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Research and development activities for Nuclear Reactors in operation, GENIV Reactors, and now also for small modular Reactors. Development of our portfolio of activities corresponds to evolution of needs in energy sector in the Czech Republic.
R&D of next-generation Nuclear Reactors in ÚJV Řež aims currently especially on development of the Gas cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) technology, namely its demonstrator ALLEGRO as a part of an international consortium V4G4 Centre of Excellence, and a concept of advanced modular reactor HeFASTo.
Conceptual design and safety
Including safety assessment of existing concepts of GENIV Reactors, design of new concepts including conceptual design of systems and components. Our computational analyses cover both deterministic and probabilistic assessment of the reactors in various operation and accident conditions including severe accidents.
Material research
Within the framework of national and international R&D projects, we solve issues connected to material behaviour and resistance in extreme environments such as very high temperatures and radiation. We have been actively participating in the research and development of new materials and processes in collaboration with leading laboratories both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
Experimental R&D and support
Our experts are participating in cutting edge experimental R&D in helium technologies, including the design of large experimental facilities for verification and validation of computational tools and various components.
In parallel with the experimental activities, we have been also involved in assessment of legislation and economic aspects concerning GENIV reactors and their viability in the Czech Republic.
Thermal power will be 200 MWt, which puts it in the category of small reactors. Its crucial advantage over water-cooled reactors is that thanks to a closed fuel cycle, the generation of new spent fuel is minimized. Modularity plays a major role in the design of HeFASTo. The vast majority of components will be implemented in the form of standardized parts manufactured in factories; on-site construction will consist mainly of assembling the pre-made modules. This will reduce costs of construction, lead to higher reliability, and will allow for easier maintenance and repairs. The safety concept of the reactor is based on fully passive innovative safety systems, working solely on basic physical principles as gravitation or pressure difference. One of the positive features affecting the economy of a fast reactor is the breeding effect, where new fuel si generated via nuclear reaction during the reactor operation, in fast reactors, more fuel can be generated than it is consumed.
Commercial application of the reactor is expected in connection with growing demand for mass production of hydrogen, as well as the need for management of spent fuel from the light water reactors. It means in the horizon of 2040. Currently, the reactor is in the preconceptual phase of its development, a strategic investor is expected to be found after 2025.
The research of new generation reactors at ÚJV Řež is currently focused on the development of the concept of the demonstrative high-temperature reactor ALLEGRO with a fast spectrum of neutrons cooled by helium (GFR - Gas Fast Reactor) within the international association "V4G4 Center of Excellence".
In the context of this project, we develop activities in the following areas:
We assess existing Generation IV. reactor concepts, we propose new concepts, including detailed technical solutions. We perform thermohydraulic calculations of primary circuit behaviour in operational and emergency conditions, we analyze the course and consequences of a severe accident with the core melting, we solve problems of using PSA methods in the evaluation of these reactors.
We provide expert support for helium technology including the design of experimental devices for verification and validation of computational tools and for verifying operating modes and technology systems.
In parallel with the above mentioned technical activities, we analyze the legislative and economic aspects of the application of Generation IV. reactors in the Czech Republic.
We are preparing several follow-up research activities in the following areas:
Recently, small nuclear reactors with a power output of up to 300 MWe and their application to provide energy supplies are of interest in the world.
The development and deployment of small reactors are supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for use in countries with poorly developed electricity production. Industrialized countries are developing small nuclear reactors in particular as an ecological and sustainable alternative to fossil fuel and gas-fired plants.
Research at ÚJV Řež focuses on small-scale nuclear reactors of the pressurized type, heavy-metal fast reactors, and also gas-cooled high-temperature reactors.
