HOTLABINST European HOT LAB oratories IN tegration ST rategy

Romania – September 2006 1DEN/DSOE

HOTLABINSTEuropean HOT LABoratories INtegration STrategy

“The EU 7th FWP Integrated Infrastructure Initiative HOTLABINST: a second step towards an European Network on Hot

Laboratories”


Introduction:

The general objectives of this project are to reinforce European experimental capabilities for testing Irradiated materials and fuel by :

- building a durable cooperation between European hot laboratories - maintaining the European leadership with up-dated capabilities and competences,- improving and structuring services with coordinated developments and uses of existing PIE,- preparing the future European landscape


Proposition:

The HOTLABINST could cover :

- Networking Activities fostering integration of Hotlabs community involved in designing and operating PIE facilities + transport casks and transport operations through information exchange, know-how cross-fertilization, exchanges of interdisciplinary personnel and professional training.

- Joint Research Activities focusing on developments and fabrication of innovative PIE capabilities improving existing experimental capabilities to address safety issues, ageing management & optimisation of current power plants, future reactors developments and technologies for high temperature reactors

- Transnational Access to the facilities


~about 20 european hot laboratories concerned


Proposition of project objectives (1/3):

Networking activities=> 4 1) NA1 : management of the I32) NA2 : training network 3) NA3 : measurements (best practices) 4) NA4 : transport (best practices)


Proposition of project objectives (2/3):

Joint Research Activities

methodology / Nuclear energy reactors?=> 4 main needs chose within each country needs ?

Potential interested items 1) LWR (PWR or BWR)

- specimen miniaturization for mechanical testing- corrosion instrumentation loop (electrochemical process, crack

initiation and propagation following : accoustic, ddp process)- safety requirements (dynamical tensile test 500 mm/s et T max

1000°C, penn state methodology: image/déformation correlation ?) 2) GEN IV

HT T>1000°C (mechanical + thermical properties)ceramic, composite irradiated materials PIE (sample preparation.)


Proposition project objectives (3/3):

Transnational access

The main challenges towards the future are:

• To keep the skills and experiences at a sufficient high level (both qualitatively and quantitatively) in order to cope with the research needs of the present day operational industrial systems (essential LWR's that will still operate for some decades to come). • To broaden the skills and experiences towards the announced new systems (such as GENIV concepts - including actinide fuels, ADS, and ITER). • To enlarge the application domain of the analytical tools towards the new more demanding boundary conditions of these new systems (e.g. high temperatures, liquid metal environment).


Proposition project objectives (3/3):

Transnational access to facilities

HOTLAB CA work Many laboratories have indicated high levels of utilisation of basis analytical techniques thus implying a limited capacity to absorb any significant increase in demand.

But some spare capacity can be available in some particular laboratories.

Needs ?: Sharing the tools if availibilityfor instance CEA needs is very interested by ITU facilities : TEM + thermal properties measurements + micro indentation measurementsA way to generate mutual discussions (for buying, for handling wastes..)


NA1: management of the I3- manage the activities to implement the execution plan through a progressive integration of Partners’ research capacity in the hotlab field

- provide decision making, conflict resolution mechanisms to support the project’s consortium and its evolution

- provide an efficient financial and administrative coordination of the project

- manage the financial EC contribution by allocating it to the contractors, pursuant to the implementation plan and the decisions taken by the appropriate bodies

- communicate to the Commission all information in connection with the project (notably what concerns the distribution of the fund)

- coordinate at the consortium level the activities of the I3 project and ensure their execution- support implementation of changes in the activities and the consortium if and when needed- ensure the dissemination of knowledge while managing intellectual property right.


NA1: management of the I3 For instance : plan for the use + dissemination of knowledge

Internet web site A part of the site hosted by http://www.sckcen.be/hotlab/ will

be dedicated for communication within the consortium

Moreover a public eb portal will be developed to disseminate information about all the I3 activities

Meetings and conferencesSome meetings will be organized to give information on

project researches, implementation plan and status of the developments

Publications the achieved results will be published

Links with other european infrastructures or with FP6 projectsACTINET, MTR I3, RAPHAEL -GEN IV …

http://www.sckcen.be/hotlab/


ACTINET, Network for Actinide Science – Management of radioactive waste

European European UnionUnion

CharteredCharteredJuly 2001July 2001

Euratom research Projects

RAPHAEL GENERATION IV, Integrated project


NA2: training network

Task 1 Implementation of the personnel exchanges assessed in the HOTLABSSAFWP 6 project (assessment of the welcome formalities for each hotllab ? need of harmonization ?)

