Advanced nuclear safety evaluations for heavy liquid metal systems. ANSELMUS project

Among the performance goals set for future nuclear energy systems, improved safety and higher reliability are recognized as essential priorities. This high level of safety needs to be demonstrated, with sufficient confidence, in order to obtain the approval of license application from the regulatory authorities. Started on September 1, 2022, the Euratom ANSELMUS (Advanced Nuclear Safety Evaluation of Liquid Metal Using Systems) project aims to significantly contribute to the safety assessment of heavy liquid metal (HLM) systems. The investigations are focused on ALFRED, the European lead fast reactor demonstrator, and MYRRHA, a lead-bismuth eutectic cooled accelerator driven system. Relying on the collaboration of 16 partners from 8 European countries, and EU-JRC, all project activities are designed to support the deployment of HLM cooled systems in Europe. The project achievements will be used in the technical development of the HLM systems, in particular in the safety analyses and the licensing process. The paper summarizes the objectives, the main directions of actions, and highlights some of the achievements of the project.