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This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the potential integration and implications of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) into Colombia's energy matrix, set against the backdrop of the global energy transition and the urgent need to address climate change. Focusing on the technical and technological aspects of nuclear energy, particularly SMRs, the study explores the advantages of nuclear power in terms of constant generation capacity and minimal carbon emissions, while also addressing public perception challenges and radioactive waste management. It delves into Colombia's current energy landscape, dominated by hydroelectric and thermal power, and highlights the need for diversification and resilience in the face of climatic and geopolitical challenges. The potential of SMRs in Colombia is scrutinized, considering their operational costs, environmental impact, and role in non-interconnected zones. Additionally, the article examines Colombia's historical and future trajectory in nuclear energy, emphasizing the importance of a robust regulatory framework, sustainable mining practices, public education, and awareness. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for Colombia, advocating for continuous training, international cooperation, exploration of economic opportunities, and investment in renewable energies alongside nuclear power to ensure a sustainable and diversified energy future., Este artigo apresenta uma análise abrangente da possível integração e implicações dos pequenos reatores modulares (SMR) na matriz energética da Colômbia, no contexto da transição energética global e da necessidade urgente de enfrentar as mudanças climáticas. Centrando-se nos aspectos técnicos e tecnológicos da energia nuclear, particularmente nos SMR, este estudo explora as vantagens da energia nuclear em termos de capacidade de geração constante e emissões mínimas de carbono, ao mesmo tempo que aborda os desafios da percepção pública e da gestão de resíduos radioactivos; Além disso, investiga o atual cenário energético da Colômbia, dominado pela energia hidroelétrica e térmica, destacando a necessidade de diversificação e resiliência face aos desafios climáticos e geopolíticos. O potencial das SMRs na Colômbia é analisado, considerando seus custos operacionais, impacto ambiental e papel em áreas não interconectadas. Além disso, o artigo examina a trajetória histórica e futura da Colômbia na energia nuclear, enfatizando a importância de um quadro regulatório sólido, práticas de mineração sustentáveis e educação e conscientização pública. O estudo conclui com recomendações estratégicas para a Colômbia, defendendo a formação contínua, a cooperação internacional, a exploração de oportunidades económicas e o investimento em energias renováveis juntamente com a energia nuclear para garantir um futuro energético sustentável e diversificado., Este artículo presenta un análisis integral de la posible integración y las implicaciones de los Pequeños Reactores Modulares (SMR por sus siglas en inglés) en la matriz energética de Colombia, en el contexto de la transición energética global y la urgente necesidad de abordar el cambio climático. Centrándose en los aspectos técnicos y tecnológicos de la energía nuclear, en particular los SMR, este estudio explora las ventajas de la energía nuclear en términos de capacidad de generación constante y emisiones mínimas de carbono, al tiempo que aborda los desafíos de la percepción pública y la gestión de desechos radiactivos; Además, profundiza en el panorama energético actual de Colombia, dominado por la energía hidroeléctrica y térmica, destacando la necesidad de diversificación y resiliencia frente a los desafíos climáticos y geopolíticos. Se analiza el potencial de las SMR en Colombia, considerando sus costos operativos, impacto ambiental y papel en zonas no interconectadas. Además, el artículo examina la trayectoria histórica y futura de Colombia en energía nuclear, enfatizando la importancia de un marco regulatorio sólido, prácticas mineras sustentables y educación y concientización públicas. El estudio concluye con recomendaciones estratégicas para Colombia, abogando por la capacitación continua, la cooperación internacional, la exploración de oportunidades económicas y la inversión en energías renovables junto con la energía nuclear para asegurar un futuro energético sostenible y diversificado

