AFCP challenge awards announced

Published on Tuesday, 18th of May

The latest announcement of successful challenge applicants sets the seal on the new partnership between Game Changers and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme (AFCP).

Game Changers launched three challenges on behalf of AFCP and of the 11 high quality applications received, five have been awarded funding to complete feasibility studies.

AFCP is part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) £505m Energy Innovation Programme, investigating the role of advanced nuclear fuels and fuel cycles for a Net Zero future. Pioneering a collaborative approach to innovation, AFCP is led in partnership by BEIS and the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). It unites NNL’s nuclear infrastructure with the capability of more than 100 organisations from more than 10 countries.

The AFCP challenges launched by Game Changers were:

  • Shape sorting of coated particle fuel: supporting the development of nuclear fuels of the future
  • Treatment of nitrogen oxides from nuclear fuel recycling off-gases: minimising the environmental impact of advanced recycling while ensuring industry effectively meets regulatory standards
  • Controlling oxygen and moisture levels in salts during pyrochemical processing: refining the chemical and physical processes utilised to transform used nuclear reactor material into new fuel

The two successful applications for the shape sorting of coated particle fuel challenge were from the University of Sheffield and Capgemini. The three organisations awarded funding in the treatment of nitrogen oxides challenge are Edwards Ltd, the York Plasma Institute based at York University and American based Aqua Metrology Systems. A number of interesting applications were received in response to the controlling oxygen and moisture in salts challenge, but none have been funded at this time.

Josephine Tunney, Game Changers Programme Manager said “We’ve really enjoyed working on these diverse conceptual Advanced Fuel Cycle Programme challenges. The tried and tested Game Changers process has yet again proved to be effective.”

Feasibility studies are expected to be completed by July. Outputs will include detailed plans for Proof of Concept projects which will build on the feasibility study results.

 

 

 

 

FIS360
National Nuclear Laboratory

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