CNE Research Areas

Fuel Design and Performance

Fuel Design and Performance

CNE research in the fuel area covers both performance and degradation mechanisms of current ceramic PWR fuels and metal cladding systems and development of new fuel systems for Generation IV reactors.

Reactor Operation, Design and Monitoring

The Reactor Operation, Design and Monitoring theme has built on the rapid expansion of the previous year. The thermal hydraulics group has recruited Dr Giovanni Giustini on an EPSRC fellowship.

CNE Research Areas

Spent Fuel and Waste Management

CNE research linked to work in the Decommissioning, Immobilisation and Storage solutions for NuClear wasTe In- VEntories (DISTINCTIVE) and RCUK/NDA spent fuel university consortia is contributing to the UKs radwaste management programmes by providing fundamental understanding of key issues including behaviour of spent AGR fuel in storage and disposal and development of novel wasteforms for some difficult wastes.

Repository Science and Engineering

Repository Science and Engineering

The UK government’s policy associated with nuclear waste management is enshrined in the 2008 White Paper “Managing Radioactive Waste Safely” (MWRS)” based on the 2006 recommendations of the Committee for Radioactive Waste Management (CoWRM). The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for the delivery of the policy and the ultimate goal for higher level waste disposal in a mined geological repository.