International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators
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ADS/INT-05 Overview of EU Research Activities in Transmutation and Innovative Reactor Systems within the Euratom Framework Programmes V. Bhatnagar European Commission, Brusselles, Belgium Corresponding Author: Ved.Bhatnagar@ec.europa.eu European Community (EC) (currently 27 Member States) shared-cost research has been organised in Framework Programmes (FP) of durations of 4 - 5 years since 1984. The 6th European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) Framework Programme (2002-06) and the current 7th FP (2007-11) have been allocated a fission research budget respectively of 209 and 287 M€ from the EC. There are 10 projects (total budget 70 M€, EC contribution 38 M€) in all aspects of transmutation ranging from road-mapping exercise to large integrated projects on accelerator driven systems, lead-cooled fast critical systems for waste transmutation, technology, fuel, accelerator facilities for nuclear data etc. In Innovative Reactor concepts, there are about half-a-dozen projects (total budget 30 M€, EC contribution 16 M€) including High Temperature Reactors, Gas-cooled Fast reactors, road-mapping exercise on sodium fast reactors etc. The main research and training activities in FP7 are: management of radioactive waste, reactor systems, radiation protection, infrastructures, human resources and mobility and training. In the two call for proposals (2007 and 2008) in FP7, 8 projects have been accepted in transmutation and innovative reactor concepts (total budget 53 M€, EC contribution 32 M€). These research projects cover activities ranging from materials, fuels, treatment of irradiated graphite waste, European sodium fast reactor to the establishment of a Central Design Team of a fast-spectrum transmutation device in Europe. The third call for proposals is underway requesting proposals on nuclear data, thermal hydraulics, gas and lead-cooled fast reactor systems with a total EC budget of 20M€. International collaboration is an important element of the EU research policy. This overview paper will present elements of the strategy of EURATOM research and training in waste management including accelerator driven transmutation systems and Innovative reactor concepts that are being pursued through Euratom Programmes. The paper will also discuss achievements of selected FP6/FP7 research projects. The authors have assigned to the International Atomic Energy Agency a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to publish this paper.
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