Regular Article

CHICADE nuclear facility: a collaborative technological platform, dedicated to the expertise and characterisation of nuclear wastes

¹ Head of CEA/DES/DDSD/DFDE/SECC, CEA Cadarache – DFDE/SECC, Bât 326, 13 108 Saint Paul lez durance cédex, France
² Deputy Head of DFDE/SECC, CEA Cadarache – DFDE/SECC, Bât 326, 13 108 Saint Paul lez durance cédex, France
³ HEAD OF CEA/DES/DDSD/DFDE/SECC/LEC, CEA Cadarache – DFDE/SECC, Bât 326, 13 108 Saint Paul lez durance cédex, France
⁴ Head of DFDE/SECC/LECD, CEA Cadarache – DFDE/SECC, Bât 326, 13 108 Saint Paul lez durance cédex, France

^* e-mail: olivier.david@cea.fr

Received: 22 July 2022
Received in final form: 2 December 2022
Accepted: 15 December 2022
Published online: 19 January 2023

Abstract

CHICADE (CHimie CAractérisation DEchets – Chemistry CAracterization Wastes) is one of the nuclear facilities of the Energy Division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA/DES). The CEA/DES is responsible for structuring and piloting the research programmes on energy at CEA. It involves its own institutes of research and those of other divisions. CHICADE is part of the Directorate for Nuclear Dismantling, Services and Waste Management. The Laboratory of Expertise and Destructive characterization is set up in the Basic Nuclear Facility – N° 156 called “CHICADE” where heavy equipment is used. The laboratory brings together both skills and means of characterization, using destructive methods on nuclear waste packages. It also carries out measurements on the whole waste package (gas release measurements, leaching tests). After a short presentation of the CEA and the Cadarache Centre, this publication aims to present the CHICADE facility and present the types of expertise on nuclear waste that are conducted there, i.e., measurement of the diffusion coefficient, inventories, leaching test, permeability measurement, gas measurements, radiochemistry, imaging. In conclusion, CHICADE is a nuclear facility with unique equipment, allowing exhaustive expertise to be carried out in a single location, benefiting from cross and complementary methods.