Thermodynamic data are used for various analyses involving nuclear fuels and materials. Detailed modelling of the fuel-cladding system is of major importance for studies related to safety improvements, lifetime extensions of Generation II and III reactors and the design of advanced Generation IV systems. The Nuclear Energy Agency’s Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels - International Database (TAF-ID) was established in 2013 to provide a comprehensive, internationally recognised and quality-assured database of phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties of advanced nuclear fuels to meet the specialised requirements of the development of advanced fuels for future generations of nuclear reactors.
More than 20 international experts gathered for the second meeting of the third phase of the TAF-ID project on 30 November and 1 December 2023 at McMaster University (Canada). During the meeting, participants discussed the project’s scope and the validation of the database through experimental work and educational activities. They also confirmed the two next developments of the database that will be released in 2024.
The third phase of the project will continue to focus on systems relevant to the modelling of irradiated oxide and metal fuels and severe accidents. It will also focus on accident tolerant fuels and claddings, and oxide fuel interactions with new coolants (sodium and lead). This meeting allowed progress to be made on a new mechanism to provide restricted access to the TAF-ID database to non-participating countries, which is meant to be implemented in the coming year.
