Technical Meeting on Advanced Technology Fuels: Progress on their Design, Manufacturing, Experimentation, Irradiation, and Case Studies for their Industrialization, Safety Evaluation, and Future Prospects

Introduction

The IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) T12032 on Testing and Simulation for Advanced Technology and Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF-TS) started in April 2020 and ended in December 2024. It involved 29 partners from 22 Member States (MSs) and 1 International Organization (EC-JRC), and 2 observers (OECD-NEA and US NRC). The main objectives of the CRP were: (i) to support interested MSs in their efforts to design and develop Accident Tolerant and Advanced Technology Fuels (ATFs) for light water reactors (LWRs), (ii) to enhance their computer code capabilities to predict nuclear fuel behaviour under Design Basis (DB) and Design Extension (DE) Conditions, and (iii) to increase the technology readiness for candidate ATF materials, with the following specific research objectives:

? To perform experiments including separate effect and bundle tests on ATFs’ performance under normal, DB and DE conditions;
? To benchmark fuel codes against new test data obtained during the CRP as well as existing data relevant for advanced fuel and cladding concepts from other experimental programmes;
? To develop Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) evaluation methodology for ATF performance with a view for Nuclear Power Plant applications.

The CRP participants highlighted the success of the CRP T12032 on ATF-TS as an international Research & Development project with notable achievements. The collaboration among the 29 participating organizations, along with the effective coordination of all Work Tasks, was crucial to the success of the CRP. A dynamic network of experts was established to address the technical issues associated with ATF materials and the application of fuel performance codes and severe accident codes to ATFs. The CRP T12032 on ATF-TS provided valuable support to MSs by improving their understanding of ATF behaviour under normal operational and accidental conditions, sharing experimental data, and promoting best practices in fuel modelling and computer codes.
The CRP participants recommended focusing future ATF-related efforts on enhancing fuel performance codes and severe accident codes to better assess the benefits of ATFs at high burnups under Anticipated Operational Occurrences (AOOs), Design Basis and Design Extension conditions.
Meanwhile, significant progress has been made, worldwide, on ATF development, qualification (testing and simulation) and industrial implementations since the last IAEA Technical Meeting on “Modelling of Fuel Behaviour on Design Basis Accidents and Design Extension Conditions”, held in Shenzhen, China on May 13-16, 2019, whose proceedings have been compiled in the IAEA TECDOC-1913, published in 2020. There is therefore a need to review the status of ATF development, to evaluate the safety benefits of ATFs, and to recommend future IAEA activities on ATFs.
In response to these recommendations and based on the advice of the members of the Technical Working Group on Fuel Performance and Technology, the IAEA is organizing a Technical Meeting on “Advanced Technology Fuels: Progress on their Design, Manufacturing, Experimentation, Irradiation, and Case Studies for their Industrialization, Safety Evaluation, and Future Prospects”, that will serve as a platform to:
? Discuss the results of the CRP T12032 on ATF-TS,
? Assess the safety benefits and performance of ATFs,
? Identify gaps and challenges in ATF development, qualification and licensing,
? Explore future IAEA activities, including a new CRP on ATF testing and simulation including for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Objectives

The main purpose of the event is to discuss the outcomes of the coordinated research project entitled “Testing and Simulation for Advanced Technology and Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF-TS)” to assess the benefits of ATFs and to make recommendations for the IAEA’s future activities in this area. New results from other national and international ATF related projects will be presented and discussed.

Target Audience

?The event is intended for participants from research organizations, nuclear fuel design organizations, nuclear power plant operators and engineering companies, regulatory bodies and technical support organizations, universities, and other organizations engaged in near- and mid-term ATF fuel development, design, manufacturing, licensing and operation for large and small water-cooled reactors.