Codes and Methods Improvements for VVER Comprehensive Safety Assessment: The CAMIVVER H2020 Project

CAMIVVER (Codes And Methods Improvements for VVER comprehensive safety assessment) is a three years project launched under the European Union research program HORIZON 2020. The main aim of the Project is to develop and improve computer codes and methods for VVER comprehensive safety assessment. VVER reactors constitute a significant and dynamic part of the European energy market. Their safe Long Term Operation (maintenance, refuelling, safety-upgrade, revamping) relies on the industrial use of neutronics and thermal-hydraulics codes and methods that allow studying the behaviour of the plant in normal and accidental conditions. Computer codes development is strongly required for the following reasons: 1) Current codes and methods used for VVER safety assessment are subjected to growing international export controls from outside EU, threatening the EU sovereignty and security in terms of energy supply. 2) A new generation of innovative codes and methods are under development within Europe. They are improving 3D-multiphysics modelling and uncertainty quantification capabilities and are worth being transferred from lab to industry as they will substantially improve the physics comprehension of PWR and VVER. 3) European codes and methods development for VVER safety assessment will open the VVER market to the European nuclear industry. CAMIVVER will perform developments required for the new generation codes and will generalize 3D-multiphysics coupling, performing a benchmark against current industrial codes used for PWR and VVER safety assessment. CAMIVVER will demonstrate CFD assets and compatibility with uncertainty propagation in the frame of a safety assessment.