[en] This series of slides begins with the historical aspect of international cooperation in the field of nuclear activities and then describes the present state of this cooperation by reviewing the main current programs such as the Generation 4 International Forum (GIF), the Innovative Nuclear Reactor and Fuel Cycle Project (INPRO), the Multinational Design Evaluation Program (MDEP), the FP7 EURATOM program, and the European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative. The contribution of the international cooperation to the ASTRID program (design and construction of a sodium fast reactor prototype) is detailed

[en] This series of slides presents the ultimate disposal of radioactive wastes according to their classification in French regulations. The agenda and research programs for the disposal in deep geological layers for both high activity wastes (HA) and intermediate activity wastes with long decay periods (MAVL) are detailed. The issue of the presence of salts in MAVL packages is dealt with as well as the features of MAVL wastes expected from ITER. The issue of the disposal of graphite wastes and radium-containing wastes in low depth underground site is considered

[en] The design of light water reactors is optimized for a use of slightly enriched uranium and a moderate use of the plutonium produced by the reactor itself. A better use of the uranium resource is achieved by hardening the neutron spectrum which implies changes in the core. This series of slides shows that in the framework of plutonium recycling, the reduction of the moderation ratio could give interesting results on the use of the fuel while maintaining the quality of plutonium for its recycling in light water reactors which fits well the policy of a progressive passage towards fast reactors. (A.C.)

[en] EDF aims at extending the operating life of nuclear reactors largely over 40 years. This industrial-scale program relies on a continuous process of improving both safety and performances and on taking aging and equipment obsolescence into account. A realistic assessment of the margins in all the domains of equipment behaviour is required. The maintenance operations are based on diagnostics benefiting from last progress in simulation, real situations or experimental programs. Examples of applications concerning reactor vessels, primary loops or corrosion issues are presented. (A.C.)

[en] This series of slides describes the improvements made by Alstom to optimize the yield of its turbines. Alstom has developed outflow section of big size in order to reduce exit losses. Exit losses increase when reactor power and vacuum rate go up. The 50 hz version will equip the Flamanville-3 unit. The presentation shows the optimized design of the fins. Other dispositions taken to reduce pressure losses in other parts of the water-steam loop are also presented. The design of the new turbines favors the use of steam and heat for cogeneration. (A.C.)

[en] This series of slides describes the basic principles of thermonuclear fusion in magnetic confinement and then reviews the main important experimental results obtained in the last 15 years, for instance the 16 MW of fusion energy produced in JET or the 6 mn 30 s long plasma produced in Tore-Supra. It appears that the performance of fusion plasmas has doubled every 1.8 years which fits the pace of other high-tech developments over the last 30 years. The role of ITER is explained as a necessary step on the path toward the demonstration plant but the technological challenges that have to be overcome are not ignored: for instance, the handling of heat flux on walls or the materials of the first wall. (A.C.)

[en] The recycling of spent fuels appears as the only way to get a sustainable nuclear energy. Uranium and plutonium recycling technologies are already implemented in France but they require to be upgraded in order to follow the technical evolutions of reactors. The research topics concerning recycling are: -) the adaptation of recycling technologies to higher burn-ups and to the use of Mox fuels, -) to improve the recycling technologies in terms of waste production, -) to prepare the multi-recycling of spent fuels from fast reactors, and -) to go ahead in the recycling policy by separating minor actinides in order to transmute them. (A.C.)

[en] IRSN (the French institute for radioprotection and nuclear safety) leads important research works in order to get new knowledge, experimental data, validated simulation models and expertise around 6 main topics that are: -) core fusion accidents, -) nuclear fuels, -) industrial and natural aggression, -) new generation of equipment and concepts, -) operating life extension, and -) humane and organizational systems. Most part of this research work is made within the framework of national or international collaborations. The theoretical and experimental aspects of research works for RIA (reactivity injection accident) are described in the slides that follow the paper while other programs are detailed in the paper itself. (A.C.)

[en] There are 2 power plants in Belgium: Doel and Tihange gathering 7 reactors that were commissioned between 1975 and 1985 and all operated by GDF-Suez. These reactors produce 55% of the electricity demand. All the steam generators have been replaced and this opportunity was seized to increase the reactor thermal power by 8 to 10% by using steam generators with larger heat exchange area. Steam generator replacement was combined with the implementation of an advanced fuel management involving 18 month long cycles, Mox fuels and higher burn-ups. (A.C.)

[en] The French platform of spent fuel recycling (La Hague plant and Melox plant) is a world standard in terms of capacity (about 25000 tons of spent fuel processed and 1500 tons of MOX fuel fabricated) and flexibility. This series of slides shows how the MOX/REL fuel is processed and how a new technology: the vitrification in an induction melting pot (cooled melting pot), is introduced in the R7 workshop at La Hague plant. (A.C.)