HOTLAB

1

• HOTLAB
• European Network on Hot Laboratories
• L. Sannen (coordinator),
• W. Goll, G. Bruhl, J.-Y. Blanc
• and

2
19 Partners involved
3
Introduction (1/3)- Most European hot
laboratories were built in the 60 when nuclear
energy was introduced- Since then, remotely
operated research were continuously developed,
implemented and applied- they supported
successfully the implementation of nuclear plants
as demonstrated by the present day outstanding
performance -During the last decade, the high
degree of maturity of conventional reactors and
the rising public concern about nuclear
faces hot laboratories with more complex
loads (reduced funding, refurbishement of aged
basic infrastructure, a restricted new crew
(retired people) and an increasing stringent
environment (Safety authorities requirements))
4
Introduction (2/3)On the other hand - the
safe and economic exploitation of existing
conventional reactors including fuel cycle back
end issues (waste disposal, partitioning and
transmutation),- the exploration/development of
advanced nuclear energy systems (4th generation
fission reactors GEN IV and future fusion
machine),- as well as boarder application of
radioisotopes (medical purposes) Call for
highly dynamic hot laboratory capabilities both
on short and long terms (from decades to
centuries)
5
Introduction (3/3) - changing political and
nuclear landscape- A need for economic
optimisation- Increased safety requirements-
Confirmed needs for RD gt Needs for hot
laboratories platform integrationgt Needs for
choice between Upgrading or closing facilities,
or building new onesgt Needs for European hot
lab optimisationgt Needs for training staffgt
Needs for exchangesgt Needs for sharing
facilities transnational access
6
Project objectives1) Exchange information on
existing hot labs2) What are the needs at
present, in the future?3) Improve transportation
of nuclear materialsgt 3 Work Packages4)
Inter laboratory test comparisons (Round
Robins)5) Exchange of staff6) Yearly
conferencegt not included, due to lack of
funding, but will be proposed later.
7
WP1 Internet web portal and catalogue- Started
from IAEA NFCIS - PIE database- Hosted by
http//www.sckcen.be/hotlab/ gt Open to the
public gt Restricted pages for participantsgt
Really easy to find on browser to use
(printing) gt Very flexible (insertion of
brochures, links)- A catalogue of European hot
laboratories (WP1) - contacts, examination
capabilities - open to non-participating hot
laboratories- Report on present future needs
(WP2)- A catalogue of nuclear transport casks
(WP3)
8
HOTLAB website home page
lt link to list of facilities
lt link to WP2 (future needs) report
lt link to list of casks and transport companies
lt link to WP3 (transports) report
9
lt Search by topics
HOTLAB website list of facilities
10
? Search by examination technique
How to contact a facility
11
Search by country gt
What techniques can offer a given hot laboratory
12
Printing mode gt
Description of a technique
lt possibility to link to a document
13
WP2 Present future needs for hot labs- To
assess research capacity of European hot
labsMethod1st step An enquiry on the present
situation (topics, list of available
examinations, infrastructure)2nd step The Core
Team extracted current trends and preliminary
conclusions3rd step First assessment of future
needs, starting from present status4th step
Review by HOTLAB participants specialists from
other companies (fuel suppliers, utilities,
etc).gt Final WP2 report.
14
WP2 Results - Hot labs have a broad range of
topics.- Emphasis on fuel cycle life extension
of components- A reduction of total number of
European hot labs.gt A high level of utilization
of some techniques (optical microscopy, SEM, TEM,
EPMA, XRD).gt A limited capacity to absorb an
increase in demand.Near Term evolution mainly
continuation due to a stability in the fleet of
power plants. New programs cannot be simply added
to old ones due to hot cell load.Long Term
evolution depends on new reactor scenarios.
Necessity of Task Sharing between labs.
15
WP3 Identification of common needs on transport
casks and transport operations.On the website,
are available - A catalogue of 19 transport
casks is available athttp//www.sckcen.be/hotlab
/transport/- A link with which labs can receive
a given cask.- A forum for return of experience
on radioactive material transport, reports on
good practices, feedback on operational
procedures, initiating programs of RD (e.g.
radiolysis)
16
HOTLAB transport site list of transport companies
17
List of casks for a given transport company
18
Cask file
lt link to a facility
19
Cask file (continued)
20
WP3 Results- A code of good practice published
for measurement of neutrons around transport
packages.- A radiation control protection
procedure for transport packages written (same
measurement points at departure and arrival)-
Recommendations drawn on techniques to ensure
leak-tightness during transport of unsealed
sources.- Several other items identified for a
follow-up project (harmonization of contents of
transport documents, study of radiolysis, etc)
21
General results- Practical realizations
(useful website, procedures, reports, 2
conferences).- Success for both HOTLAB plenary
meetings (Halden Sept. 2004 and Petten, May
2005).- Increased participations of Eastern
European countries.- A way to generate mutual
discussions (for buying new microscopes, for
handling wastes, etc).- The Steering Committee
agreed to propose a continuation to HOTLAB.
22
HOTLAB follow-up- Improve web portal (e.g. for
non specialists) hotlab.eu- Improve work on
future needs, by searching synergies between the
hot labs. Make a link with MTRs. - Emphasis on
inter-laboratory tests(list of what is possible,
and how to do it)- Emphasis on personnel
exchange(list of who is interested, and how to
do it)- Continue the work on transport casks
on the basis of what has been identified in
HOTLAB.- Continue yearly conferences (in 2007,
in Romania)gt Proposition of an I3 in the 7th
FP ? gt Proposition of an SSA at the last FP6
call 11th April 2006
23
Welcome to the European Working Group Hot
Laboratories and Remote Handling Plenary
Meeting 2006 Jülich, Germany September 19
21, 2006
www.fz-juelich.de/conference/hotlab2006