Technical Visit – Belgian Reactor 2 (BR2)

This technical visit is intended to introduce the unique features of the Belgian Reactor 2, the most performing operating material test reactor in Europe today.  A selected panel of experts from the operator and user community  will highlight the different trends in current R&D for applications of nuclear technology and how the BR2 reactor is contributing in scientific and technological areas, such as energy production and safety, medical applications of nuclear technology and cutting edge fundamental physics.

Hourly Schedule

9:00 - 9:15
Introduction on BNS and ENGIE workshops
Speakers:
Alex Pirard, Sammy Shihab
9:15 - 9:45
Introduction to the BR2 reactor
Speakers:
Steven Van Dyck
9:45 - 10:15
The safety case for aged reactor vessels with production defaults
Speakers:
R. Gérard
10:15 - 10:45
Predicting material degradation in support of ageing analysis of reactor vessels
Speakers:
Marc Scibetta
10:45 - 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 - 11:30
Selecting the materials for future energy sources: fusion reactor materials under irradiation
Speakers:
Dmitry Terentyev
11:30 - 12:00
Using research reactors for fundamental science: in search for the sterile anti-neutrino
Speakers:
Nick Van Remortel
12:00 - 13:30
Lunch break
13:30 - 14:00
Test reactor irradiations in support of power reactor fuel research and development
Speakers:
Marc Verwerft
14:00 - 14:30
Making the world a safer place: reducing the use of highly enriched uranium
Speakers:
Steven Van Dyck
14:30 - 15:00
The production of radio-isotopes in the BR2: past performance and future prospects
Speakers:
Bernard Ponsard
15:00 - 15:30
Coffee Break
15:30 - 16:00
Biological effects of radiation: the use of radiopharmaceuticals to kill tumors
Speakers:
Sarah Baatout
16:00 - 16:30
The beneficial use of Radiations in medical applications: a Belgian approach
Speakers:
R. Hustinx
16:30 - 16:45
Closure of the workshop
Speakers:
Vincent Massaut
16:45 - 18:00
Drink – Networking
Alex Pirard
ENGIE
Sammy Shihab
SCK•CEN
Steven Van Dyck
SCK•CEN
R. Gérard
ENGIE
Marc Scibetta
SCK•CEN
Dmitry Terentyev
SCK•CEN
Nick Van Remortel
University of Antwerp
Marc Verwerft
Group Leader Fuel Materials at SCK•CEN
Dr. Marc Verwerft graduated in physics at the University of Antwerp in 1987 and obtained his PhD as fellow of the FWO on “Modulated phases in ceramics” in 1991. After his military service, he joined the University of Groningen as lecturer from 1992 to 1994. Since 1994, he is researcher at SCK•CEN where he first headed the microstructure research group and is now head of the fuel materials group. Apart from more fundamental research, he coordinated several international research projects on nuclear fuel amongst which two successive EU framework projects on thorium-based MOX.
Bernard Ponsard
SCK•CEN
Sarah Baatout
Head of the Radiobiology Unit at SCK•CEN
Sarah Baatout graduated in 1991 with a Licence in Biology from UCL (Louvain-la-Neuve). In 1996, she obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from UCL in the field of oncology working on aggressive blood cancers. She joined SCK•CEN in 1996 as a postdoc to perform research on the impact of radiation on the embryo in the Radiobiology Unit and is head of this unit since 2007. Besides, she is Guest-Professor at Ghent University (Faculty of Bioengineering Sciences) and maître de conférence at the University of Namur (Faculty of Sciences). She is also member of the Belgian delegation at UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and of the High Council for Health. In 2018, she has received the “BeSpace personality of the year” award and was recognized by Femmes d’Aujourdhui as one of the “85 women that make Belgium move”. She has received the Wetrems prize from the Royal Academy for Sciences and Arts of Belgium for the best discovery in the field of natural sciences. The Radiobiology Unit of SCK•CEN counts a dynamic staff of 25 people (out of which 12 current PhD students working in close collaboration with the various Belgian Universities and hospitals). The mission is to evaluate the potential risks of ionising radiation on health and to provide the scientific background for occupational, accidental, medical or space radiation exposure allowing a more accurate radiation risk assessment. Medical research is central in radiobiology. The lab seeks to understand the molecular processes modulated with radiation and their relationship with health effects on exposed patients, astronauts and nuclear workers. Through the use of biomarkers and personalised medicine, the individual radiation sensitivity could at term be monitored and radiotherapeutical treatment adapted to each cancer patients. The lab is also active in the Belgian Hadrontherapy Consortium and participates in the research on protontherapy. Communication to the scientific community, the general and young public our knowledge and our research results through visits and organization of summer schools & Eur Msc courses in radiobiology is also very important in Radiobiology. Presently, Sarah Baatout is also secretary/treasurer of the European Radiation Research Society. Since 2012, she is also member of the “Space” working group of the senate. She is also a member of various expert and audit groups as well as advising committees for the European Commission and the European Space Agency. She is/has been the promoters of 4 Postdocs and of 14 PhD students. She is the (co-)author of some 140 international papers.
R. Hustinx
BelNuc
Vincent Massaut
Deputy Director Business Development & Strategy at SCK•CEN
Vincent Massaut obtained a master’s degree in Engineering, electro-mechanics, with a specialty in nuclear engineering, from the University of Liège (in 1982). He started in technology research for fusion Energy and in 1990 took over the BR3 decommissioning project; he directed this project during 15 years. At that time, he was nominated as Chairman of the « Working Party on D&D» within the OECD/NEA, and he has been member of various international expert committees. He is currently still member of the European JRC D&WM international expert group to advice on the dismantling of nuclear facilities in the 4 JRC’s. Since 1999, he is also a member of the “Groupe Permanent Usines”, which advices the French regulatory authority ASN. After 2 years of safety and environmental officer at the EFDA, in 2007 he took over the direction of fusion technology studies at SCK•CEN. In 2014 he took his current position as Deputy Director in charge of the Business Development activities at the SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium.

