This project is about the application of modern assessment tools and methods for operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine. It focuses on standardizing methods for assessing the fitness for service of irradiated components and implementing suitable and needed educational tools at Ukrainian universities.
At present, there are no comprehensive courses in Ukraine on materials science for WWER nuclear reactors. Given the large number active reactors in Ukraine and the lack of materials scientists, this project stresses the need to develop such course for implementation at technical universities in Ukraine. Furthermore, the project will examine an updated methodology for assessing the evolution of radiation induced embrittlement of the WWER reactor vessels.
The project also aims at reducing the reliance on the original vendor technology and assessment codes, improve the national scope of knowledge, and simultaneously approach methods used for western style nuclear reactors, and by other users of WWER technology within the European Union. In view of this, the purpose of the project is to modernize the methodology of scientific and technical support for operating the WWER reactor vessels in Ukraine.
The activities include evaluation of modern regulatory methodologies, calculation and experimental research, draft of a new methodology in the status of a standard for assessing the radiation embrittlement of the WWER, and development of a new curriculum for technical universities on the course of radiation embrittlement of WWER materials.