Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section

Technical Working Group on
Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology (TWGFPT)


SUMMARY REPORT OF THE 2003 TWGFPT INTERMEDIATE MEETING

A Technical Meeting (TM) on “Status and Trends in Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology” (Plenary Meeting of the IAEA Technical Working Group on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology - TWGFPT) was held in Vienna, on 12-14 May 2003. 27 TWGFPT members from 20 countries and EC took part in the meeting. Delegates from Brazil, Rep. of Korea, Norway, Spain, USA and OECD/NEA did not participate because of overlapping with other business, and the Chinese delegate couldn’t come because of SARS.

The TWGFPT members considered the implementation of the IAEA sub-programme on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology (B.2) in 2001-2003 and discussed 2004-2005 programme proposal, which is now under consideration. This sub-programme has mostly focused on information exchange on the development of fuel and coolant technologies for NPPs. It was recommended that in the immediate future this sub-programme would place more emphasis on harmonization of advanced methodologies for fuel design, fabrication and utilization among Member States with different reactor designs.

Special meetings were organized under leadership of TWGFPT Chairman, Mr. G. Ronnberg, and NEFW Division Director, Mr. A. Bonne, on TWGFPT reporting to SAGNE and on involvement of the TWGFPT into evaluation of the effectiveness of the IAEA activities in nuclear fuel area (B.2). A special group under the co-ordination of Mr. P. Blanpain was organized to recommend the Agency on Performance Indicators.

The Working Group noted the considerable development activities ongoing throughout the world in the fuel performance and technology area, summarized in the reports presented by each country representative. The main focus was on progress in:

The Working Group was also pleased to hear that recent international gatherings initiated and supported by the Agency through the WG had been highly successful. These included a TM on “Fuel Failures in Water Reactors” (Slovakia, June 2002), a Conference on “Characterization and Quality Control of Nuclear Fuels” (India, December 2002) and a CRP on “Fuel Behaviour Modelling at High Burnup”, FUMEX-II (Vienna, December 2002). The WG also welcomed the opportunity to hear about activities in the complementary Agency areas of fuel safety and advanced water reactors.

The plans for the TM on “Poolside Inspection and Repair” to be held in the Czech Republic in June this year were presented. The invitation to the TM on “Improved Pellet Materials and Design” to be held in Belgium in October this year was distributed. The focus will be on high burnup data for fuel with additives.

The plans for a TM on “Fuel Assembly Structural Behaviour at High Burnup” were confirmed. The scope will be on assembly bowing, incomplete rod insertion, water gap issues and vibrations and rod-grid fretting including Loop Testing. Experiences as well as analysis and modelling should be included. These topics are important both for PWRs and WWERs. Tentatively the meeting will be arranged in France late in 2004.

The earlier plans for a TM on “the Behaviour of Highly Corrosion Resistant Zirconium-based Alloys” were discussed. The group noted the possible overlapping with the ASTM Zr Conference to be held in Sweden in 2004 and the absence of a representative of the tentative host country (Korea) to confirm the venue. Argentina offered to be an alternative host.

Fuel behaviour modelling is still an important issue and the group expressed its strong support for a TM to be arranged in the UK in 2005, focusing on high burnup. This TM should also include some specific topics (e.g. atomistic modelling) suggested at the meeting.

The tentative plans for a TM on “Advanced Water Reactor Fuels” (to burn minor actinides and inert matrix fuel (IMF) were updated. It was noted that there was no Agency funding at the moment but it was again noted that there has been a series of workshops arranged on these topics and that cooperation with that organising group should be sought. The Scientific Secretary agreed to arrange the necessary contacts. It was noted that Russia is still interested in holding the meeting. If the arrangements can be made, the WG supports the activity.

A possible TM on thorium-based fuels was discussed. Part of the scope (fabrication and material properties) was covered by the recent Conference in India on “Characterisation and QC of Nuclear Fuel”. The topic is of considerable interest to the WG, and it was recommended for consideration by the TWGNFCO.

The tentative plans for future TMs on “Accelerator Techniques for Simulation of Radiation Damage” and on the “Use of Advanced Technologies, e.g. IT, in Fuel Fabrication and Performance Analysis” remain of interest and will be discussed again at the next meeting.

A new TM on “High Burnup Fuel Performance” was proposed and supported by the group. The focus should be on technical and economic aspects, experiences, implementation in member countries, and on future developments. A date of 2006 or 2007 was tentatively agreed.

Another new TM on “Hot Cell PIE Techniques” was also discussed and supported by the group. An offer was made by Argentina to host a meeting in 2006 or 2007.

It was noted that the Agency plans to create a Databank on PIE Techniques/Facilities (by the end of 2003 - beginning 2004) on the basis of a revised 1995 Catalogue of PIE Facilities. This effort was appreciated and assistance in obtaining information from hot labs was promised.

The WG expressed its continuous support to the bi-annual Conferences on “WWER Fuel Performance, Modelling and Experimental Support” in Bulgaria. The WG also expressed its strong support for the CANDU fuel conferences.

It was noted that an invitation to the next meeting in the specialist series hosted by France (March 2004) has been issued, with a focus on PCI at high burnup. The specialist meeting in France on Micro-beam (SIMS) Techniques, is also planned to be arranged in 2004.

The ongoing and planned CRPs were discussed, and it was noted that these are much appreciated by the participants as well as the host organisations.

It was noted that the planned CRP on “Hydride-induced Crack Propagation in Zr-based Alloys” currently had no Agency funding. Nevertheless, the WG expressed its strong support for this activity.

The plans for Expert Reviews were also discussed. It was noted that the plans for the Review of Mechanical Properties of Zr-based Alloys and the Review on Fuel Failures were both delayed. The WG again expressed its strong support for these activities.

Plans for a Symposium on “Characterization and QC of Nuclear Fuel” were discussed. This would be an update of the successful meeting on the same topic arranged in India in 2002. The meeting is planned to be held in India in 2005.

The Chairman, Mr Ronnberg, informed the WG of his suggestion that a new chairman be appointed in order to continue the important trend to introduce a younger generation in our activities. The group agreed to recommend Mr. C. Ott as the new chairman of the WG.

The next TWGFPT meeting is planned to take place in Vienna, from 11 to 12 of May 2004, and will be an intermediate meeting without country reports.