Fusion at SCK•CEN

SCK•CEN

• Foundation of Public Utility: created 1952, ~ 600 employees; turn-over ~ 80 M€/yr

• Reactors: safety, materials, instrumentation, neutronics, new reactors (fusion, ADS)

• Waste: dismantling, waste disposal, waste characterisation

• Radiation protection, emergency planning, safeguards, remediation of contaminated sites

• Training: Post-graduate nuclear engineering degree (BNEN)

• Socioeconomic studies, space applications, medical applications

• Facilities: BR2, BR1, VENUS, BR3, HADES, LHMA, Nuclear analysis and chemical laboratories, MYRRHA

SCK•CEN

ULB

ERM/KMS

Belgian Fusion Association7.7 M€/year

(1.6% of European budget)

KUL

(GRADELLuxembourg)

UCL

30%40%

10%

10%

10%

FlemishMinistry of Education

French-Community Ministry of Education

Federal Ministry of Defence

Federal Ministry of Economy

European Commission

Fusion Budget at SCK•CEN

• Expenses 3 M€/yr

• Income 1 M€/jaar

• Specific dotation 1 M€/jaar

• 20 equivalent persons-yr• 120 persons involved• 8 departments

Most of our activities is focused on radiation effects

ITER PFC andHCBP: Be

TBM+DEMO: RAFM

Divertor/TBM: Cu

(W, CFC, Inconel)

DIAGNOSTICSand RH:

Ceramics, Glass

Optical fibresSensors

Waste strategy

Socio-economics

40% 40%

20%

3 M€

The BR2 in Mola versatile high flux reactor

60-120 MW reactor, Be and light water moderated, 12 bar water cooled, highly enriched fuel (93 and 72%), 40 years of operation in 2002

Hot cell capabilities

• Mechanical testing

• Microstructural analysis

• Corrosion loops

• Reactivity tests

Metals under radiation

• Chemical behaviour of pebbles• Mechanical behaviour of irradiated

material• Study of waste conditioning for

disposal

• Mechanical behaviour after irradiation

• Modellisation of radiation effect• Corrosion tests in water and Pb17Li• Study of high temperature

irradiation capabilities• IFMIF design

• In-situ mechanical testing• Erosion-corrosion under incident

heat flux

• Mechanical characterisation after irradiation

Beryllium

Eurofer

Copper

Tungsten, CFC, Inconel

ITER instrumentation: Radiation effects on ceramics and glasses

• Insulator

• Optical fibres

• Cables

• Bolometer

• Optical link• Consultancy for RH

unit design• Components for

divertor cassettes

Remote handling Diagnostics

SCK•CEN focuses on two crucial questions in waste management

“All of the waste, after remaining in-situ for some decades, may, if desired, be regarded as non-radioactive or recycled, with no need for repository disposal.” PPCS report 2004

“Waste containing considerable amounts of Be should not to be acceptable for near-surface disposal. Deep disposal of these waste types should therefore be considered”.

Recycling issue

Beryllium Tritium

Total waste volume: 94,645 tonnes 100 years cooling time Will shallow land disposal suffice?

Detritiation issue

El Cabril Acceptance Criteria:Without detritiation: 16,841 tonnes rejectedWith detritiation: 675 tonnes rejected

Minimising Occupational Radiation Exposure

VISIPLANA 3D ALARA Planning Tool for Nuclear Environments

Socio-economics

• 2001-2003: Public attitude towards ITER: focus group analysis

• 2001-2003: Sustainability assessment for fusion• 2005-2006: Guidance related to scenario and

modelling exercises • 2005-2006: Attitude towards energy models• 2006: Media analysis and focus group at

Cadarache • 2007: Lessons learned from participative

processes in big nuclear projects