This research was carried out thanks to a Visiting Fellowship for Doctoral Research Fellows granted by the Spanish Ministry of Education (reference: EST2016/0055) for a short research stay at Birkbeck College, University of London. The author wishes to acknowledge the support of the project “Improvisation and Emotional Contagion. History and Philosophy of Emotional Experiences”, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (reference: PID2019-108988GB-I00)., This paper intends to analyze the representation of girlhood as a liminal space in three novels by Shirley Jackson: «The Bird’s Nest» (1954), «The Haunting of Hill House» (1959) and «We Have Always Lived in the Castle» (1962). Bearing in mind how nuclear fears and national identity are configured around the ideal of a safe domestic space in US postwar culture, the paper explores cultural anxieties about teenage girls who refuse to conform to normative femininity, following Teresa de Lauretis’s conception of women’s coming-of-age as “consenting to femininity” (1984). I will argue that Jackson criticizes the rigid possibilities for women at this time, and I will show how her representations of deviant femininity refuse and subvert the discourse of the nuclear family and, therefore, of the nation., RESUMEN: El presente artículo pretende analizar la representación de la adolescencia femenina como un espacio liminal en tres novelas de Shirley Jackson: «The Bird’s Nest» (1954), «The Haunting of Hill House» (1959) y «We Have Always Lived in the Castle» (1962). Teniendo en cuenta cómo los temores nucleares y la identidad nacional se configuran en torno al ideal de un espacio doméstico seguro en la cultura estadounidense de la posguerra, el artículo explora las preocupaciones culturales acerca de las adolescentes que se niegan a ajustarse a la feminidad normativa, siguiendo la concepción de Teresa de Lauretis de la madurez femenina como la “aceptación la feminidad” (1984). Se argumentará que Jackson critica las rígidas posibilidades que existían para las mujeres en ese momento, y se demostrará cómo sus representaciones de una feminidad desviada rechazan y subvierten el discurso de la familia nuclear y, por lo tanto, de la nación., Ministerio de Educación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), Depto. de Estudios Ingleses: Lingüística y Literatura, Fac. de Filología, TRUE, pub

In the Best-Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) framework, the use of best-estimate code requires to go through a Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification process (VVUQ). The relevance of the experimental data in relation to the physical phenomena of interest in the VVUQ process is crucial. Adequacy analysis of selected experimental databases addresses this problem. The outcomes of the analysis can be used to select a subset of relevant experimental data, to encourage designing new experiments or to drop some experiments from a database because of their substantial lack of adequacy. The development of a specific transparent and reproducible approach to analyze the relevance of experimental data for VVUQ still remains open and is the topic of this contribution. In this paper, the concept of adequacy initially introduced in the OECD/NEA SAPIUM (Systematic APproach for model Input Uncertainty quantification Methodology) activity is formalized. It is defined through two key properties, called representativeness and completeness, that allows considering the multifactorial dimension of the adequacy problem. A new systematic approach is then proposed to analyze the adequacy of a set of experimental databases. It relies on the introduction of two sets of criteria to characterize representativeness and completeness and on the use of multi-criteria decision analysis method to perform the analysis. Finally, the approach is applied in the framework of the new OECD/NEA ATRIUM activity which includes a set of practical IUQ exercises in thermal-hydraulics to test the SAPIUM guideline in determining input uncertainties and forward propagating them on an application case. It allows evaluating the adequacy of eight experimental databases coming from the Super Moby-dick, Sozzi-Sutherland and Marviken experiments and identifying the most adequate ones., The authors are grateful to OECD/NEA for organizing the ATRIUM activity, and to their respective organizations for supporting their participation in this activity. They would also like to thank the two anonymous referees for their numerous, rich and helpful comments on this paper., Article signat per 44 autors/es: J. Baccou, T. Glantz, A. Ghione, L. Sargentini, P. Fillion, G. Damblin, R. Sueur, B. Iooss, J. Fang, J. Liu, C. Yang, Y. Zheng, A. Ui, M. Saito, R. Mendizábal Sanz, A. Bersano, F. Mascari, T. Skorek, L. Tiborcz, Y. Hirose, T. Takeda, H. Nakamura, C. Choi, J. Heo, A. Petruzzi, K. Zeng, Z. Xie, X. Wu, H. Eguchi, F. Pangukir, P. Breijder, S. Franssen, G. Perret, I.D. Clifford, T.M. Coscia, F. Di Maio, E. Zio, N. Pedroni, J. Zhang, J. Freixa, F. Rizzo, C. Ciurluini, F. Giannetti, M. Adorni., Postprint (author's final draft)

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit. SMRs encompass a variety of reactor technologies including light water reactors, high temperature gas reactors, molten salt reactors, liquid metal cooled fast reactors, and heat pipe technology-based reactors. The research and design of these diverse SMR types require a broad set of technological capabilities related to nuclear engineering and safety. Within this context, this article attempts to assess the current state of research and technological progress achieved by the Spanish research groups and companies. The results reveal a significant level of maturity among these groups and companies in various domains such as neutronic analysis, thermal hydraulic analysis, the improvement of models related to severe accident scenarios and an active involvement in the design of novel SMR.

