52011SC0929

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER

Accompanying document to the Report "Operation of the High Flux Reactor in year 2009"

1. Introduction

This staff working document is a companion document to the Report from the Commission to The Council and the European Parliament "Operation of the High Flux Reactor in year 2009"

The High Flux Reactor (HFR) Petten, managed by the Institute for Energy (IE) of the JRC of the European Commission, is one of the most powerful multi-purpose materials testing reactors in the world.

The HFR is of the tank-in-pool type, light water cooled and moderated and operated at 45 MW. In operation since 1961, and following a new vessel replacement in 1984, the HFR has a technical life beyond the year 2015. The reactor provides a variety of irradiation facilities and possibilities in the reactor core, in the reflector region and in the poolside. Horizontal beam tubes are available for research with neutrons and gamma irradiation facilities are also available. Furthermore, excellently equipped hot cell laboratories on the Petten site provide virtually all envisaged post-irradiation examinations possibilities.

The close co-operation between JRC and the Nuclear Research and consultancy group (NRG) on all aspects of nuclear research and technology is essential to maintain the key position of the HFR amongst research reactors worldwide. This co-operation has led to a unique HFR structure, in which both organisations are involved. Euratom is the owner of the plant (for a lease of 99 years) and the JRC the plant and budget manager. JRC develops a platform around HFR as a tool for European collaborative programmes. NRG operates and maintains the plant, under contract, for JRC and manages the commercial activities around the reactor.

The Mo-99 isotope production was increased to a level around 180% of normal production (exceeding the radiochemical processing capacity available within the European supply network) to compensate the unexpected shutdown of the NRU Reactor in Canada. The HFR produced enough material to allow more than 50,000 patient scans per day to be performed worldwide which represented around 60% of the normal total world demand.

As of February 2005 NRG has become the holder of the operation licence granted under the Dutch Nuclear Energy Law. Furthermore each organisation provides complementary possibilities around the reactor activities, such as the hot cell facilities of NRG or the experiment commissioning laboratory of JRC.

During the last three decades the HFR has been operated from Supplementary Programmes regularly discussed by the European Council. On 25 May 2009, the European Council adopted a three-year supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community (2009-2011) concerning the operation of the Community’s High Flux Reactor.

The present document aims at reporting the implementation of the above scientific and technical objectives in 2009, first year of the current Supplementary Programme.

The report also provides information regarding the financial contributions received for the execution of the programme and the yearly contribution to the decommissioning fund that the supplementary programme provides to the Euratom, owner of the HFR.

1. HFR: Reactor Management

HFR Safety, Operation and Related Services

The HFR reactor is operated by NRG. It has an operating licence granted by the Dutch national regulator, the Kernfysische Dienst (KFD). As for nuclear power plants, the HFR is subject to legally required 10-year periodic reviews which are performed by NRG. The HFR has been also the subject of an independent IAEA INSARR (Integrated Safety Assessment for Research Reactors) review in March 2005, and the next is foreseen in 2011.

At the start of 2009, all the investigations and inspections of the bottom plug liner showed clearly that a safe start and subsequent operation, under strict conditions, of the HFR were possible. Due to increasing shortage of radioisotopes and on urgent request of the radioisotopes producers, authorization was given by the Dutch competent authorities to operate the HFR.The planned operational cycle pattern consisted of a scheduled number of 249 operation days and two maintenance periods of respectively 42.6 and 31.3 days. In 2009 therefore, the HFR was in operation for 248 days.

The reduction of operating time can be almost completely attributed to the investigation and inspections of the bottom plug liner which caused the extended shutdown and the later start of HFR cycle 09.02. After deliberation between physicians and on request of the major radioisotope producers, the maintenance period between HFR cycle 2009-01 and HFR cycle 2009-02 was extended to 31 March 2009. The objective of this change of cycle pattern was to ensure the availability of sufficient irradiation capacity at the end of cycle 2009-02. This corresponds to an actual availability of 67.97 % with reference to the scheduled operation plan. Nominal power has been 45 MW, with a total energy production of approximately 11 135.21 MWd, corresponding to a fuel consumption of about 13.9 kg 235U.

At the beginning of the reporting period, HFR operations were temporarily stopped due to the final part of the investigation and inspection of the bottom plug liner and the performance of the annual containment leak test. Nevertheless, all the 2009 cycles were started according to the original schedule. During the summer maintenance period, the extended reactor vessel inspection of the bottom plug liner and several safety related modifications were successfully performed. After the scheduled end of each cycle, the shut-downs included activities performed in the framework of the regular HFR operators’ training.