Task 2 Determine the target groups for training and their training needs in the hotlab field, including assessment of the number of potential candidates per year.

Task 3 Assess the various training programs presently carried out in education and training centres within the European Union, to determine their strengths and weaknesses, in relation to the target groups and their needs

Task 4Define training programs adapted to the particular needs of the various target groups in the most appropriate partners’ institutions (optimisation at the European level which allows avoiding duplications)

Task 5 Provide first training sessions to targeted groups


The ultimate objective is to provide a practical means for education and training of hot laboratories personnel by sharing experience on common infrastructure matters and specific analytical tools.The exchange of personnel for education and training purposes will provide the basis for the skill enhancement and skill conservation, promoting and enabling the harmonisation and future integration of existing facilities.


NA3: measurement best practicesTask 1: State of the art : for complementing the PIE list of the HOTLABSSA about interlaboratory test list of the patents and costs ?/PIE

Task 2: Improvement of the methodology used for the inter-laboratory test comparisons (questionnaire, visits, exchanges of data about for instance accuracy methodology …)

Task 3: getting and assessing the information on present practices, implementing the methodology for the tests identified within the HOTLABSSA project for instance: - EPMA standard samples development for actinide materials analysis,- robin test EPMA for an accurate determination of light elements in the presence of a high X ray background arising from the presence of radioactive elements; -SIMS standard samples development;…etc The assessment can imply a broader set of experts, either among operators and/or among relevant scientists, depending on the observed discrepancies.

Task 4: Recommendations about what should be the future measurement strategies a best practice guide could be proposed


The main goal will be to ensure and improve the quality of existing experimental methods on selected topics to be determined according to the current needs.


NA4: transport best practices

It will complete the HOTLAB CA Work

Task 1: Improvement of the methodology for getting and assessing the information on present practices (exchange of good practices, share feedback on operational procedures, responsibilities of the different persons or organisations involved in a transport …) need of real participation of the partners

Task 2: Recommendations about what should be the future harmonized procedure

Task 3 (put in a joint research program ?): Research on radiolysis phenomena in order to increase the knowledge in this area


Networking Activities will be carried out to enlarge and reinforce the Hotlab community which is necessary to:

- prepare irradiation and PIE infrastructures of European interest with a few modern specialized infrastructures (one MTR, one experimental fast reactor and one medically-oriented reactor for radioisotope production) associated with a network of existing MTRs which will guarantee European excellence and sustainable irradiation capability,

- optimise the use of the European hotlabs for high performances (with personal exchanges) and complementary accesses to smaller hotlab offering high flexibility for cost effective services when high performances are not required,

- most importantly attract and train a young generation of scientists and engineers for the future.


Project objectives (2/3):Joint research activities

Methodology ?/ kinds of PIE / materials/ Nuclear Energy Reactor

=> limited number : 4 ?Potential interested items 1) LWR (PWR or BWR)

- JRA1 : specimen miniaturization for mechanical testing- JRA2 : corrosion instrumentation loop (electrochemical process, crack initiation and propagation following : accoustic, ddp

process)- JRA3: safety requirements

2) GEN IV JRA4 : HT T>1000°C (mechanical + thermical properties)ceramic, composite irradiated materials PIE (sample preparation.)


JRA 1 specimen miniaturization

Testing of irradiated miniature specimen has gained a lot of interest in the scientific community. Indeed the quantity of irradiated material is in many case very limited due to the cost and space available in the irradiation capsule. Testing of such miniature specimen in hot cell is a real challenge that require a lot of expertise, handiness and ingenuity

SCK–MOL and CEA-LECI very interested


LECI/ M LINE/ HOT CELL M10 – Sub-Size Impact (50J) Charpy Zwick System :

+ Type and Maximum Energy : - Pendulum Impact Zwick Machine- Max. Energy : 50 J- Max. Velocity : 3.7 m/s

+ Temperature Range :- From -150°C up to 600°C- Pneumatic Automatic Feeding Syst.

+ Instrumentation and Software :- Strain gauges instrumented striker,- Optical sensor for displacement,- Zwick ImpactWin Software,

+ Atmosphere : - Air,

+ Specimen Types :- Sub-Sized Charpy-V (3x4x27 mm3),- Sub-Sized Charpy-V (3.3x3.3x24 mm3) ,


JRA 2 Cladding LWR/corrosion studies ?

