Nnl Case Studies...
The silver lining of fuel recycle
INNOVATION | NNL | PEOPLE AND SKILLS | SOLVENT AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT | SUPPLY CHAIN AND ECONOMY | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESThrough proactivity, pivoting and partnership, AFCP’s Advanced Solvent and Effluent Treatment project went for silver but struck gold. Luke O’Brien, Laboratory Fellow at National Nuclear Laboratory and Technical Lead on the project, discusses the team’s new technology for recycling used fuels more sustainably.
Criticality cooldown: Transporting the fuel of the future
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS | NNL | NUCLEAR DATA | PEOPLE AND SKILLSThrough modelling and prediction, AFCP’s Nuclear Data project is enhancing international understanding of future fuels. Alfie O’Neill, Criticality Safety Consultant at the National Nuclear Laboratory, details how international collaboration has created cool results for future transport.
Cleaning up our act: Materialising new ideas for a better planet
INNOVATION | NNL | SOLVENT AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT | UNIVERSITIES AND ACADEMIAAs the need for nuclear energy expands to meet Net Zero, so does the need to manage stored nuclear materials. However, this also raises an opportunity to do things differently. AFCP’s Advanced Solvent and Effluent Treatment team is exploring novel decontamination materials that are both sustainably sourced and industry optimised. Antony Nearchou, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, discusses how sharing strengths has enabled this impactful innovation.
Creative collaborations from afar
ENGAGEMENT | NNL | PYRO-PROCESSING | UNIVERSITIES AND ACADEMIACross-country research raises many challenges, all of which have been amplified through COVID-19. However, through ongoing engagement and sharing of strengths, AFCP’s pyro-processing teams at NNL, the University of Manchester and University of Edinburgh found a silver lining. Colin Clarke, Senior Research Technologist at NNL, comments.
Turning up the heat to modernise facilities
NNL | PYRO WASTE | PYRO-PROCESSING | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESPyro-processing and processing of pyro waste are key to ensure the UK is best equipped to deliver a sustainable fuel cycle of the future. AFCP infrastructure investment is modernising and expanding pyro lab ability at the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), which Senior Technology Manager and Pyro Waste Technical Lead Mike Harrison sees as an essential enabler to our two pyro projects.
Connecting national laboratories to enable innovative energy research
A UNITED MISSION | ENGAGEMENT | NNL | NUCLEAR DATA | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESCollaborating across the UK’s national laboratory network, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is leveraging key infrastructure to support AFCP. Patrick Regan, Professor of Nuclear Metrology and NPL Fellow, shares how working with NNL unites cross-UK scientific expertise.
Quality investment for improved iodine understanding
NNL | OFF-GAS CAPTURE | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESAFCP’s Off-gas Capture project is key to ensure that environmental protection remains at the centre of future fuel deployment. Infrastructure investment at NNL and the University of Leeds is ensuring that the UK maintains the right skills and facilities to address the off-gas iodine challenge.
Taking TRISO fuel to the next level
COATED PARTICLE FUELS | HENRY ROYCE INSTITUTE | NATIONAL NUCLEAR USER FACILITY | NNL | UNIVERSITIES AND ACADEMIA | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESAs the world-leading centre for advanced materials research and commercialisation, the Henry Royce Institute provides integral insight for UK advanced nuclear deployment. Joel Turner, Dalton Nuclear Fellow at the University of Manchester, explains how AFCP infrastructure investment complements the institute’s ultramodern facilities to help steer the direction of domestic fuel manufacture.
Collaboration is at the root of success
A UNITED MISSION | AQUEOUS RECYCLE | ENGAGEMENT | NNL | SUPPLY CHAIN AND ECONOMY | UNIVERSITIES AND ACADEMIAAFCP is connecting expertise across the nation. Paul Bingham, Professor of Glasses and Ceramics at Sheffield Hallam University, summarises how collaboration with NNL and the University of Sheffield is enabling the university to grow their current capabilities.
Accelerating technology scale-up to address emerging energy needs
INNOVATION | NNL | SOLVENT AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT | SUPPLY CHAIN AND ECONOMY | WORLD-CLASS FACILITIESThrough AFCP, SME C-Tech Innovation has partnered with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) to develop advanced decontamination methods for existing infrastructure. C-Tech Innovation Technical Director Rob Bell illustrates how in supporting supply chain innovation, this work is ensuring that UK technology remains at the cutting edge of safety and design considerations.