The BC501A sensor is a liquid scintillator frequently used in nuclear physics for detecting fast neutrons. This paper describes a hardware implementation of digital pulse shape analysis (DPSA) for real-time analysis. DPSA is an algorithm that extracts the physically relevant parameters from the detected BC501A signals. The hardware solution is implemented in a MicroTCA system that provides the physical, mechanical, electrical, and cooling support for an AMC board (NAMC-ZYNQ-FMC) with a Xilinx ZYNQ Ultrascale-MP SoC. The Xilinx FPGA programmable logic implements a JESD204B interface to high-speed ADCs. The physical and datalink JESD204B layers are implemented using hardware description language (HDL), while the Xilinx high-level synthesis language (HLS) is used for the transport and application layers. The DPSA algorithm is a JESD204B application layer that includes a FIR filter and a constant fraction discriminator (CFD) function, a baseline calculation function, a peak detection function, and an energy calculation function. This architecture achieves an analysis mean time of less than 100 µs per signal with an FPGA resource utilization of about 50% of its most used resources. This paper presents a high-performance DPSA embedded system that interfaces with a 1 GS/s ADC and performs accurate calculations with relatively low latency.

La rápida transición energética que está experimentando el mundo hoy en día y la creciente importancia que está desarrollando la energía nuclear en este proceso de cambio es una clara realidad. El proyecto que se plantea busca fortalecer el aprendizaje de los alumnos de la asignatura de centrales nucleares, específicamente centrándose en el reactor AP1000. Aunque la enseñanza de los reactores de agua a presión (PWR) suele ocupar la mayor parte del temario impartido en las aulas, también es de vital importancia su comparación con nuevos reactores que hoy en día están siendo desarrollados e instalados en distintas partes del mundo. La actividad propuesta se basa en el uso del simulador PCTran, una herramienta que permite a los estudiantes interactuar con un entorno simulado de un reactor AP1000. Este enfoque práctico permite a los alumnos plasmar de manera gráfica los conocimientos teóricos adquiridos y así comprender el funcionamiento de dichos reactores. Al proporcionar a los estudiantes la oportunidad de interactuar con el simulador y enfrentarse a situaciones de accidentes reales, la actividad fomenta un aprendizaje activo y práctico. En resumen, esta iniciativa busca complementar la enseñanza tradicional en la asignatura de centrales nucleares, ofreciendo a los alumnos una experiencia práctica y enriquecedora que fortalece su comprensión del reactor AP1000 y sus sistemas de seguridad. ABSTRACT The rapid energy transition the world is experiencing today, along with the growing importance of nuclear energy in this process of change, is a clear reality. The project at hand aims to enhance the learning experience of students in the nuclear power plants subject, specifically focusing on the AP1000 reactor. Although the teaching of pressurized water reactors (PWR) typically occupies the majority of the curriculum taught in classrooms, it is also vitally important to compare them with new reactors that are currently being developed and installed in various parts of the

Este proyecto de fin de grado se ha desarrollado con ayuda del Departamento de Ingeniería Energética y el Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, ambos pertenecientes a las instalaciones de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII). El objeto de estudio se enfocará en las ecuaciones de estado termodinámicas a elevados ordenes de magnitud, simulando así el comportamiento durante el proceso de fusión inercial con su correspondiente onda de choque generada. Para ello, se hará uso del modelo FEOS (Frankfurt Equation Of State) basado en el anterior QEOS (Quotidian Equation Of State). Se buscará comprobar la veracidad y la solidez de estos modelos, así como su estabilidad a altas temperaturas y presiones. Durante el procedimiento, se recopilarán datos experimentales de diversos materiales a altas presiones y densidades. A continuación, se procederá a comparar los datos observados con sus modelos respectivos de FEOS. Por último, se obtendrán las conclusiones que determinarán si el modelo es coherente y consistente con las demostraciones experimentales. ABSTRACT This final degree project has been developed with the assistance of the Energy Engineering Department and the Nuclear Fusion Institute, both belonging to the facilities of the Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineers (ETSII). The focus of this study will be on thermodynamic equations of state at high orders of magnitude, thus simulating the behavior during the inertial fusion process with its corresponding shock wave generated. For this purpose, the FEOS (Frankfurt Equation Of State) model based on the previous QEOS (Quotidian Equation Of State) will be used. The veracity and robustness of these models, as well as their stability at high temperatures and pressures, will be tested. During the procedure, experimental data of various materials at high pressures and densities will be collected. The observed data will then be compared with their respective FEOS models. Finally, conclusions will be drawn

