Advanced Nuclear Systems Group

The Advanced Nuclear Systems (ANS) group runs as its major activity the FAST project launched in 2002.

The current goals of the ANS group are:

• to study neutronics and nucleonics, thermal hydraulics and fuel behaviour of advanced fast-spectrum nuclear reactors using modern computational tools: TRACE/PARCS FRED, Eranos/EQL3D, Serpent 2, OpenFOAM
• to evaluate safety of fast reactors developed in Europe, in particular, European Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR) and Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration (ASTRID)
• to analyse innovative design solutions for Generation-IV Molten Salt Reactor
• to represent Switzerland internationally at GIF, IAEA, OECD, EURATOM
• to educate young researchers and students, in particular, via the ETHZ/EPFL Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering and EPFL PhD programs

Further information is available via the FAST project homepage
 

• Benchmark Analyses of EBR-II Shutdown Heat Removal Tests Briggs L, Kriventsev V, Monti S, Hu W, Sui D, Su G, Maas L, Vezzoni B, Sarathy U-P, Del Nevo A, Petruzzi A, Zanino R, Ohira H, Van Rooijen W-F-G-, Morita K, Choi C, Shin A, Stempniewicz M, Rtischev N, Mikityuk K, Truong B
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 004 (2017).
• Chugging boiling in low-void SFR core: new phenomenology of unprotected loss of flow Mambelli S, Mikityuk K, Panadero A-L
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 451 (2017).
• Comparison of fast reactors performance in the closed U-Pu and Th-U cycle Krepel J, Losa E
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 052 (2017).
• Comparison of progressive incremental adjustment sequences for cross-section and variance/covariance data adjustment by analyzing fast-spectrum systems Pelloni Sandro
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 106, 33-50 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2017.03.040
• Conclusions of a Benchmark Study on the EBR-II SHRT-45R Experiment Bates E, Zhang D, Truong B, Sui D, Hu W, Su G, Sumner T, Maas L, Vezzoni B, Marchetti M, Zanino R, Caron D, Van Rooijen W-V-G, Mochizuki H, Morita K, Choi C, Stempniewicz M, Rtischev N, Zhang Y, Mikityuk K
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 372 (2017).
• ESFR-SMART: new Horizon-2020 project on SFR safety Mikityuk K, Girardi E, Krepel J, Bubelis E, Fridman E, Rineiski A, Girault N, Payot F, Buligins L, Gerbeth G, Chauvin N, Latge C, Garnier JC
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 450 (2017).
• GEN IV Education and Training Initiative via Public Webinars Paviet P, Alekseev P, Fazio C, Fraton Mi, Hwang I, Kelly J, Liu X, Mihara T, Mikityuk K, Mpoza N, Nam Y, Pynn G, Renault C, Sun J
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 009 (2017).
• IAEA?s Coordinated Research Project on EBR-II Shutdown Heat Removal Tests: An Overview Batra C, Kriventsev V, Monti S, Briggs L, Hu W, Sui D, Su G, Maas L, Vezzoni B, Sarathy U-P, Del Nevo A, Petruzzi A, Zanino R, Ohira H, Van Rooijen W-F-G, Morita K, Choi C, Shin A, Stempniewicz M, Rtischev N, Mikityuk K, Bates E
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 361 (2017).
• Low-void-effect sodium-cooled core: Uncertainty of local sodium void reactivity as a result of nuclear data uncertainties Pelloni S, Panadero A-L, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 050 (2017).
• Objectives and Status of the OECD/NEA sub-group on Uncertainty Analysis in Modelling (UAM) for Design, Operation and Safety Analysis of SFRs (SFR-UAM) Rimpault G, Buiron L, Stauff N-E, Kim T-K, Taiwo T-A, Lee Y-K, Aures A, Bostelmann F, Fridman E, Kereszturi A, Batki B, Kodeli I-A, Mikityuk K, Lopez R, Gomez A, Puente-Espel F, del Valle E, Peregudov A, Semenov M, Manturov G, Nakahara Y, Dyrda J, Ivanova T
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 220 (2017).
