REFINE: a coordinated materials programme for the sustainable REduction of spent Fuel vital In a closed loop Nuclear Energy cycle
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Chem Eng and Analytical Science
Abstract
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Organisations
- University of Manchester (Lead Research Organisation)
- Washington State University (Collaboration)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (Collaboration)
- Moltex Energy (Collaboration)
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Collaboration)
- Penn State University (Collaboration)
Publications
Osarinmwian C
(2015)
Solid state electrochemical synthesis of titanium carbide
in Chemical Physics Letters
Lambert H
(2016)
Spectroscopic Studies of Neodymium(III) and Praseodymium(III) Compounds in Molten Chlorides
in Procedia Chemistry
Lambert H
(2018)
Preparation of uranium(III) in a molten chloride salt: a redox mechanistic study.
in Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry
Hull G
(2021)
Quantitative prediction of rare earth concentrations in salt matrices using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for application to molten salt reactors and pyroprocessing
in Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry
Abdulaziz R
(2016)
Electrochemical Reduction of UO 2 to U in LiCl-KCl Molten Salt Eutectic Using the Fluidized Cathode Process
in ECS Transactions
| Description | The feasibility to convert uranium carbide into a soluble form in a chloride melt by electrochemical means has been proven. The can allow for the recycle of carbide nuclear fuels where aqueous methods are not viable. The molten salts behaviour of related carbide materials that are likely to used as cladding material for these fuels has also been explored, thus providing a body of fundamental information that may lead to the development of a process for treating and recycling this novel type of nuclear fuel. The use of in situ UV-visible spectroscopy as an analytical tool to probe high temperature molten salt composition has been assessed for pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Although uranium concentrations may be readily assessed by UV-visible probes in molten salts, all other elemental constituents of spent fuel are unlikely to be quantitatively analysed by this approach. A consistent method has been developed to produce uranium in chloride melts delivering a consistent and reliable approach to support further research. |
| Exploitation Route | This information may help develop a flowsheet for the implementation of carbide fuels in nuclear reactors (particularly fast reactors) where the high burn of such fuels may preclude the use of established hydrometallurgical processes. Such fuels have been investigated for their accident tolerance but as a result their compatibility with spent nuclear fuel recycling methods is not clear. Instrumentation for on-line monitoring of pyroprocesses may include UV-visible spectroscopic probes for uranium concentration assessments. |
| Sectors | Energy |
| Description | Some of the findings with regards to redox potentials and speciation have been used to inform designs for proposed molten salt nuclear fission reactors (e.g Moltex Energy). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Energy |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Invited member of the Department of BEIS Molten Salts Advisory Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | A molten salt community framework for predictive modelling of critical characteristics |
| Amount | £581,674 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/X011607/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2023 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme - Pyroprocessing |
| Amount | £774,982 (GBP) |
| Organisation | National Nuclear Laboratory |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | DAWNMANTLE - Decontamination and waste minimisation strategies for and using advanced molten salt nuclear technologies |
| Amount | £381,040 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S033009/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2019 |
| End | 08/2022 |
| Description | Measurement of melting point and density of fluoride salt mixtures |
| Amount | £86,287 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 2055546 |
| Organisation | UK Atomic Energy Authority |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2021 |
| End | 05/2022 |
| Description | Mechanisms of Retention and Transport of Fission Products in Virgin and Irradiated Nuclear Graphite |
| Amount | £368,356 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/R00577X/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2017 |
| End | 11/2020 |
| Description | Radiochemical Facilities for the Molten Salts in Nuclear Technologies Laboratory |
| Amount | £2,330,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T011386/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2019 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Collaboration with Moltex Energy Ltd |
| Organisation | Moltex Energy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Providing research facilities and training to support development of personnel and direct research supporting molten salt reactor design, supporting supply chains and materials management optioneering. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Potential to industrialise research findings and connections with industrial/international collaborators such as Canada National Laboratory. |
| Impact | Studentship project has recently commenced from this partnership. Collaboration brings together chemical engineering, chemistry and materials science. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | KAIST-DAWNMANTLE |
