SARNET Project

Progress of the SARNET network
after 1 year in FP7
J.P. Van Dorsselaere (IRSN), A. Auvinen (VTT), D. Beraha (GRS), P. Chatelard (IRSN), C. Journeau (CEA),
I. Kljenak (JSI), S. Paci (Univ. Pisa), Th. W. Tromm (KIT), R. Zeyen (JRC/IE)
42 organisations (Research, Universities, Industry, Utilities, Safety authorities and TSO) from 21 countries
network their capabilities for R&D on Severe Accidents (SA) in SARNET (Severe Accident Research NETwork
of excellence) in the EC FP7 for 4 years from April 2009. The overall work represents about 40 persons per
year (230 researchers and 20 PhD students).
A 42nd partner has joined the network in April 2010: KINS, the Korean TSO.
See www.sar-net.eu.
In continuity with the FP6 project (2004-08), the work has well progressed on:
■ Capitalising knowledge in common tools like ASTEC IRSN-GRS integral code and DATANET experimental database.
■ Collaborative work (physical models, joint interpretation of existing experiments, new experiments…) on the
6 high-priority issues: corium/debris coolability; Molten-Core-Concrete-Interaction (MCCI); steam explosion;
H2 combustion in containment; oxidising impact on source term; iodine chemistry.
■ Disseminating knowledge to nuclear emergent countries and to younger generations: Education courses (next one
in Jan.2011 in Univ. of Pisa), mobility of researchers, ERMSAR conferences (last one in May 2010 in Bologna, next
one in Sept.2011), textbook on SA to be released in early 2011.
■ Research priorities: an expert group is starting to review and update until mid-2011 the research priorities as
defined in 2007.
A few examples of outcomes after 1 year of work in FP7
■ MCCI: progress on understanding the origin of anistropic ablation for silica-rich concretes through VULCANO tests
(CEA) with real corium materials (see picture below on the VBU7 test), other tests in simulating materials,
improvement of physical models and simulation codes.
■ Coolability of debris beds in reflooding conditions: progress of 2D/3D mechanistic codes (ICARE/CATHARE, ATHLET-CD),
and preparation of new experiments PEARL (IRSN) in 2D large-scale (see picture) and QUENCH-debris (KIT).
■ Several benchmarks launched on experiments on H2 mixing and combustion (CONAN in Univ. Pisa, ENACEFF in
CNRS, Recombiners in THAI…).
■ Release of the new ASTEC V2 series including advanced core degradation models of the ICARE2 mechanistic code
(IRSN) and models for EPR core-catcher. See the picture on ASTEC validation vs. the Phebus FPT4 experiment on
UO2-ZRO2 debris bed melting (comparison of final end-states between code and test) (work by IKE/Stuttgart).
Induction coil
Outlet circuit for steam
Quartz tube
Debris bed
with S.S balls
Electric
connection
Debris bed with
Quartz and
Pyrex balls
Water injection
circuit
MCCI VULCANO VBU7
PEARL scheme
ASTEC V2 validation on Phebus FPT4
Perspectives for the sustainability of SARNET
Contact :
IRSN/DPAM
J.P. Van Dorsselaere
BP3
13115 St Paul -lez-Durance
Tél. (+33) 4 42 19 97 09
jean-pierre.van-dorsselaere@irsn.fr
The pool of experts in the SARNET network should assess the remaining issues on SA for Gen.II-III NPPs after the
completion of the current FP7 project in 2013 and propose relevant R&D programmes to address them, when
needed. Severe Accident research remains a crucial part of reactor safety that must be capitalized and preserved for
the European reactor fleet needs.
Discussions should take place at the SNETP level on the SARNET future role, in particular on the analysis and
ranking of needs from the stakeholders (safety authorities, TSOs, industry) as well as on funding of the follow-up of
the network.