Within the frame of a design and construction of a nuclear installation, it is necessary to lean on one or several technical references such as codes and standards, both mechanical and nuclear. These nuclear codes and standards evolve constantly, in particular meet the requirements of nuclear regulatory process and its constant evolutions and, at the same time, to integrate knowledge based on industrial feedback and technical evolutions of the state of the art.

The innovative characteristics of some nuclear installations are in opposition with a codification status, as codes and standards based on the recognized industrial feedback. By definition, no code exists for a real innovative system. Existing nuclear codes have thus to be adapted or completed to cover the special features of a new nuclear concept.

Such a process has been engaged for the AFCEN RCC-MRx nuclear code (rules for mechanical components of nuclear installations: high temperature-, research-, experimental- and fusion-reactors) to adapt the code to innovative reactors’ (Gen IV, fusion…) new needs for many years now. There is now a will to keep on introducing new concepts in this nuclear code regarding emerging needs such as SMR.

This paper discusses the challenges of the application of the RCC-MRx European nuclear code to design Small Nuclear Reactors.


Adaptation of Standards to Innovative Reactors

Division / Sponsors: 
Power Division & Nuclear Engineering Division (NED)

Power Conference
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/POWER/POWER2020/volume/83747

International Conference on Nuclear Engineering
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ICONE/ICONE2020/volume/83761

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