The detailed operating characteristics for 2009 are given in Table 1. All details on power interruptions and power disturbances are given in Table 2. It shows that 5 scrams and one manual power decrease occurred. Two of these scrams were due to manual intervention and a human error respectively. Two others were caused by loss of off-site power. The remaining scram was due to intervention of the reactor instrumentation devices to ensure safety.

Besides the regular visits of international colleagues and relations with the medical world, a total of 914 visitors (divided over 162 tours) were guided through the reactor during 2009.

In 2009, the maintenance activities consisted of the preventive, corrective and breakdown maintenance of all Systems, Structures and Components (SSCs) of the HFR as described in the annual and long term maintenance plans. These activities are executed with the objective to enable the safe and reliable operation of the HFR and to prevent inadvertent scrams caused by insufficient maintenance.

The periodic leak testing, as one of the licence requirements (0.2 bar overpressure for 24 hours duration) and the extended In-Service Inspection, including measurements on the bottom plug liner, were performed successfully. As part of the HFR Modification Plan, several modifications were completed.

All modifications were implemented after the revision of the plant description and operating instructions and following successful commissioning and testing.

Table 1: 2009 operational characteristics

Table 2 : 2009 full power interruption of HFR

Fuel Cycle

During 2009, due to the shutdown of the HFR, only 5 Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel elements and 4 control rods were inspected at the manufacturer’s site and delivered to Petten. Since May 2006, the HFR is running completely on LEU fuel.

In 2009, two shipments with High Enriched Uranium (HEU) spent fuel took place in MTR2 containers to the Dutch Central Organisation for Radioactive Waste (COVRA); in total 66 elements, of which 59 fuel and 7 control rods, equivalent to two positions in the HABOG building for High Level Radioactive waste at COVRA. At the end of 2009, 26 positions out of the 48 positions (including the 6 reserve positions) are vacant in the HABOG. The last 18 HEU elements, still present in the HFR pool, are planned to be shipped in 2010.

The Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service (GNS) carried out the compulsory 3 years inspection of the shock absorbers which are mounted around a loaded cask during a transport. The shock absorbers needed a second inspection which required the building of a special device that prevents deformation during the pressure test.

2. HFR Supporting Networking in Research 2.1. Network on Neutron Techniques Standardization for Structural Integrity (NeT)

NeT, the European Network on Neutron Techniques Standardization for Structural Integrity, supports progress towards improved performance and safety of European energy production systems. To this end, the JRC, next to its role as manager of NeT, contributes to the scientific work through neutron scattering for residual stress measurement and assessment of thermal material ageing effects, using its beam tube facilities at the HFR. In addition, in 2009, the JRC started its contributions to synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements performed at synchrotron facilities in France and Germany.

About 35 organisations are actively participating in the work of NeT, including eight organisations from the new member states, three organisations from candidate countries, one from Russia, one from Japan, one from Australia, and one from South Korea. In 2009, the NeT Steering Committee met twice and significant progress has been made in carrying out the work within its Task Groups (TGs). In November 2009, an Enlargement and Integration Workshop has been organised attended by about 15 scientists from the EU and Turkey.

In 2009, the main experimental activities in NeT were within the newly established TGs 4 and 5. TG4 focused on a 3-bead in a slot weld in a stainless steel plate while TG5 dealt with an autogenous weld along the edge of the ferritic steel beam. Several contributors, including JRC, provided experimental assessment of welding residual stresses and welding distortion for these specimens.

Based on the work performed in TG1 on a single bead weld on a plate, a dedicated issue of the International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping has been published in 2009. It includes, among others, 14 papers from the participants of NeT. NeT TG1 is now also becoming an example case in the weld modelling section of the R6 defects assessment procedure in the UK, and it has also been suggested to be considered as a sample case for a NAFEMS numerical analysis standard for welding residual stresses.

In the course of 2009, first contacts have been established with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to the IAEA and to the International Institute of Welding (IIW) with a view to assessing the possibilities for a future involvement of these organizations in NeT.

The HFR irradiation possibilities were used to perform residual stress measurements by neutron diffraction, as explained in the next chapter.

2.2. FAIRFUELS, towards a more sustainable fuel cycle with less nuclear waste

In the frame of the EURATOM 7th Framework Programme (FP7), the 4‑year project FAIRFUELS (Fabrication, Irradiation and Reprocessing of FUELS and targets for transmutation) aims at a more efficient use of fissile material in nuclear reactors by implementing transmutation. Transmutation provides a way to reduce the volume and hazard of high level radioactive waste by recycling the most long-lived components. In this way, the nuclear fuel cycle can be closed in a sustainable manner. The FAIRFUELS consortium consists of ten European research institutes, universities and industry. The project started in 2009 and is coordinated by NRG. Both NRG and JRC-IE work closely together on the HFR irradiations that are scheduled in FAIRFUELS: MARIOS and SPHERE fuel irradiations, as described in the following chapters.

3. HFR as a Tool for Research 3.1. Residual Stress Measurements by Neutron Diffraction at the HFR

In 2009, the HFR facilities for residual stress measurement by neutron diffraction at beam tubes HB4 and HB5 have been used for a number of measurement campaigns. Three examples are outlined briefly, as follows:

In the context of NeT Task Group 5 (see above), residual stress/strain measurements have been performed across the width of a 10 by 50 mm2 cross section ferritic steel beam with an autogenous weld along one of its edges. These measurements are part of a TG5 residual stress measurement round-robin, where the experimental results shall aid the validation of numerical stress prediction procedures. Indeed, prediction procedures are complicated in the case of such ferritic steels because of the involvement of phase transformations during various stages of the welding process.

A second series of measurements, performed in 2009, targeted developments of improved measurement procedures for multi-pass welds in stainless steel, as they are often used in assembling primary cooling systems in nuclear power installations. The inhomogeneity of the weld material and the sheer size of such components complicate significantly the experimental determination of the welding residual stresses. The specimens used in these measurements were slices cut from a bi-metallic – ferritic to austenitic steel – piping weld whereby, in this case, a stainless steel clad layer was applied on the inner surface of the ferritic part of the pipe. Finally, an IAEA driven collaborative research project (CRP), with participation of the JRC, on research reactors and the capabilities for residual stress measurement has been concluded in 2009. The JRC assumed responsibility for the organization of ongoing round robin exercises to benchmark the performance of the participating facilities. Nine or ten reactor based neutron sources are expected to participate in the round robin exercises within the coming one or two years. The contribution of the HFR to this first round robin exercise (an interference fit of an aluminium ring and plug) has been performed in spring 2009. This round robin reiterates a corresponding exercise in the context of VAMAS TWA20 in the late 1990’s (see also HFR annual report 1998), and the data from 2009 are in good agreement with those measured at that time.

In 2009, NRG has also continued to perform structural analyses by powder diffraction using the diffractometer of beam tube HB3a. Among others, materials for electricity storage applications have been investigated upon request of Leiden University. On the same instrument, a powder diffraction spectrum of lithium hydride, a candidate material for hydrogen storage, was measured on behalf of the JRC Cleaner Energies Unit

3.2. CRYO Experiment: Alpha-Emitters Radiotoxicity Reduction

Research conducted to date tends to suggest that the decay half-life of alpha-emitting isotopes embedded in a metallic matrix may be reduced at cryogenic temperatures. If confirmed, this may ultimately contribute to the reduction of nuclear waste.

To avoid any possible speculations, JRC is trying to verify the status/outcome of these studies by conducting an experiment in the HFR, called CRYO. The CRYO irradiation will produce 210Po, which is a pure alpha emitter, embedded in a metallic matrix of copper. This will be achieved by the irradiation of eight copper – bismuth disks and transmutation of 209Bi.

Irradiation of the CRYO experiment started on 22 December 2009, for a duration of one HFR cycle (~29 full power days).

4. Fuel Irradiations in the HFR 4.1. HELIOS Fuel Experiment: Americium Transmutation

Americium is one of the radioactive elements that contribute to a large part of the radiotoxicity of spent fuels. Transmutation, by irradiation in nuclear reactors of long-lived nuclides such as 241Am, is therefore an option for the mass and radiotoxicity reduction of nuclear wastes. The Helios experiment, as part of the FP6 EUROTRANS Integrated Project on Partitioning and Transmutation, deals with irradiation of U-free fuels containing americium. The main objective of the HELIOS irradiation is to study in-pile behaviour of U-free fuel targets, such as CerCer (Pu, Am, Zr)O2 and Am2Zr2O7+MgO or CerMet (Pu, Am)O2 +Mo, in order to gain knowledge on the role of microstructure and temperature on gas release and on fuel swelling. During the irradiation, a significant amount of helium is produced by the transmutation of americium. The gas release study is of vital importance to allow better performance of the U-free fuels. Two different approaches are followed to reach early helium release:

1. Provide release pathways by creating open porosities, i.e. release paths to the plenum gas. Therefore, in the HELIOS test matrix a composite target with a MgO matrix containing a network of open porosity has been included.

2. Increase target temperature to promote the release of helium from the matrix. Americium or americium/plutonium zirconia based solid solutions along with CerMet targets have been included in the test matrix to study the effects of the temperature. Adding plutonium allows for fission, which will increase the target temperature at the beginning of irradiation (BOI).

Irradiation of the HELIOS experiment started on 29 April 2009 and lasted about 250 full power days, i.e. until the HFR stop, on 19 February 2010.

The start-up of the experiment has been flawless. During the first cycle, the experiment has showed a higher neutron flux than expected. Investigations are being conducted and will be finalised with the measurement of the fluence detectors installed near to each test pin. This higher flux does not jeopardise the results of the experiment. As a matter of fact, it might even help as the experiment will receive more neutron fluence than expected. This will counteract the premature stop by raising the burn-up and helium production.

4.2. MARIOS Fuel Irradiation: Minor Actinide Recycling

The MARIOS irradiation programme, as part of FAIRFUELS, is a series of irradiations dealing with heterogeneous recycling of Minor Actinides (MAs) in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (i.e. the MA-bearing-blanket concept). MAs, such as americium and curium, are not always recycled and remain key elements composing the waste. The aim of the MARIOS irradiation is to investigate the behaviour of MA targets in a uranium oxide matrix carrier. For the first time, americium (241Am) is included in a (natural) uranium oxide matrix Am0.15U0.85O1.94. This irradiation will produce large amounts of helium within the targets. Its goal is therefore to study the fuel behaviour in terms of helium production and swelling. These may cause significant damage to the material under irradiation. The MARIOS irradiation will start in autumn 2010 and will last for approximately 300 full power days.

During 2009, the preliminary design of MARIOS was finalised. The nuclear analyses have been concluded and the fission power generated by the fuel pellets has been calculated. The fuel pellets, made by CEA in France, are in preparation and will arrive in Petten during spring 2010.

4.3. SPHERE Fuel Irradiation: Safer Fuels

Within the FP7 FAIRFUELS project, the irradiation SPHERE has been planned for 2011. SPHERE has been designed to compare conventional pellet-type fuels with so-called sphere-pac fuels. The latter have the advantage of an easier, dust-free fabrication process. When dealing with highly radioactive minor actinides, dust-free fabrication processes are especially essential to reduce the risk of contamination.

To assess the irradiation performance of Sphere-Pac fuels compared to conventional pellet fuel, a dedicated SPHERE irradiation experiment will be performed. For this purpose, americium-containing fuel, both pellet and sphere-pac types, will be fabricated at JRC-ITU in Germany. These fuels will be irradiated in the HFR. This irradiation is the first of its kind, as no minor actinide bearing Sphere-Pac fuel has ever been irradiated before. The SPHERE irradiation will last for approximately 300 full power days.

The preliminary design for the SPHERE irradiation experiment has started and the first fabrication trials have started.

4.4. HTR Fuel Pebble Irradiation HFR-EU1

After a pause of several years, after the end of the German fuel qualification programme, JRC-IE resumed in 2004 new HTR fuel irradiations in the HFR, this time with a focus on determining the limits of old and newly produced fuel in terms of temperature and burn-up for possible use in advanced pebble bed HTRs with very high coolant outlet temperature (up to 1000°C) and improved sustainability. A first experiment with 5 German AVR fuel pebbles (HFR-EU1bis) was completed in 2005 and followed by a second (HFR-EU1) to be completed in early 2010 which investigates higher burn-up tolerance of existing German pebbles and of newly produced Chinese fuel.

In the HFR-EU1 experiment, the irradiation targets are 5 pebbles irradiated in 2 separately controlled capsules. Two of the pebbles were of recent Chinese production (INET), the other three of former German production (AVR). Both fuel types were tested to higher burn-up but at lower temperature than in HFR-EU1bis. Contrary to HFR-EU1bis, in this test, the fuel surface temperatures were kept constant at 900°C (INET) and 950°C (AVR). These conditions are more benign for the fuel, because increasing burn-up causes decreasing central fuel temperature with time. The initially targeted burn-up was 17% FIMA (INET) and 20% FIMA (AVR) which is significantly higher than the licence limit of the HTR-Modul (approx. 8% FIMA). In the course of the experiment, this objective had however to be reduced due to excessive irradiation time requirements and technological difficulties, notably with premature thermocouple drop-outs. In early 2008, massive thermocouple failure in the capsule containing AVR pebbles had put the experiment on hold for 1.5 years.

The above failure meant that a new safety case had to be made and to implement and qualify new safety instrumentation including up-to-date HPGe gamma spectrometry for fission gas release analysis. This new installation allowed permanent fission gas release monitoring of the capsules. So far, the measured release over birth values (R/B) remained consistently low in both capsules, thus hinting at the absence of particle failure even at the already achieved high burn-ups.

The irradiation could eventually be resumed at the end of 2009 with a foreseen end of irradiation in February 2010, just before the planned HFR outage.

After termination of the experiment, the irradiation capsule will be dismantled and transported to JRC-ITU (Karlsruhe) for further PIE and safety testing.

5. Fuel and Reactor Structural Materials 5.1. PYCASSO experiments: for Tighter HTR Fuels

Within the Raphael (V)HTR 6th Framework EU-programme, the PYCASSO experiments have been devised to investigate coating behaviour under irradiation. Samples have been included from CEA (France), JAEA (Japan) and KAERI (Republic of Korea), which makes this irradiation a real Generation IV effort.

PYCASSO-I has been removed after a very successful irradiation in April 2009. The complex dismantling started in autumn of the same year.

During the autumn of 2009, the PYCASSO-II experiment has been introduced into the HFR reactor core. Based on the already excellent performance of PYCASSO-I, some improvements have been introduced, which has resulted in an even more uniform temperature distribution in the different sections in the experiment. As in PYCASSO-I, the PYCASSO-II irradiation targets temperature regions of 900, 1000 and 1100°C, and contains 76 separate particle sample holders. For the CEA particles a larger fluence difference has been envisaged, which has been achieved by moving one CEA section lower in the experiment, and thus at a lower flux level in the HFR core. This section is intended to receive a fluence similar to the maximum fluence in PYCASSO-I, for reference, whilst the other sections will receive a higher fluence by increasing the irradiation duration.

The irradiation has been somewhat delayed by the HFR repair, and will continue with 2 or 3 more cycles after the repair, hence ending at the end of 2010.

5.2. Particle size assessment in ODS Steels using Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Steels are among the candidate materials for use in future generation nuclear power systems. The structural and fuel cladding materials in GEN IV systems are confronted with more aggressive environments than in current light water reactors. This concerns thermal loading, corrosive behaviour of the primary coolant, neutron dose or their synergetic effect. Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) is a method for analysing material inhomogeneities in the 1-1000 Å scale. The scattering data furnishes information concerning size and size distributions of inhomogenities within materials. It can therefore be used to study effects of thermal and/or irradiation ageing in ODS, duplex or Cr rich ferritic steels.

In 2009, the SANS facility at the HFR has been used to collect scattering data from coarse grained ODS steels of grades MA6000, MA956, MA957 and PM2000. The analysis suggests an average size of embedded oxide nanoparticles of around 28 nm. The calculated mean particle size is in good agreement with observations made on this material by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

5.3. HTR Core Structures: Graphite Irradiations

Graphite is a suitable material to be used as a neutron moderator and reflector in nuclear reactors. Due to its excellent high temperature performance, graphite is used as a structural material in the HTR design (High Temperature Reactor). The European Commission is supporting research projects (RAPHAEL-IP) for the development of HTR technology with the aim to create the technological requirements for designing and constructing an HTR in Europe. To achieve this, new nuclear graphite grades need to be developed and qualified, as the previously used grades are not available anymore. The properties of graphite are changing significantly and non-linearly under neutron irradiation. Therefore the graphite properties need to be obtained at different neutron dose levels. The property curves at two irradiation temperatures, 750ºC and 950ºC, are produced in four irradiation experiments conducted by NRG at the HFR. A crucial part of the programme is the possibility to reload irradiated (and therefore radioactive) graphite samples in new experiments to be able to measure the properties at different dose levels. This requires being able to build the experiments in a shielded environment, i.e. a hot-cell.

In 2009, the experiments INNOGRAPH 1b and INNOGRAPH 2b, loaded with irradiated material from the previous experiments, have been further irradiated. The experiment at 950ºC started in 2008, with samples previously irradiated up to 7 dpa (displacements per atom). An extra dose of 6 dpa is targeted, leading to a cumulative dose in these samples of 13 dpa, to be achieved early 2010.