| Organisation | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Studies on the contamination processes of stainless steel in molten salt process operations. Particle irradiation of stainless steel materials to mimic likely the likely radiation exposure of such materials in various nuclear operations. Preparation of materials to be used to decontamination testing. All as part of the Dawnmantle consortium supported by EPSRC (UK) and NRF (Korea) through the UK-ROK Civil Nuclear partnership. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Studies on the development of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy to monitor molten salt compositions. Effluent treatment of possible associated waste streams from molten salt operations. All as part of the Dawnmantle consortium supported by EPSRC (UK) and NRF (Korea) through the UK-ROK Civil Nuclear partnership. |
| Impact | J. T. M. Amphlett, S. Choi, S. A. Parry, E. M. Moon, C. A. Sharrad and M. D. Ogden, Insights on uranium uptake mechanisms by ion exchange resins with chelating functionalities: Chelation vs. anion exchange, Chem. Eng. J (2020) 392, 123712. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2019.123712 Multidisciplinary: Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Analytical Science |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | PSU - molten salts |
| Organisation | Penn State University |
| Department | Penn State Abington |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Part of the UK-US recently established relationships from the Nuclear Energy Universities Programme jointly supported by EPSRC in exploring high temperature molten salt behaviour to support developments in the pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and molten salt reactors. Our contribution in this relationship is to provide experimental support to the programme especially where the MSNTL can provide capabilities for the study of fluoride melts. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Penn State University will predominantly provide contributions in computational modelling that will develop predictive capability for molten salt behaviour. |
| Impact | Collaboration is multidisciplinary across chemistry and chemical engineering, and across experimental and computational activities. The collaboration has only recently commenced within a NEUP project so there are no outputs or outcomes at this stage. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Ulsan - Dawnmantle |
| Organisation | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Studies on the contamination processes of stainless steel in molten salt process operations. Particle irradiation of stainless steel materials to mimic likely the likely radiation exposure of such materials in various nuclear operations. Preparation of materials to be used to decontamination testing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Preparation of steel materials to mimic exposure in reactor operations. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary - Chemistry, Materials, Chemical Engineering |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | WSU - molten salts |
| Organisation | Washington State University |
| Department | Washington State University Spokane |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Part of the UK-US recently established relationships from the Nuclear Energy Universities Programme jointly supported by EPSRC in exploring high temperature molten salt behaviour to support developments in the pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and molten salt reactors. Our contribution in this relationship is to provide experimental support to the programme especially where the MSNTL can provide capabilities for the study of fluoride melts. |
| Collaborator Contribution | WSU will predominantly offer computational support in developing capabilities for predicting molten salt behaviour and performance. |
| Impact | This collaboration is multidisciplinary across chemistry and chemical engineering, while also covering experimental and computational activities. This collaboration has only recently commenced with a NEUP project so there are no outputs or outcomes at this stage. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | International Molten Salt workshop - Seoul National University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talks delivered by Clint Sharrad and Tatiana Grebennikova from the Dawnmantle consortium and MSNTL at the International Workshop of Molten Salts Chemistry and Technologies for Nuclear Applications held at Seoul National University. The workshop had expert speakers in the molten salts area from multiple nations across both academia and industry with an audience of ~ 50 people mainly consisting of postgraduate researchers and academics across South Korea. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Molten Salts in Nuclear Technology Laboratory |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Promotion of the Molten Salts in Nuclear Technology Laboratory National Nuclear User Facility to the molten salt user community represented by the Royal Society of Chemistry Molten Salts and Ionic Liquids Discussion Group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Visit to Shanghai Insitute of Applied Physics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A memorandum of understanding has since been signed between the University of Manchester and the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics to encourage the exchange of information and develop research collaborations between the parties particularly in the areas of molten salt technologies applied to nuclear and nuclear graphite management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |