ATLANTIC: Accident ToLerANT fuels In reCycling
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Chemical and Process Engineering
Abstract
ATLANTIC is a broad ranging, multi-discipline programme that will focus on the very real challenge facing the UK and worldwide nuclear industry; that of how to implement accident tolerant fuels into our existing reactor fleets.
To deliver this programme we are building on a close knit community of expertise that was created in EPSRC's PACIFIC programme and we have brought together a team of over 20 experts from 12 leading universities in the field of nuclear fission.
Our team has already established close collaborative links with EU FP7 programmes such as SACSESS and ASGARD; strengthening the breadth and depth of expertise and allowing a continuing presence on the H2020 programme GENIORS. The UK has started on NIRAB R&D programmes in fuels and recycle; which look at the future of nuclear fission for the UK. Four of the Universities contributing to these programmes are part of the ATLANTIC team.
ATLANTIC will create a foundation for implementing developmental work on ATF, but will also promote fundamental science on fuel behaviour, manufacture, separations and process kinetics.
The programme is built around five interconnected work packages focussing on the scientific and engineering challenges, with two supporting work packages that provide programme governance and create collaborative links.
Work package 1: "fuel - separations interface" will answer a number of research questions concerning the balance between recyclability and accident tolerance, particular knowledge gaps being: (1) What are the mechanisms of oxidation of ATFs under a range of conditions encountered throughout the fuel cycle but especially headend; and (2) how do the products of dissolution impact on advanced aqueous separations processes in development such as the Advanced PUREX, i-SANEX and GANEX processes. WP1 is led by Prof. Colin Boxall (Lancaster).
Work package 2: "effects of contaminants on separations" will target the GANEX and iSANEX process, investigating the effects of contaminants on speciation, e.g. Cr3+ and Np redox. WP2 is led by Prof. Laurence (Reading).
Work package 3: "investigation and optimisation of accident tolerant fuel materials" focuses on the optimisation and manufacture of accident tolerant fuel materials, and is broken down into three sub-packages: fabrication of ceramic fuels in pelletised form (U3Si2 and UN); materials characterisation and performance under lab conditions; and the effects of radiation damage on their properties and how this may modify in-reactor behaviour. WP3 is led by Prof. Karl Whittle (Liverpool).
Work package 4: "fuel behaviour, non-stoichiometry and the fuel-water interface" will build an understanding of the how these fuels react in aqueous environments in the event of pin rupture during operation and/or subsequently during long-term storage and disposal. WP4 is led by Dr. Ian Farnan (Cambridge).
Work package 5: "integrated management of accident tolerant fuels" will develop integrated separation technologies, by combining novel liquid-liquid intensified reactors and process control, which can be used in the recycling and reprocessing of metals and the production of nuclear fuel. WP5 is led by Prof. Panagiota Angeli (UCL).
Work package 6: "networking and collaboration" will provide a focal point for dissemination of the research results and to reach out to international organisations where complimentary activities can be carried out through collaboration. WP6 is led by Dr Clint Sharrad (Manchester).
Work package 7: " programme governance" will provide the necessary support to the team to ensure that the links between the work packages are effective by providing overview and advice from external experts and regular contact between team members. WP7 is led by the two principle investigators for the programme, Profs. Bruce Hanson (Leeds) and Tim Abram (Manchester).
To deliver this programme we are building on a close knit community of expertise that was created in EPSRC's PACIFIC programme and we have brought together a team of over 20 experts from 12 leading universities in the field of nuclear fission.
Our team has already established close collaborative links with EU FP7 programmes such as SACSESS and ASGARD; strengthening the breadth and depth of expertise and allowing a continuing presence on the H2020 programme GENIORS. The UK has started on NIRAB R&D programmes in fuels and recycle; which look at the future of nuclear fission for the UK. Four of the Universities contributing to these programmes are part of the ATLANTIC team.
ATLANTIC will create a foundation for implementing developmental work on ATF, but will also promote fundamental science on fuel behaviour, manufacture, separations and process kinetics.
The programme is built around five interconnected work packages focussing on the scientific and engineering challenges, with two supporting work packages that provide programme governance and create collaborative links.
Work package 1: "fuel - separations interface" will answer a number of research questions concerning the balance between recyclability and accident tolerance, particular knowledge gaps being: (1) What are the mechanisms of oxidation of ATFs under a range of conditions encountered throughout the fuel cycle but especially headend; and (2) how do the products of dissolution impact on advanced aqueous separations processes in development such as the Advanced PUREX, i-SANEX and GANEX processes. WP1 is led by Prof. Colin Boxall (Lancaster).
Work package 2: "effects of contaminants on separations" will target the GANEX and iSANEX process, investigating the effects of contaminants on speciation, e.g. Cr3+ and Np redox. WP2 is led by Prof. Laurence (Reading).
Work package 3: "investigation and optimisation of accident tolerant fuel materials" focuses on the optimisation and manufacture of accident tolerant fuel materials, and is broken down into three sub-packages: fabrication of ceramic fuels in pelletised form (U3Si2 and UN); materials characterisation and performance under lab conditions; and the effects of radiation damage on their properties and how this may modify in-reactor behaviour. WP3 is led by Prof. Karl Whittle (Liverpool).
Work package 4: "fuel behaviour, non-stoichiometry and the fuel-water interface" will build an understanding of the how these fuels react in aqueous environments in the event of pin rupture during operation and/or subsequently during long-term storage and disposal. WP4 is led by Dr. Ian Farnan (Cambridge).
Work package 5: "integrated management of accident tolerant fuels" will develop integrated separation technologies, by combining novel liquid-liquid intensified reactors and process control, which can be used in the recycling and reprocessing of metals and the production of nuclear fuel. WP5 is led by Prof. Panagiota Angeli (UCL).
