Supporting the next generation of scientists is a key priority for the operators of Swiss nuclear power plants. On their behalf, swissnuclear supports practice-oriented research projects in the areas of safety, long-term operation, and economic efficiency, which are carried out at recognized institutions. The results of these projects are presented at the “Research Day” organized by swissnuclear every two years.
Through a competitive selection process, swissnuclear supports several research projects at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Department of Nuclear Engineering and Sciences). The aim of these projects is to maintain expertise in nuclear technology. In the current funding period, swissnuclear is supporting five doctoral students, four postdoctoral researchers, and several master’s students.
Quick introduction?
The project involves conducting experiments at the PANDA large-scale test facility to investigate safety-relevant thermohydraulic phenomena in boiling water reactor and pressurized water reactor containments. The focus is on the influence of sparger design and non-condensable gases in the boiling water reactor pressure relief basin, as well as natural circulation and hydrogen distribution in pressurized water reactor containments. The results expand existing databases, support international programs (OECD/NEA PANDA-2), and contribute to the safe operation of Swiss nuclear power plants.
The project is developing a selective sorbent for the efficient removal of the long-lived radionuclide ⁶⁰Co from wastewater at nuclear power plants. The focus is on the hydrothermal synthesis and application of the promising material MgNa₃H(PO₄)₂, which exhibits high selectivity and sorption capacity for ⁶⁰Co. The project is a continuation of the CoDAMP project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
The study investigates the thermal effects of CRUD deposits on Zircaloy cladding tubes in boiling water reactors. By combining detailed experimental CRUD characterization with advanced Lattice Boltzmann modeling, the influence of CRUD microstructure, composition, and formation stage on local heat transfer is analyzed. The goal is to develop a heat transfer simulation model to analyze the thermal effects of CRUD on Zircaloy cladding tubes in a boiling water reactor. This project is a continuation of the RESCUE project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
This project focuses on the influence of hydrogen and hydrides on the temperature-dependent creep behavior of fuel cladding tubes under reactor and storage conditions. Experimental creep tests and modern characterization methods will be used to gain a better understanding of the material behavior. This project is a continuation of the HyCronus project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
The MAI project extends the MELCOR system code with AI and machine learning methods to enable more efficient and accurate simulation of severe accidents. The focus is on improved condensation models, accelerated calculations, and uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. Building on an ongoing dissertation, ANN-based models are being developed, validated, and coupled with MELCOR to sustainably improve the code’s predictive capability and applicability. The project is a continuation of the MAI project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
The ModWRS-III project investigates welding residual stresses in safety-critical nuclear power plant components using optimized 3D finite element simulations. Building on previous projects, the analysis focuses in particular on repair welds and the influence of microstructural transformations on residual stresses. The goal is to improve the predictability of welding residual stress (WRS) to support the evaluation of aging-related mechanisms in the long-term operation of Swiss nuclear power plants. The project is a continuation of the ModWRS-II project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
The project is developing a coupled simulation concept for boiling flows in fuel assemblies that combines Eulerian methods, the Interface Tracking Method (ITM), and the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The goal is to perform high-resolution simulations of local transient boiling phenomena while simultaneously modeling the global flow conditions of the entire fuel assembly. Furthermore, the further development of the ITM code T-Flows will significantly improve the modeling accuracy of phase boundaries and heat transfer processes. The project is a continuation of the BRAVA project from the 2024–2025 period.
The project expands on ongoing work to determine source terms, dose, and decay heat for spent fuel elements with very short decay times. Building on previous projects, the project will develop validations, sensitivity studies, and new modeling, surrogate, and AI approaches for rapid and robust decay heat calculations. The goal is to improve the quantification of uncertainties and provide sound support for safety-related analyses. The project is a continuation of the swissneutronics project from the 2024–2025 funding period.
As part of the project, an interactive, visual tool based on Bayesian networks is being developed to better model and analyze uncertainties in Level 2 PSA. The goal is to transparently assess the impact of uncertainties, as well as accident and emergency strategies, on the risk of major accidents.
Quick introduction?
The project investigates the irradiation behavior of chromium-coated, accident-tolerant zirconium cladding tubes for light-water reactors. The focus is on the Cr-Zr interface and the oxidized surface layer, which are analyzed using modern microscopic methods. The goal is to evaluate structural stability under neutron irradiation in order to support future strategies for the industrial application of chromium-coated ATF cladding tubes.
BRAVA develops and validates CFD models for simulating boiling flow in fuel assemblies from Swiss nuclear power plants. By combining detailed (ITM, LBM) and large-scale (Eulerian) methods, as well as incorporating a population balance model and machine learning, the aim is to realistically simulate and reliably evaluate both complete fuel assemblies and locally high-resolution regions.
