VELLA: Virtual European Lead LAboratory

Project summary

Virtual European Lead Laboratory (VELLA) aims to create a virtual European laboratory for Lead Technologies. Its final goal is the creation of a network of the European laboratories that operates devices using heavy liquid metals (HLM) technologies, mainly lead alloys. The network is meant to achieve researcher’s integration rationalizing the exploitation of existing facilities, transnational mobility of researchers and carrying out of joint research activities with strong technological characterization. The final goal is to build up a homogenous European Research Area in this field.

These activities support SCK•CEN's activities in the field of ADS (MYRRHA) and GEN-IV.

Research activities & goals

The activities related to VELLA are grouped in three items:

1. Networking Activities (NA)
2. Transnational Access (TA)
3. Joint Research Activities (JRA)

The NAs goals

• The creation of a virtual community of researchers by means of advance IT technologies (web site, focus group, video conference), thus integrating standard tools (meetings and workshops)
• The formation and growth of young researchers, creating summer schools with a minimum duration of 2 days in EU Member States such as Italy, France and Germany during the three year duration of the project
• The definition of common standards and protocols for the use of facilities
• Common interaction with programs/institutions operating in the field of HLM

The TAs goals

• Favour the access to the European infrastructures and knowledge for researchers, universities and firms (especially small ones) so as to increase the competitively of European industry in the sector
• Favour the human mobility between and towards laboratories

The JRAs goals

• Lead technology: growth of base knowledge on Lead technology as a coolant in nuclear systems (ADS, GEN-IV reactors)
• HLMs’ components, instrumentation, development and system operation
• Liquid metal thermal hydraulics: advanced thermo hydraulic tests in order to acquire knowledge in the field of thermal exchange natural convection and free surfaces

Contribution of SCK•CEN

Within this project, SCK•CEN, amongst others:

• Chairs the scientific access panel for human mobility
• Has opened its LIMETS II material research facility for Transnational Access
• Will participate in the JRA related to effects of irradiation on corrosion kinetics of steels in liquid lead
• Will contribute to the JRA related to pumps for HLM
• Will participate in the study of HLM free surface flows in windowless spallation targets
• …

Website: Virtual European Lead Laboratory

Al Mazouzi Abderrahim , Schuurmans Paul , Dekeyser Jean