HOTLABINST

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• HOTLABINST
• European HOT LABoratories INtegration STrategy
• The EU 7th FWP Integrated Infrastructure
  Initiative HOTLABINST a second step towards an
  European Network on Hot Laboratories

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IntroductionThe general objectives of this
project are to reinforce European experimental
capabilities for testing Irradiated materials and
fuel by - building a durable cooperation
between European hot laboratories - maintaining
the European leadership with up-dated
capabilities and competences,- improving and
structuring services with coordinated
developments and uses of existing PIE,-
preparing the future European landscape
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PropositionThe HOTLABINST could cover -
Networking Activities fostering integration of
Hotlabs community involved in designing and
operating PIE facilities transport casks and
transport operations through information
exchange, know-how cross-fertilization, exchanges
of interdisciplinary personnel and professional
training. - Joint Research Activities focusing
on developments and fabrication of innovative PIE
capabilities improving existing experimental
capabilities to address safety issues, ageing
management optimisation of current power
plants, future reactors developments and
technologies for high temperature reactors-
Transnational Access to the facilities
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about 20 european hot laboratories concerned
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Proposition of project objectives
(1/3)Networking activitiesgt 4 1) NA1
management of the I32) NA2 training network
3) NA3 measurements (best practices) 4) NA4
transport (best practices)
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Proposition of project objectives (2/3)Joint
Research Activities methodology / Nuclear
energy reactors?gt 4 main needs chose within
each country needs ?Potential interested items
1) LWR (PWR or BWR) - specimen
miniaturization for mechanical testing -
corrosion instrumentation loop (electrochemical
process, crack initiation and
propagation following accoustic, ddp
process) - safety requirements (dynamical
tensile test 500 mm/s et T max 1000C, penn
state methodology image/déformation correlation
?) 2) GEN IV HT Tgt1000C (mechanical
thermical properties) ceramic, composite
irradiated materials PIE (sample preparation.)
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Proposition project objectives (3/3)Transnation
al accessThe main challenges towards the future
are To keep the skills and experiences at a
sufficient high level (both qualitatively and
quantitatively) in order to cope with the
research needs of the present day operational
industrial systems (essential LWR's that will
still operate for some decades to come). To
broaden the skills and experiences towards the
announced new systems (such as GENIV concepts -
including actinide fuels, ADS, and ITER). To
enlarge the application domain of the analytical
tools towards the new more demanding boundary
conditions of these new systems (e.g. high
temperatures, liquid metal environment).
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Proposition project objectives (3/3)Transnation
al access to facilitiesHOTLAB CA work ?Many
laboratories have indicated high levels of
utilisation of basis analytical techniques thus
implying a limited capacity to absorb any
significant increase in demand. But ? some
spare capacity can be available in some
particular laboratories.Needs ? Sharing the
tools if availibilityfor instance CEA needs is
very interested by ITU facilities TEM
thermal properties measurements micro
indentation measurementsA way to generate mutual
discussions (for buying, for handling wastes..)
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NA1 management of the I3- manage the activities
to implement the execution plan through a
progressive integration of Partners research
capacity in the hotlab field- provide decision
making, conflict resolution mechanisms to support
the projects consortium and its evolution-
provide an efficient financial and administrative
coordination of the project- manage the
financial EC contribution by allocating it to the
contractors, pursuant to the implementation plan
and the decisions taken by the appropriate
bodies- communicate to the Commission all
information in connection with the project
(notably what concerns the distribution of the
fund)- coordinate at the consortium level the
activities of the I3 project and ensure their
execution- support implementation of changes in
the activities and the consortium if and when
needed- ensure the dissemination of knowledge
while managing intellectual property right.
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NA1 management of the I3? For instance plan
for the use dissemination of knowledge
Internet web site A part of the site hosted
by http//www.sckcen.be/hotlab/ will be
dedicated for communication within the
consortium Moreover a public eb portal will be
developed to disseminate information about all
the I3 activitiesMeetings and conferences Some
meetings will be organized to give information on
project researches, implementation plan and
status of the developmentsPublications the
achieved results will be published Links with
other european infrastructures or with FP6
projectsACTINET, MTR I3, RAPHAEL -GEN IV
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Euratom research Projects
? ACTINET, Network for Actinide Science
Management of radioactive waste