• On the Feasibility of Breed-and-Burn Fuel Cycles in Molten Salt Reactors Hombourger B, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 388 (2017).
• Simulating Circulating-Fuel Fast Reactors with the Coupled TRACE-PARCS Code Pettersen E-E, Mikityuk K
  FR17: International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable, Development CN245, 059 (2017).
• System codes benchmarking on a low sodium void effect SFR heterogeneous core under ULOF conditions Bubelis E, Tosello A, Pfrang W, Schikorr M, Mikityuk K, Panadero A -L, Martorell S, Ordonez J, Seubert A, Lerchl G, Stempniewicz M, Alcaro F, De Geus E, Delmaere T, Poumerouly S, Wallenius J
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 320, 325-345 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.06.015
• Worldwide activities Edwards L, LeBlanc D, Rodenburg C, Uhlí J, Dai Z, Lauritzen B, Allibert M, Heuer D, Laureau A, Merle E, Brovchenko M, Delpech S, Rineiski A, Vijayan PK, Dulera IV, Rama Rao A, Sinha RK, Waris A, Luzzi L, Cammi A, Yoshioka R, Kinoshita M, Lee D, Jeong Y, Kloosterman JL, Disen E, Ponomarev L, Boyes W, Pázsit I, Krepel J, Nichenko S, Hombourger B, Pautz A, Prasser M, Erbay LB, Scott I, Hodgson Z, Bakai AS, Lackowski V, Kutsch J, Greaves ED, Sajo-Bohus L
  Molten Salt Reactors and Thorium Energy , 635 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-08-101126-3.00026-9

• A Progressive Incremental Adjustment Methodology for Cross-Section and Variance/Covariance Data Adjustment for Fast-Spectrum Systems Pelloni S
  PHYSOR 2016: Unifying Theory and Experiments in the 21st Century 2016, 1 (2016).
• Analysis of effects of pellet-cladding bonding on trapping of the released fission gases in high burnup KKL BWR fuels Brankov Vladimir, Khvostov Grigori, Mikityuk Konstantin, Pautz Andreas, Restani Renato, Abolhassani Sousan, Ledergerber Guido, Wiesenack Wolfgang
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 305, 559-568 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.06.021
• Characterization of the relocated and dispersed fuel in the Halden reactor project LOCA tests based on gamma scan data Brankov Vladimir, Khvostov Grigori, Mikityuk Konstantin, Pautz Andreas, Wiesenack Wolfgang
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 300, 97-106 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.11.023
• Development and verification of the neutron diffusion solver for the GeN-Foam multi-physics platform Fiorina Carlo, Kerkar Nordine, Mikityuk Konstantin, Rubiolo Pablo, Pautz Andreas
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 96, 212-222 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2016.05.023
• Enumeration of static and dynamic neutron consumption D-factor for several selected reactors at equilibrium closed fuel cycle Krepel J, Losa E
  ICAPP 2016: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2016 , (2016).
• Neutronics Benchmark for EBR-II Shutdown Heat Removal Test SHRT-45R Fei T, Vezzoni B, Marchetti M, van Rooijen WFG, Zhang Y
  PHYSOR 2016: Unifying Theory and Experiments in the 21st Century , 221 (2016).
• Nuclear data sensitivity and uncertainty assessment of sodium voiding reactivity coefficients of an ASTRID-like Sodium Fast Reactor Garcia-Herranz N, Panadero AL, Martinez A, Pelloni S, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  ND2016: International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology , (2016).
• Recent research activities on high temperature pebble bed reactors at PSI Kalilainen J, Prasser HM, Lind T, Krepel J, Schenler W
  HTR 2016: Proceedings of the High Temperature Reactor Conference Las Vegas, United States, November 6-10, 2016 8, 135-140 (2016).
