Frédéric Joliot and Otto Hahn

                                                                   Aix-en-Provence, France
                                                                       August 22–31, 2018

                                                             Maximizing the Benefits of Experiments

                                                    for the Simulation, Design and Analysis of Reactors

                                                                       Jointly organized by
                  the Nuclear Energy Division of the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA/DEN), France,
                                           and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT/INR), Germany

The 24^th session of the Frédéric Joliot/Otto Hahn (FJOH) Summer School on “Nuclear Reactors Physics, Fuels, and Systems” will be held in Aix-en-Provence, France, from August 22 to 31, 2018. This session is entitled “Maximizing the Benefits of Experiments for the Simulation, Design and Analysis of Reactors”. It is an advanced post-graduate-level course aimed at junior as well as experienced scientists and engineers engaged in the broad field of nuclear sciences, engineering and technologies.

The FJOH-2018 objective is to help the school participants broaden their knowledge of experimental methods and techniques used in conjunction with advanced models for describing nuclear reactors on multiple scales. The overall course will describe state-of-the-art methodologies and implementation practices, some challenges and limitations, expected improvements, and current R&D trends.

The FJOH-2018 programme covers the following four topics: (1) From traditional to advanced neutron physics validation experiments; (2) New experiments for scale-bridging thermohydraulics; (3) Experiments for fuel and material multiscale modelling; (4) Experiments for improved safety demonstration and operational support. In the first three topics, traditional and advanced measurement techniques will be described. In the fourth topic, a broader perspective will be taken, showing how experimental information is integrated in global simulations and safety demonstrations. Examples will be provided throughout the course.

FJOH-2018 includes plenary lectures, group discussions, seminars, and technical visits. The speakers invited are internationally recognized experts from leading universities, research and development laboratories and industry.

The FJOH-2018 participants will have the opportunity to share their views on specific cross-cutting subjects and open-ended questions, as part of group reflection and critical thinking activities. Time for these group activities is reserved in the School schedule.

This course represents the continuation of the Frédéric Joliot Summer Schools on “Modern Reactor Physics and the Modelling of Complex Systems”, which was created by CEA in 1995 to promote knowledge in the field of reactor physics, in a broad sense, and the international exchange of teachers, scientists, engineers and researchers. Beginning in 2004, the scope of the School was extended to include scientific issues related to nuclear fuels. The venues of the FJOH School sessions alternate between Karlsruhe and Aix-en-Provence.

The School’s aim is to address the challenges of reactor design and optimal fuel cycles, and to broaden the understanding of theory and experiments.

The programme of each School session is defined by the International FJOH Scientific Board.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Nuclear Energy Division of CEA jointly organize and sponsor the FJOH Summer School.

1. Introduction                                                                                                                                                    1 h

The Key Role of Experiments to Address Validation and Safety-related Challenges                   

                                                                                                                             J.Gulliford (OECD)

2. Experiments for Improved Nuclear and Neutron Physics Models                                                                  8 h

      2.1.   From Experimental Data to Evaluated Cross Section Files (2h)                      P. Schillebeeckx (JRC/IRMM)

      2.2.   Experiments for Improved Modelling of Fission Observables (2h)                            O. Sérot (CEA)
      2.3.   From Traditional to Advanced Neutron Physics Validation Experiments (2h)         A. Kochetkov (SCK/CEN)

2.4.   High-resolution Detection Techniques in Reactor Environments (2h)                      C. Destouches (CEA)

3. New Experiments for Scale-bridging Thermohydraulics                                                                               9 h

3.1.   Multiscale Methodology with Various Experiments.

     Applications to Loss Of Coolant Accidents and Critical Heat Flux (3h)                      D. Bestion (CEA)

3.2.   Scaling Methods to Design Experiments,

       Extrapolation Issues, Applications (2h)                                                              J.L. Muñoz-Cobo (UPV)

3.3.   High-Resolution Flow Measurement Techniques

       for the Generation of Validation Data (2h)                                                         U. Hampel (HZDR)

3.4.   Challenging Experiments for Validating Advanced Two-Phase Flow

       Analysis Codes and their Constitutive Laws (2h)                                                 C.H. Song (KAERI)

4.  Experiments for Fuel and Material Multiscale Modelling                                                                              10 h

4.1     Overview on Key Needs, for Operation, Design and Licensing: Fuel and

       Material Performance under Irradiation (2h)                                                      N. Waeckel (EdF)

4.2     From Traditional to Advanced Characterization Techniques:

What we Have Learned and Have yet to Learn (5h)                                 S. Zinkle (Knoxville Univ.) & J. Noirot (CEA)

4.3     In-pile Experiments in MTR, Experimental Fuel Assemblies

and On-line Instrumentation (3h)                                                            S. Holcombe (Halden) & D. Parrat (CEA)

5.  Experiments for Improved Safety Demonstration and Operational Support                                              6 h

5.1    Assessing Confidence in Nuclear Safety (2h)                                                           G. Bruna (IRSN)        

       5.2    A Data-driven Approach to Validation of Advanced Thermal-hydraulics Models (2h)     N. Dinh (NCSU)
       5.3    The Validation of High Fidelity Reactor Simulations (2h)                                     T. Downar (Univ. of Michigan)

Group Reflection on Selected Scientific Topics                                                                                           6 h

Seminar                                                                                                                                                       2 h

                 The Challenge of Competence Building for Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries

                                                                                                                                      E. Gilad (Ben-Gurion Univ.)

     Technical visits of CEA Cadarache R&D facilities