• RAPHAEL GENERATION IV,
• Integrated project

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NA2 training network Task 1 Implementation of
the personnel exchanges assessed in the
HOTLABSSAFWP 6 project (assessment of the
welcome formalities for each hotllab ? ? need of
harmonization ?)Task 2 Determine the target
groups for training and their training needs in
the hotlab field, including assessment of the
number of potential candidates per year.Task 3
Assess the various training programs presently
carried out in education and training centres
within the European Union, to determine their
strengths and weaknesses, in relation to the
target groups and their needsTask 4Define
training programs adapted to the particular needs
of the various target groups in the most
appropriate partners institutions (optimisation
at the European level which allows avoiding
duplications)Task 5 Provide first training
sessions to targeted groups
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The ultimate objective is to provide a
practical means for education and training of hot
laboratories personnel by sharing experience on
common infrastructure matters and specific
analytical tools.The exchange of personnel for
education and training purposes will provide the
basis for the skill enhancement and skill
conservation, promoting and enabling the
harmonisation and future integration of existing
facilities.
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NA3 measurement best practicesTask 1 State of
the art for complementing the PIE list of the
HOTLABSSA about interlaboratory test ?list of the
patents and costs ?/PIETask 2 Improvement of
the methodology used for the inter-laboratory
test comparisons (questionnaire, visits,
exchanges of data about for instance accuracy
methodology )Task 3 getting and assessing
the information on present practices,
implementing the methodology for the tests
identified within the HOTLABSSA project for
instance - EPMA standard samples development
for actinide materials analysis,- robin test
EPMA for an accurate determination of light
elements in the presence of a high X ray
background arising from the presence of
radioactive elements -SIMS standard samples
developmentetc The assessment can imply a
broader set of experts, either among operators
and/or among relevant scientists, depending on
the observed discrepancies.Task 4
Recommendations about what should be the future
measurement strategies ? a best practice guide
could be proposed
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The main goal will be to ensure and improve
the quality of existing experimental methods on
selected topics to be determined according to the
current needs.
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NA4 transport best practicesIt will complete
the HOTLAB CA Work Task 1 Improvement of the
methodology for getting and assessing the
information on present practices (exchange of
good practices, share feedback on operational
procedures, responsibilities of the different
persons or organisations involved in a transport
)? need of real participation of the
partnersTask 2 Recommendations about what
should be the future harmonized procedureTask 3
(put in a joint research program ?) Research on
radiolysis phenomena in order to increase the
knowledge in this area
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Networking Activities will be carried out to
enlarge and reinforce the Hotlab community which
is necessary to- prepare irradiation and PIE
infrastructures of European interest with a few
modern specialized infrastructures (one MTR, one
experimental fast reactor and one
medically-oriented reactor for radioisotope
production) associated with a network of existing
MTRs which will guarantee European excellence and
sustainable irradiation capability,- optimise
the use of the European hotlabs for high
performances (with personal exchanges) and
complementary accesses to smaller hotlab offering
high flexibility for cost effective services when
high performances are not required,- most
importantly attract and train a young generation
of scientists and engineers for the future.
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Project objectives (2/3) Joint research
activities Methodology ?/ kinds of PIE /
materials/ Nuclear Energy Reactor gt
limited number 4 ?Potential interested items
1) LWR (PWR or BWR) - JRA1 specimen
miniaturization for mechanical testing - JRA2
corrosion instrumentation loop (electrochemical
process, crack initiation and propagation
following accoustic, ddp process) - JRA3
safety requirements 2) GEN IV JRA4 HT
Tgt1000C (mechanical thermical
properties) ceramic, composite irradiated
materials PIE (sample preparation.)
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JRA 1 specimen miniaturizationTesting of
irradiated miniature specimen has gained a lot of
interest in the scientific community. Indeed the
quantity of irradiated material is in many case
very limited due to the cost and space available
in the irradiation capsule. Testing of such
miniature specimen in hot cell is a real
challenge that require a lot of expertise,
handiness and ingenuity SCKMOL and CEA-LECI
very interested
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LECI/ M LINE/ HOT CELL M10 Sub-Size Impact
(50J) Charpy Zwick System
Type and Maximum Energy - Pendulum Impact
Zwick Machine - Max. Energy 50 J - Max.
Velocity 3.7 m/s Temperature Range - From
-150C up to 600C - Pneumatic Automatic Feeding
Syst. Instrumentation and Software - Strain
gauges instrumented striker, - Optical sensor
for displacement, - Zwick ImpactWin
Software, Atmosphere - Air, Specimen
Types - Sub-Sized Charpy-V (3x4x27
mm3), - Sub-Sized Charpy-V (3.3x3.3x24 mm3) ,
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JRA 2 Cladding LWR/corrosion studies ?Studies
on irradiated materials have already been
performed but additional knowledge is needed.-
Concerning reactor core components, Irradiated
Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking is an
important ageing mechanism still not understood
crack propagation
methods developments (Direct current potential
Drop , accoustic approach ..?)
- Concerning zirconium alloys as cladding
tube materials for PWR fuel rods (new alloy?local
corrosion observed instead of spring clips of the
grid..), electrochemical measurement
developments
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LECI/K LINE/K01 HOT CELL Corrosion loop with 3
Autoclaves
3 autoclaves of 3 litres (1 with tensile testing
device) 6 tops (3 standard, 1 for
electrochemistry, 1 for slowstrain rate tensile
test/creep- 50 kN for tensile machine, 1 for
IASCC crack growth measurement)
Operating conditions Up to 360C Up to 200 bar
with on line chemical measurements (Li, B,
H2.) BWR or PWR conditions Studies in support of
IASCC of internals and waterside corrosion of Zr
alloys
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JRA 3Safety requirements ? Developments of new
capacities or tests ? Improvements ?For
instance LECI has a dynamic tensile machine able
to perform test with a rate up to 500 mm/s and T
max 1000C. These tests are aiming to cover
incidental situations such RIA or LOCA for
cladding materialThe skill have developed a penn
state University ring methodology aiming
comparisons between computed hoop strain (3D
simulation) and measured by image correlation ?
improvement of numerical simulation interest
sharing knowledge
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LECI/M LINE/ HOT CELL M04 Dynamic Tensile
Testing Machine (25 kN)
Type and Maximum Load - Servo-Hydraulic (25
kN /-50 mm) - Load Cells (25 kN et 5kN), -
Speed 500 mm/s ? 1.5mm/s Temperature Range
- Furnaces 25 to 600C 600 to
1000C - Joule Effect ? 1200C _at_
500C/s - Induction ? 1200C _at_
500C/s Instrumentation and Software - LVDT
Displacement Sensor, - Axial Diametrical
Extensometer, - Thermocouples, - Auto-Alignment
System, - Instron Control Software
Merlin, Atmosphere - Air or Argon
Shielding, Test Types - Standard Tensile
Tests 10-4 to 10-2 s-1 , - Dynamic Tensile Tests
up to 102 s-1 ,
Specimen Types - Flat Tensile
Specimens, - Cylindrical Specimens, - Cladding
Samples Ring or Axial Specimens.
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rings Improvement of strain measurements
Room temperature tests
Speckle Painting Image analysis
U Cast3m (mm)
U Image analysis (mm)
Very accurate strain measurements can be derived
from this innovative technique developed at CEA
Saclay.
The method will be adapted to high temperature
testing at PELECI in Saclay

