Abstracts ASN Report 2019

• !ȸǣɎǣƬƏǼ ȅȒƬǸ ٮ ɖȵɀ Critical mock-ups are very low power reactors (from a hundred watts to a few kilowatts). They are simple in design and their purpose is to gain more in-depth knowledge of the neutron characteristics of materials and study reactor core neutronics to validate scientific computing tools. Critical mock-ups can be adapted to the experimental programme. The cores are extensively instrumented in order to be able to exploit the results of the experiments carried out. Ł ŅĴŁĶĸё ŇĻĸ ĶļʼnļĿ ĶŅļŇļĶĴĿ ŀłĶľіňŃņё łŃĸŅĴŇĸķ ĵŌ ļŁׇ ĴķĴŅĴĶĻĸ ҂ ĴņňŅĶĴ Ҏ ׇӆӌҏё H Ҏ ׇӇӅҏ ĴŁķ ļŁĸŅʼnĸ Ҏ ׇӌӈҏ҂ ĻĴʼnĸ ĴĿĿ ĵĸĸŁ ŃĸŅŀĴŁĸŁŇĿŌ ņĻňŇ ķłŊŁ ŃŅļłŅ Ňł ŇĻĸļŅ decommissioning. These three facilities today represent limited risk and detrimental effects control issues. • ÁƺƏƬǝǣȇǕ ȸƺƏƬɎȒȸɀ Teaching reactors are characterised by low power (from a few hundred watts to a few hundred kilowatts), allowing easy access to the facility and making them easy to use. The ISIS reactor, situated within the perimeter of the Osiris ŅĸņĸĴŅĶĻ ŅĸĴĶŇłŅ Ҏ ׇӇӃҏё ļņ Ĵ ŀĸŀĵĸŅ łĹ ŇĻļņ ŅĸĴĶŇłŅ ĹĴŀļĿŌє Ň ŊĴņ ŃĸŅŀĴŁĸŁŇĿŌ ņĻňŇ ķłŊŁ ĹłŅ ķĸĶłŀŀļņņļłŁļŁĺ ļŁ ĴŅĶĻ ӅӃӄӌє ļʼnĸŁ ŇĻĸļŅ ĿłŊĸŅ ŃłŊĸŅ ĴŁķ ņŀĴĿĿ ņļōĸё ŇĻĸņĸ ĹĴĶļĿļŇļĸņ ĸŁŇĴļĿ limited risks and detrimental effects. • IɖɀǣȒȇ ȸƺƏƬɎȒȸɀ Unlike the research reactors previously described and which use nuclear fission reactors, some research facilities aim to produce nuclear fusion reactions. Ł ŅĴŁĶĸё ŇĻĸ ŁŇĸŅŁĴŇļłŁĴĿ ĻĸŅŀłŁňĶĿĸĴŅ ŋŃĸŅļŀĸŁŇĴĿ ĸĴĶŇłŅ Ҏ ҏ ĹĴĶļĿļŇŌ Ҏ ׇӄӊӇҏ ļņ ĴŁ ļŁŇĸŅŁĴŇļłŁĴĿ ĹňņļłŁ ŅĸĴĶŇłŅ ŃŅłĽĸĶŇ currently under construction in Cadarache. The purpose of ITER is to scientifically and technically demonstrate control of thermonuclear fusion by magnetic confinement of a deuterium- tritium plasma, during long-duration experiments with significant power (500 MW for 400 s). The main risk and detrimental effect control challenges for this type of facility notably include control of the containment of radioactive materials (tritium in particular), the risks of exposure to ionising radiation (significant activation of materials under intense neutron flux) and the removal of the residual heat from the reactor compartments (in particular during maintenance work). ׏ِ א nƏƫȒȸƏɎȒȸǣƺɀ ƏȇƳ ȅǣɀƬƺǼǼƏȇƺȒɖɀ ǣȇƳɖɀɎȸǣƏǼ ǔƏƬǣǼǣɎǣƺɀ ׏ِ א ِ׏ Laboratories The laboratories carrying out research and development work for the nuclear sector contribute to enhancing knowledge for nuclear power production, the fuel cycle and waste management. They can also produce radio-nuclides for medical uses. • ¨ȸǣȇƬǣȵǼƺɀ ƏȇƳ ɀƏǔƺɎɵ ǣɀɀɖƺɀ The main challenges inherent in these facilities are protecting persons against ionising radiation, preventing the dispersal of radioactive substances, controlling fire risks and controlling the chain reaction (criticality). The design principles for these laboratories are similar. Special areas, called “shielded cells” allow handling of and experimentation with radioactive substances, using appropriate handling systems. These shielded cells are designed with particularly thick walls and windows, to protect the operators against the ionising radiation. They also allow the containment of radioactive materials by means of a specific ventilation and filters system. The criticality risk is controlled by strict instructions regarding the handling, storage and monitoring of the materials ĵĸļŁĺ ņŇňķļĸķє ļŁĴĿĿŌё ŇĻĸ ĹļŅĸ Ņļņľ ļņ ŀĴŁĴĺĸķ ňņļŁĺ ŇĸĶĻŁļĶĴĿ systems (fire doors, dampers, detectors, fire-fighting equipment, etc.) and an organisation