Este trabajo fin de grado se centra en la evaluación comparativa de diferentes ecuaciones de estado aplicadas a materiales relevantes en la fusión nuclear por confinamiento inercial. El estudio aborda principalmente las propiedades del poliestireno, oro, y deuterio tritio, utilizando la librería Frankfurt Equations of State (FEOS) la cual está basada en el modelo de ecuaciones de estados Quotidian Equations of State (QEOS). Este trabajo se inicia con un análisis teórico sobre el modelo QEOS, destacando su importancia para entender las interacciones y comportamientos de los materiales bajo condiciones extremas. Posteriormente, se describen las metodologías utilizadas para medir y ajustar datos experimentales y teóricos, prestando especial atención en cómo estas ecuaciones modelan las transiciones de fase y las respuestas a altas presiones y temperaturas. A continuación, se discuten los resultados obtenidos a través de programas de cálculo, que permitieron ajustar los datos experimentales a los modelos teóricos, proporcionando una validación de las ecuaciones de estado utilizadas. Finalmente, el estudio concluye con una serie de recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones una serie de posibles ampliaciones del estudio realizado en el presente trabajo. Abstract This final degree project focuses on the comparative evaluation of different equations of state applied to materials relevant in inertial confinement nuclear fusion. The study primarily addresses the properties of polystyrene, gold, and deuterium-tritium, using the Frankfurt Equations of State (FEOS) library, which is based on the Quotidian Equationsof State (QEOS) model. The work begins with a theoretical analysis of the QEOS model, highlighting its importance for understanding the interactions and behaviors of materials under extreme conditions. Subsequently, the methodologies used to measure and adjust experimental and theoretical data are described, focusing on how these equations model phase transitions an

En el funcionamiento de una central nuclear BWR tipo 6, al igual que cualquier central de generación eléctrica, es inevitable que tengan lugar fallos y accidentes en los diferentes ciclos que componen la instalación termoeléctrica y su operación. Para este fin, se ha llevado a cabo el estudio de cinco casos de accidentes para este tipo de central nuclear mediante árboles de sucesos, con una sucesión de pasos y sistemas a actuar para conseguir el estado seguro de la planta y evitar el daño al núcleo. Abstract In the operation of a BWR type 6 nuclear power plant, as in any electric power plant, it is inevitable that failures and accidents will occur in the different cycles that make up the ther-moelectric installation and its operation. For this purpose, a study of five accident cases has been carried out for this type of nuclear power plant with event trees, with a succession of steps and systems to be implemented to achieve the safe operation of the plant and avoid core dam-age.

Este documento se centra en el reactor CAREM, abordando simulaciones de un accidente SBO (Station Black Out) mediante el código termohidráulico TRACE. El objetivo principal es analizar el comportamiento del sistema, verificando la llegada de la planta a parada segura después de 36 horas. Se emplean diferentes modelos detallados para evaluar el comportamiento del condensador de aislamiento con diversas dimensiones y tecnologías, obteniéndose resultados relevantes para las optimizaciones económicas y mejoras desde el punto de vista de seguridad en el reactor CAREM. ABSTRACT This document focuses on the CAREM reactor, addressing simulations of a Station Black Out (SBO) accident using the TRACE thermal-hydraulic code. The main objective is to analyze the system's behavior, verifying the plant's arrival at a safe shutdown state within 36 hours. Various detailed models are employed to assess the isolation condenser's performance with different dimensions and technologies, yielding significant results for economic optimizations and safety improvements in the CAREM reactor.