The experiment at 750ºC, which started in 2007, is still in the HFR. This experiment will be completed by early 2010, after achieving an even higher dose of 23 dpa.

5.4. BLACKSTONE Irradiations: Investigation of AGR Lifetime Extension

The UK has a fleet of Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors (AGRs) operated by British Energy. In order to extend the lifetime of the AGRs, graphite data at high dose and weight loss are required. These data allow the prediction and assessment of the behaviour of AGR graphite cores beyond their currently estimated lifetimes. Graphite degradation is indeed considered to be one of the key issues that will determine the remaining life of the AGRs. The BLACKSTONE irradiations use samples trepanned from AGR core graphite and subject them to accelerated degradation in the HFR. The results are designed to enable the future condition of the AGR graphite to be predicted with confidence.

The BLACKSTONE irradiations started in the first cycle after the HFR stop due to the BPL problem. The BLACKSTONE capsules will continue into 2010 to achieve an irradiation dose of approx. 7 dpa.

6. Fusion Reactor Technology

The HFR irradiation capabilities are used for screening and qualifying fusion materials, components and technology. The HFR contributes to fusion technology development by simulating ITER and DEMO conditions in terms of irradiation temperature and neutron load. Furthermore, the hot cell laboratories perform post-irradiation testing, subsequently providing experimental results on neutron irradiated materials. The main areas of interest are the ITER vacuum vessel, the development of high heat flux components and blanket structures, and the development of the reduced activation materials such as 9Cr steels and innovative materials such as fibre reinforced composites. In addition, irradiation behaviour of ITER diagnostic instrumentation and the in-vessel parts of heating systems, which require dedicated assessment and testing programmes, are of great interest. As part of the qualification of materials supporting the licensing of a future reactor, the design of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is under development. The HFR provides ample opportunity to qualify specific materials for the IFMIF target section, instrumentation and mock-ups. Presentations on ITER and DEMO development and qualification activities and the role of HFR in these activities have been delivered at the regular Fusion Symposia and Conferences.

6.1. ITER Vessel/In-vessel

In one of the European design concepts, the design of ITER first wall panels features PH13-8Mo steel as candidate material. After an irradiation campaign, the final report on the Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of PH13-8Mo has been completed. This report is comprised of the results of the irradiation response up to 2 dpa in terms of yield stress hardening, elastic fatigue resistance and fatigue crack propagation.

Furthermore, a new test facility, called POSITIFE, for the irradiation of ITER primary wall modules is under construction. This facility will allow close simulations of thermal fatigue and simultaneous neutron loading in the HFR Pool Side Facility (PSF). The manufacturing of the components for this irradiation experiment started in 2009. The irradiation will start soon after the repair of the HFR in 2010.

NRG also developed with the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) alternative manufacturing routes for thick tungsten claddings on copper-base substrates. Explosive forming of thick stainless steel sections was demonstrated by Exploform BV, in a joint effort with NRG and TNO to provide alternative manufacturing solutions for the ITER vacuum vessel. The experimental part of both projects on the cladding and the vessel were finished in 2008. Both final reports are now completed. The irradiation response of ODS-Eurofer97 steel at low and medium doses has been investigated by performing irradiation in the SUMO-11 and SUMO-12 experiments. The PIE of the ODS Eurofer97 has been completed in 2009. The final report is expected in 2010.

6.2. HIDOBE Experiments: Beryllium for Fusion

The two objectives of the HIDOBE (HIgh DOse BEryllium irradiation) project are (i) to quantify the long-term behaviour (in terms of swelling, creep and tritium retention for fusion applications) of beryllium under irradiation conditions and (ii) to validate models for the thermo-mechanical behaviour of beryllium under irradiation conditions and tritium kinetics in beryllium. Various grades of beryllium (in pebble and pellet form) and titanium beryllides are irradiated in the HFR for 2 and 4-year periods, in two separate experimental setups (HIDOBE-01 and 02). In the framework of the IEA agreement on Radiation Damage Effects in Fusion Materials, partners in the EU, Japan and the Russian Federation provided these different grades of beryllium specimens. The experiment contained a few piggy-backs of ceramic breeder pebbles, complementary to the shielded HICU case.

Irradiation of HIDOBE-01 has been completed in 2008, with achieving its target dose of 3,000 appm helium. The dismantling has been successfully carried out in 2009 and up to 85% of the samples have been recovered without problems. Preparations for an extensive PIE campaign have been finished in 2009 and PIE will begin in 2010.

