This lecture explores Manuel Pouchon's research in advanced fuels, focusing on the potential for transmutation and the efficient use of nuclear resources, guided by the question of "Bury or burn" this philosophy aims to make better use of mined resources and reduce the environmental impact of nuclear energy.
Overview
- Date:Starts 29 August 2025, 13:00Ends 29 August 2025, 14:00
- Location:
- Language:English
The disarmament in the late 1990s resulted in a surplus of weapon-grade plutonium, which opened the door for new fuel solutions. One important development is inert matrix fuel (IMF), which allows plutonium to be used in light water reactors (LWRs) while reducing further plutonium production because it does not contain uranium. Although this idea is not widely explored today, it was a key starting point for Pouchon in the nuclear fuel field.
The presentation also discusses the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, which usually moves to fast reactor systems. After being used in LWRs, the fuel contains a high amount of minor actinides, requiring production in hot cells. Key production methods, such as the simplified pellet process, vibropac process, and sphere-pac process, are highlighted, with a focus on the sphere-pac process and its internal gelation method from aqueous reprocessing.
Looking ahead, the presentation emphasizes the ongoing FREDMANS project, which focuses on using additive manufacturing to improve fuel design. This project aims to explore new ways to make fuel that enhance performance and safety. Additionally, the ASGARD project, which worked on improving internal gelation with microwave technology, supports these efforts by introducing innovative techniques that could change how nuclear fuel is produced.