Work package 6: "networking and collaboration" will provide a focal point for dissemination of the research results and to reach out to international organisations where complimentary activities can be carried out through collaboration. WP6 is led by Dr Clint Sharrad (Manchester).
Work package 7: " programme governance" will provide the necessary support to the team to ensure that the links between the work packages are effective by providing overview and advice from external experts and regular contact between team members. WP7 is led by the two principle investigators for the programme, Profs. Bruce Hanson (Leeds) and Tim Abram (Manchester).
Planned Impact
The main impact of Atlantic will be to create a greater understanding of accident tolerant fuels and cladding in relation to their manufacture, performance, handling and treatment. This body of knowledge will assist UK regulatory bodies in their understanding of the additional protection that AFTCs offer compared to current fuel and cladding technologies, smoothing the licencing process for future use in UK reactors and accelerating the switch over. The knowledge will inform UK Government strategy on future fuel cycle options. Many of the Atlantic team have had and are linked to NIRAB and will be able to feed into decisions on future government led research programmes. Prof. Robin Grimes is the Chief Scientific Officer for FCO and leads on nuclear issues across other departments, so is able to act as a direct conduit into UK Government thinking on policies. In addition, a number of the universities in the team are working with NNL on phase 1 of the BEIS funded programmes on fuels and recycle. The work on ATFC delivered in Atlantic will directly complement these national programmes and allow a better and more informed decision on the scope of future phases. Finally, the knowledge will inform industry itself on the effectiveness of ATFC in UK reactors. Our links to key industry providers such as Westinghouse (Prof. Tim Abram sits as the Westinghouse Chair in Nuclear Fuel Technology) means we will be able to provide clear and direct advice on manufacture, performance and treatment, to allow them to make more informed business decisions.
A secondary, but equally important impact of Atlantic will be to crystallise and focus UK academic effort into a targeted programme. This will provide for more effective collaboration within the UK university network and between UK universities and overseas research organisations that have similar missions. Atlantic will be a collaborative and highly expert community to nurture the careers and skills of a group of new researchers, for the benefit of all the nuclear fission community; whether academic or industrial. Atlantic will create a focal point to for a host of new collaborations that strengthen and deepen the research base across a wide range of nuclear fission topics. A number of research proposals are planned for submission to compliment Atlantic and create a wider family of researchers. Atlantic will provide, through its annual seminar, a platform for all of these researchers to share knowledge, provide assistance and collaborate.
Thirdly, Atlantic will create a group of world class researchers that can act as a team to promote and enhance UK collaborations internationally. Each of the researchers will be empowered to act as an ambassador for the UK nuclear fission community through the support of a critical mass of experts which is of equal to the other programmes around the world. We have support from the main US DoE laboratories tasked with working on fuels and separations (Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory) that the Atlantic team will be welcomed into the US to discuss future collaborative opportunities. We have support from the key EU H2020 programmes on separations (Geniors) that similar activities will be planned.
Finally, Atlantic will deliver cutting edge research across a wide range of subjects of interest to all members of the internationally fission community.
* Fuel manufacture
* Fuel behaviour
* Spent fuel treatment
* Actinide separations
* Real time process control
* Innovative technologies
Whether through the multiple links outside of the team, or the close and effective collaboration within the team, Atlantic will create an impact far reaching and greater than the core programme.
A secondary, but equally important impact of Atlantic will be to crystallise and focus UK academic effort into a targeted programme. This will provide for more effective collaboration within the UK university network and between UK universities and overseas research organisations that have similar missions. Atlantic will be a collaborative and highly expert community to nurture the careers and skills of a group of new researchers, for the benefit of all the nuclear fission community; whether academic or industrial. Atlantic will create a focal point to for a host of new collaborations that strengthen and deepen the research base across a wide range of nuclear fission topics. A number of research proposals are planned for submission to compliment Atlantic and create a wider family of researchers. Atlantic will provide, through its annual seminar, a platform for all of these researchers to share knowledge, provide assistance and collaborate.
Thirdly, Atlantic will create a group of world class researchers that can act as a team to promote and enhance UK collaborations internationally. Each of the researchers will be empowered to act as an ambassador for the UK nuclear fission community through the support of a critical mass of experts which is of equal to the other programmes around the world. We have support from the main US DoE laboratories tasked with working on fuels and separations (Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory) that the Atlantic team will be welcomed into the US to discuss future collaborative opportunities. We have support from the key EU H2020 programmes on separations (Geniors) that similar activities will be planned.
Finally, Atlantic will deliver cutting edge research across a wide range of subjects of interest to all members of the internationally fission community.
* Fuel manufacture
* Fuel behaviour
* Spent fuel treatment
* Actinide separations
* Real time process control
* Innovative technologies
Whether through the multiple links outside of the team, or the close and effective collaboration within the team, Atlantic will create an impact far reaching and greater than the core programme.
Publications
Popel AJ
(2020)
An Atomic-Scale Understanding of UO2 Surface Evolution during Anoxic Dissolution.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Blackburn L
(2021)
Review of zirconolite crystal chemistry and aqueous durability
in Advances in Applied Ceramics
Springell R
(2023)
A review of uranium-based thin films
in Advances in Physics
Popel A
(2019)
Surface alteration evidence for a mechanism of anoxic dissolution of UO2
in Applied Surface Science
Bailey D
(2023)
An Investigation of Iodovanadinite Wasteforms for the Immobilisation of Radio-Iodine and Technetium
in Ceramics
Mason A
(2020)
Molten salt synthesis of Ce doped zirconolite for the immobilisation of pyroprocessing wastes and separated plutonium
in Ceramics International
Bascone D
(2019)
A modelling approach for the comparison between intensified extraction in small channels and conventional solvent extraction technologies
in Chemical Engineering Science
Lawrence Bright E
(2022)
Oxidation and passivation of the uranium nitride (001) surface
in Corrosion Science
O'Sullivan SE
(2021)
Low-Temperature Nitridation of Fe3O4 by Reaction with NaNH2.
