IrrDemo: irradiation of GFR fuel prototypes elements

Purposes

The new French law of the 28th of June 2006 on the nuclear waste, sets in 2012 the choice between sodium and gas for Gen IV fast neutrons reactors. Therefore, the feasibility of the fuel is being studied by CEA.

IrrDemo is an experimental irradiation of GFR (Gas cooled fast reactor) fuel prototypes elements, which intends to validate the conception and to point towards optimisation and improvement of the GFR fuel.

Candidate fuel elements are in form of plates or needles The considered cladding materials are a composite ceramic SiC-SiC _f as reference and a refractory metal as back-up.

The fissile phase is uranium and plutonium mixed carbide (U,Pu)C with18%Pu.

Several fuel designs foreseen for GFR reactors

IrrDemo's objective is to demonstrate:

• The thermo mechanical behaviour of the fuel under irradiation
• The manufacturability of the fuel
• The retention of fission gas
• In a later stage, the reprocessability of the fuel. This point was the primary objective of the initial programme but was dropped because the time requested to obtain the required burnup was not compatible with the 2012 deadline.

The SCK•CEN is in charge of the design of the experimental device for the irradiation in BR2. Including the design of the over cladding which insures the proper irradiation condition (temperature and helium pressure) and prevents the potential release of fission products.

References

JC. Bosq (DER/SPRC), N. Chauvin (DEC/SESC) - "LES RNR àcaloporteurGaz: La conception coeur et combustible"
http://www.gedeon.prd.fr/ATELIERS/29_30_mai_2007/exposes/Chauvin_GEDEPEON_RNRG_Coeur_30.pdf

Quel combustible pour les RNR-G?
http://www.cea.fr/var/plain/storage/original/application/f6d4aec41d30c30630a797013de7f5ac.pdf

Contact: Dekeyser Jean