During the first reporting period (M1-M18), SANE project established a scientific and technical foundation for assessing the feasibility, performance and safety of non electric applications of nuclear energy. A comprehensive screening and feasibility assessment identified and analysed ten end uses, including process industry, district heating and heat for agriculture, hydrogen and e-fuel production, ship propulsion, desalination and wastewater treatment, space applications and data centers, creating well defined reference cases for further study.
In parallel, safety concepts and criteria applicable to non electric reactors were identified, and representative operational, design basis and severe accident scenarios were defined for a generic low temperature district heating reactor. Multiple independent deterministic safety and severe accident models were developed across different system codes, enabling initial code to code verification and identification of modelling challenges specific to coupled nuclear–industrial systems. Integrated performance and coupled system analyses were initiated for selected end uses using system level models, supported by structured hazard identification methods.
In addition, preparatory work in radiological risk assessment established an inventory of technical and radiological risks, regulatory reference frameworks and source term considerations relevant to non electric SMR applications.
Overall, SANE progressed from application screening to model based, application specific analysis, providing an integrated framework linking feasibility, reactor safety, coupled system performance and radiological risk assessment for subsequent advanced studies.
