Ratten (Autonomous Director of Nuclear Energy Technologies) signs with the Ansaldo Nuclear Association - Reinvent Energy The contract for the construction of key research infrastructure, in order to develop rapidly cooled reactions in Romania
In the race for the implementation of generation IV nuclear reactors, the last-minute research infrastructure plays a crucial role in the development of the necessary technologies, ensuring the framework for obtaining experimental data.
The Alfred-Etapa 1 project, coordinated by the rat and carried out over about two years, aims at a close collaboration between the international companies and those of the local level for the realization of this desire.As part of the project, the consortium between Ansaldo Nuclear in Italy and Reinvent Energy in Romania has won a contract worth about 20 million euros for designing, equipping, installing and commissioning the Athena experimental installation.The consortium is supported by the Italian partners Enea and SRS for the conceptual and detailed design of the technological elements, respectively by the Romanian ISPE and Somet partners for the civil works and the activities related to the actual installation.
Athena (Advanced Thermo-Hydraulics Experiment for Nuclear Application) is a 2.21 MW swimming pool type, filled with 880 tons of melted lead.Within it will be found elements made on a scale of LFR technology (rapidly cooled reactors), similar to those related to the Alfred (Advanced Lead-Coold Fast European Demonstrator) system.The main objectives of the achievement of the Athena installation concern key aspects from the research-development sphere (chemical control, water and static and dynamic testing of thermo-hydraulic phenomena during normal or accident conditions of an LFR type reactor.Athena will be located on the Ratten ICN nuclear platform in Mioveni, in Argeş county.
"Athena will embody the largest research infrastructure for LFR technology in Europe," said Luca Manuelli, executive director of Ansaldo Nuclear."The experimental results obtained will be essential for the implementation of Alfred in Romania and Europe. The collaboration between research institutes and industry representatives will be a bridge for faster development of advanced nuclear technologies with SMR elements, so that nuclear energy becomes cleaner, safer and more sustainable, in the context of European energy."
"Athena represents the first step in a complex technological infrastructure, through which we can understand and valid the notions in the field of physics and technology related to the future generation of lead nuclear power plants," said Cătălin Ducu, general manager of Ratten."Athena is the cornerstone of an ambitious project, the Alfred infrastructure, and represents an extraordinary opportunity for the South-Muntenia region, from the perspective of the training of Romanian professionals, as well as for supporting the European Research and Development Program."
"The Romanian industry is deeply involved in this important project, so we are honored that we can bring a considerable contribution," said Marius Gheorghiu, general manager of Reinvent Energy."Like our partners, we strongly believe in a healthy, green future, based on sustainability, quality and innovation."
