The Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA JPNM) An opportunity for integrated research in Europe on materials for sustainable nuclear energy Lorenzo Malerba SCK CEN, Belgium JPNM Coordinator lmalerba@sckcen.be Nordic Gen4 Seminar, Lappeenranta, Finland, 4-5 September 2014
EERA: an alliance of PROs EERA = public research pillar of the SET-Plan, launched by EC & MS in 2007 to contribute to build a low-carbon economy: it coordinates public research effort to push renewable energy technologies forward (see www.eera-set.eu) The JPNM is only one of a long list (15 +3) www.eera-set.eu Page 2
National programs SRA of SNETP JPNM genesis: born to support sustainable nuclear energy EC project 2008-2013 November 2010: 1st JPNM launched (2011-2015) Focus on sustainable nuclear energy (GenIV) as a means to achieve decarbonisation, higher safety levels, efficiency, and minimization of nuclear waste (fast reactors, close fuel cycle, partitioning and transmutation, ) Support to ESNII EC integrated research project 2013-2017 EC coll. project 2011-2015 Towards integrated research on nuclear materials in Europe Page 3
Objectives of the JPNM Better knowledge of materials behaviour in operation: - predictive capability (radiation & temperature effects, compatibility with coolants ) - select most suited materials - define safe design rules JPNM improve safety & sustainability of Nuclear Energy, focusing on materials aspects Development of innovative materials for industrial use with superior capabilities: - resistant to high temperature and aggressive environments Page 4
Overall declared effort: 185 PY/Y Involved European Countries: 15 CEA Chalmers CIEMAT CNR CNRS CV Rez (RC Rez) ENEA HZDR INR JRC-IET & ITU KIT KTH NCBJ NRG PSI SCK CEN STUBA UKERC VTT Facts about the JPNM 19 full participants (> 5 PY/Y) France Sweden Spain Italy France Czech Republic Italy Germany Rumania EU Germany Sweden Poland The Netherland Switzerland Belgium Slovakia UK Finland 12 Associates Aalto U. (VTT) CSM (ENEA) EDF (CEA) IFE (VTT) IMDEA Materials (CIEMAT) MPA (KIT) NNL (UKERC) POLITO (ENEA) UA (CIEMAT) UH (VTT) ULB (SCK CEN) UPC (CIEMAT) Finland Italy France Norway Spain Germany UK Italy Spain Finland Belgium Spain Page 5
A subprogramme structure to cover all aspects of NM Industrial application Structural materials SP1: support to European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative (ESNII) (K.-F. Nilsson, JRC-IET) SP2: Innovative steels (M. Serrano, CIEMAT) SP3: Refractory materials (F. Maday, ENEA) Technological Innovation SP5: Advanced fuels (J. Somers, JRC-ITU) Fuel SP4: Physical modelling of structural materials (C. Pareige, CNRS) Basic & Applied Research SP6: Physical modelling of fuel behaviour (M. Bertolus, CEA) Coordinator: L. Malerba, SCK CEN Deputy coordinator: A. Bohnstedt, KIT Page 6
TRL TRL: the role of public research is to feed industry, not to replace it Industrial Initiative 5- SP4, SP6: fundamental research, modelling time Page 7
Reports JP Coordinator (& deputy) Management Board Management structure Chairs Steering Committee Endorses/Rejects (Appoints/Sacks) Reports/Proposes SP Coordinators Chair Report/Propose Update & Monitor Define WP1 Task 1.1.1 Task 1.1.x WPn Task 1.n.1 Task 1.n.z Contact persons (JTT) Appoint/ Report Full Participants (> 5PY/Y) Associates Appoint reps Page 8
Instruments of implementation Pilot Projects (PP) Small projects (~2 M ) focused on precise topics (included in DoW) that result from convergence of plans of a few labs from different MS. Typical duration: 3-4 years. Task Forces (TF) Groups of experts appointed to provide specific answer to a question, delivering a report. In charge for ~1 year. Joint Technical Teams (JTT) Scientific community involved in each SP that meets regularly in targeted workshops or other meetings to monitor and share results and discuss collaboration Page 9
Subprogrammes Page 10
SP1 Support to ESNII Karl-Fredrik Nilsson JRC Institute for Energy and Transport SP1 Coordinator karl-fredrik.nilsson@ec.europa.eu
Objectives in line with ESNII priorities: construction of GenIV front-runners Support Design, Licensing and Construction of ESNII prototypes and demonstrators MYRRHA, ASTRID, ALFRED and ALLEGRO Commercially available materials whose safe performance needs demonstration for the harsh Gen IV conditions austenitic and ferritic-martensitic steels nickel-based super alloys Short-term perspective! Work is primarily pre-normative research Screening of candidate materials Test Procedures Design Codes Page 12
Snapshot of Activities Update RCC-MRx Design Rules for hightemperature degradation (ratcheting, creepfatigue and negligible creep) for 60 years life time Develop test procedures in liquidmetal environment pre-wetting crack tip to assess reduction in fracture toughness M. Jong, NRG Evaluate mechanical tests for thin-walled cladding tubes (creep, tensile, fracture) Segmented cone-mandrel Ring-tensile Ring-compression Page 13
Some Future R&D Challenges Methodology* to predict long-term degradation by extrapolation of accelerated tests to operational conditions Creep, irradiation effects, environmental effects, thermal ageing, Methodology* to predict and mitigate material degradation in lead and lead-bismuth Corrosion, liquid-metal embrittlement.. Development of innovative miniature tests for material characterization Small punch, nano-indentation,.. * Methodology = Design Codes, Assessment Codes and Test Procedures Page 14
SP2 Innovative high temperature resistant steels Marta Serrano CIEMAT, Spain SP2 Coordinator marta.serrano@ciemat.es
Focus on components exposed to the harshest conditions Gen IV Component: Cladding tube 316 60 dpa at 600 o C He (ADS) RIS Swelling Cladding, Internals Creep SFR R.E. Logé (CEA), SFR13 Temperature : 650ºC Dose : > 150 dpa Stress : up to 100 MPa Fuel cycle: 100 000 hours. Irradiated 316 Coolant Diameter 10.73 mm Thickness 0.500 mm Several meters long Requirements: - High temperature (creep) resistance - High swelling resistance - Compatibility (including reprocessing) Candidates: - Oxide dispersion strengthened - Improved austenitic and F/M steels Page 16
Oxide dispersion strengthening Yann de Carlan (CEA) Complex manufacturing Intermediate heat treatments needed for stress relief purpose Low ductility and limited consolidation at room temperature Poor deformability Page 17
Integrated research in SP2 Monitoring national programmes European activities on ODS/Enhanced creep alloys Catalogue of materials Exploring new fabrication routes: (FP7/MATTER) Improvement of powder metallurgical process and optimization of final thermomechanical treatment Conventional steel making techniques (introducing the oxide particles in the melt) Spark plasma sintering techniques. Capitalization & coordination of EC projects under stable framework! ODS cladding tubes characterization (FP7/MATISSE, FP7/GETMAT follow-up) Microstructural stability under high temperature and irradiation Anisotropy studies by biaxial mechanical testing Screening activities under accident scenario Page 18