Advanced Nuclear Systems (ANS)

General Objective

The ANS institute will increase the expertise and Belgian involvement, both technically and economically, in the field of fourth generation fission reactors and fusion reactors ITER-DEMO. Based on modelling, experimentation and numerical simulation, ANS will produce the design for a fast spectrum facility with a European dimension at the Mol-site (the MYRRHA project).

Furthermore, ANS will develop and test technologies and instrumentation for innovative reactors, in collaboration with industry and other international research groups. The ANS institute will provide services and support to industry and nuclear installations on a national and international level.

These objectives will be accomplished in synergy with the institutes NMS (Nuclear Materials Science) and EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) by calling on their expertise and experimental techniques where appropriate, and by providing support and services to them.

Strategic Priorities

• MYRRHA: Further development of the MYRRHA/XT-ADS design for a fast spectrum facility with a European dimension by completing the conceptual design, preparing the construction and conducting the necessary R&D support programme. This R&D support programme covers liquid lead-bismuth technology, advanced instrumentation for MYRRHA (LIDAR and Ultrasonic visualisation) and a fuel and material testing and validation programme.

• GEN IV: Greater participation in GEN IV activities with an emphasis on the further development of GEN IV Lead Fast Reactors.

• GEN II & III: Support to the GEN II & III industry and commercialisation of the research activities of SCK•CEN in the area of GEN II & III.

• Fusion: Contribute to fusion research and prepare SCK•CEN, with the collaboration of Belgian and international players, to become a partner in the realisation of large components for ITER.

• Experimental devices: Development of new experimental devices (with advanced experimentation) for large research reactors such as the materials testing reactors BR2 and Jules Horowitz, and the multi-purpose facility MYRRHA.

Institute Manager: Aït Abderrahim Hamid
Deputy Institute Manager: Baeten Peter