Rosatom advances SNF twin tech

Rosatom has completed the first stage of development of the software package VIZART-RDM – the technological basis for a digital twin for radiochemical production. Its implementation will improve the efficiency of the creation and operation of facilities for the processing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste management.

The new generation program was created by specialists from a private institution Science & Innovation, the AA Bochvar Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM), the VG Khlopin Radium Institute, JSC Proryv and a number of other industry enterprises. The work is carried out by order of Rosatom’s Fuel Division, TVEL.

VIZART-RDM helps evaluate all stages of used fuel reprocessing. It analyses the composition and quantity of reagents, the volume of waste, process parameters and characteristics specific to radiochemical processes.

Based on the array of information, it will optimise the technology for processing used fuel and methods of handling radioactive waste both at the stage of development and at the stage of operation.

The technological digital twin will also enable scientists to avoid labour-intensive manual calculations and minimise the risks of errors during project implementation.

The overview of the new version of the software package has been developed, including approaches to calculation algorithms based on technical documentation describing all production processes and recycling cycles of used fuel, methods of handling radioactive waste, requirements for the software package and its structure.

Completion of this work will allow specialists move to direct software development.

“Scientists are continuing to improve the software package, modernising algorithms, increasing the speed of data processing, and simplifying the interface and forms for providing results,” said the head of the radiochemistry project support group at Science & Innovation, Pavel Nechaev. “Science & Innovation oversees the work of all developers, determining the compliance of new technical solutions with the customer’s request. For Russian science, this is an important project, since so far there are no twins for radiochemical production needed to increase the efficiency of the creation and further operation of closed nuclear fuel cycle facilities.”

Evgeniy Pidoprigora, head of the project office for the development of new products for the nuclear fuel cycle at TVEL, noted: “Digitalisation of the radiochemical direction is one of the important areas of the strategic industry programme Development of the radiochemical direction, implemented by Rosatom with the participation of leading scientific and production enterprises in the industry. The creation of digital twins for existing and future production facilities will provide a comprehensive check of the technologies using mathematical models and will simplify the processes of design and modernisation of radiochemical production.”

Development of fast neutron reactor technologies is impossible without radiochemistry. Radiochemical technologies, first of all, are a tool for eliminating the accumulated legacy of used fuel and legacy radioactive waste. In addition, they are an integral part of a large fourth generation nuclear energy platform – two-component nuclear energy with a closed nuclear fuel cycle, including the Breakthrough project…. Such technologies will eliminate severe accidents at nuclear power plants, generate electricity without accumulating irradiated nuclear fuel and reuse used nuclear fuel multiple times, which will eliminate the problem of a limited resource base for nuclear energy.

Science & innovation is responsible for the scientific, analytical and information development of organisations in the nuclear energy-industrial complex. It acts as the operator of the Unified Sectoral Thematic Plan (SSP) within the framework of which more than a hundred research and development projects are developed annually. It provides assistance to nuclear industry organisations in the legal protection intellectual property. It takes an active part in organising industry programmes for the development of scientists and forming a reserve of scientific personnel.