Heavy liquid metal (HLM) coolants offer new perspectives for the development of innovative nuclear systems for nuclear waste transmutation and energy production. The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) is working on the development of the HLM cooled MYRRHA accelerator driven system (ADS). MYRRHA will serve as an ADS demonstrator for transmutation, as an HLM reactor pilot plant and it will be used as an irradiation tool for research. With this, it is at the forefront of HLM nuclear technology worldwide.
During this summer school, participants will gain insight into the state-of-the-art research focused to the development of MYRRHA and other HLM-based nuclear systems. The summer school will cover several aspects of HLM technology that are essential for the engineering design and safety of nuclear systems.
Experts from SCK CEN and other internationally renowned research organizations will give the lectures. They will cover the most advanced HLM-based nuclear systems and deal with the neutronics, chemical, thermal hydraulic and materials issues and challenges in instrumentation, safety and design. Complementary to the lectures, visits are foreseen to various experimental facilities that were constructed at SCK CEN in support of the MYRRHA project.
Throughout the course week, participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm on best practices and selections of technologies for HLM cooled nuclear systems in interactive sessions with the experts.
As a research center specializing in heavy liquid metal technology, it seems more than a coincidence that SCK CEN is neighbor to one of the most successful Heavy Metal festivals in the world: the Graspop Metal Meeting (GMM). The GMM begins when the HLM summer school ends. Each participant receives a free festival ticket for GMM for Friday June 20 (*), 2025 to enjoy metal and liquids at this unique festival.
SCK CEN reserves the right to cancel a training course or event (e.g. in case of low number of registrations).
The course is organized by SCK CEN in collaboration with the OECD NEA Nuclear Education Skills and Technology (NEST) Framework. This summer school is supported by the EC TRANSPARANT project (Technological Research Action Necessary for Safe PARtitioning And Nuclear Transmutation, HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01, ref n° 101166386) and MYRRHA IVZW. Mobility grants for participants are also available via the ENEN2plus project (ref n° 101061677).
(*) Participation to the GMM festival is voluntary and at your own risk. Conditions of GMM on ticket apply. You are not entitled to exchange the ticket with SCK CEN nor claim the value hereof from SCK CEN. SCK CEN is not responsible for any damage or theft at GMM.
After participation to this course, participants will be able to:
Related to the module on motivation and design:
Related to the module on coolant chemistry:
Related to the module on thermal hydraulics:
Related to the module on materials issues:
Related to the module on instrumentation:
Official registration is only possible after positive evaluation of your application file:
Participants are requested to send in an application file (1 pdf file) containing following items:
contact details;
brief motivation to attend the summer school (max. 200 words);
scientific CV with current position and field of research;
abstract for a poster presentation on your research project.
This should be sent to academy@sckcen.be, the latest on March 21, 2025.
Applicants will be informed about the evaluation not later than April 3, 2025. They will then be contacted by the SCK CEN Academy and asked to log in into the SCK CEN Academy registration system for confirmation of their participation.
Cancellation requests must be sent by email to academy@sckcen.be and the accommodating hotel(s) no later than May 16, 2025.
No shows and cancellations after this date will incur the full cost of registration and the hotel.
Participation to the summer school includes:
– Full attendance to the course, interactive sessions and technical visits;
– Welcome reception on Monday evening June 16;
– Belgian snacks on Tuesday evening June 17;
– Coffee breaks & lunches during the course;
– Online training material and documentation;
– Transport between the two course hotels and course venue;
– Certificate of attendance;
– A free ticket for the GMM music festival on Friday June 20.
10 participants can be supported financially through the NEST SMR project.
Maximum 10 applicants can be granted the ENEN2plus mobility grant of 900 euro to cover travel and accommodation expenses. Applicants agree with the terms of conditions as published on the ENEN2plus website. They are obliged to submit a mission report and answer the questionnaire through the ENEN2plus application portal no later than 30 days after completion of the mobility action. Failure to submit the report will require the applicant to return the full lump sum of 900 euro.
All participants are requested to attend all sessions and need to prepare a poster presentation about their research topic.
SCK CEN reserves the right to cancel a training course or event (e.g. in case of low number of registrations).