Work

SASPAM-SA: Assessment of existing experimental data in WP3

Year: 2026

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: The HORIZON-EURATOM SAPSAM-SA project, coordinated by ENEA (Italy), was launched in 2022aiming at investigating the applicability and transfer of knowledge and know-how accumulated onthe operating large-LWR reactors to the iPWRs, in view of the European licensing needs with respectto severe accident and Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). Two generic iPWR concepts are consideredin SASPAM-SA: the iPWR Design 1 is characterized by a submerged containment and electric powerof approx. 60 MWe and the iPWR Design 2 of approx. 300 MWe, which employs several passivesystems and a dry containment.Extensive scientific test programs have been carried out for today's LWRs over the past few decades,which have contributed to understanding and assessing the phenomena associated with postulatedsevere reactor accidents. One of the key objectives of SASPAM-SA is to evaluate the relevance andapplicability of the existing experimental database to iPWR. The emphasis was on SASPAM-SADesigns 1 and 2, but for specific phenomena, considerations were extended to generic light-wateriPWRs. The applied methodology relies on i) determining the main phenomena to be assessed, ii)identifying available experimental facilities and data for the identified phenomena, iii) using datafrom WP2 for the geometry of Designs 1 and 2, as-well-as for severe accident scenarios and relevantboundary conditions, iv) comparing the experimental data with the data for iPWR, and v) assessingthe applicability to iPWR analysis.Based on the review, the applicability of the data for iPWR analysis has been assessed. Experimentaldata needs from previous tests, or from new investigations, are identified for phenomena for whichno applicable data are available or for which the database is not sufficient, but are considered ofsignificant importance for iPWR analysis. This work is conducted in collaboration with the EUSEAKNOTproject. Recommendations for future experimental data needs are given. This work has been published in the conference proceedings: Proceedings of the 12th European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research (ERMSAR 2026), Madrid, Spain, 18.05.2026 – 22.05.2026, https://dx.doi.org/10.5445/IR/1000196279

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23192115