in Inorganic chemistry
Dixon Wilkins M
(2020)
Synthesis and characterisation of high ceramic fraction brannerite (UTi 2 O 6 ) glass-ceramic composites
in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
Angeli P
(2019)
Intensified Liquid-Liquid Extraction Technologies in Small Channels: A Review
in Johnson Matthey Technology Review
Lawrence Bright E
(2019)
Comparing the corrosion of uranium nitride and uranium dioxide surfaces with H2O2
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Degueldre C
(2022)
Simulation of uranium mononitride spent fuel: A crystallographic approach
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Kuganathan N
(2023)
Incorporation of volatile fission products in UN and PuN and comparison to oxides
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Worth R
(2022)
Oxidation of U3Si2: The role of exothermic energy
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Lawrence Bright E
(2023)
Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering from U3O8and UN.
in Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Bailey D
(2021)
Use of WetSEM® capsules for convenient multimodal scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and micro Raman spectroscopy characterisation of technetium oxides
in Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Tsaoulidis D
(2020)
Scale-Up Studies for Co/Ni Separations in Intensified Reactors.
in Micromachines
Bailey D
(2022)
Development of monazite glass-ceramic wasteforms for the immobilisation of pyroprocessing wastes
in MRS Advances
Lawrence Bright E
(2019)
Synchrotron x-ray scattering of magnetic and electronic structure of UN and U 2 N 3 epitaxial films
in Physical Review B
Holdsworth A
(2021)
An accessible statistical regression approach for the estimation of spent nuclear fuel compositions and decay heats to support the development of nuclear fuel management strategies
in Progress in Nuclear Energy
Johnstone EV
(2020)
Synthesis and characterization of iodovanadinite using PdI2, an iodine source for the immobilisation of radioiodine.
in RSC advances
Harding L
(2023)
Epitaxial stabilisation of uranium silicide line compounds
in Thin Solid Films
C Degueldre
(2020)
Simulation of UN spent fuel: crystallographic and stoichiometric approach
| Description | ATLANTIC started on the 1st December 2018 and we held our kick off meeting on 16th January 2019, at the University of Leeds. Eleven of the twelve Universities on the team had already worked together on the PACIFIC (Providing A nuClear fuel cycle In the UK For Implementing Carbon reductions) programme and we welcomed the University of Liverpool as an addition to the consortium. One of the objectives of ATLANTIC was to generate new expertise into the area and so we were pleased to welcome our team of 20 Co-Is onto the project; with five new Co-Is to the area, Dr Maulik Patel (Liverpool), Dr Claire Corkhill (Sheffield), Dr Sam Murphy (Lancaster) Smith, Dr Chris Smith (Reading) and Dr Charlotte Willans (Leeds). We have continued to maintain our collaboration through our annual meetings, where we have expanded the group to include many researchers from associated programmes such as AFCP fuels and recycle, who are able to present and discuss their work with us. We wanted to create a community of researchers in fuels and recycle and this has been a particular success of the programme, in that we have created a friendly space for researchers (PhD and PDRA) to present and discuss their work in detail with a large group of experts and peers from across a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. For example, 50% of the presentations at our recent 2021 annual meeting were from researchers outside of ATLANTIC. The programme is built around five interconnected work packages focussing on the scientific and engineering challenges, with two supporting work packages that provide programme governance, to ensure that the links between the work packages are effective and create collaborative links. Despite the significant impact from COVID shutting University laboratories to researchers for 6 months, on average, we were able to continue with our work in the technical work packages deliver some high quality results. In our non-technical areas, we have continued to deliver on the important activities of the programme. In WP6 (networking and collaboration), we have created a new website populated with information on the programme and our recent meeting (see https://atlanticconsortium.org). In WP7 (Programme Governance) we have been monitoring the health of the programme with 6 monthly Excomm meetings where we have identified specific problems that need correcting (two Je-S requests are pending) and continue to develop our strategy. For example, we will be re-focussing our outreach strategy to target a high impact event later in the programme, rather than individual events at partner level. Work Package 1: Fuel-Separations Interface WP1 was a collaboration between Lancaster and Leeds, with Lancaster investigating molecular scale electrochemical dissolution studies and Leeds scaling this up to fuel pellet scale. Work at Leeds used an experimental rig for dissolution trials, commissioned in the uranics lab. Initial trials were conducted on surrogate materials (CeSi2 chips) to develop analysis methods and also characterise the baseline NOx release. A grant (provided by the NNUF) was awarded to fabricate CeSi2 and ZrSi2 pellets at Lancaster. Dissolution trials were then conducted on these pellets and the rate was found to be low, unless high temperatures and high acid strengths were used. This indicates that Si based fuels will be much more difficult to process than oxide based fuels. Work progressed at Lancaster, building on work on UO2-based SIMFUELs, where they are designing UN and U Silicide SIMFUELS and investigating their corrosion/oxidation under post-irradiation storage, head-end and disposal conditions using corrosion science-based techniques. Laboratory trials on the corrosion behaviour of CeN pellets has been conducted. The pellets were cold pressed and sintered conventionally at 1500 ?C for 7 & 12 hrs, and at 1700 ?C for 12 hrs, and a set were sintered via spark plasma sinter (SPS). The pellets sintered with conventional method were observed to have disintegrated/crumbled after four hours and so there is a recommendation that sintering should be at higher temperatures and press pressures. The pellets were analysed using SEM-EDX and a CeOx 'crust' was found to be covering pellet, with some high nitrogen areas located in amongst curst. XRD revealed some crystalline CeN signal, but it was likely buried beneath layer of surface amorphous oxide. Whilst the UN SIMFUELS are being fabricated in Lancaster's new National Nuclear User Facility, UTGARD Lab, experimental studies have progressed on U Silicides as well. A methodology is being developed using SPS to fabricate pellets of U3Si2. Work Package 2: Effects of Contaminants on Separations WP2 was a collaboration between Manchester, Oxford and Reading, where the kinetically transient systems of ligand behaviour in the extraction process will be studied spectroscopically (Oxford and Manchester) and by computation (Reading). Work at Reading synthesised and tested a number of target ligands. The first set of ligands Ph4-BTP, Ph4-BTBP and Ph4-BTPhen were manufactured and their solubility tested in a series of diluents; Octanol, Cyclohexanone, DCM, MeCN and DMSO. Unfortunately, for a number of the diluents solubility was found to be poor and so alternatives are being investigated. Work Package 3: Investigation and Optimisation of Accident Tolerant Fuel Materials WP3 was a collaboration between Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield; with Manchester and Sheffield studying the manufacture and characterisation of UN and U3Si2 ceramic fuels and Liverpool studying the impacts arising from radiation damage. Work at Manchester and Sheffield is now complete and was reported in the previous Research Fish submission. Work at Liverpool has now commenced