• Static and transient analysis of a medium-sized sodium cooled fast reactor loaded with oxide, nitride, carbide and metallic fuels Zhang Youpeng, Mikityuk Konstantin
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 87, 761-771 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.03.025
• The EQL0D procedure for fuel cycle studies in molten salt reactor Hombourger B, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  ICAPP 2016: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2016 , (2016).
• The effectiveness of full actinide recycle as a nuclear waste management strategy when implemented over a limited timeframe e Part II: Thorium fuel cycle Lindley A, Fiorina C, Gregg R, Franceschini F, Parks GT
  PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 87, 144 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.11.016

• A Geometric Multiscale modelling approach to the analysis of MSR plant dynamics Zanetti Matteo, Cammi Antonio, Fiorina Carlo, Luzzi Lelio
  PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 83, 82-98 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2015.02.014
• A collision history-based approach to sensitivity/perturbation calculations in the continuous energy Monte Carlo code SERPENT Aufiero M, Bidaud A, Hursin M, Leppaenen J, Palmiotti G, Pelloni S, Rubiolo P
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 85, 245 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.05.008
• Application of the new GeN-Foam multi-physics solver to the European Sodium Fast Reactor and verification against available codes Fiorina C, Mikityuk K
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Benchmark on behavior of MOX fuel pin under irradiation at nominal power in sodium fast reactor Kriventsev V, Rineiski A, Prang W, Perez-Martin S, Mikityuk K, Khvostov G
  TopFuel 2015: Reactor Fuel Performance (Sep 13-17, 2015, Zuerich, Switzerland) http://www.euronuclear.org/events/topfuel/topfuel2015/transactions.htm , (2015).
• Comparison of Several Recycling Strategies and Relevant Fuel Cycles for Molten Salt Reactor Krepel J, Hombourger B, Fiorina C, Mikityuk K
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Core neutronics characterization of the GFR2400 Gas Cooled Fast Reactor Perko Zoltan, Pelloni Sandro, Mikityuk Konstantin, Krepel Jiri, Szieberth Mate, Gaetan Girardin, Vrban Branislav, Lueley Jakub, Cerba Stefan, Halasz Mate, Feher Sandor, Reiss Tibor, Kloosterman Jan Leen, Stainsby Richard, Poette Christian
  PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 83, 460-481 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.09.016
• European benchmark on the ASTRID-like low-void-effect core characterization: neutronic parameters and safety coefficients Bortot S, Alvarez-Velarde F, Fridman E, G Crusado I, G Herranz N, Lopez D, Mikityuk K, Panadero A-L, Pelloni S, Ponomarev A, Sciora P, Seubert A, Tsige-Tamirat H, Vasile A
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Extension of the FAST code system for the modelling and simulation of MSR dynamics Zanetti M, Cammi A, Luzzi L, Krepel J, Mikityuk K
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Fuel cycle analysis of a molten salt reactor for breed-and-burn mode Hombourger B, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• GeN-Foam: a novel OpenFOAM (R) based multi-physics solver for 2D/3D transient analysis of nuclear reactors Fiorina Carlo, Clifford Ivor, Aufiero Manuele, Mikityuk Konstantin
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 294, 24-37 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.05.035
• Mapping of Sodium Void Worth and Doppler Effect for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor Krepel J, Pelloni S, Bortot S, Panadero A-L, Mikityuk K
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Modeling of Axial Distribution of Released Fission Gas in KKL BWR Fuel Rods during Base Irradiation Brankov V, Khvostov G, Mikityuk K, Pautz A, Restani R, Abolhassani S
  TopFuel 2015: Reactor Fuel Performance (Sep 13-17, 2015, Zuerich, Switzerland) http://www.euronuclear.org/events/topfuel/topfuel2015/transactions.htm 1, 609 (2015).
