Russia’s Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR), a member of the scientific division of state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and France's Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy Commission 11 October signed a contract to conduct experiments using NIIAR’s BOR-60 fast reactor.
BOR-60 will be used to irradiate samples of the absorbing elements for CEA’s sodium-cooled fast neutron demonstrator Astrid, which is being developed by with partner organisations. The results of the reactor and post-reactor studies will be used to confirm the operability and validation of the structure of the absorbing elements.
CEA will design the reactor core and fuel for Astrid, which will be built at CEA’s Marcoule nuclear. Design of the nuclear steam supply system, I&C and auxiliaries will be carried out by Areva.
NIIAR is Russia’s largest nuclear research complex with six operating research reactors on site and a range of support facilities.