and is investigating swift heavy ion irradiation of Cr-doped UN and surrogate ZrN systems. The objectives of the work will be to: • Synthesise bulk and thin film ZrN and UN/Cr-UN • Carry out ion irradiation studies to simulate fission fragment and neutron damage in ZrN and UN/Cr-UN • Characterise structural and chemical modifications and changes in mechanical properties. The study builds on earlier work on radiation effects in ZrN and UN, but this work had some limitations and needs to be extended. • ZrN ? Majority of irradiation experiments have been low energy and mass ions ? Fission fragments used to recrystallise irradiation damage ? Identified as an inert matrix for fuels • UN ? In-reactor irradiation of UN kernels and TRISO fuel particles Materials will be fabrication by collaborating with other partners on the programme; ZrN and UN films to be sputtered at the UoB and poly ZrN by hot pressing or spark plasma sintering. Work Package 4: Fuel Behaviour: non-stoichiometry and the fuel-water interface WP4 was a collaboration between Bristol, Cambridge and Imperial. Cambridge and Imperial are combining electronic structure and empirical potential to address non-stoichiometry and homogeneity in the candidate fuels and Bristol are studying water interactions at a fundamental level. At Bristol, work was on the synthesis, oxidation and dissolution of uranium silicide phases and investigating the effects of additives on uranium nitride behaviour, specifically, poly-epitaxial and single crystal thin films of UN and U2N3. This has led to the fabrication and testing of uranium nitride thin films, as these are an excellent representation of a material surface and a perfect candidate to study surface processes. One area of study has been to investigate the effect of dopants on the structures, specifically niobium. The U nitride films were first fabricated with reactive sputtering in N2 and co-sputtering with a varied dopant gun power to make polycrystalline films. This technique is proven as a single crystal [0 0 1] UN and a-U2N3 films has been previously grown in Bristol. Analysis using XRD of the resulting film, showed 5 % Nb has both UO2 and UN peaks and UN peaks shift from 33 - 36 2? degrees. Further work will be done on chemical characterization using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) - EDX) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). At Cambridge a series of high-resolution imaging, chemical mapping and spectroscopy techniques have been applied to leached and unleached, oriented thin films of UO2 under anoxic conditions; these provide a good representation of a specific surface of UO2. Further to this work (completed in the first half of the programme) a study on ab-initio random structure searching to improve fabrication routes for U3Si2 and UN fuels has commenced. The study is using a CALYPSO structure prediction with DFT and DFT+U (based on Noordhoek et al. (2016) J. Nucl. Mater. 479 216) that compares U = 0 eV calculations, and U = 1.5 eV calculations separately. In addition, there will be USPEX structure prediction using DFT+U (based on Lopes et al. (2018) J. Nucl. Mater. 510 331) that uses only U = 1.5 eV 11. A complete full U-Si binary system with RSCAN will be done, that introduces pressure into system to explore fabrication routes. Work Package 5: Integrated management of accident tolerant fuels WP5 was a collaboration between Edinburgh and UCL; with Edinburgh studying process control by the development of real time sensors and UCL developing integrated separation technologies which can be used in the recycling of nuclear fuel. Work at UCL was completed in the first half of the programme (previously reported) and work at Edinburgh has just commenced. |
| Exploitation Route | The link between ATLANTIC and the BEIS Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme is very strong and the programme has benefitted a great deal from the expansion in the number of AFCP projects that link directly or complement ours. The following is a set of examples of projects funded by AFCP that fit within the sphere of interest for ATLANTIC. • In WP1 Ghebrehiwot Berhane a PDRA at Lancaster is studying UN Fuel Inventory at Higher Burnups Using FISPIN. Computations have been conducted to calculate the fission product inventories of UN fuels at, inter alia, 40 and 60 GWd/tU burnup in a PWR reactor. In parallel, Dr Berhane has been conducting experimental studies of the corrosion of cerium silicides and nitrides as UN surrogates. • In WP3 there have been dedicated collaboration meetings between University of Manchester NFCE and University of Bristol, as the comparison between bulk scale oxidation testing and thin film corrosion studies complement each other well. • In WP3 a PhD position has on "Atomic level understanding of radiation effects in next generation nuclear fuels using advanced electron microscopy and x-ray scattering techniques" has been funded by Liverpool. • In WP4 Lottie Harding a PhD researcher Bristol is studying Advanced technology fuels and the characterisation and oxidation of uranium silicide phases. In addition, Conor Galvin a PhD researcher at Imperial is studying atomic scale modelling of UN fuel. Beyond AFCP, research projects have been linked into ATLANTIC, that bring in funding from other sources. Some examples are: • Jade Li a PhD researcher at Lancaster is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and is studying diffusion in non-stoichiometric uranium nitride • Julio Vacquez-Chavez a PhD researcher funded by Leeds is studying voloxidation of fuels. • National Nuclear Laboratory, £150k cash contribution to support o ATLANTIC PDRA Dr G. Berhane during first of three years on the project; and o Additional supervisory input from Prof. C. Degueldre in the area of fission product speciation within spent ATFs. • Westinghouse Sweden - in kind expertise on ATF pellet preparation by field-assisted rapid sintering. • The Leverhulme Trust - £100k cash contribution to support PhD student Jade Li • University of Leeds - cash contribution of £80k to support PhD student Julio Vazquez-Chavez • Lancaster University - cash contributions of: • £100k to support PhD student Nicola Zagni; and • £12.4k to part-support purchase of a glove box add-on for spark plasma sintering equipment Within the ATLANTIC Project we have established new collaborative partnerships, for example one between Sheffield and Manchester, for N determination by XPS analysis of the products of ammonolysis and NaNH2 reactions. Through video conferencing the procedure for preparation and packaging of the samples to the XPS facility within the Royce Institute at Manchester was agreed. The data will support at least one future joint publication between the two research groups. More widely, the members of ATLANTIC have collaborated with the National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, to develop a remote access mechanism for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy studies. A successful test experiment was completed in December 2020 by Sheffield (the first such experiment at the NSLS II synchrotron), with the project team undertaking data acquisition in real time on beamline BMM, utilising a pre-fabricated sample array mailed in to the facility. This successful test experiment will enable us to undertake planned XAS studies of transition metal environments in UN2 / UN in the next stage of the project, without the need to attend in person and will benefit the whole ATLANTIC project, as well as other researchers that utilise the BMM beamline. The ATLANTIC programme has enabled PhD students and PDRA staff at Bristol the chance to develop much closer links to other research groups across the UK that have common/complementary goals. More specifically, since the start of the programme, together with members of the nuclear fuels group at the University of Manchester, we have set up an early career collaborative team of PDRAs, fellows, and students. We meet regularly in person (originally) and now on-line to present our recent results and progress and share ideas. This is an extremely useful forum, which brings together colleagues at other institutes, in different disciplines, working at different length scales, towards a common goal - namely the investigation and improvement of advanced technology fuels. One of the greatest challenges for many of the institutes involved in the fuel development themes within ATLANTIC is being able to work with good quality stocks of uranium metals and compounds for fuel synthesis and characterisation. Within this programme we have been able to exchange material between institutes to push forward work packages. We have collaborated on analysis of photemission spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction data, essential for identification of phase structures and chemistry. Together with the AFCP we are bringing academics from outside the original ATALNTIC team, such as Dr. Simon Middleburgh and colleagues at the university of Bangor, who have a wealth of experience and contacts on the subject of ATF. |
