Slovakia. Annex A-6 [Passive Shutdown Systems for Fast Neutron Reactors]

Full text: The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU) is a modern educational and scientific institution. Since its foundation in 1937, more than 145 000 students have graduated from it. On average, 17 000 students study at the STU every year. The STU is a public university and offers education mainly in technical, technological, technical economic, technical information and technical artistic fields of study using modern methods of education, laboratories and practical training. It is aimed at the areas of study with stable opportunities for students employment. The Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering at STU is responsible for university education in the area of nuclear and physical engineering. Through teaching, scientific and R&D activities, the institute is active in the fields of general physics and mathematical physics, physics of condensed matter and acoustics, nuclear and subnuclear physics, material science, environmental engineering, electrotechnology and materials, nuclear power engineering and technology, and biomedical and physical engineering. The institute's staff consists of 12 professors in physics, nuclear power engineering and material science. There are 50 employees in total (scientific or research workers) and about 20 PhD students. Priorities in energy R&D in Slovakia follow the objectives of the current national energy policy formulated in 2014. Among others, two priorities are defined: to use nuclear energy as a zero carbon source of electricity and to increase the safety and reliability of nuclear powerplants. One of the most important R&D activities addressing these priorities is the Allegro project — a nuclear energy cooperation project between the Czech Republic, France, Hungary and Slovakia. The Allegro project is a research project focused on R&D for the cooling system for a prototype of a fast breeder reactor cooled with inert helium gas. The project originated as a joint proposal from three Central European organizations (the Czech company ÚJV Řež, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Slovak company VUJE) in negotiations with France's Atomic Energy Commission for the construction of this prototype in either the Czech Republic, Hungary or Slovakia within the the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) as an initiative for sustainable nuclear energy. Currently, the preparatory phase of the project is under way, with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, ÚJV and VUJE having already committed to cooperate on its preparation until a decision is made as to the country in which the prototype will be built. The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and Slovak Academy of Sciences are also involved in R&D projects related to core neutronic studies and development of prospective structural materials suitable for GFR technology. Since Slovakia joined the GFR consortium, several bachelor, diploma and PhD theses were defended and number of small projects related to GFR core neutronic studies were supported by the Government's grant institutions. Construction of Allegro is expected to begin in 2020 and operation in 2025. The industrial demonstrator will follow it. (author)