European research on thermal hydraulics for heavy liquid metal ADS applications

The objective of the European 6th framework project EUROTRANS, sponsored by the European Commission, is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of transmutation of high level nuclear waste using Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS). Within this objective the design of a European experimental ADS (XT-ADS) should demonstrate the technical feasibilities to transmute a sizeable amount of waste and to operate an ADS safely. The XT-ADS will be a subcritical reactor system having liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as coolant. This liquid LBE is also intended to serve as target material for the spallation reaction which forms a crucial part to the subcritical reactor core. Since LBE is used as core coolant and spallation material, knowledge of the thermal hydraulic behaviour of LBE is essential.