| Sectors | Energy |
| Description | Investigators on ATLANTIC have been appointed to important advisory roles by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Hanson, Mount (Chair) and Sharrad are members of the Molten Salt Advisory Group, convened by BEIS to provide technical advice on how to most effectively leverage UK capability to support the development and exploitation of molten salt technologies. Hyatt and Corkhill were appointed to HM Government's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management in 2019, providing expert advice on the storage, treatment and disposal of used nuclear fuels and radioactive wastes. In this role, they engage directly with policy makers and Hyatt has provided evidence to the House of Commons BEIS Select Committee inquiry on the Draft National Policy statement for Geological Disposal Infrastructure. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Energy |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Appointed to the HM Treasury Green Taxonomy Energy Working Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Description | IChemE Community of Practice on Energy - Management Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| URL | https://www.icheme.org/membership/communities/communities-of-practice/ |
| Description | Member HM Goverment Committee on Radioactive Waste Management |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Description | Molten Salts Advisory Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-nuclear-technologies/advanced-nuclear-technologi... |
| Description | ANZAC@ANSIC: Advanced Technology Fuels in support of Net Zero And DeCarbonisation |
| Amount | £65,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | GC-516 |
| Organisation | National Nuclear Laboratory |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | ATLANTIC: Accident ToLerANT fuels In reCycling |
| Amount | £2,545,630 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S011935/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2018 |
| End | 11/2022 |
| Description | Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme - Advanced glass formulations |
| Amount | £89,468 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 04/2021 |
| Description | Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme - phase 2 |
| Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | Advanced Nuclear Fuels Programme |
| Amount | £810,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NNL/NIP/003 |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2019 |
| End | 10/2021 |
| Description | Advanced Nuclear Fuels Programme |
| Amount | £129,291 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NNL/NIPO/037 |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2020 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Advanced Nuclear Fuels Programme |
| Amount | £750,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NNL/NIP/003 |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2019 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Disposal MOX fabrication and characterisation |
| Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Nuclear Decommissioning Authority NDA |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Description | GENIORS (Gen IV integrated oxide fuels recycling strategies) |
| Amount | € 6,000,000 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 755171 |
| Organisation | FP2020 |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 06/2017 |
| End | 05/2021 |
| Description | Game Changers |
| Amount | £76,994 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | GC-392 |
| Organisation | National Nuclear Laboratory |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | NNL Advanced Nuclear Fuels Programme - Spent Fuel Management |
| Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NNL/NIP/0019 |
| Organisation | National Nuclear Laboratory |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Platform for Long-term Experimental Investigation of Alteration in Disposal Environments and Storage - PLEIADES |
| Amount | £597,980 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/V035215/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 09/2023 |
| Description | UK Government/Department of BEIS Nuclear Innovation Programme (NNL/NIP/002) Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme - Fuel (Aqueous Recycle) |
| Amount | £757,946 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NNL/NIP/002 |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2019 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Title | A Statistical Model of High Burnup Spent Nuclear Fuel Compositions and Decay Heats |
| Description | We have developed a flexible model for predicting spent nuclear fuel (SNF) isotopic and elemental compositions and their decay heats for high-burnup fuel of pressurised water nuclear reactor systems. The approach uses a statistical based to predict SNF compositions which has been tested against established compositions data and can readily extrapolate to predict SNF compositions beyond established reactor conditions. This model is highly adaptable and modular, with functionality able to be added or removed as the user requires. This was developed entirely in accessible software (MS Excel), and is independent of proprietary codes (e.g. FISPIN, SERPENT, ORIGEN, etc) which fulfil the same purpose, but require costly licensing, high computational requirements, and a knowledge of programming beyond that of most experimental researchers. This allows the calculation of fuel discharge compositions (i.e. at removal from a reactor), and can then predict fuel compositions and decay hears using the known radioactive decay of fission products and actinides. This work has been published as a preprint and is present undergoing peer review at the time of writing, and has been presented at EPSRC project meetings (ATLANTIC). |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Currently the publication of this model is undergoing peer review. No notable impacts as of yet. |
| URL | https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202011.0182 |
| Title | Densitometer for radioactive liquids |
| Description | Density measurements can be performed for various liquids (aqueous and organic) at controlled temperatures up to 80 deg. C using low sample volumes. Samples that contain radioactive materials to support solvent extraction of spent nuclear fuel research can be readily measured in accordance with the safety protocols that have been developed for this work. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Interest for those in the aqueous recycle community to provide or share data from the use of this instrument. |
| Title | Interfacial tension |
