The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is organising the Fourth International Workshop on Structural Materials for Innovative Nuclear Systems (SMINS-4) in cooperation with IAEA and, with the support of the EERA Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials (JPNM) and the FP7/MatISSE project. The workshop will be held in Manchester, UK from 11 to 14 July 2016, hosted by the University of Manchester.
Materials research is a field of growing relevance for innovative nuclear systems, such as Generation IV reactors, critical and sub-critical transmutation systems and fusion devices. For these different systems, structural materials are selected or developed taking into account the specificities of their foreseen operational environment. However, material development projects require both cross-cutting research programmes and advanced experimental/simulation facilities so as to characterise and evaluate the performance of the selected materials.
This purpose of this workshop was to stimulate an exchange of information on current materials research programmes for different innovative nuclear systems with a view to identifying and developing potential synergies.
The workshop covered fundamental studies, modelling and experiments on innovative structural materials including cladding materials for the range of advanced nuclear systems such as thermal/fast systems, sub-critical systems, as well as fusion systems.
Five topics were suggested:
Fundamental studies focuses on the identification of mechanisms driving the response of materials under the conditions expected in innovative nuclear systems. These mechanisms may act at the atomic or at a higher scale and the application of multiscale approaches, together with related problems of scale bridging or numerical methods are of special interest. Moreover, irradiation experiments and subsequent characterisation of materials with analytical techniques are included in the session if it is aimed at better understanding the acting mechanisms or drawing physics-based correlations.
Metal Alloys, Ceramic and Ceramic Composites included in- and out-of-core applications taking into account the scope of data availability and gaps (considering also licensing issues); experimental and modelling needs for specific components or degradation modes; the link between R&D, standardisation and experimental protocols; coolant effects and mechanical properties. Discussions on code development and implementation plans were also of interest. Application of SiC composites to LWR systems was of interest as an advanced concept.
Advanced materials may have included nano-grained materials, grain boundary engineered materials, nano-precipitation-strengthened materials and micro-laminates, processing and joining among other topics. Processing and Joining focused on novel and advanced methods for the production and joining of materials for innovative nuclear systems.
The Ions vs. neutron irradiation topic focused on specific irradiation comparisons including mechanical properties and microstructural effects caused by ion or neutron irradiation. Comparative irradiation studies on a common material were also welcome.
Please note that fuel-cladding interaction was not covered in this edition of the workshop.
Plenary lectures and technical sessions were organised according to the five topics listed above.
A poster session covering all technical subjects was held.
SESSION I: OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMMES- Chair: J. Marrow
SESSION II: METAL ALLOYS-Chair: S. Zinkle
SESSION IIIa: NOVEL MATERIALS PATHWAYS
SESSION IIIb: NOVEL MATERIALS PATHWAYS-Chair: A. Kimura
SESSION IV: FUSION MATERIALS-Chair: F. Garner
SESSION V: CERAMICS AND CERAMIC COMPOSITES-Chair: R. Wright
SESSION VI: FUNDAMENTALS and IONS VS NEUTRONS-Chair: G. Was
SESSION VII: Discussion on Ion vs. Neutron Irradiation-Chair: L. Malerba
Poster Session I: Metal Alloys and Novel Pathways
Poster Session II: Fundamentals and Ceramics and Ions vs Neutrons
Scientific and Organising Committee |
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| Chair and co-chair: Grace BURKE (University of Manchester, UK) and James MARROW (University of Oxford, UK) |
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| Tai ASAYAMA (JAEA, Japan) | Victor INOZEMTSEV (IAEA) |
| Thierry Auger (CNRS, France) | Lorenzo MALERBA (SCK-CEN, Belgium) |
| Fanny BALBAUD (CEA, France) | Stuart MALOY (LANL, USA) |
| Jeremy BUSBY(ORNL,USA) | Simone MASSARA (NEA) |
| Céline CABET (CEA, France) | Pär OLSSON (KTH, Sweden) |
| Rachid CHAOUADI (SCKCEN, Belgium) | Ji-Yeon PARK (KAERI, Korea) |
| Jean-Pierre CHEVALIER (CNRS, France) | Manuel Alexandre POUCHON (PSI, Switzerland) |
| Jian GAN (INL, USA) | Marta SERRANO (CIEMAT, Spain) |
| Stéphanie CORNET (NEA) | Mychailo TOLOCZKO (PNL, USA) |
| Yong DAI (PSI, Switzerland) | François WILLAIME (CEA, France) |
| Alessandro GESSI (ENEA, Italy) | |
Local Organising Committee
Jane DEAKIN and Grace BURKE (University of Manchester, UK)
All correspondence with regard to the meeting should be addressed to the contacts above.
The conference was held in cooperation with the IAEA. IAEA travel grants were provided on the basis of paper selection for applicants from countries eligible to receive technical assistance under the IAEA's Technical Cooperation Programme.
wpfc.secretariat@oecd-nea.org
