SMELD: a new milestone and the way forward
SMELD is ready to tackle radioactive metal melting technologies as it advances at a steady pace
Last year, after its approval by the European commission, the SMELD project was launched by SCK CEN in collaboration with CRM Group. Since then, the SMELD team is reaching cruising speed in terms of know-how and lab infrastructure. With its goal to effectively limit radioactive metallic waste by melting techniques, it is part of the SCK CEN strategy to promote a circular economy in dismantling of nuclear installations. Let’s have a look into the work that’s been done and the way forward.
Wanted: partners and potential collaborations
The SMELD team at SCK CEN, in collaboration with CRM Group, has accomplished a lot within a short timeframe. Since its start in March 2024, know-how has been acquired on nuclear metal melting, while infrastructure has been built with in a first step the delivery and implementation of two lab-scale furnaces for both hot and cold R&D, as explained further in the article. The project will run until mid-2026, but we are already looking ahead. By this time, we have set out to have fully functional hot and cold laboratory furnaces and a cold-commissioned pilot scale furnace, effectively scaling up our efforts. Beyond these milestones, we aim to hot-commission our pilot installation and start exploitation of this large scale nuclear melting installation, advancing our efforts through strategic partnerships and collaborative research initiatives. The R&D infrastructure developed during the SMELD project will serve as a cornerstone for future advancements in the optimization of melting processes, spanning from laboratory-scale research to pilot and scale-up phases, ultimately leading to enhanced industrial melting operations.
Additionally, SMELD is eager to collaborate in defining clearance criteria and establishing quality control standards, including low-level activity characterization, to ensure the continuous improvement and efficiency of melting technologies. This collaborative approach aims to drive innovation and support the development of sustainable, high-performance melting solutions.
- Specialized facilities
Fully equipped for radioactive metal disposal research across the lifecycle
- High-tech analysis tools
Ability to characterize material properties and radioactive content
- Experience in clearance
More than 3 decades of dismantling and decommissioning expertise allowing the validation of clearance criteria
- Wide network
Strong connections with companies, researchers, and government agencies.
- Safe handling
Facilities and know-how to safely work with radioactive materials
The SMELD project after 1 year
Catch up on the details of the project here.
Let’s talk details: SMELD, State-of-the-art MEtal MElting Limiting waste during D&D, opens the door to more efficient removal of radioactive elements from metals coming from decommissioned nuclear facilities. The aim of the project is to develop new techniques to exceed the performance of the current generation metal melting technologies. The existing furnaces on the market which are used to melt radioactive metals have their limits in the kind of material that they can melt and also in the level of radioactivity they can handle. Overall, the decommissioning industry in Europe is expected to increase immensely in the coming 15 years, which is why we want to be at the forefront of improving this technology, to promote a circular economy by enabling safe metal recycling and reducing radioactive waste, while lowering the overall waste cost of decommissioning. The SMELD team has been working hard towards the implementation of furnaces to enable R&D ranging from small lab tests to pilot-scale tests.
Laboratory furnaces to be delivered
In the course of 2025, our lab-scale SMELD furnaces will be delivered. They are designed for cold and hot R&D and will be used for research on radioactive metal melting.
These furnaces are equipped with multi-step process control and offer advanced capabilities for a wide range of applications. These custom-made tube furnaces are designed to reach temperatures of up to 1800°C, providing precise control over varying atmospheres, making them suitable for diverse research and industrial processes. With an integrated off-gas treatment system and breakage protection, these furnaces ensure safety and environmental responsibility during high-temperature operations. They can be seamlessly coupled with analytical tools and characterization equipment, allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis. Additionally, the inclusion of a quenching zone enhances process versatility by enabling rapid cooling, while the flexible additive-feeding mechanism allows for the controlled introduction of various materials. The furnaces also feature specialized manipulation mechanisms, providing robust control of complex metallurgical processes. Together, these features make the laboratory furnaces an essential tool for the SMELD researchers, providing them precision, flexibility, and safety during their experiments.
Existing furnaces at CRM group were the starting point to design custom-build lab-scale furnaces for our research. These lab furnaces will be installed at SCK CEN in the coming weeks. The furnaces are assembled by HTM Reetz GmbH. Thanks to our collaboration with CRM group and the know-how we have developed in the last year, these furnaces will have all the requirements needed for SMELD.
Road to a pilot furnace: upscaling to industrial applications
Scaling up to a pilot installation has started with a preparatory study to define the technical requirements for the pilot furnace, to align the furnace specifications with the needs of the market in terms of R&D. Currently, the project is in its pre-licensing phase, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and safety standards necessary for subsequent development stages. The selection of optimal furnace technology will focus on maximizing flexibility of operation.
The facility will feature dual furnaces to support both research and industrial-scale processes. These furnaces are tailored to validate lab-scale R&D at a larger scale and optimize process parameters.
- The compact pilot installation, capable of processing several hundred kilograms, will focus on scaling up research, having the necessary flexibility to validate lab scale R&D at larger scale and to optimize the process parameters;
- while the representative pilot installation (handling several tons) will assess the practicality of the process at a more industrially relevant scale.
By including both scales, the flexibility of the pilot is maximized. This allows for sustainable melting operations and effective R&D; from lab- to industrial scale. With these activities the project aims to foster long-term financial viability and to attract potential partners in the radioactive waste-or decommissioning sector.