This project aims to develop a selective sorbent for the efficient removal of the long-lived radionuclide ⁶⁰Co from wastewater generated by nuclear power plants. The focus is on the hydrothermal synthesis and application of the promising material MgNa₃H(PO₄)₂, which exhibits high selectivity and sorption capacity for ⁶⁰Co.
This project focuses on the influence of hydrogen and hydrides on the temperature-dependent creep behavior of fuel cladding tubes under reactor and storage conditions. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the material behavior through experimental creep tests and modern characterization methods.
The project investigates the influence of hydrogen and hydrides on the mechanical behavior of irradiated fuel cladding tubes in the context of the storage and transport of spent nuclear fuel. The focus is on characterizing hydride distributions using EBSD and neutron radiography, as well as conducting mechanical tests on C-shaped specimens.
The MAI project aims to enhance the MELCOR system code using AI and machine learning methods to enable more efficient and accurate simulation of severe accidents. The project focuses on improved condensation models, accelerated computations, and uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. Building on an ongoing dissertation, ANN (Artificial Neural Network)-based models are being developed, validated, and coupled with MELCOR to sustainably improve the code’s predictive capability and applicability.
Building on the work on welding residual stresses from LNM-22-04, the practical applicability of computationally intensive 3D finite element simulations for complex welded components is being systematically investigated. The focus is on optimizing modeling strategies to reduce computational effort, as well as on a case study of repair welds. The goal is to improve the prediction of residual welding stresses to support long-term operational aging analyses in nuclear power plants.
The project investigates the mechanisms of CRUD formation and growth at the pore-scale level in pressurized water reactors. By combining detailed experimental characterization with coupled Lattice Boltzmann and thermodynamic models, the project identifies the chemical and thermohydraulic processes that lead to CRUD formation and growth. The goal is to validate conceptual CRUD models and improve the prediction of their effects on fuel performance and reactor safety.
The swissneutronics-2 project expands on ongoing work to determine source terms, dose, and decay heat for spent fuel elements over very short decay times. Building on previous projects, the project is developing validations, sensitivity studies, and new modeling, surrogate, and AI approaches for fast and robust decay heat calculations. The goal is to improve the quantification of uncertainties and provide sound support for safety-related analyses.
The THX4SB project expands on the PANDA experiments to investigate the formation of thermal layers in pressure relief basins in pressurized water reactors. The focus is on building a relevant experimental database, further developing CFD models for analyzing thermohydraulic effects, and building expertise in Switzerland.
The project focuses on PANDA experiments on passive containment cooling systems and natural convection in water-surrounded containments (P1A4 and P1A5). The goal is to systematically expand the experimental database for SMR designs and to validate thermohydraulic calculation codes.
Each year, swissnuclear awards a PhD grant to students who wish to deepen their knowledge in the field of nuclear energy through a doctoral thesis. Since the program’s inception, three PhD students have received funding. Applications are submitted through the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Sciences at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI-NES). Interested parties are invited to contact PSI-NES directly.
The project is developing a new physics-based model for void drift and liquid film phenomena in boiling water reactor fuel assemblies. By combining experimental data and CFD simulations, the project aims to improve existing empirical approaches and integrate them into sub-channel codes in order to enhance the predictive accuracy of safety-relevant parameters and support the design and operation of nuclear power plants.
The project is developing a novel high-pressure experimental loop to investigate CRUD formation under realistic boiling water reactor and pressurized water reactor conditions. Through targeted experiments, the interaction between water chemistry and fluid dynamics—including spacer and mixing vane effects—is being systematically characterized for the first time. The resulting experimental database forms the basis for the development and validation of modern multiphysical CRUD and CFD models for industrial applications.
The project is developing an integrated simulation chain for molten salt reactors that couples chemical, neutron, fuel cycle, and thermohydraulic models with accident analyses. The goal is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of a selected molten salt reactor (MSR) design with a focus on sustainability and safety, as well as to support industrial development through independent analyses.
The doctoral project is supported by swissnuclear and the Gösgen Nuclear Power Plant. The PhD project is developing a new, robust method for producing medically relevant radiolanthanides such as Lu-177 and Tb-161 in a commercial nuclear power plant. Through the use of metallic intermetallic target materials, innovative production and reprocessing techniques, and realistic test irradiation, the project aims to enable reliable, high-purity, and medically usable radiolanthanide production for nuclear medicine.
swissnuclear monitors international developments in the field of seismic hazard assessment in the nuclear sector through its participation in SIGMA-3. The program is supported by a consortium of nuclear facility operators. The goal is to refine data, models, and methods for assessing seismic hazards at industrial sites and critical facilities.
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