Development and Expansion of Research Facilities to Address the Challenges of the Nuclear Industry - 16055

With the wide variety of challenges that surround nuclear decommissioning, bespoke facilities are required to undertake experiments which can inform decision making. Here we describe research carried out at The University of Manchester's Dalton Cumbrian Facility, a custom built research environment which incorporates a 5 MV ion accelerator as well as a self-shielded {sup 60}Co irradiator. The ion accelerator allows the investigation in to the radiolytic consequences of various charged particles, including protons, alpha particles and a variety of heavier (metal and nonmetal) ions, while the {sup 60}Co irradiator allows the effects of gamma radiation to be studied. We provide specific research examples that demonstrate how this equipment can improve our mechanistic understanding of various aspects of the deleterious effects of radiation in the nuclear industry. These examples include applications in waste encapsulation as well as geological disposal and novel surveying techniques. The outlook for future research and expansion of the facility is also presented. (authors)