EPSRC Addressing Nuclear Fission Challenges for a Prosperous Future

Funding for large multidisciplinary consortia to conduct academic research addressing UK nuclear fission priorities.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is providing funding for academic research addressing UK nuclear fission priorities. Support will be available for large multidisciplinary consortia to adopt a whole-systems approach, integrating reactor design, fuel cycles, decommissioning, waste management, materials science, modelling, and socio-economic impacts to inform policy, provide impact and drive innovation. Consortia can have a focus area as well as an impact plan.

The EPSRC recently convened the academic and industrial nuclear sectors at a workshop to help understand and develop research needs and priorities, as well as industries challenges and opportunities. This workshop helped to develop the following list of priority topics and research areas EPSRC could target with managed funding, including a set of sub-themes that could be of consideration:

Generation IV reactor technologies and materials research

Areas for consideration are:

• Materials modelling, performance and damage.
• Materials for molten salt and gas-cooled systems.
• Advanced modular reactor and high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) concepts, design, feasibility and performance.
• Thermal-hydraulics and safety systems.
• Routes to decommissioning.

Fuel cycle development

This area needs to consider holistic development of novel or existing fuels, looking across the whole lifecycle from design through to final decommissioning/disposal. Applications for this topic will only be considered if all stages of the fuel cycle are included.

Advanced decommissioning technologies

The following areas should be focused on:

• Novel or optimised waste treatment, packaging and storage.
• Next generation waste treatment.
• Advanced waste characterisation technologies.
• Digital tools and predictive modelling.

Projects must demonstrate the ability to span all three priority topic areas but can have a primary focus on one.