MAXSIMA

The Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of the EU Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technical Platform (SNETP) requires new large infrastructures for its successful deployment. MYRRHA, being operated in both sub-critical and critical modes, has been identified as a long term supporting research facility for all ESNII systems and as such put in the high-priority list of ESFRI. The goal of MAXSIMA project (Methodology, Analysis, and eXperiments for the "Safety In MYRRHA Assessment") team is to contribute to the assessment of the safety in MYRRHA.

• MYRRHA will be an experimental device to serve as a test-bed for transmutation by demonstrating the ADS technology and the efficient transmutation of high level waste
   
• MYRRHA will demonstrate the feasibility of Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) as an alternative to sodium technology
   
• MYRRHA will be operated as a flexible and high-flux fast spectrum irradiation facility

Members of our group, using the best-estimate deterministic system code TRACE, perform safety analysis on Design Basis Condition (DBC) and Design Extension Condition (DEC) transient events for the MYRRHA reactor. The transients studied and their relative priority is mainly based on the outcome of the previous FP7 CDT project. Moreover, INR is also involved in the review of proposed safety systems for Heavy Liquid Metal (HLM) reactors, as well as in the process of the development of innovative passive safety systems for HLM reactors.

In order to complete the safety analysis of MYRRHA and to propose measures against the radioactivity release to the environment, INR experts participate in the containment analysis of MYRRHA, using the CONTAIN code, thus evaluating the containment response (pressure and temperature) to a postulated mass and energy release from the secondary side.

References