NEST Research reactors for Fuel and Materials Testing (FIDES)
Ongoing

This NEST project aims to provide the necessary education and hands-on training component to the new multilateral initiative currently developed by NEA to strengthen fuel and material-  related experiments, making use of a variety of research reactors available world-wide, the FIDES Framework.

Project description

The safe, reliable and efficient operation of nuclear power plants requires nuclear fuel and materials (F&M) technology to evolve and for their performances to be optimised. Achieving this requires solid experimental evidence, which can only be obtained from test facilities with the ability to perform neutron irradiation under representative steady state or transient conditions. F&M test facilities are essential for:

  • validating safety margins, simulation tools, and demonstrating operational performance;
  • assessing material behaviour in the context of the long-term operation programmes;
  • developing advanced F&M.

Training young researchers in this area will allow NEST Member Countries to maintain and develop competences in this field. Each Fellow will have the possibility to carry out hands-on training activities in a variety of research reactors thus allowing to broaden its knowledge and expertise.