| Description | A bespoke instrument has been developed that utilises the pendant drop method to provide interfacial tension measurements for liquid-liquid interfaces such as those used in the solvent extraction of spent nuclear fuel. The instrument provides control of the droplet formation and can take the high resolution images of the droplet that can then be used to determine the interfacial tension. The instrument provides temperature control and can readily accommodate radioactive samples. The instrument is deliberately designed for the possibility that this may be used for highly radioactive samples where a glovebox or containment box is required. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Interest for those in the aqueous recycle community to provide or share data from the use of this instrument. |
| Title | Viscometer for radioactive liquids |
| Description | Viscosity measurements can be performed for various liquids (aqueous and organic) at controlled temperatures up to 80 deg. C. An attachment has been included that allows the use of low sample volumes which can be retrieved if neccessary as it is a non-destructive method. Samples that contain radioactive materials to support solvent extraction of spent nuclear fuel research can be readily measured in accordance with the safety protocols that have been developed for this work. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Interest for those in the aqueous recycle community to provide or share data from the use of this instrument. |
| Description | Collaboration with China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute. |
| Organisation | China General Nuclear Power Group |
| Department | China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | A collaboration has been established with the Accident Tolerant Fuels research group of the China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, focused on the basic science of accident tolerant nuclear fuel cladding performance. The UK partners will investigate the high temperature stability and corrosion behaviour using materials manufactured by the partner, in particular using surface sensitive spectroscopy techniques. The UK team plans to host an early career researcher from the partner to facilitate joint research. The UK team will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Accident Tolerant Fuels research group of the China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, will provide samples of candidate accident tolerant nuclear fuels manufactured by different methods for characterization by the UK partner. Additionally the partner organisation plans to second an early career researcher to the UK team to facilitate joint research. The partner organisation will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Impact | The collaboration is between leading materials science research groups in the UK and China and is at an early stage, hence no publications or outputs to date. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Collaboration with High-tech Ceramic Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Guangdong University of Technology. |
| Organisation | Guangdong University of Technology |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | A collaboration has been established with the Center for High-tech Ceramic Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Guangdong University of Technology, focused on the basic science of accident tolerant nuclear fuel cladding performance. The UK partners will investigate the high temperature stability and corrosion behaviour using materials manufactured by the partner, in particular using surface sensitive spectroscopy techniques. The UK team plans to host an early career researcher from the partner to facilitate joint research. The UK team will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Center High-tech Ceramic Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Guangdong University of Technology, will provide samples of candidate accident tolerant nuclear fuels manufactured by different methods for characteisation by the UK partner. Additionally the partner organisation plans to second an early career researcher to the UK team to facilitate joint research. The partner organisation will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Impact | The collaboration is between leading materials science research groups in the UK and China and is at an early stage, hence no publications or outputs to date. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory |
| Organisation | Idaho National Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Postdoctoral staff time for sample generation and subsequent analysis of phases exploring the impact of radiation effects (Co-60 gamma irradiation) on the distribution of uranium and a selection of problematic fission products in PUREX separations in order to understand whether high burn up fuels can be readily recycled in established separations processes and, if so, under what conditions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners provided training, access to materials and Co-60 irradiator access to allow the gamma irradiation of uranium containing samples. |
| Impact | Aqueous phase analysis indicates varied trends in U distribution with dose, formation of Zr containing precipitates with dose and increases in organic phase viscosity has been observed at elevated dose. Organic phase analysis will be performed in order to definitively confirm element distribution behaviour and various physicochemical parameters of these samples will be determined to understand how irradiation dose effects bulk phase behaviour. This collaboration is multidisciplinary across chemical engineering, chemistry (organic, inorganic and physical) and radiation science. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory |
| Organisation | Idaho National Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in nuclear materials synthesis - thin films of UO2 and U-silicide, U-nitride. Two students spent three months each at INL facilities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided plasma-FIB and PPMS measurement facilities. |
| Impact | Student training. Thermal conductivity measurements on nuclear fuel surfaces. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Collaboration with Laboratory of Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Hokkaido University |
| Organisation | Hokkaido University |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | A collaboration has been established with the Laboratory of Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Hokkaido University, Japan, focused on the basic science of soft chemical synthesis of nitride compounds, relevant to accident tolerant nuclear fuels. The UK partners are investigating the mechanisms of soft chemical synthesis of metal nitrides and characterisation of the products. The UK team will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Laboratory of Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Hokkaido University, Japan, has provided expertise in the conventional synthesis of metal nitrides by ammonolysis and the analytical determination of N and O content on samples provided by the UK team. The Japan partner also hosted a UK researcher for one week to undertake practical training in ammonolysis synthesis. The partner organisation will also contribute to development of joint publications which will be publicly available through open access in a peer reviewed journal. |
| Impact | The collaboration is multidisciplinary between leading materials science and chemistry research groups in the UK and Japan and is at an early stage, the first joint publication is in process. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Washington State University at Pullman |
| Organisation | Washington State University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Investigation and understanding of phase separation and crystallisation in glass-ceramics for immobilisation of high level radioactive waste from future fuel cycles. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Investigation and understanding of phase separation and crystallisation in glass-ceramics for immobilisation of high level radioactive waste from future fuel cycles. |
