A new IAEA research project will support the development and use of advanced nuclear fuels in both current and future nuclear power reactors
By Martin Sevecek, IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy
To ensure the long -term sustainability of nuclear power, optimizing fuel efficiency and developing safer, more robust fuels are key priorities. A new IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) will further work on advanced nuclear fuels through testing, analysis and international cooperation. The project builds on an earlier IAEA research effort that supported the development and deployment of safer and more efficient nuclear fuels for both the current reactor fleet and advanced reactors expected to be deployed in the near future.
The project responds to growing international interest in fuels that offer improved performance, better fuel cycle economics and the capability to safely operate under a wider range of reactor conditions. It will also address the call from industry experts for enhanced analytical tools and data harmonization in this area.
Overall Objective
The new project will address issues related to fuel utilization in small modular reactors, accident-related conditions and the operation of high-burnup fuels through coordinated experimental work, improved modelling and broader sharing of quality-assured data.
Specific Objectives
*Generate and collect new data to support advanced fuel development
*Improve simulation tools
*Strengthen the technical basis for future assessments and deployment decisions
*Support ongoing development of IAEA fuel and materials databases
The project will also include a subtask on using artificial intelligence to support nuclear fuel performance simulations and data processing.
Supporting Current and Future Reactor Designs
In addition to existing reactors, the project will consider issues relevant to small modular reactors. This reflects recommendations made during a technical meeting last year that identified a need for further work on the applicability of advanced fuels in different reactor systems.
Through experiments, analyses, artificial intelligence and shared databases, the project is expected to strengthen the foundation for future work on advanced fuels. It will also help organizations share research more effectively, benefiting countries with varying levels of experience and energy priorities.