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JRA 4GEN IV ? ? HT new materials PIE Tgt1000C
(mechanical thermal properties)If Europe has
a clear leadership in irradiation programs for
existing nuclear plants, it should be emphasised
the growing international competition in the
framework of GEN IV. For future reactors,
innovations on materials and fuels are mandatory
and the role of Europe in the GEN IV forum will
significantly depend upon our ability to develop
and qualify these material and fuel which, among
other activities (basic research, modelling, hot
labs) require advanced experimental capabilities
(high temperature, large fast neutron flux ).
Competition in advanced material testing is
clearly increasingfor 2004 and it is critical to
gather the European community on this topic.
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What are your feeling about this
proposition ?What are your main needs ?
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Long term sustainibility and structuring
effectHOTLABINST improves existing hotlabs
services and prepares the next generation of
research infrastructures by enlarging hotlab
community, improving the networking, by
supporting joint technological developments, and
optimising the use of Hotlabs. HOTLABINST
overcomes the present situation offragmented
resources and low investments in hardware and
competences, thus reinforces the existing
European experimental capabilities, and their
links between them.HOTLABINST added value will
go far beyond the time-frame of FP6 since it is
on the road-map of the future infrastructures of
Europe. This will give a solid foundation to the
long-term capability of post irradiation
examinations services and their competitiveness