Objective
LWR-DEPUTY is conceived to fit in a portfolio of experimental research on novel fuels for deep burning of plutonium in existing nuclear power plants (NPPs). It studies to what extent the existing NPPs in Europe can create markedly less nuclear waste by moving to inert matrix fuels. In GEN IV and ADS- research, programs are launched to conceive new reactors and fuels to achieve these objectives, too. With LWR-DEPUTY an alternative route is followed, where one enrols the existing LWRs in the advances to reduce nuclear waste.
The fact that novel fuels are developed for existing reactors allows assessing the full scenario for industrial implementation including design, fabrication, licensing, in reactor performance and safety. LWR-DEPUTY intends to build upon the experience gained in 5th FP projects on advanced nuclear fuel.
The project is active on two experimental axes and a crosscutting theoretical activity:
- ceramic-in-metal (CERMET) MOX is not as far developed as the CERCER fuels, and screening irradiation of four fuels in a Materials Test Reactor is proposed
- thoria based fuels have successfully been irradiated in earlier projects, and fuel samples are available for in-depth post-irradiation, radiochemical and back-end studies
- an assessment is made of the efforts needed to introduce novel fuel concepts in existing NPPs, performance and safety assessment of thoria based fuels is made and code benchmarking is performed using experimental data from radiochemical analysis of thoria based fuels LWR-DEPUTY builds further upon research performed in the 5th Framework Programme.
The partners are convinced that this is the only viable way to ensure continuity and build strong European competence in nuclear science and technology. In complex, strongly regulated and expensive fields like nuclear fuel technology, one must build upon past research. In doing so, LWR-DEPUTY contributes to construct ERA, the European Research Area.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesnuclear engineeringnuclear waste management
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
EURATOM-2005-6-FIXEDDEADLINE
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
Belgium