Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Advanced Structural Integrity Assessment Tools for Safe Long Term Operation

Project description

Ensuring the integrity of Generation II and III nuclear reactor piping

Safety is a top priority for nuclear power plants, which account for over 25 % of energy production in Europe. Since current Generation II and Generation III reactors are expected to remain in operation for several more decades, it is vital to maintain the integrity of all components. The best way to do so is through continual assessment of ageing and degradation processes using advanced methodologies. The Euratom-funded ATLASplus project aims to perform a thorough probabilistic risk assessment on reactor piping components. Using advanced engineering methods, it will assess the structural resilience of existing pipes to gauge safety margins and validate their reliable long-term operation.

Objective

NFRP 1: 2016-2017 notes that “A number of current Generation II reactors should continue operating for a few decades and Generation III should still be in operation one century from now.” This requires a systematic ageing management procedure for justifying their safe long term operation (LTO). One fundamental part in this process is to demonstrate the integrity of the nuclear power plant components. The required safety margins are determined by considering various degradation and ageing mechanisms and postulated defects. This project focuses on open technology gaps, identified in the NUGENIA road map, related to piping components, not covered by other ongoing projects.

Specifically this project will focus on developing:

o innovative quantitative methodologies to transfer laboratory material properties to assess the structural integrity of large piping components,
o an enhanced treatment of weld residual stresses when subjected to long term operation,
o advanced simulation tools based on fracture mechanics methods using physically based mechanistic models,
o improved engineering methods to assess components under long term operation taking into account specific operational demands,
o integrated probabilistic assessment methods to reveal uncertainties and justify safety margins.

ATLAS+ will have a significant impact on the safety of operational Generation II and III nuclear power plants. The project will demonstrate and quantify inherent safety margins introduced by the conservative approaches used during design and dictated by codes and standards employed through-out the life of the plant. The outcomes from ATLAS+ will therefore support the long term operation of nuclear power plants. This will be achieved by using more advanced and realistic scientific methods to assess the integrity of piping. The project will provide evidence to support the methods by carrying out large scale tests using original piping materials.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

RIA - Research and Innovation action

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) NFRP-2016-2017

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 532 207,00
Address
TEKNIIKANTIE 21
02150 Espoo
Finland

See on map

Region
Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 739 203,75

Participants (22)

My booklet 0 0