| Impact | See publications section. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | 12 Monthly Meetings with NNL - Accident Tolerant Fuels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 12 monthly meetings with NNL to discuss progress with Accident Tolerant Fuel Project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| Description | ATLANTIC 2nd Annual meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The 2nd ATLANTIC annual meeting was held over 20th - 21st January 2021 as a virtual event. Over 40 participants heard about the latest research and developments in Advanced Technology Fuels being undertaken by project and associated partners. The presentations stimulated much discussion and suggestions for further work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ATLANTIC Annual Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Annual meeting of ATLANTIC Consortium. Presentations made on progress in all themes. Held on line on 20-21 Jan 2021 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | ATLANTIC Annual meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The 1st Annual meeting of the Atlantic Consortium took place over two days at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester on the 21st & 22nd January 2020. Professor Bruce Hanson (PI of ATLANTIC) opened the proceedings by giving a general overview of the research programme. Presentations from ATLANTIC researchers, researchers working on related projects and the National Nuclear Laboratory generated much discussion, exchange of ideas and plans for further work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ATLANTIC EXCOMM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | July 2020 meeting of ATLANTIC Consortium Executive Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | ATLANTIC EXEC MEETING - LEEDS May 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | meeting of the ATLANTIC project exec team with NNL |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | ATLANTIC Kickoff meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The ATLANTIC consortium held its kick-off meeting on Wednesday 16th January 2019 at the University of Leeds. Academic researchers presented overviews of the various work packages within the research programme and outlined plans going forward |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | ATLANTIC Meeting, Manchester Jan 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | ATLANTIC Annual Progress meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Atlantic annual meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Annual consortium meeting of the Atlantic project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| Description | BBC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Claire Corkhill was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 PM Programme on the radiation leak and situation at the Taishan nuclear power plant, in China, of the EPR design. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | BBC 5 Live / BBC Cambridge / The Naked Scientists podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed for BBC Radio Cambridge and the Naked Scientists podcast on radioactive waste disposal. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/NakedScientists/status/1246857392463269888 |
| Description | BBC Inside Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed on BBC Inside Science about radioactive waste disposal, radioactive waste from fusion energy and Fukushima Daiichi clean up-related research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0013zm3 |
| Description | BBC World Service - nuclear fuel removal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed by Ritulah Shah on BBC World Service News Hour programme, to discuss the removal of nuclear fuel from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-47933031 |
| Description | Bimonthly meetings with Westinghouse Sweden to discuss advanced sintering techniques for accident tolerant fuels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Beginning September 2020, bimonthly meetings with Westinghouse Sweden to discuss advanced sintering techniques for accident tolerant fuels |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| Description | CNN breaking story: Taishan nuclear power plant. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Neil Hyatt Neil Hyatt was interviewed by CNN about the reported leak of radioactivity at the Taishan nuclear power plant in China. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/i/status/1405429331942379520 |
| Description | CNN interview - Fukushima contaminated water release |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gave CNN interview on the topic of radioactive water stored at the Fukushima site. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/24/asia/japan-fukushima-waste-ocean-intl-scli/index.html |
| Description | CoRWM presentation at NDA Integrated Waste Management Programme Stakeholder Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk on behalf of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's Integrated Waste Management Programme Stakeholder Workshop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.marickpartners.co.uk/iwmp/ |
| Description | Engineering Matters Podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed for Engineering Matters podcast on radioactive waste decommissioning and disposal |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://engineeringmatters.reby.media/2020/03/13/50-dealing-with-nuclear-waste/ |
| Description | Expert participant in BEIS public dialogue on Advanced Nuclear Technologies |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | I participated as an expert in radioactive waste management for the BEIS-sponsored Public Dialogue on Advanced Nuclear Technology. Groups of the public from different areas of the country discussed the issues around new nuclear power. The outcomes highlighted two key points: (1) the participants of the study were not aware that nuclear power is a modern technology; and (2) they were strongly resolved that there should be no new nuclear power stations until a geological disposal facility for radioactive waste is available. BEIS have taken this on board and are now building in public engagement and waste disposal matters into their emerging Advanced Modular Reactor programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-dialogue-on-advanced-nuclear-technologies-ants |
| Description | Financial Times interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed for Financial Times article "UK returns to grappling with toxic nuclear waste dilemma" - quoted in main article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.ft.com/content/2321bfae-839a-468f-b933-d699b6ff6864 |
| Description | GDF Conference 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Neil Hyatt was invited as the facilitator and panel chair for the Geological Disposal Facility Conference 2021, delivered by Radioactive Waste Management, in recognition of his international standing in the field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/geological-disposal-programme-now-under-way |
| Description | Hunterston B: BBC News |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on structural integrity of Hunterston B Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) by Prof. Neil Hyatt, invited in recognition of expertise in nuclear reactor technology developed through ATLANTIC and PACIFIC consortium research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47485321 |
| Description | Hunterston B: Daily Mail |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on structural integrity of Hunterston B Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) by Prof. Neil Hyatt, invited in recognition of expertise in nuclear reactor technology developed through ATLANTIC and PACIFIC consortium research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7117817/Experts-warn-Glasgow-Edinburgh-contaminated-radiati... |