• On the use of the SPH method in nodal diffusion analyses of SFR cores Nikitin E, Fridman E, Mikityuk K
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 85, 544-551 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.06.007
• Parametric Lattice Study of a Graphite-Moderated Molten Salt Reactor Hombourger B, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science 1, 011009 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1115/1.4026401
• SERPENT-OpenFOAM coupling in transient mode: simulation of a Godiva prompt critical burst Aufiero M, Fiorina C, Laureau A, Rubiolo P, Valtavirta V
  M&C + SNA + MC 2015: Joint International Conference on Mathematics and Computation (M&C), Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications (SNA) and the Monte Carlo (MC) Method , (2015).
• Sodium Void Map Preparation for the Safety Analysis of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors by Using the Monte Carlo Code Serpent Pelloni S, Aufiero M, Bortot S, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Panadero A-L, Pautz A, Sciora P
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• Solution of the OECD/NEA neutronic SFR benchmark with Serpent-DYN3D and Serpent-PARCS code systems Nikitin E, Fridman E, Mikityuk K
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 75, 492-497 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2014.08.054
• The European Project ESNII Plus Vasile A, Wahide C, Latge CH, Chauvin N, Baeten P, Schyns M, Frogheri M, Mansani L, Stainsby R, Mikityuk K, Forni M, Hozer Z
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).
• The effectiveness of full actinide recycle as a nuclear waste management strategy when implemented over a limited timeframe -- Part I: Uranium fuel cycle Lindley B A, Fiorina C, Gregg R, Franceschini F, Parks G T
  PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 85, 498 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2015.07.020
• Validation of the Serpent and TRACE codes using the SHRT-17 and SHRT-45R loss-of-flow tests performed in the EBR-II reactor Zhang Y, Mikityuk K
  ICAPP 2015: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2015 , (2015).

• A PROCEDURE FOR THE PRE-CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF FAST REACTORS AND APPLICATION TO A GAS-COOLED SUB-CRITICAL TRANSMUTER Fiorina C, Mikityuk K, Krepel J
  ICONE 22: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 22, 30387 (2014).
• A TIME-DEPENDENT SOLVER FOR COUPLED NEUTRON-TRANSPORT THERMAL-MECHANICS CALCULATIONS AND SIMULATION OF A GODIVA PROMPT-CRITICAL BURST Fiorina C, Aufiero M, Pelloni S, Mikityuk K
  ICONE 22: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 22, 30395 (2014).
• A time-dependent solver for coupled neutron-transport thermal-mechanics calculations and simulation of the Godiva promt-critical bursts Fiorina C, Aufiero M, Pelloni S, Mikityuk K
  ICONE 22: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 7-11 July 2014, ICONE22-30395 (2014).
• AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO DYNAMICS MODELING AND SIMULATION OF THE MOLTEN SALT RECTOR EXPERIMENT Zanetti M, Luzzi L, Cammi A, Fiorina C
  PHYSOR 2014: The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future A, 1104090 (2014).
• An innovative approach to dynamic modeling and simulation of the molten salt reactor experiment Zanetti M, Luzzi L, Cammi A, Fiorina C
  PHYSOR 2014: The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future , (2014).
• Analysis of Axial Fuel Relocation Based on Gamma Scan Data from OECD Halden Reactor Project LOCA Tests Brankov V, Khvostov G, Mikityuk K, Pautz A, Eitrheim K
  WRFPM 2014 Proceedings, Sendai, Japan CD-ROM, 100041 (2014).