The HIDOBE-02 irradiation will continue in 2010, after repair of the BPL, to accumulate a total dose of 6000 appm helium production in beryllium and is expected to finish irradiation in the second quarter of 2011. EXTREMAT: Materials for Extreme Environment (Fission & Fusion)

6.3. EXTREMAT : Materials for extreme environment (Fission and Fusion)

Within various subprojects of the ExtreMat Integrated Project, a large number of materials were developed for use in extreme environments. Their stability under neutron load is investigated by irradiations in the HFR. To this aim, two irradiation capsules have been designed: A high neutron dose capsule (equivalent neutron dose in stainless steel of 5 dpa) in which specimens are irradiated at temperatures of 600°C and 900°C and a low neutron dose capsule, designed to reach a neutron dose of 0.7 dpa, at temperatures of 300°C and 550°C.

Irradiation of both capsules started in 2008 and finished in 2009. Afterwards, the low dose capsule was dismantled and the PIE started and will continue into 2010. The PIE includes measurements of physical properties such as thermal conductivity, thermal expansion and dynamic Young’s modulus and mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural strength.

6.4. ADS Material Development

An experimental Accelerator Driven System (ADS) for the transmutation of Actinides is under development in Europe. It features Liquid Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) as reactor coolant. Lead Bismuth has a low melting point (135 ˚C), but has corrosive properties to structural materials and welds. In addition, transmutation of Bi to the high radiotoxic 210Po is a safety issue in the design of the ADS. Materials R&D is needed to test the corrosion behaviour of T91, 316L and weld specimens during irradiation in contact with LBE, and to examine the deposition of 210Po in the irradiation containers and on the specimens after irradiation.

The irradiation of the two capsules was completed after the first three cycles of 2009. Due to the HFR core loading, the IBIS experiment was moved from position G7 to H6 for the last cycle. Also there, the target temperatures of 300 and 500oC were achieved. IBIS has been irradiated in the HFR for 250 Full Power Days in total, to an irradiation dose ranging from 1 (lower temperature) to 2 dpa (high temperature capsule).

During 2009, the facility for specimen retrieval was commissioned and built in the Hot Cell Laboratory. The Fuel Cell line of the HCL was selected because of the presence of alpha emitting radionuclide 210Po. To assess the risk on handling 210Po, a HAZOP study was performed, which formed the basis of the workplan for the retrieval of specimens. The procedure on the retrieval was performed on a container loaded with specimens and LBE that was not irradiated. Almost no wetting of the LBE on the specimens was observed. A dedicated tensile machine was also installed in this cell to test the irradiated specimens. The tensile specimens have showed no effects of the cyclic heating to 300oC in LBE on the elongation and the ultimate tensile strength.

7. Isotope Production

The year 2009 was again a year of high contrast. It started with the HFR being first out of operation, then operated only when justified by medical necessity and finally operated during the second half of 2009 at absolute maximum medical isotope production capacity.

The HFR entered into operation in mid-February 2009, when it was allowed to operate, only upon request, for medical isotopes production. This was imposed by the lack of alternative supply options in Europe and elsewhere in the world. This process required that each operating cycle was individually justified and approved by the Dutch Government, leading to a series of discontinuous cycles of different operational length. These variations in operation reflect the non-availability of other reactors in the European supply network. Over this period, the HFR ran at relatively high medical isotope production levels, to palliate limited alternative supply options.

In mid-May 2009, the NRU Reactor in Canada (a medical isotope producer) unexpectedly went out of operation due to the identification of a heavy water leak. It remained out of operation for the rest of 2009, triggering a continuous worldwide medical isotope shortage. The response of NRG was to reconfigure the production facilities and operating priorities of the HFR to allow the absolute maximum production levels of key medical isotopes (in particular the production of Molybdenum-99 for Tc-99m Generators). These changes were successfully implemented within 2 weeks after the notification of the NRU problem and Mo-99 production capacity was increased to a level around 180% of normal production. The reconfiguration allowed as many as 11 Mo-99 production irradiations to be performed in parallel. It was estimated that during this period the HFR produced enough material to allow more than 50,000 patient scans per day to be performed worldwide. This represented around 60% of the normal total world demand.

The extreme focus on medical isotope production was extended to all other medical isotopes which were produced in large quantities. This had unfortunately negative effects upon industrial isotope production and in particular on the newly developed business of the irradiation of Silicon Ingots to produce Neutron Transmutation Doped (NTP) Silicon for use in high voltage and other specialist electronic applications. Production of NTP Silicon was suspended until further notice, but it is anticipated that irradiations for this market will be reintroduced during the course of 2010.