limiting the fire loading. Personnel training and rigorous organisation are also essential factors in controlling these four main risks. • IɖƺǼɀ ƏȇƳ ȅƏɎƺȸǣƏǼɀ ɎƺɀɎ ǼƏƫȒȸƏɎȒȸǣƺɀ Some of these laboratories, operated by CEA, are used to carry out a variety of experiments on irradiated materials or fuels. The purpose of some research programmes for example is to allow higher burn-up of fuels or improve their safety. Some of these facilities are also operated for fuel preparation and repackaging. The following fall within this category of laboratories: ҄ ĶŇļʼnĸ ňĸĿ ŋĴŀļŁĴŇļłŁ ĴĵłŅĴŇłŅŌ Ҏ ҏё ļŁ ĴķĴŅĴĶĻĸ ĴŁķ its extension, the Treatment, Clean-Out and Reconditioning ŇĴŇļłŁ Ҏ ҏё ŊĻļĶĻ ŀĴľĸ ňŃ ׇӈӈђ ҄ ĴĵłŅĴŇłŅŌ ĹłŅ ĸņĸĴŅĶĻ ĴŁķ ŋŃĸŅļŀĸŁŇĴĿ ĴĵŅļĶĴŇļłŁ łĹ ķʼnĴŁĶĸķ ňĶĿĸĴŅ ňĸĿņ Ҏ ĸĹĶĴё ׇӄӅӆҏё ĿłĶĴŇĸķ ļŁ ĴķĴŅĴĶĻĸђ ҄ ŃĸŁŇ ňĸĿ ĸņŇļŁĺ ĴĵłŅĴŇłŅŌ Ҏ ё ׇӈӃҏё ĿłĶĴŇĸķ ļŁ ĴĶĿĴŌє • «ƺɀƺƏȸƬǝ ƏȇƳ (ƺɮƺǼȒȵȅƺȇɎ ǼƏƫȒȸƏɎȒȸǣƺɀ ٢«ۭ(٣ R&D on new technologies is also carried out for the nuclear industry in laboratories, more particularly with regard to the development of new fuels, their recycling, or the management of ultimate waste. The Alpha facility and laboratory for transuranian elements analysis ĴŁķ ŅĸŃŅłĶĸņņļŁĺ ņŇňķļĸņ Ҏ ŇĴĿĴŁŇĸё ׇӄӇӋҏё ņļŇňĴŇĸķ ļŁ ĴŅĶłňĿĸ and operated by CEA, provides Orano Cycle with technical support for optimising the operation of the La Hague plants. It carries out experimental work to qualify the behaviour of nuclear glass matrices in order to guarantee the long-term confinement properties of high-level waste packages. • ȸɎǣǔǣƬǣƏǼ «ƏƳǣȒȇɖƬǼǣƳƺɀ ¨ȸȒƳɖƬɎǣȒȇ IƏƬǣǼǣɎɵ ٢Ȩ« ٣ Ļĸ ŅŇļĹļĶļĴĿ ĴķļłŁňĶĿļķĸņ ŅłķňĶŇļłŁ ĴĶļĿļŇŌ Ҏ ҏё ņļŇňĴŇĸķ in Saclay and operated by CIS bio international, is a nuclear facility designed according to the same principles as a laboratory (special areas for handling and experimenting with radioactive substances, using appropriate means), for the purposes of research and to develop radionuclides for medical uses. CIS bio international is a subsidiary of the Curium group, a manufacturer of radiopharmaceuticals. ׏ِ א ِ א ¨ƏȸɎǣƬǼƺ ƏƬƬƺǼƺȸƏɎȒȸɀ Some particle accelerators are BNIs. These installations use electrical or magnetic fields to accelerate charged particles. The accelerated particle beams produce strong fields of ionising radiation, activating the materials in contact, which then emit ionising radiation even after the beams have stopped. Exposure to ionising radiation is thus the primary risk in this type of facility. • The Ganil Ļĸ ĴŅĺĸ ĴŇļłŁĴĿ ĸĴʼnŌ łŁ ĶĶĸĿĸŅĴŇłŅ Ҏ ĴŁļĿё ׇӄӄӆҏё located in Caen, carries out fundamental and applied research work, more particularly in atomic physics and nuclear physics. This research facility produces, accelerates and distributes ion beams with various energy levels to study the structure of the atom. • The CERN Ļĸ ňŅłŃĸĴŁ ŅĺĴŁļōĴŇļłŁ ĹłŅ ňĶĿĸĴŅ ĸņĸĴŅĶĻ Ҏ ҏ ļņ ĴŁ ļŁŇĸŅŁĴŇļłŁĴĿ łŅĺĴŁļņĴŇļłŁ ņļŇňĴŇĸķ ĵĸŇŊĸĸŁ ŅĴŁĶĸ ĴŁķ ŊļŇōĸŅĿĴŁķё ŊĻłņĸ ŅłĿĸ ļņ Ňł ĶĴŅŅŌ łňŇ ŃňŅĸĿŌ ņĶļĸŁŇļĹļĶ fundamental research programmes concerning high energy particles. The CERN does not operate just one particle accelerator to study the structure of matter, but an entire chain of devices (sometimes called injectors). This chain currently comprises several linear and circular accelerators. Owing to its cross-border location, the CERN is subject to particular verifications by the ŅĸŁĶĻ ĴŁķ Ŋļņņ ňŇĻłŅļŇļĸņ Ҏņĸĸ ĶĻĴŃŇĸŅ Ӊҏє ׇ 326 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2019 ׏ ٲ א NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES