NederlandsLife Cycle innovations & Isotopes / Section FI - Introduction
The researchprogramme of the section 'LCI / Fuels & Isotopes' (LCI/FI) is focussed on the development of methods for safe use of fissile material and nuclear reactors and techniques for the treatment and recycling of radioactive waste. A spin-off activity is the support and innovation of the production of medical isotopes.
Research
Research is performed for the development of innovative fuel concepts, partitioning, recycling and immobilisation of radionuclides and the final storage of radioactive waste. In addition, research is performed on the development of new transmutation scenarios and reactors. Also the research focuses on safety, such as criticality evaluation of nuclear installations, radiation protection and personal dose calculations, where use is made of high-quality nuclear databases.
Innovative Fuel research
The fuel research concerns the development of innovative fuel concepts and the preparation of irradiation experiments in the High Flux Reactor in Petten. In collaboration with other productgroups destructive and non-destructive post irradiation examinations are performed. The research on the feasibility of partitioning and transmutation - the separation and recycling of radiotoxic nuclides - is performed within international networks. The research is aiming at the reduction of the lifetime of long-lived radionuclides by neutron irradiation. Hereto, the productgroup FAI produces, in its chemical laboratories, targets for irradiation experiments in the High Flux Reactor. Supporting 3D computersimulations of the neutronphysical and thermal behaviour of these irradiation experiments is also performed.
Immobilization of radionuclides
Within the research on the immobilisation of radionuclides methods are developed for safe final disposal of mobile radionuclides. Special expertise is available for the treatment of radioactive liquid waste streams, for which the dominant radionuclides are separated and immobilised. Fabrication of immobilised compounds and the leaching behaviour under geological representative conditions completes the research.
Transmutation scenarios
The research on transmutation scenarios concerns the comparison of the effectiveness of different reactorconcepts (HTR, ADS). Essential aspects are the reduction of the lifetime of the radioactive waste, but also the safety, such as the transient analyses. The quality of the required nuclear databases is constantly updated and improved.
Special nuclear facilities
The productgroup has a number of nuclear facilities, for support of both internal and external research projects. The productgroup is involved in the development of radioactive samples for industrial and medical purposes. The tools that are being used for the mentioned researchtopics are also applied for other industrial activities, such as the design of radiation detectors for offshore and medical applications.
Contact
Dr. Ronald P.C. Schram NRG - Life Cycle innovations & Isotopes (NRG-LCI) PO Box 25, 1755 ZG Petten, the Netherlands phone: +31 224 564362 , fax: +31 224 568608 e-mail: lci@nrg.eu