Tras el desmantelamiento de la Central Nuclear José Cabrera debido al Plan de Desmantelamiento y Clausura de las centrales nucleares en España se construyó una Planta de Lavado de Suelos para la separación del suelo contaminado del emplazamiento. Este documento es un análisis del diseño, viabilidad, optimización y rendimiento de dicha planta. Abstract After the dismantling of the José Cabrera Nuclear Power Plant due to the Decommissioning and Closure Plan of nuclear power plants in Spain, a Soil Washing Plant was built to separate contaminated soil from the site. This document is an analysis of the design, feasibility, optimization and performance of said plant.

In the field of reactor physics analysis, the coupling of multiple physics phenomena plays a crucial role in enhancing the accuracy of predictions and understanding complex systems. Multiphysics refers to the study and analysis of physical phenomena that involve multiple interconnected physical processes occurring simulta- neously in a nuclear system to ensure essential aspects of reactor design, safety analysis, and optimization, among others. Multiphysics encompasses various domains of physics, such as Thermal-Hydraulics, Neutronics, Structural Mechanics, Radiation Transport, Chemistry, and Materials Science. On the other hand, the Multiscale approach involves combining high-fidelity models with lower-fidelity ones to accurately capture the relevant physical phenomena in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Multiscale involves three main scales: system level, core level, and detailed analysis scale. This paper presents an overview of the main research performed by Spanish groups in the field of multiphysics and multiscale calculations, particularly on thermal–hydraulic analysis. This revision is focused mainly on two key aspects: thermal–hydraulic multiscale coupling and thermal–hydraulic / neutronic coupling. The paper also includes the expected future trends in this field., The authors are grateful to the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) for the support in many of the activities presented in this article., Article signat per 16 autors/es: Sergio Gallardo, Francisco Álvarez-Velarde, Teresa Barrachina, Óscar Cabellos, Emilio Castro, Max Casamor, Diana Cuervo, Alberto Escrivá, Jordi Freixa, Nuria García-Herranz, Victor Martinez-Quiroga, Rafael Miró, César Queral, Yago Rivera, Jorge Sánchez-Torrijos, Amparo Soler., Postprint (published version)

This paper presents a summary of theoretical and applied achievements in the field of integrated methods of nuclear safety analysis produced by Spain’s nuclear safety community. These integrated methods combine deterministic as well as probabilistic tools and include the approaches termed “Extended Best-Estimate Plus Uncertainty” (E-BEPU), dynamic PSA (DPSA), and probabilistic quantification of safety margins. In the three fields, the Spanish contributions have been substantial, and, in some cases, certainly pioneering. These works have been promoted and performed by Spain’s Regulatory Authority (CSN), in collaboration with some Spanish university groups and foreign research groups. The paper describes how these integrated methods can be useful in the analysis of Design Extension Conditions (DEC) of nuclear plants, especially in the subcategory DEC-A, formed by scenarios DEC where the core or nuclear fuel is not severely damaged. Finally, a prospective of future activities on the development and application of integrated methods is presented., Postprint (author's final draft)

A strontium atomic source is characterized in terms of flux and angular distribution in this project. Beam collimation via a microcapillary nozzle is studied and tested against theoretical models. Further improvement of the atomic beam via one-dimensional transverse cooling is demonstrated.

The management of spent fuel is an issue of great relevance for the future of nuclear energy. In some countries, such as Finland, the construction of a Deep Geological Storage for the long-term cooling, has already begun. In others, the construction of a Centralized Temporary Storage is still being managed, as in Spain, and on-site Dry Cask Storage must be implemented in each nuclear power plant. Several considerations must be taken into account to start building new storage facilities, such as the proper heat removal considering the environmental conditions, the burnup of the spent fuel and the long-term behaviour of the dry cask materials. In order to better evacuate heat, the use of heat pipes is proposed in this study to cool fuel assemblies inside the TN24p dry cask. The objective is to calculate, using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) models, the heat that can be extracted from a TN24p cask with heat pipes and to perform a comparative analysis with respect to a base case without these devices. These data allow exploring the possibility of using the heat for additional applications and give us an idea of how much the temperature is reduced, increasing the temperature margin in the dry cask. The simulations of an eighth of the TN24p cask, carried out with the STAR-CCM+ code, are considered a good starting point to study sensitivity analyses. It was concluded that the determining factor is not the heat sink design but the heat pipe one, which leads to the modification of its equivalent conductivity.

The spray safety system is one of the most effective solutions to limit the pressure and temperature rise in the containment of a nuclear power plant during a design basis accident. However, its actuation under severe accident conditions may have either a positive effect on the hydrogen risk by mixing the containment atmosphere and avoiding high H2 local concentrations or a negative impact by condensing the steam and de-inerting the atmosphere. The experiments performed during the OECD/NEA HYMERES-2 Project aimed to extend the experimental database dedicated to assessing the capabilities of the codes used to optimise the operation of the safety systems. Specifically, the H2P5 series consisted of two experiments that compared the activation of a central full cone spraying nozzle (H2P5_2) with nine smaller spraying nozzles, eight equally distributed at 0.5 m from the metallic walls of PANDA (H2P5_1). The ninth nozzle was positioned in the vessel vertical axis for the latter configuration. H2P5_1 was the first experiment ever using a multiple nozzle configuration in PANDA, which was aimed to address the conditions expected in a plant containment with droplets interacting with the vessel walls as well as with each other. The measurements indicated a considerable difference between the two configurations regarding the pressure and temperature decay, which signified the presence of non-adiabatic effects. The stronger cooling of the walls measured during H2P5_1 resulted in a slower depressurisation for most of the test duration. This can be explained by an intensified interaction of the injected droplets (by direct droplet-wall interactions or by potential formations of liquid films) and the vessel walls, which was coherent with the use of the spray ring in H2P5_1. It was also shown that the different spray configurations (type of nozzles and nozzles distribution) had a significant impact on the gas mixing. The measurements of the mass spectrometer available during the tes

El presente Trabajo de Fin de Grado consiste en la elaboración de un análisis tanto económico como medioambiental de la energía nuclear. La energía nuclear ha sido objeto de controversia y preocupación en la sociedad debido a los riesgos asociados a la seguridad, la proliferación nuclear y la gestión de los residuos radiactivos. En este documento, se llevará a cabo una evaluación detallada de las ventajas y desventajas de esta tecnología energética, con el propósito de determinar si constituye una fuente de energía sostenible, segura y económicamente viable para contribuir efectivamente a la descarbonización. Se buscará obtener una breve descripción de la tecnología nucleoeléctrica tanto actual como futura, evaluar económicamente esta tecnología y evaluar el impacto medioambiental desde una perspectiva puramente técnica y sin introducir ningún riesgo para esclarecer el impacto global de esta tecnología., This Final Degree Project consists of an economic and environmental analysis of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy has been the subject of controversy and concern in society due to the risks associated with safety, nuclear proliferation, and radioactive waste management. In this paper, a detailed assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of this energy technology will be carried out in order to determine whether it constitutes a sustainable, safe and economically viable energy source to effectively contribute to decarbonization. It will seek to provide a brief description of both current and future nuclear power technology, an economic assessment of this technology and an environmental impact assessment from a purely technical perspective and without introducing any risk in order to clarify the overall impact of this technology., Departamento de Organización de Empresas y Comercialización e Investigación de Mercados, Grado en Ingeniería en Organización Industrial

In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting strategic nuclear energy cooperation represents an option for China to address climate change and achieve its own goals of sustainable economic and social development in the context of the energy transition. Argentina, a Latin American country with a traditional energy shortage, is emerging a key player in China’s expansion of nuclear energy use. However, SinoArgentine nuclear energy cooperation continues to face multiple challenges, highlighting Argentina's political and economic constraints and risks, as well as global competition in nuclear technology, and China’s own difficulties in building a proper energy evolution system and collaborative financing. Nevertheless, it is of substantial importance to provide advice and recommendations presented by both the Argentine context and the global picture from China's point of view in order to ensure sustainable and mutually beneficial development in the long term., En el contexto de la Iniciativa de la Franja y la Ruta, la promoción de la cooperación estratégica en materia de energía nuclear representa una opción para que China aborde el cambio climático mundial y alcance sus propios objetivos de desarrollo económico y social sostenible en el contexto de la transición energética. Argentina, un país latinoamericano con una tradicional escasez de energía, se perfila como un actor clave en la expansión del uso de la energía nuclear por parte de China. Sin embargo, la cooperación sino-argentina en materia de energía nuclear sigue enfrentándose a múltiples desafíos, se destacan las limitaciones y los riesgos políticos y económicos procedentes de Argentina, así como la competencia mundial en materia de tecnología nuclear, y las propias dificultades de China para construir un sistema de evaluación energética adecuada y la financiación colaborativa. No obstante, es de importancia sustancial proporcionar los consejos y recomendaciones que presentan tanto el contexto argentino como el panorama global desde el punto de vista de China, a fin de asegurar un desarrollo sostenible y beneficioso para ambas partes en el largo plazo.

