5.1. Conclusions of FP-4
The safety issue considered in the AGE cluster under FP-4 was that of the continued safe operation of ageing nuclear power plants. The cluster was composed of 7 cost-shared and 4 concerted actions, grouping all together 35 institutions from the EU and Associated Countries (including Switzerland). The 4th framework programme was the first one, in which the issues of ageing and plant life management were addressed in a systematic way. The results generated within the projects allow to validate assessment tools for ageing behaviour (considering corrosion, fracture mechanics, non-destructive testing and irradiation embrittlement). This validation work will lead to a reduction in uncertainties, increasing hence the safety – and the performances - of nuclear power plants.
An important objective of this research was to assess the safety margins, using different assessment tools, and so to improve plant ageing management. The emphasis was on knowledge of ageing related damage mechanisms, methods for detection and on-line monitoring of degradation and models allowing to predict the behaviour of components and structures. Another important objective was to propose qualified mitigation methods.
Worth mentioning is also the wider trans-European collaboration which exists in the area of reactor safety research through many bilateral and Community programmes which are described in the Joint Safety Research Index (FP-4 concerted action JSRI). These RTD programmes are also described in the homepage http://www-is.ike.uni-stuttgart.de/sinter developed by the R&D Network on Safety-Related Innovative Nuclear Reactor Technology (FP-4 project SINTER).
5.2. Prospects under FP-5
The activities under the 5th framework programme in the field of ageing build further on the activities conducted under the 4th framework programme, considering aspects of both safety and cost. The objectives are to develop a common basis for the continued safe operation and prolonging the safe operational life-spans of existing nuclear installations and to develop better methods for their inspection, maintenance and management.
The following specific issues are addressed in the 16 projects, which started just after the summer 2000:
- Integrity of equipment and structures: embrittlement, corrosion, behaviour of components as a whole (fracture mechanics) and water hammer loads;
- On-line monitoring, inspection and maintenance: development of innovative techniques for monitoring of corrosion conditions and material damage and of improved ultrasonic inspection techniques;
- Organisation and management of safety: cost-effective modernisation of systems important to safety and safety evaluation of computer based systems.
The next dead-line for submission of research proposals on Nuclear Fission, Radiation Protection and Support for Research Infrastructure is 22 January 2001. In view of this deadline the Commission has on the 25 July 2000 adopted a revised Work Programme. It describes the overall objectives of the programme and gives the priorities and indicative total budget for proposals to be evaluated after the deadline of 22 January 2001. The revised Work Programme [4] is available on the Cordis web-site: www.cordis.lu/fp5-euratom/docs/
For what concerns plant life management the following issues are mentioned:
- embrittlement/re-embrittlement of RPV material, - thermal fatigue/corrosion,
- ageing of concrete: development of innovative on-line monitoring and inspection techniques,
- risk informed methodologies,
- organisation and management of safety.
Note that also WWER operational safety issues such as embrittlement and accident assessment and management are mentioned.
In FP-5, a special effort will be done for clustering of the activities and also establishing interfaces/contacts with other related Community activities, thereby contributing to a larger dissemination and transfer of knowledge gained through national and Community programmes. This issue is specifically addressed in the updated work programme.
More generally, a new impetus will be given to the integration of all European research efforts, especially in the light of the current discussions around the Commission Communication “Towards a European research area” [5].
5.3. Dissemination of community research
More information about the above research themes, which are implemented primarily by DG Research as “indirect” shared-cost actions can be found in homepage http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/rtdinfo.html). The Joint Research Centre (JRC), with its seven institutes, is the Community’s own research Centre which contributes to the implementation of the framework programmes by carrying out “direct” actions (see homepage http://www.jrc.org/jrc/index.asp). Further information about Community research policy and rules can be found on the WWW site of the Community R&D Information Service (http://
www.cordis.lu).
REFERENCES
[1] ZURITA and G. VAN GOETHEM, EU research on severe accidents: achievements of FP-4 and prospects for FP-5, Proceedings 2000 ASME Pressure Vessel and Piping Conference, Seattle, July 23–27.
[2] FISA 99 — EU research in reactor safety conference, Proceedings of the Conclusion symposium on FP-4 shared-cost and concerted actions, held in Luxembourg, 29 November – 1 December 1999, EUR 19532 EN, published by the Office for Official Publications of the European Commission.
[3] SCHULZ, “Challenges left in the areas of materials ageing and plant modernisation”, Proceedings of the Conclusion symposium on FP-4 shared-cost and concerted actions, FISA 99 - EU research in reactor safety conference, held in Luxembourg, 29 November–
1 December 1999, published by the Office for Official Publications of the European Commission.
[4] Research and training programme in the nuclear field (1998-2002), Work programme revision July 2000, website: www.cordis.lu/pub/fp5-euratom/docs/h_wp_en_200001.pdf.
[5] EUROPEAN COMMISSION, “Towards a European Research Area”, Communication of the European Commission, January 2000 (COM(2000)6 of 18 January 2000).
DESIGN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS OF KOZLODUY NPP