Nuclear science > Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle (WPFC)

    Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle (WPFC)

    WPFC mandate

    Background and objectives

    Under the guidance of the Nuclear Science Committee, the Working Party will deal with scientific issues in various existing and advanced nuclear fuel cycles, including fuel cycle scenarios, physics, separation chemistry and flowsheets, waste forms, fuels and materials, and spallation target.

    Objectives

    To provide the Member Countries with up-to-date information on and develop consensus regarding:

    • Fuel cycle scenarios;
      • Assessment of advanced fuel cycles scenarios, including resource utilisation and waste management.
      • Fuel cycle tools and data bases
    • Chemical partitioning;
      • Keep updated information on separation technologies, including advanced aqueous and pyrochemical processing issues for different fuel cycle scenarios
      • Evaluation of advanced processing concepts, including design bases for future reprocessing plants.
    • Fuels and materials;
      • Keep updated information on fuels and materials for implementing advanced nuclear fuel cycles
      • Update the handbook on heavy liquid metal (HLM) technology as new information becomes available
      • Evaluation of innovative fuels and materials technologies, including fabrication processes and performances
    • Technology and components of accelerator driven systems;
      • Accelerator and neutron source
      • Sub-critical system design and relationship to the nuclear fuel cycles

    To liaise closely with other relevant NSC Working Parties and NEA Standing Technical Committees, especially the Nuclear Development Committee (NDC) and the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), to ensure the respective work programmes are complementary and to provide advice and support where required and undertake common work where appropriate. Particularly close working relationships will be maintained with the Working Party on scientific issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS) and Working Party on Multi-scale Modelling of Fuels and Structural Materials for Nuclear Systems (WPMM) as well as Generation IV International Forum.

    To provide advice to the nuclear community on the developments needed to meet the requirements for implementing advanced long-term sustainable nuclear fuel cycles, including partitioning and transmutation.



    Structure

     

    • Task Force on Comparative Study on Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Recycle of TRU in Fast Reactors (closed in 2011)

    • Task Force on Potential Benefits and Impacts of Advanced Fuel Cycles with Partitioning and Transmutation (closed in 2011)


    Meetings

    Working Party meetings

    • 13th meeting (18 Februrary 2014, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 12th meeting (19 February 2014, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 11th meeting (20 February 2013, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 10th meeting (15 February 2012, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 9th meeting (23 February 2011, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 8th meeting (24 February 2010, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 7th meeting (25 February 2009, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 6th meeting (30 April 2008, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 5th meeting (14 September 2007, Boise, USA)
    • 4th meeting (29 January 2007, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 3rd meeting (23 January 2006, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 2nd meeting (22 June 2005, NEA offices, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France)
    • 1st meeting (12 November 2004, Las Vegas, USA)

    Meeting documents are in the working area (requires password).



    Workshops

    NEA Activity on Increased Accident Tolerance of Fuels for LWRs (supported by the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations, CSNI)

    NEA Information Exchange Meetings on Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning and Transmutation (IEM P&T) (in co-operation with the Nuclear Development Committee)

    International Workshop on Technology and Components of the Accelerator-driven Systems (TCADS)

    International Workshop on Structural Materials for Innovative Nuclear Systems (SMINS)

    International Workshop on Utilisation and Reliability of High Power Proton Accelerators (HPPA) (completed)



    Publications

     

    • 2011


    Additional information

    Members' working area (requires password | go to password page)

    For more information on this working party, please contact  (Tel: +33 1 45 24 10 82)



    Last reviewed: 12 November 2013