Studies on irradiated materials have already been performed but additional knowledge is needed.

- Concerning reactor core components, Irradiated Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking is an important ageing mechanism still not understood crack propagation methods developments (Direct current potential Drop , accoustic approach ..?)

- Concerning zirconium alloys as cladding tube materials for PWR fuel rods (new alloylocal corrosion observed instead of spring clips of the grid..), electrochemical measurement developments


LECI/K LINE/K01 HOT CELL – Corrosion loop with 3 Autoclaves

3 autoclaves of 3 litres (1 with tensile testing 3 autoclaves of 3 litres (1 with tensile testing device)device)

6 tops (3 standard, 1 for 6 tops (3 standard, 1 for electrochemistryelectrochemistry, 1 , 1 for slowstrain rate tensile test/creep- 50 kN for for slowstrain rate tensile test/creep- 50 kN for tensile machine, 1 for IASCC crack growth tensile machine, 1 for IASCC crack growth measurement) measurement)

Operating conditionsOperating conditions::

Up to 360°CUp to 360°C

Up to 200 bar with on line chemical Up to 200 bar with on line chemical measurements (Li, B, Hmeasurements (Li, B, H22….)….)

BWR or PWR conditionsBWR or PWR conditions

Studies in support of IASCC of Studies in support of IASCC of internals and waterside corrosion of Zr internals and waterside corrosion of Zr

alloysalloys


JRA 3

Safety requirements ? Developments of new capacities or tests ? Improvements ?

For instance LECI has a dynamic tensile machine able to perform test with a rate up to 500 mm/s and T max 1000°C. These tests are aiming to cover incidental situations such RIA or LOCA for cladding materialThe skill have developed a penn state University ring methodology aiming comparisons between computed hoop strain (3D simulation) and measured by image correlation improvement of numerical simulation – interest – sharing knowledge


+ Type and Maximum Load : - Servo-Hydraulic (25 kN & +/-50 mm)- Load Cells (25 kN et 5kN),- Speed : 500 mm/s 1.5mm/s

+ Temperature Range :- Furnaces 25 to 600°C & 600 to 1000°C- Joule Effect 1200°C @ 500°C/s- Induction 1200°C @ 500°C/s

+ Instrumentation and Software :- LVDT Displacement Sensor,- Axial & Diametrical Extensometer,- Thermocouples,- Auto-Alignment System,- Instron Control & Software Merlin,

+ Atmosphere : - Air or Argon Shielding,

+ Test Types :- Standard Tensile Tests 10-4 to 10-2 s-1 ,- Dynamic Tensile Tests up to 10+2 s-1 ,+ Specimen Types :

- Flat Tensile Specimens,- Cylindrical Specimens,- Cladding Samples : Ring or Axial Specimens.

LECI/M LINE/ HOT CELL M04 – Dynamic Tensile Testing Machine (25 kN)


rings : Improvement of strain measurements

V direction

U direction U Cast3m (mm)

U Image analysis (mm)

SpecklePainting

+Image analysis

Very accurate strain measurements can be derived from this innovative techniquedeveloped at CEA Saclay.

Room temperature tests

The method will be adapted to high temperature testing at PELECI in Saclay


JRA 4

GEN IV ? HT + new materials PIE T>1000°C (mechanical + thermal properties)

If Europe has a clear leadership in irradiation programs for existing nuclear plants, it should be emphasised the growing international competition in the framework of GEN IV.

For future reactors, innovations on materials and fuels are mandatory and the role of Europe in the GEN IV forum will significantly depend upon our ability to develop and qualify these material and fuel which, among other activities (basic research, modelling, hot labs) require advanced experimental capabilities (high temperature, large fast neutron flux …).

Competition in advanced material testing is clearly increasingfor 2004 and it is critical to gather the European community on this topic.


What are your feeling about this proposition ?

What are your main needs ?


Long term sustainibility and structuring effect

HOTLABINST improves existing hotlabs’ services and prepares the next generation of research infrastructures by enlarging hotlab community, improving the networking, by supporting joint technological developments, and optimising the use of Hotlabs.

HOTLABINST overcomes the present situation offragmented resources and low investments in hardware and competences, thus reinforces the existing European experimental capabilities, and their links between them.

HOTLABINST added value will go far beyond the time-frame of FP6 since it is on the road-map of the future infrastructures of Europe. This will give a solid foundation to the long-term capability of post irradiation examinations services and their competitiveness

Documents

HOTLABINST European HOT LAB oratories IN tegration ST rategy