Research at the CEA in the field of safety in 2nd and 3rd generation light water reactors

The research programs at the CEA in the field of safety in nuclear reactors are carried out in a framework of international partnerships. Their purpose is to develop studies on: - The methods allowing for the determination of earthquake hazards and their consequences; - The behaviour of fuel in an accident situation; - The comprehension of deflagration and detonation phenomena of hydrogen and the search for effective prevention methods involving an explosion risk; - The cooling of corium in order to stop its progression in and outside the vessel thereby reducing the risk of perforating the basemat; - The behaviour of the different fission product families according to their volatility for the UO2 and MOX fuels. (C) 2012 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.