Safety approach for a new French research reactor

After a general overview of the technological irradiation reactors existing in Europe, this document details the safety approach adopted for a new research reactor (RJH) to be constructed in France and the main recommendations resulting from IRSN assessment. As a general conclusion, the safety-related provisions taken by the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) for the RJH will allow to obtain a safety level consistent with the future power generating reactors safety level, with, as the most significant progress, the consideration, from the design stage, of the severe core meltdown accidents from all points of view (control of the removal risk in containments, post-accidental cooling of relocated materials, etc.). Generally, it was considered that these provisions constitute a satisfactory 'evolutionary' basis for the continuation of the project. However, the assessment conducted by IRSN led to issue a certain number of recommendations, particularly relating to some relatively arbitrary assumptions and approaches (for example: energies considered for BORAX accident). The projects of new facilities implemented by CEA seem to be on the right way: an 'evolutionary' way and not a 'revolutionary' way. (author)