Research by the Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group

Fusion reactions make up a nuclear process in which the effects of neutrons on materials play an important part. NRG has facilities and expertise at its disposal that have been – and in the future will be –highly suitable for providing technological solutions to improve the economic operation of fusion power stations. The High Flux Reactor (HFR) provides a test environment that makes it possible to simulate environments for components and materials that are relevant to fusion experiments and power stations. The laboratories have facilities that can be used to safely study activated components and materials. Among other things, new construction materials are developed at NRG in Petten, which are so to activate to the extent that that they are suitable for recycling. For fusion reactions, hydrogen with three nuclear particles or tritium has to be produced in a safe manner. The components that are used for this in fusion power stations undergo preliminary testing at NRG. Various components that are crucial to the success of ITER will also be tested in the HFR. Technological fusion research is not only carried out in Petten; within the Netherlands, the Plasma Institute in Rijnhuizen and several Dutch universities, like those in Groningen en Delft, collaborate as well. Partially due to the appeal of the HFR and the on-site expertise, NRG also maintains close contact with researchers and institutes within the EU and, outside of it, with the Russian Federation, US and Japan.

• New materials

Infrastructure