Integrated Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (iNFCIS) is a set of databases related to the
nuclear fuel cycle
The nuclear fuel cycle, also called nuclear fuel chain, is the progression of nuclear fuel through a series of differing stages. It consists of steps in the ''front end'', which are the preparation of the fuel, steps in the ''service period'' in w ...
maintained by the
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
(IAEA). The main objective of iNFCIS is to provide information on all aspects of nuclear fuel cycle to various researchers, analysts, energy planners, academicians, students and the general public. Presently iNFCIS includes several modules. iNFCIS requires free registration for on-line access.
Background
Nuclear fuel cycle consists of a number of steps which are critical in supporting a nuclear power programme. This included
fuel
A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...
supply-related activities in the front end and used or spent fuel-related activities in the back end. Reliable and accurate statistical data on worldwide nuclear fuel cycle activities is desired by the nuclear community for national policy making, international co-operation and studies pertaining to sustainable global energy futures. The IAEA provides up-to-date fuel cycle information to Member States, organizations and stakeholders, so as to understand, plan and develop nuclear fuel cycle programmes and activities. iNFCIS, a web-based system comprising several nuclear fuel cycle-related databases, is one source of such information.
Data sources
IAEA over years has accumulated a large volume of data on nuclear fuel cycle activities through its regular technical meetings and publications, wherein contributions from Member States and leading international experts has been assimilated. IAEA had initiated electronic preservation of this data more than 20 years back, and since the last 10 years it has been made freely available through the public Internet. The data is regularly updated through direct inputs from the Member States, by consultants engaged by the IAEA or from open sources. All data is reviewed by consultants continuously to maintain high quality.
Modules
iNFCIS presently includes the follow databases and a simulation tool:
*NFCIS – The Nuclear fuel cycle information system provides details regarding civilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities around the world. It contains information on operational and non-operational, planned, and cancelled facilities. All stages of nuclear fuel cycle activities are included, starting from uranium ore production to spent fuel storage facilities. NFCIS data has been used for analyses and studies related to nuclear fuel cycle.
*UDEPO – The World distribution of uranium deposits database is an on-line database of uranium deposits around the world. It includes classification of deposits, technical information about the deposits, detailed geological information about regions, districts and deposits. UDEPO is widely cited as an authentic source of information on uranium resources.
*ThDEPO – The World Thorium Deposits and Resources database is an on-line database of thorium deposits.
*PIEDB – The Post irradiation examination facilities database is a catalogue of hot laboratories maintained by the IAEA. It includes details of the main characteristics of hot cells and their PIE capabilities.
*MADB – The Minor actinide property database is a bibliographic database of physico-chemical properties of selected
minor actinide
The minor actinides are the actinide elements in used nuclear fuel other than uranium and plutonium, which are termed the major actinides. The minor actinides include neptunium (element 93), americium (element 95), curium (element 96), berkeliu ...
compounds and alloys. The materials properties are selected based on their importance in the advanced nuclear fuel cycle options.
*NFCSS – The Nuclear fuel cycle simulation system is a scenario-based tool to estimate material flow in the nuclear fuel cycle. NFCSS is developed based on a model designed to estimate long-term nuclear fuel cycle requirements and actinide arisings.
Publications
The following are the print publications based on iNFCIS:
*Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System:A Directory of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities 2009 Edition
*The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System, 1996 Edition
*The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System
*World Distribution of Uranium Deposits (UDEPO), with Uranium Deposit Classification
See also
*
Nuclear reprocessing
Nuclear reprocessing is the chemical separation of fission products and actinides from spent nuclear fuel. Originally, reprocessing was used solely to extract plutonium for producing nuclear weapons. With commercialization of nuclear power, the ...
*
Nuclear fission product
Nuclear fission products are the atomic fragments left after a large atomic nucleus undergoes nuclear fission. Typically, a large nucleus like that of uranium fissions by splitting into two smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons, the release ...
*
Activation product
Activation products are materials made radioactive by neutron activation.
Fission products and actinides produced by neutron absorption of nuclear fuel itself are normally referred to by those specific names, and ''activation product'' reserved ...
*
Reprocessed uranium
Reprocessed uranium (RepU) is the uranium recovered from nuclear reprocessing, as done commercially in France, the UK and Japan and by nuclear weapons states' military plutonium production programs. This uranium makes up the bulk of the material s ...
*
Plutonium
Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibi ...
*
MOX fuel
Mixed oxide fuel, commonly referred to as MOX fuel, is nuclear fuel that contains more than one oxide of fissile material, usually consisting of plutonium blended with natural uranium, reprocessed uranium, or depleted uranium. MOX fuel is an alt ...
*
Uranium mining
Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. Over 50 thousand tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia were the top three uranium producers, respectively, and together account f ...
*
Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238 ...
*
Post Irradiation Examination
Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) is the study of used nuclear materials such as nuclear fuel. It has several purposes. It is known that by examination of used fuel that the failure modes which occur during normal use (and the manner in which the ...
*
Spent nuclear fuel
Spent nuclear fuel, occasionally called used nuclear fuel, is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor (usually at a nuclear power plant). It is no longer useful in sustaining a nuclear reaction in an ordinary thermal reactor an ...
*
Spent nuclear fuel shipping cask
A nuclear flask is a shipping container that is used to transport active nuclear materials between nuclear power station and spent fuel reprocessing facilities.
Each shipping container is designed to maintain its integrity under normal transport ...
*
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System
The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (NFCIS) is an international database of civilian and commercial nuclear fuel cycle
The nuclear fuel cycle, also called nuclear fuel chain, is the progression of nuclear fuel through a series of differing ...
Notes
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External links
IAEA – Integrated nuclear fuel cycle information system
Scientific databases
International Atomic Energy Agency