During the year, NRG worked closely with other reactors in the medical isotope supply network, the Radiopharmaceutical Companies, the Medical Community, Governmental Departments and international organizations such as the OECD/NEA and the IAEA. These actions aimed at maximizing coordination and cooperation and as a result minimizing the effects of shortages whenever possible. Once again, the year 2009 fully underlined the critical role performed by the HFR and the supporting infrastructure within NRG to ensure the worldwide continuous and smooth supply of isotopes for essential medical services.

8. Financial contributions for the execution of the programme.

In 2009, the following financial contributions were received from Member States for the execution of the programme:

- Belgium: 400,000 €

- France: 300,000 €

- The Netherlands: 8,223,000 €

It should be noted that these contributions cover the expenses according to Annex II to Council Decision 2009/410/Euratom. These amounts have been calculated in order to balance the forecasted costs of the reactor on the period 2009 taking into account an expected level of commercial incomes. In no case does the Commission cover any operational deficit, including potential costs for maintenance or repair.

From this amount the Commission received 800,000 € as provisions for the Decommissioning fund[1]

Other expenditures incurred by JRC and paid from the supplementary programme budget:

- Direct Personnel (e.g. for HFR Supplementary program Management): 276,000 €

- Support HFR (e.g. Legal Advice): 24,000 €

- Utilities (e.g., electricity, water, heating): 783,000 €

- Spent Fuel Management: 1,741,000 €

Due to an unplanned investigation  and inspection period in the beginning of the year (period 1/1/2009 to11/2/2009 – see Table 1), the net result for NRG for the operation of the HFR in 2009 was a deficit of 1,090,000 €.

Glossary and Acronyms

ADS                           Accelerator Driven Systems

appm                          atomic parts per million

CEA                            Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique

COVRA                      Centrale Organisatie Voor Radioactief Afval

DEMO                        Demonstration Fusion Reactor

DG                              Directorate General

dpa                             displacements per atom

EC                               European Commission

ECN                            Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland

EU                               European Union

EUROTRANS           European Transmutation

FAIRFUELS              Fabrication, Irradiation and Reprocessing of FUELS and target for transmutation

FIMA                         Fission per Initial Metal Atoms

FP or FWP                 Framework programme

GIF                              Generation IV International Forum

HABOG                     Interim storage centre for high level waste

HAZOP                      Hazard and Operability

HB                              Horizontal Beam Tube

HCL                            Hot Cell Laboratories

HELIOS                      Helium in Oxide Structure

HEU                            High Enriched Uranium

HFR                            High Flux Reactor

HICU                          High-fluence Irradiation of breeder Ceramics

HIDOBE                     High Dose Beryllium Irradiation Rig

HTR                            High Temperature Reactor

IAEA                          International Atomic Energy Agency

IE                                JRC Institute for Energy, Petten (NL)

IEA                             International Energy Agency

ITER                           International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

JAEA                         Japan Atomic Energy Agent

JRC                             Joint Research Centre

KAERI                       Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

KFD                            Kernfysische Dienst

LBE                             Lead Bismuth Eutectic

LEU                            Low Enriched Uranium

MARIOS                   Minor Actinides in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

NET                            Network on Neutron Techniques Standardisation for Structural Integrity

NRG                            Nuclear Research and consultancy Group

PBA                            Pebble Bed Assemblies

PBMR                        Pebble Bed Modular Reactor

POSITIFE                  Project Pool Side facility Thermally Induced Fatigue

PYCASSO                 PYcarbon irradiation Creep and Swelling/Shrinking of Objects

PSF                             Pool Side Facility

R&D                           Research and Development

RAPHAEL                 Reactor for Process Heat and Electricity

RTD                            Research and Technological Development

SANS                         Small Angle Neutron Scattering

SUMO                        In-Sodium Steel Mixed Specimens Irradiation

TG                               Task Group

TN                              Technology Network

TNO                           Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research)

[1]               The yearly contribution to the decommissioning fund has passed from 400,000 €/year to 800,000 €/year since 2004 due to a re-evaluation of decommissioning costs. This amount is taken from both the regular budget of the supplementary programme and by the gained interest on the bank account of the supplementary programme (the amount of the interest over 2009 was € 374K and therefore, €426K was added from the regular supplementary programme budget of 2009).