• Application of an iterative methodology for cross-section and variance/covariance data adjustment to the analysis of fast spectrum systems accounting for non-linearity Pelloni Sandro
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 72, 373-390 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2014.06.002
• Code assessment and modelling for Design Basis Accident Analysis of the European sodium fast reactor design. Part I: System description, modelling and benchmarking Lazaro A, Ammirabile L, Bandini G, Darmet G, Massara S, Dufour Ph, Tosello A, Gallego E, Jimenez G, Mikityuk K, Schikorr M, Bubelis E, Ponomarev A, Kruessmann R, Stempniewicz M
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 266, 1-16 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2013.10.019
• Code assessment and modelling for Design Basis Accident analysis of the European Sodium Fast Reactor design. Part II: Optimised core and representative transients analysis Lazaro A, Schikorr M, Mikityuk K, Ammirabile L, Bandini G, Darmet G, Schmitt D, Dufour Ph, Tosello A, Gallego E, Jimenez G, Bubelis E, Ponomarev A, Kruessmann R, Struwe D, Stempniewicz M
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 277, 265-276 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.02.029
• Fuel cycle advantages and dynamics features of liquid fueled MSR Krepel Jiri, Hombourger Boris, Fiorina Carlo, Mikityuk Konstantin, Rohde Ulrich, Kliem Soeren, Pautz Andreas
  ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY 64, 380-397 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2013.08.007
• Hybrid spectrum molten salt reactor Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Hombourger B, Pautz A, Zanetti M, Aufiero M, Luzzi L
  PHYSOR 2014: The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future , (2014).
• IAEA benchmark calculations on control rod withdrawal test performed during Phenix-End-Of-Life experiments -- benchmark results and comparison Pascal V, Prulhiere G, Vanier M, Fontaine B, Devan K, Chellapandi P, Kriventsev V, Monti S, Mikityuk K, Chenu A, Semenov M, Taiwo T, Takano K, Tiberi V
  PHYSOR 2014: The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future , (2014).
• MOLTEN SALT FAST REACTOR BLANKET DESIGN AND PROLIFERATION RESISTANCE ASSESSMENT Bykov Valentyn, Krepel Jiri, Pautz Andreas
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENGINEERING - 2014, VOL 5 , V005T17A061 (2014).
• MOLTEN SALT REACTOR WITH SIMPLIFIED FUEL RECYCLING AND DELAYED CARRIER SALT CLEANING Krepel J, Hombourger B, Bykov V, Fiorina C, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  ICONE 22: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 22, 30396 (2014).
• Methodology assessment for the evaluation of the coolant void worth in sodium fast reactor with a low void effect core design Bortot S, Pelloni S, Mikityuk K
  PHYSOR 2014: The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future , (2014).
• Methods and Issues for the Combined Use of Integral Experiments and Covariance Data: Results of a NEA International Collaborative Study Salvatores M, Palmiotti G, Aliberti G, Archier P, De Saint Jean C, Dupont E, Herman M, Ishikawa M, Ivanova T, Ivanov E, -J Kim S, Kodeli I, Manturov G, Mcknight R, Pelloni S, Perfetti C, J M Plompen A, T Rearden B, Rochman D, Sugino K, Trkov A, Wang W, Wu H, -S Yang W
  NUCLEAR DATA SHEETS 118, 38 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nds.2014.04.005
• PARAMETRIC LATTICE STUDY OF A GRAPHITE-MODERATED MOLTEN SALT REACTOR Hombourger B, Krepel J, Mikityuk K, Pautz A
  ICONE 22: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 22, 31050 (2014).
• Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis of the GFR MOX Fuel Subassembly Luley J, Vrban B, Cerba S, Hascik J, Necas V, Pelloni S
  NUCLEAR DATA SHEETS 118, 545 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nds.2014.04.130
• The core design of ALFRED, a demonstrator for the European lead-cooled reactors Grasso G, Petrovich C, Mattioli D, Artioli C, Sciora P, Gugiu D, Bandini G, Bubelis E, Mikityuk K
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 278, 287-301 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.07.032
• Thorium breeder and burner fuel cycles in reduced-moderation LWRs compared to fast reactors A Lindley B, Fiorina C, Franceschini F, J Lahoda E, T Parks G
  PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 77, 107 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.06.010