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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number InnUK/102064/01
Title Thermal Treatment of Irradiated Graphite
Status Completed
Energy Categories Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Nuclear supporting technologies) 80%;
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(CO2 Capture and Storage, CO2 capture/separation) 20%;
Research Types Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 50%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions) 50%;
Principal Investigator Project Contact
No email address given
Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited
Award Type Collaborative Research & Development
Funding Source Innovate-UK
Start Date 01 April 2015
End Date 30 September 2017
Duration 30 months
Total Grant Value £747,259
Industrial Sectors
Region South East
Programme Competition Call: 1403_CRD2_ENE_GEN_DCNS - Developing the civil nuclear supply chain CRD. Activity Developing the civil nuclear supply chain ( CR&D)
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Project Contact , Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited (16.857%)
  Other Investigator Project Contact , University of Manchester (41.077%)
Project Contact , M-Decon (12.189%)
Project Contact , Tetronics (International) Limited (29.877%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 04/12/15