Roadmap for a European Innovative Sodium cooled Fast Reactor

Objective

Fast Reactors have a unique capability as sustainable energy source in terms of both utilisation of fissile material for energy production and minimisation of the nuclear waste, due to the hard neutron spectrum; LMFR are among the selected Generation IV systems to address the sustainability issues.

The SSA named "Roadmap for a European Innovative SOdium cooled FAst Reactor - EISOFAR" aims enabling the European Community to define its specific R&D strategic objectives on sodium cooled fast reactors embedded in the ongoing discussions performed within the CA on the SNF-TP; it has the ambition to be a key component of the European Strategic Research Agenda.

During its 1-year period EISOFAR SSA is pursuing several technical objectives:
- The identification of a comprehensive set of preliminary requirements, approaches and strategies applicable, in general, to future LMFR and in particular to a fourth generation European Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR);
- The preliminary definition of new opportunities of viability's domains where the solutions will be found in order to meet the above requirements, and the identification of plausible design options;
- The identification of R&D topics for the ESFR and specific Euratom R&D studies;
- The preparation of a preliminary Roadmap for the ESFR It is expected that the SSA results will contribute mainly on the following items for the ESFR:
- Strategies and requirements on: Safety, and ways for possible improvements; Safeguards for PR&PP improvement an d implementation; Reduction of investment and operating costs;
- Feasibility domains for: Core design with minor actinides; Advanced fuel cycle (actinide recycling, waste management, resistance to proliferation); Design options and promising alternatives.

These insights will allow helping the identification of the specific R&D needs, the objectives and content for an integrated project in FP7 and the plausible schedule for the ESFR deployment.

Programme(s)

• FP6-EURATOM-NUCHORIZ - Horizontal activities of the specific programme for research and training on nuclear energy, part of the framework programme for the European Atomic Energy Community within the multi-annual sixth framework programme for 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• NUCHORIZ-2003-3.5.1 - Specific support actions

Call for proposal

EURATOMCALLOPEN
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Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (16)