Publikationsrepositorium - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Following several previous European projects (EFR, CP-ESFR and ESFR-SMART), a new project ESFR-SIMPLE has been proposed in response to the HORIZON-EURATOM call on “Safety of advanced and innovative nuclear designs and fuels”. The new project aims at challenging the Generation IV ESFR (European Sodium Fast Reactor) designed in the ESFR-SMART project, to improve its safety and economics thanks to innovative technologies. The project high-level objectives and actions are: 1) Challenge the ESFR design to simplify the reactor, through reducing its size, which could allow taking advantage of SMRs (Small Modular Reactors) in terms of transportability, modularization, standardization, flexible operation and machine learning, all ultimately leading to improved economics. 2) Propose, develop and assess advanced methods of monitoring and processing operational data using Artificial Intelligence, e.g., to optimize fault detection in the steam generators at an early stage. 3) Produce new experimental data in order to support calibration and validation of the computational tools such as properties measurements of irradiated and non-irradiated MOX fuel including fuel with optimized micro-structures, and to assist in qualification of innovative components, such as expansion bellows, thermo-electric pumps and accident tolerant core-catcher. 4) Assess alternative technologies, such as the use of metallic fuel and compact secondary system design, for the large-size ESFR to improve the economics and safety. 5) Ensure that the knowledge generated in the project will be shared not only among the project partner institutions, but also among as wide a range of stakeholders as possible in Europe and internationally. The project relies on a consortium of 16 partners and will benefit from different skills and experiments available in Europe and in the US. It started in October 2022 and will end in September 2026. In addition to the technical details, this paper also briefly outlines the organization of the project.