Seaknot: Looking ahead of severe accident research

Abstract

Severe Accidents (SAs) dominate the risk associated to the commercial production of nuclear energy. Despite the major achievements made in their research, still existing gaps, upcoming new technologies as Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATFs) and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), more stringent safety requirements, optimization of SA management, and other factors, point the need for an efficient use of research resources in the years to come. Three major elements should integrate any SA roadmap to be proposed: preservation of knowledge and know-how; identification of key issues which research would result in the best accident management (AM) feasible; and, no less important, strengthening the workforce who will be responsible for such research. The SEAKNOT project (SEvere Accident research and KNOwledge managemenT for LWRs) was born to address this need in all and every aspect. The present article outlines the major pillars of SEAKNOT and synthesizes the progress made since its onset at the end of 2022. The methodologies adopted to develop a SA PIRT (Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table) and to build a Validation Database Directory (VADD) are described along with the ongoing phenomena listing and ranking. Besides, the first steps towards an experimental infrastructure capable of dealing with present and future needs (SAINET) are included. No less relevant the actions already made and the novelties coming on the side of knowledge and know-how transfer are also discussed.