Expert Group on Fuel Materials (EGFM)
Ongoing

Scope

Under the guidance of the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) and under the mandate of the Working Party on Materials Science Issues in Nuclear Fuels and Structural Materials (WPFM), the Expert Group on Fuel Materials (EGFM) has been established in 2023 and its work covers materials science aspects of nuclear fuels. It advances multi-scale modelling and simulation together with experimental activities.

The EGFM addresses all fuel types, both fuel materials currently deployed in the nuclear fleet and envisaged for future fission reactors, as well as advanced fuels, such as oxide, metallic, nitride, carbide, silicide, composite fuels, and relevant cladding issues.

Objectives

The EGFM aims to 

  • assess multi-scale modelling and simulation of fuel materials for nuclear systems;
  • promote the implementation of advanced computational techniques for scale bridging and model integration from physics-based computation to data-driven modelling;
  • perform verification and validation of simulations and model predictions through uncertainty analysis, evaluation of approximations, benchmarking of fuel materials behaviour simulation tools, and comparison with analytical solutions as well as experimental data;
  • conduct joint and comparative studies to improve the understanding and modelling of the behaviour of fuel materials;
  • enhance the implementation and exploitation of systematic fuel materials experimental characterisation through the establishment of protocols of execution, data collection and data analysis;
  • conduct joint and comparative studies to support the development, selection and characterisation of innovative fuel materials with enhanced performance;
  • engage with experimental campaigns, such as those performed within the NEA Second Framework for Irradiation Experiments (FIDES-II), to optimise the link between irradiation experimental data generated and the needs of the modelling and simulation community;
  • assess the status and future needs with regard to modelling and experimental data for the qualification of fuels;
  • catalogue and support existing fuel materials databases and promote the fuel modelling needs in the databases’ development;
  • promote activities which aim to develop best practices for data formatting and preservation;
  • disseminate and discuss the results of the task force in conferences or open literature; and
  • support the creation of task forces to address specific issues in the technical field covered by EGFM.
Related news
11
results
Publications and reports
6
results

EGFM organisation

Chair David GODDARD (United Kingdom)
Vice-Chair Michel FREYSS (France)
Members All NEA member countries
Full participant European Commission (under the NEA Statute)

Observer (international organisation)

International Atomic Energy Agency (by agreement)

Contact

NEA WPFM Secretariat: Alice DUFRESNE

Members' working area

The participants' working area is now hosted on MyNEA SharePoint 

Please follow these steps to sign in to MyNEA SharePoint:

  1. On the SharePoint sign in page, enter your email address as your username. Then type in your NEA password (reminder).
  2. A two-factor authentication is needed to log in. Select ‘MyNEA Access Authentication Agent 3.1’ as a next step, which is the service for delegates.
  3. You will receive an email with an additional access code. Enter the access code on the website.

The MyNEA End User Guide is available online here: User's guide: myNEA

Activities
6
results