SMRs: a Research and Innovation Perspective Nuclear South West Lunchtime Briefing: Small Modular Reactors 30th November 2016 Jamie Townes, Industrial Engagement j.w.townes@bristol.ac.uk Thank Jessica and the team at NSW. Not an exclusive focus on SMRs Outline of the activities and plans for the region (that Bristol is leading) on nuclear research and (particularly) innovation. Relevant to both SMRs and large reactors, but may be of particular interest to companies in the room.

Formed in 2011 Nuclear Futures 20-50 Years Applied Advanced Research Directors Dr Tom Scott Bristol Prof Chris Grovenor Oxford Advanced Research 10-20 Years Applied Research Up to 10 Years Nuclear Futures 20-50 Years Nuclear Futures: Policy Finance Energy Portfolio Bristol has been undertaking nuclear energy related research for many decades (Early days of deploying nuclear reactors - to EDF Energy PLEX and Magnox D&D) To recognise and grow this large and varied nuclear portfolio, formed a joint research centre with Oxford in 2011 (NRC – joins fission and fusion) Research is varied, from the immediate (PLEX, Sellafield Decomm and WM) to the future looking (Energy for smart cities, generation 4). SMRs fit somewhere in between, but cover a very wide range of technology (development of current technology, through to very advanced designs with pellet fuels and high temperature gas) Problem Oriented Research: Lifetime Extension Safety Systems Plant Monitoring Underlying Research: Materials Computer Systems Engineering Design

Current Team and Portfolio Resident experience ~45 academics Combined Portfolio ~£20M Total number of researchers ~90 Portfolio includes: EPSRC, EU and industrial funding, with new joint projects developed since launch Highlight the size and scope of nuclear energy related research: Covers the whole life-cycle/fuel-cycle

Strategic Need for a Nuclear Hub Government: Nuclear Industrial Strategy “joined up approach to nuclear R&D across government, industry and academia” “research base is underpinned by world-leading facilities which are fully utilised by both national and international customers”. Industry Demand “the Hub, housing both members of academia and industry, facilitating cross-fertilisation of ideas, will deliver results with the highest industrial impact” “the provision of new Nuclear Masters and PhD courses partnered with industry will provide a much needed contribution towards providing a solution to the aging UK nuclear workforce”. Identified we need to go beyond a virtual research collaboration in order to deliver the scale of nuclear R&D required. Partly from Government Partly from Industry

HEFCE Catalyst Fund Award Hub Objectives: Establish a research and education Hub Integrate industrial participation with the Hub’s research and teaching Expand nuclear energy related research activity Provide a Hub for nuclear energy related higher education, housing a cohort of nuclear students (MSc and PhD) Cover very quickly! Catalyst fund award ~£5m to create this Hub Link to government bodies to engage with and influence the nuclear R&D strategy Link to major industrial companies in the UK and overseas, particularly the operators and technology vendors

Nuclear Research Challenges Bristol Research Themes Nuclear New Build Risks & Resilience Bristol Nuclear Research Waste & Fuel Management Monitoring Technologies & Robotics Systems Reliability Materials & Structural Performance Nuclear New Build Existing Nuclear Research at Bristol is arranged into a number of themes (examples) Delivered by PEOPLE using FACILITIES. These are applicable across the reactor lifecycle and not technology specific, therefore apply equally to SMRs. SMRs make some of these questions more important or challenging to address (e.g. soil-structure interaction for underground structures, human factors for multiple cores, proving inherent safety for the large claims made) Decommissioning

Future Facilities Spend most of the time on this slide! Next phase of the R&D strategy for the SW Nuclear Hub – two sites [Focus: pure science and advanced analytical capability] Expansion of capacity at the University site, the first research and teaching space dedicated to nuclear energy. [Focus: innovation] ‘Innovation Factory’ at a more accessible location, industrially led research, engagement with SMEs and the supply chain, fed by latest science Large industrial companies engaged, along with the regulator. Opportunity for companies outside the nuclear sector to engage with nuclear. Small companies with novel technologies or techniques to offer. Safe space for getting new technologies and techniques over the high bar to entry and into the nuclear sector. END HERE.

Innovation Environment Bringing together the key partners that can make innovation in the nuclear sector happen. A safe environment to experiement with technologies long before they go near a nuclear licensed site. Emphasise the importance of brining in the REGULATOR – their role is very different but they can help make sure technologies are capable of being deployed in a nuclear environment by providing steering/guidance at an early stage.

Msc Nuclear Science and Engineering First cohort to graduate in 2016 Hub and MSc is operated out of School of Physics MSc cohort: 50/50 Science + Engineering; Projects: industrially focussed, science and engineering academics provide academic supervision Five Themes The Nuclear Cycle Nuclear Reactor Materials and Design Nuclear Structural Integrity Nuclear System, Infrastructure, Hazards and Risk Nuclear Professionalism Skills – launch of the new MSc in Nuclear Science and Engineering Created in consultation with industry – resulting in a multidisciplinary approach where students learn about and apply the nuclear safety culture in mixed teams of colleagues from different professional backgrounds.