Ø  Core competences

Wir schaffen Wissen – heute für morgen

Paul Scherrer Institut

Division HOTLABOR (AHL) / The PSI Hot Laboratory Status and Core competences

Gavillet Didier

Outline of the presentation

Ø  Status of the hot laboratory Ø  Mission

Ø  Core competences

Ø  Short conclusion

HOTLAB / Seite 3

Legal Framework

Ø  The renewal of the operational licence is on going Ø  The review of the safety authority (ENSI) is

positive but some improvements and conditions are requested

o  refurbishment of part of the building to improve the earthquake-resistance

o  Strengthening of the activity-inventory control in the different zones and laboratories of the facility

o  Access limitation to the facility (request of minimum training for working in the lab)

Ø  safe and efficient operation of the Hot laboratory

Ø  Swiss competence centre for the handling and analysing highly radioactive materials including nuclear fuel

Ø  contributes to the safe operation of the Swiss power plans

Ø  supports PSI and external research groups for the handling, the preparation and the analysis of

radioactive specimens

Ø  develops and improves its analytical methods in the interest of the users of the lab

AHL Mission

HOTLAB / Seite 5

AHL core competences

Ø  Operation of a nuclear facility / Safety culture

Ø  Handling, investigation and conditioning of highly radioactive materials

Ø  Preparation and analytical investigation of radioactive materials (structure, chemical

composition, material isotopic composition, failure mechanisms, …)

Ø  Support to nuclear operators in Switzerland (Readiness and flexibility)

HOTLAB / Seite 7

Post Irradiation Analysis of fuel rods

Handling and PIE of fuel rod in the concrete Cell

1318 1320 1322 1324 1326 1328 1330 1332 1334

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600

γ-Spektrometrie - Defect rod

TOTAL

Total Activity [cps]

Elevation [mm]

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

CS134 CS137 RU106 CE144 NB95

Single isotope Activity [cps]

Surface analyses of irradiated fuel

Radioactive material analysis

HOTLAB / Seite 9

Quantitative element analysis

Fission products distribution across a pellet

-4000 -3000 -2000 -1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 0.0

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2

Elements (wt%)

Distance from centre (µm) Nd Cr Mo Ru

Elements (wt%)

Developing new analysis methods (Dual beam SIMS)

From hot gas extracted hydrogen content is 230 ppm (±5%)

BSE / 260 ppm

SIMS / 205 ppm

Hydrogen, qualitative and quantitative distribution in cladding

BSE / 60 ppm SIMS / 40 ppm

HOTLAB / Seite 11

Improving our analytical systems

Research work / PhD in AHL

Ø  Fundamental studies of the mass discrimination in multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Ø  Improvement of the instrumentation

Access to more specific information

XAS: x-ray absorption spectroscopy in SLS / Collaboration with LNM

Developing tools for radioactive material analysis

Specimen holder for XAS examination in SLS

HOTLAB / Seite 13

Investing for better specimen preparation

Focus Ion Beam for highly radioactive materials

Ø  Micro-specimen extraction at precise location

Ø  Specimen preparation at interface

Ø  Shaping for mechanical test (nano-indenter)

AHL and LNM common investment with SNF support (R-Equip)

Hosting and supporting users of the HOTLAB

LES

LNM ng tool (EDM) te conditioning BOX)

H os tin g pp or tin g

HOTLAB / Seite 15

Conclusion

HOTLAB is a key facility for NES, the PSI and Switzerland

Ø  As the Swiss center of competence for the handling and analysis of highly radioactive materials

Ø  As a key tool for research groups using radioactive materials

AHL is the organization and people that make it possible