SFEN awards 2007 Grand Prix to joint CEA/EDF Pheonix team

At the French Nuclear Society’s (SFEN) General Assembly, in Paris, on 20 June, the traditional “Grand Prix” for scientific excellence was awarded to the joint CEA/EDF team that runs the Pheonix rapid neutron type reactor. Joel Guidez and Jean Guihard received the prize on behalf of the CEA and EDF respectively. The prize was awarded in recognition of the excellent operating performance of the Pheonix reactor, which has enabled the carrying out of irradiation experiments that are necessary to further research into the management of radioactive waste. One of the main elements that contributed to the excellent performance of the Pheonix reactor that the SFEN jury particularly praised was the excellence of the safety review that the plant’s team carried out between 1994 and 2003. The review’s success was, in the view of the jury, down to the close collaboration between the CEA, EDF, AREVA-NP (formerly Framatome) and their respective sub-contractors.

The Pheonix NPP in Marcoule began operating in 1973 and has maintained a remarkable level of operation, amply justifying the faith that experts had shown in fast neutron type reactors. Conformity with the objectives of the law of 31 December 1991 (relating to research into waste management, with special reference to “research into solutions that allow the transmutation of certain long-life radioactive elements present in radioactive waste”) required the launching of an irradiation research programme. This was originally to be carried out in the Super Pheonix. However, the premature closure of the Super Pheonix reactor resulted in the CEA asking for an operational extension of the Pheonix reactor so that it could take over responsibility for the irradiation testing programme. The Pheonix reactor fully lived up to expectations, proving to be a high-performance unit – not only with regards to fulfilling the requirements of France’s national research programme, but also for the experiments it carried out within an international collaborative framework.

The experiences gained from this programme will undoubtedly be beneficial for the promotion of worldwide research into radioactive waste management techniques.

Among the other prizes awarded at the SFEN General Assembly were the “Jacques Gaussens” Prize, which is awarded by the nuclear industry to young researches in recognition of a significant contribution made by a research study or thesis in a given field. This year the prize was awarded to Jean-Philippe Mathieu for his thesis entitled Analysis and micro mechanic modelling of the behaviour and fragile rupture of steel 16MND5, taking account its micro-structural homogeneity.

This year’s “French Atomic Forum (FAF) Prize,” which recognises the contribution that a study in nuclear energy can make to raising the knowledge and awareness level of the public, went to Philippe Bronsart and Alexandre Viet, for organising (in Aixe-en-Provence, in October 2006) a seminar entitled What does the future hold for nuclear energy?contribution that a study in nuclear energy can make to raising the knowledge and awareness level of the public, went to Philippe Bronsart and Alexandre Viet, for organising (in Aixe-en-Provence, in October 2006) a seminar entitled What does the future hold for nuclear energy?

Finally, the “Jean Bourgeois Prize,” which rewards the most valuable thesis dealing with the subject of safety at nuclear installations, was awarded to two people:

Christian Muin, for his thesis entitled Study of the behaviour of the fissile product ruthenium within the confinement area of a nuclear reactor in the event of a serious accident, which he wrote while working at the IRSN (French Institute for Nuclear Safety). The theses was co-financed by IRSN, EDF and the CEA.

and

Isabelle Ramière, for her thesis entitled Fictitious methods of analysing elliptical problems bearing in mind general limitations with regards to the numerical simulation of di-phasic leaks. The thesis was completed within the framework of a Neptune Project carried out in collaboration with the CEA, EDF, AREVA-NP and the IRSN.