European Sodium Fast Reactor - Safety by Innovative Monitoring, Power Level flexibility and Experimental research

为了促进未来核反应堆融入欧洲能源系统，有必要证明反应堆具有不受影响的安全性并满足未来的社会需求。 ESFR-SIMPLE项目旨在挑战当前的欧洲钠快堆（ESFR）设计，通过根据ESNII路线图实施创新技术来提高其安全性和经济性。该项目有 5 个具体目标： 1) 重新思考 ESFR 设计，以简化其并使其更具成本竞争力，同时仍然实现资源可持续性并通过内在行为增强安全性。这可以通过减小反应堆的尺寸来实现，这也将允许利用小型模块化反应堆的特性，例如可运输性、模块化、标准化和灵活操作，所有这些最终都会提高经济效益。 2）评估大型ESFR的替代技术（例如金属燃料和紧凑型二次系统设计）对经济性和安全性的影响。 3) 提出、开发和评估使用人工智能监测和处理运行数据的先进方法，例如，在早期阶段优化蒸汽发生器的故障检测。 4) 产生新的实验数据，以协助创新组件的鉴定，例如膨胀波纹管、岩心捕集器和热电泵。 5) 确保项目中产生的知识不仅在项目合作机构之间共享，而且还与欧洲和国际上的广泛利益相关者共享。项目活动还将听取公众和其他利益相关者对 ESFR 技术风险和收益的看法。与欧盟安全监管专家的密切互动将有助于对项目中提出和开发的解决方案进行持续审查和推荐。

To facilitate the integration of the future nuclear reactors into the European energy system, it is necessary to demonstrate that the reactors have uncompromised safety and meet the future societal needs. The ESFR-SIMPLE project aims at challenging the current European Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR) design to improve its safety and economics through implementation of innovative technologies in accordance with the ESNII roadmap. The project has 5 specific objectives: 1) Rethink the ESFR design in order to simplify it and make it more cost-competitive, while still achieving resource sustainability and having safety reinforced by intrinsic behaviour. This can be accomplished through reducing the size of the reactor, which will also allow taking advantage of Small Modular Reactor features such as transportability, modularisation, standardisation, and flexible operation, all ultimately leading to improved economics. 2) Assess impact of alternative technologies, such as metallic fuel and compact secondary system design, for the large-size ESFR on the economics and safety. 3) Propose, develop and assess advanced methods of monitoring and processing operational data using Artificial Intelligence, e.g., to optimise fault detection in steam generators at an early stage. 4) Produce new experimental data in order to assist in qualification of innovative components, such as expansion bellows, core catcher and thermo-electric pumps. 5) Ensure that the knowledge generated in the project is shared not only among the project partner institutions, but also with a wide range of stakeholders in Europe and internationally. The project activities will also be informed by the public and other stakeholders’ perception of risks and benefits of ESFR technology. Close interactions with EU safety regulator experts will enable continued review and recommendation of the solutions proposed and developed in the project.