Phase I of the Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project (SCIP) started in July 2004 and was completed in June 2009. It utilised the hot cell facilities and expertise available at the Swedish Studsvik establishment in order to assess material properties and determine conditions that can lead to fuel failures.
A second phase of this project (SCIP-2) started in July 2009 and built on the considerable knowledge generated in the previous SCIP programme. The goal of the project was to generate high quality experimental data to improve the understanding of the dominant failure mechanisms for water reactor fuels and devise means for reducing fuel failures. The major focus was on cladding failures that were caused by pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, especially stress corrosion and hydrogen-assisted fracture mechanisms, as well as on the propagation of cladding cracks. The project aimed to achieve results of general applicability (i.e. not restricted to a particular fuel design, fabrication specification or operating condition). The results could consequently be used in solving a wider spectrum of problems and be applied to different cases. It also aimed to achieve experimental efficiency through the judicious use of a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques and approaches.
The nuclear fuel failure mechanisms studied in SCIP-2 were as follows:
The project was supported by safety organisations, research laboratories and industry from the following countries: Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Korea, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
July 2009 to June 2014
SEK 15 million (about EUR 1.5 million) per year. Swedish parties covered 50% of this cost.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2014