Date

Oct 26, 2016
Expired!

Time

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Location

SCK•CEN
Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol
Category

Speakers

  • Alex Pirard
    ENGIE
  • Bernard Ponsard
    SCK•CEN
  • Dmitry Terentyev
    SCK•CEN
  • Marc Scibetta
    SCK•CEN
  • Marc Verwerft
    Group Leader Fuel Materials at SCK•CEN

    Dr. Marc Verwerft graduated in physics at the University of Antwerp in 1987 and obtained his PhD as fellow of the FWO on “Modulated phases in ceramics” in 1991. After his military service, he joined the University of Groningen as lecturer from 1992 to 1994. Since 1994, he is researcher at SCK•CEN where he first headed the microstructure research group and is now head of the fuel materials group. Apart from more fundamental research, he coordinated several international research projects on nuclear fuel amongst which two successive EU framework projects on thorium-based MOX.

  • Nick Van Remortel
    University of Antwerp
  • R. Gérard
    ENGIE
  • R. Hustinx
    BelNuc
  • Sammy Shihab
    SCK•CEN
  • Sarah Baatout
    Head of the Radiobiology Unit at SCK•CEN

    Sarah Baatout graduated in 1991 with a Licence in Biology from UCL (Louvain-la-Neuve). In 1996, she obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from UCL in the field of oncology working on aggressive blood cancers. She joined SCK•CEN in 1996 as a postdoc to perform research on the impact of radiation on the embryo in the Radiobiology Unit and is head of this unit since 2007. Besides, she is Guest-Professor at Ghent University (Faculty of Bioengineering Sciences) and maître de conférence at the University of Namur (Faculty of Sciences). She is also member of the Belgian delegation at UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and of the High Council for Health. In 2018, she has received the “BeSpace personality of the year” award and was recognized by Femmes d’Aujourdhui as one of the “85 women that make Belgium move”. She has received the Wetrems prize from the Royal Academy for Sciences and Arts of Belgium for the best discovery in the field of natural sciences.

    The Radiobiology Unit of SCK•CEN counts a dynamic staff of 25 people (out of which 12 current PhD students working in close collaboration with the various Belgian Universities and hospitals). The mission is to evaluate the potential risks of ionising radiation on health and to provide the scientific background for occupational, accidental, medical or space radiation exposure allowing a more accurate radiation risk assessment.

    Medical research is central in radiobiology. The lab seeks to understand the molecular processes modulated with radiation and their relationship with health effects on exposed patients, astronauts and nuclear workers. Through the use of biomarkers and personalised medicine, the individual radiation sensitivity could at term be monitored and radiotherapeutical treatment adapted to each cancer patients. The lab is also active in the Belgian Hadrontherapy Consortium and participates in the research on protontherapy.

    Communication to the scientific community, the general and young public our knowledge and our research results through visits and organization of summer schools & Eur Msc courses in radiobiology is also very important in Radiobiology.

    Presently, Sarah Baatout is also secretary/treasurer of the European Radiation Research Society. Since 2012, she is also member of the “Space” working group of the senate. She is also a member of various expert and audit groups as well as advising committees for the European Commission and the European Space Agency. She is/has been the promoters of 4 Postdocs and of 14 PhD students. She is the (co-)author of some 140 international papers.

  • Steven Van Dyck
    SCK•CEN
  • Vincent Massaut
    Deputy Director Business Development & Strategy at SCK•CEN

    Vincent Massaut obtained a master’s degree in Engineering, electro-mechanics, with a specialty in nuclear engineering, from the University of Liège (in 1982). He started in technology research for fusion Energy and in 1990 took over the BR3 decommissioning project; he directed this project during 15 years. At that time, he was nominated as Chairman of the « Working Party on D&D» within the OECD/NEA, and he has been member of various international expert committees.

    He is currently still member of the European JRC D&WM international expert group to advice on the dismantling of nuclear facilities in the 4 JRC’s. Since 1999, he is also a member of the “Groupe Permanent Usines”, which advices the French regulatory authority ASN. After 2 years of safety and environmental officer at the EFDA, in 2007 he took over the direction of fusion technology studies at SCK•CEN. In 2014 he took his current position as Deputy Director in charge of the Business Development activities at the SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium.

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