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Open access to JRC Research Infrastructures

The JRC has launched 4 calls to access JRC nuclear research infrastructures in Petten (NL).

The Laboratory for environmental & mechanical materials assessment of the Joint Research Centre launched 4 calls to access its nuclear facilities to researchers and scientists from EU Member States and to countries associated to the Euratom Research Programme (UK and Ukraine).

Environmental & Mechanical Materials Assessment

To ensure safe operations, it is crucial that nuclear reactor components like reactor vessels, heat exchangers, pipes and fuel claddings are able to function reliably for very long time during operation of a nuclear reactor . Material testing is central to demonstrate safety and is by necessity generally based on accelerated tests with higher loads, temperatures or more aggressive environments than encountered during operation of the reactor, while at the same time using also small material samples. The JRC’s environmental and mechanical materials assessment (EMMA) facilities in Petten, the Netherlands, support the development of European and International codes & standards for components and materials used in current and next-generation nuclear reactors. The EMMA facilities focus on material testing at high temperatures and in corrosive environments using test samples from the micro to the macro-scale. Most of the research is linked to international and European projects involving national research laboratories, academia as well as industry. The development of a European standard for the miniature test, “EN 10371 metallic materials — small punch test method”, led by EMMA scientists, is an example of a recent achievement. The open access to the EMMA facilities started in 2020.

Priority topics of AMALIA

  1. Safety and reliability of nuclear components for current and future nuclear systems
  2. Support to the development and adaptation of European Codes and Standards
  3. Development of advanced test methods for material characterization
  4. Characterisation of mechanical properties of candidate and new corrosion-resistant high-temperature materials, incl. surface modifications and welded joints
  5. Prediction of design life of new materials, remaining life of service-exposed materials including welded joints subjected to operational conditions by mechanical tests, modelling and microstructural analysis.
  6. Characterization of tensile and creep properties using standard and sub-size specimen and small punch tests
  7. Characterization of ageing effects for key material properties.

 

Priority topics of SMPA

  1. Safety and reliability of nuclear components
  2. Support to the development and adaptation of European Codes and Standards
  3. Development of test procedures and instrumentation with available test equipment to achieve simpler, more reliable or non-standard tailored data and estimates for of material properties
  4. Prediction of design life of new materials and remaining life of service-exposed materials including welded joints. The data will be in support of model development and validation
  5. Characterization of tensile and creep and creep-fatigue properties of new and service-exposed materials using standard and miniaturized specimen tests

 

Priority topics of LILLA

  1. Safety and reliability of nuclear components for future nuclear systems
  2. Support to the development and adaptation of European Codes and Standards
  3. Characterisation of mechanical properties of candidate and new corrosion-resistant high-temperature materials, incl. surface modifications and welded joints
  4. Development of test and assessment methods as well as instrumentation to achieve easier and more reliable estimates of material properties using sub-size or miniaturised specimens
  5. Imaging techniques for opaque medium

 

Priority topics of MCL

  1. Micro-characterization of materials of nuclear interest.
  2. High temperature nanoindentation of metals, alloys and composites.
  3. Development of new micro-mechanical testing methodologies
  4. Support to the development of predictive mechanism-based multiscale models of material behaviour.
  5. Effects of material degradation sources in nuclear environments (irradiation, high temperature, corrosion)
  6. Understanding of small scale plasticity
  7. Physical methods of producing nanoparticles for non-power nuclear applications

 

Support of users for travel and subsistence

The JRC may provide a financial or in-kind contribution to support Users to cover their costs of travel and subsistence (T&S) related to the User Stay Days, subject to the availability of funds, personnel and other resources to Users from Users’ Institutions located in an EU Member State or country associated to the Euratom Research Programme (only United Kingdom and Ukraine).

 

For more details, eligibility, support and guidance please access the dedicated call page: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-facility/open-access