyond

400 years

Many examples

of man-made

structures > 400

years old exist

IAEA 35

Thorium fuel cycle: major incentives

• Natural abundance of thorium resources

• Th-232 is a better fertile material than U-238 and

produces best fissile material U-233 in thermal

reactors

• Improved thermo-physical properties, such as high

melting point, higher thermal conductivity and low

co-efficient of thermal expansion compared to UO2

and MOX

• High burn-up capability

• Suitability for high conversion ratio fuel cycles

• Th based fuels have intrinsic proliferation

resistance characteristics due to the presence of

U-232 in U-233

• Low radiotoxic waste for Th-232/U-233 fuel cycle

IAEA

• ThO2 and Th based mixed oxide

fuels, unlike UO2 and (U/Pu)O2 fuels,

do not dissolve easily in conc. HNO3

• Compulsory automated & remote

operation in well shielded facility for

Th-233/U fuel containing U-232

• Three stream process of separation

of U, Pu and Th from spent

(Th/Pu)O2 fuel is yet to be developed

• Limited database and experience on

thorium fuels and fuel cycles

compared to U and (U/Pu) fuels

Thorium fuel cycle: challenges

Gamma energies of U-232 daughters

212Bi : 0.7-1.8 MeV

208Tl : 2.6 MeV

IAEA

Decay Heat in Spent Fuel Storage

• CS held 9-12 December 2013

• Overall Objective

• To gather information on and to

formulate the basis for producing a

technical document on decay heat in

spent fuel storage

• Output

• Information on decay heat in spent

fuel storage is embedded in a

variety of documents

• Opportunity to pull all facts into one

document

IAEA

MOX Fuel and MOX SFM

• ‘LWR MOX Fuel – Design,

Operations & Management’

• The aim is to provide technical

guidance to newcomers

• Meetings

• 3-6 June 2014, Marcoule, France

• 28-30 April 2015, Vlissingen,

Netherlands

IAEA

Fukushima Related Activities

• IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety

- Analysis of storage data from Fukushima Daiichi NPP

- Establishment of a Spent Fuel Management (SFM)

network

- Decay heat management in spent fuel storage

- Lessons learned in Spent Fuel Management

- New CRP on Severely Damaged Spent Fuel and Corium

• International Peer Review Missions

- Spent fuel and fuel debris removal