This study investigates the sputtering properties of nano-columnar tungsten surfaces under 2 keV D2+ irradiation. It was conducted both by performing experiments in a highly sensitive quartz crystal microbalance setup as well as by numerical methods using two simulation codes called SPRAY and SDTrimSP-3D. A key question was whether the strong sputtering yield reduction observed in previous studies under 2 keV Ar+ irradiation is maintained when using a much lighter ion species like deuterium. For the latter, a substantially larger projected range in the material has to be expected. Therefore, a total confinement of the ion-solid interaction within the W nano-columns cannot be assumed a priori. However, both the experiments and the numerical simulations showed in good agreement that the geometrically induced sputtering yield reduction is still observed to the same extent despite the increased range of ions in the material. Thus, a potential application of such nano-columnar tungsten surfaces as plasma facing components in future nuclear fusion devices is not affected.

The ITER interlock control system (ICS) requires the application of the IEC 61508 standard for all mission-critical (known as investment protection) control functions. Such functions must detect the events of the integrated physical processes and distribute them to the actuators with hard real-time constraints on the order of milliseconds or even microseconds. Systems able to achieve these timing requirements are often bespoke field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based solutions, which are a well-known challenge to IEC 61508 processes. However, to minimize the variety of components and simplify the procurement process for an international supplier base, ITER decided to standardize the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices. The COTS selected for the ICS was the FPGA-based CompactRIO National Instruments (NI) 9159 chassis (and several adapter I/O modules), provided by NI. This COTS requires the use of a high-level language (LabVIEW-FPGA) and the associated integrated development tools to develop the FPGA functionality. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the required assurance that a COTS device is of sufficient quality, fit for purpose, and can be properly integrated into an investment protection control loop with the necessary level of systematic capability during the development process. This article describes in detail the method ITER uses to perform the verification and validation according to the IEC 61508 standard recommendations, for the logic configuration generated by LabVIEW-FPGA for these COTS, after the compilation of high-level language sources designed during the development.

The development of multifunctional barriers that prevent tritium leaks from the breeding blanket and corrosion of the structural steel is essential for safe, viable and cost-effective fusion reactor operation. Al2O3 coatings are considered to be one of the most promising options to act as tritium permeation barrier (TPB). However, previous studies have shown that lithium from the breeding blanket penetrates into these coatings and reacts with them forming lithium aluminate phases. The diffusion of lithium into the coating may influence its performance, particularly under neutron irradiation. In this study, we characterize the Li content and distribution as a function of depth for Al2O3 coatings deposited by pulsed laser deposition on EUROFER substrate after exposure to PbLi, at a constant temperature of 550 °C, for times of up to 7000 h, under stagnant conditions. We do it by using secondary ions mass spectroscopy and, a combination of ion beam analysis techniques (nuclear reaction analysis and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy). Finally, we discuss the possible consequences of lithium diffusion in the coating performance under neutron irradiation in relation to the behavior of light species, produced out of transmutation reactions, and to the possible radiation induced change in the coating morphology.

The advent of x-ray free-electron lasers has enabled a range of new experimental investigations into the properties of matter driven to extreme conditions via intense x-ray-matter interactions. The femtosecond timescales of these interactions lead to the creation of transient high-energy-density plasmas, where both the electrons and the ions may be far from local thermodynamic equilibrium. Predictive modelling of such systems remains challenging because of the different timescales at which electrons and ions thermalize, and because of the vast number of atomic configurations required to describe highly-ionized plasmas. Here we present CCFLY, a code designed to model the time-dependent evolution of both electron distributions and ion states interacting with intense x-ray fields on ultra-short timescales, far from local thermodynamic equilibrium. We explore how the plasma relaxes to local thermodynamic equilibrium on femtosecond timescales in terms of the charge state distribution, electron density, and temperature.