| Description | Hunterston B: The Mirror |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on structural integrity of Hunterston B Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) by Prof. Neil Hyatt, invited in recognition of expertise in nuclear reactor technology developed through ATLANTIC and PACIFIC consortium research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/shocking-footage-reveals-growing-cracks-14105143 |
| Description | Hunterston B: The Sun |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on structural integrity of Hunterston B Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) by Prof. Neil Hyatt, invited in recognition of expertise in nuclear reactor technology developed through ATLANTIC and PACIFIC consortium research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8589454/pics-reveal-cracks-hunterstonb-nuclear-reactors/ |
| Description | Invited Talk at Beihang University summer school at the University of Edinburgh |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk to approximately 50 UG/PG students from Beihang University and University of Edinburgh staff members and PG students as part of their summer school hosted by the University of Edinburgh. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited talk at IEEE University of Edinburgh student chapter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at the IEEE student branch of the University of Edinburgh, attended by current and prospective IEEE members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Invited talk at the IChemE |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave invited talk at IChemE webinar on the application of synchrotron x-ray techniques to understand radioactive materials. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.icheme.org/membership/communities/special-interest-groups/nuclear/events/24-02-21-new-op... |
| Description | Lead contributor - the Nuclear Dilemma |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | I was filmed for a BBC Ideas short documentary about nuclear power. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/the-nuclear-dilemma/p09rsq3p |
| Description | Lucideon visit, Feb 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | meeting with Lucideon to discuss routes to fabricate accident tolerant fuels |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Meeting with NNL - July 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with NNL to discuss progress on National Nuclear Innovation Programme work - direct follow on from PACIFIC and now linked to ATLANTIC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | NNIP Phase 2 Meeting - Dec 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Progress meeting, NNIP Phase 2 work. Work linked to TRANSCEND (MOx fuel fabrication) and ATLANTIC (Accident Tolerant Fuel Work). HMG funding Dept BEIS present |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | NNIP Phase 2 meeting at Lancaster Nov 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | meeting to discuss progress on National Nuclear Innovation Programme work - linked to TRANSCEND & ATLANTIC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | NNL Accident Tolerant Fuel Visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | meeting with NNL to discuss role of ATLANTIC work in National Nuclear Innovation Programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | National Nuclear Innovation Programme Phase 2 kick off meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | kick off meeting of phase 2 of the national nuclear innovation programme work (sponsored by BEIS) with links to TRANSCEND (MOx fuel fabrication) and ATLANTIC (Accident Tolerant Fuel Work Package) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Newton Bhabha Fund Researcher Links Workshop "New Electrochemical Technologies for Sustainable Fuels, Chemicals and Industrial Processes" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invitation to and participation in Newton Bhabha Fund Researcher Links Workshop "New Electrochemical Technologies for Sustainable Fuels, Chemicals and Industrial Processes", Pune, India, December 2019. This was a workshop for early career researchers from the UK and India working in the area of electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/Electrotech2019/ |
| Description | Pitch talk to AFCP quarterly meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A quarterly technical meeting of the entire Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme (AFCP) led by National Nuclear Laboratory delivered primarily for the Department of BEIS as the customers of the AFCP. A short talk was delivered focussing on the technical capabilities that have been developed within this project - specifically density, viscosity and interfacial tension measurements for solvent systems that can include radioactive materials. Interest was received from other attendees to collaborate and perform such measurements to support other projects in aqueous recycle of spent nuclear fuel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation at TRANSCEND 1st Annual Meeting (Bath) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Overview presentation on the ATLANTIC consortium. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at annual workshop organised by EC funded project GENIORS |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation and presentation at annual workshop oranised by the H2020 funded GENIORS program |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| Description | Presentation to Allerdale Borough Council on behalf of CoRWM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Delivered presentation to Allerdale Borough Council (part of the Allerdale Geological Disposal Facility Working Group) about CoRWM and support available from CoRWM during the GDF siting process. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Royal Society Workshop on Nuclear Co-Generation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Neil Hyatt was invited to participate in the Royal Society meeting on Nuclear Co-generation in recognition of his expertise in radioactive waste management developed through several EPSRC research projects, outcomes from which were highlighted in discussion contribution. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Spent Fuel Management of High Density Fuels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme Quaterly Technical Meeting, on-line https://glsr.live/AFCPSept , 22nd - 23rd September 2020 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Talk given to Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme Technical Meeting - Aqueous Recycle |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A technical meeting of Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme (AFCP) - Aqueous Recycle led by National Nuclear Laboratory focussing primarily on the technical outputs of the AFCP aqueous recycle work and associated project . A 20 minute talk was delivered focussing on the technical outputs that have been developed within this project with data on density, viscosity and interfacial tension across numerous for solvent systems including those loaded with uranium. Interest was received from other attendees to collaborate and perform such measurements to support other projects in aqueous recycle of spent nuclear fuel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | The nuclear dilemma |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof Claire Corkhill was featured in the BBC short "The nuclear dilemma", explaining the nature, management and disposal of radioactive wastes in the context of nuclear power generation to address climate change and the Fukushima dai-ici accident. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/the-nuclear-dilemma/p09rsq3p |
| Description | update to Nuclear Academic Discussion Meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | update to annual NADM on Atlantic |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |