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MYRRHA, Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications.

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MYRRHA, a world first in many ways

The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) is actively working on designing and building this multifunctional research installation in Mol. MYRRHA is the very first prototype in the world of a nuclear reactor, driven by a particle accelerator with a significant thermal output. Discover what MYRRHA is all about and how you can contribute to this future-oriented challenge.

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Safe, efficient and waste-reducing

It is vitally important to ensure that an innovative research installation can be operated safely. MYRRHA's Accelerator Driven System has two major advantages:

Nuclear reactions can be easily and safely controlled
The volume of radioactive waste will be reduced considerably

Radioisotopes for the world

Our world is seriously in need of medical radioisotopes for diagnosing and treating a number of diseases, such as cancer:

MYRRHA will meet increasing demand
MYRRHA will guarantee global supply

Materials and fuels for new reactors

MYRRHA is designed to to take over and extend the role of an existing reactor that is playing a major role in international research.

MYRRHA is building on the past
MYRRHA will enable the execution of smart irradiation tests

Come and work at MYRRHA

Would you like to be part of making this innovative and challenging research installation a reality? We need bright people with a scientific, operational and international background who are full of enthusiasm and who believe in the future of what we are doing. Join the MYRRHA team!

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News

ESFRI delegation visit MYRRHA

18/12/2019

Twelve delegates from ESFRI, European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, visited MYRRHA to obtain first-hand information on the large research infrastructure and discover its contribution to European society in many fields.

MYRRHA has been on the European radar for two decades. A favourable international review by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD (Organisation for Cooperation and Development) in 2009 led to the Belgian government’s first decision to support MYRRHA development with a dedicated endowment. MYRRHA was included on the ESFRI Roadmap priority list during the Belgian EU-presidency in 2010. The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures was established with a mandate from the EU Council to support a coherent and strategy-led approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe, and to facilitate multilateral initiatives leading to the better use and development of research infrastructures, at EU and international level.

ESFRI delegates from the executive board and various working groups were given a comprehensive overview of the entire project. The overview included MYRRHA’s contribution towards enhanced cancer diagnosis and treatment by supplying current and innovative radioisotopes. The ESFRI delegates were particularly interested in MYRRHA’s role as a pre-industrial prototype for nuclear waste treatment. MYRRHA’s unique configuration as an accelerator driven system will enable transmutation of the most toxic spent nuclear fuel components into elements that return to natural radiotoxicity levels within a few hundreds of years (as opposed to hundreds of thousands of years). By reducing disposal time and surface, transmutation is widely expected to have a favourable impact on nuclear waste disposal requirements.

After a question and answer session, the delegates visited the Heavy Liquid Metal Complex at the Technology Building, where they were briefed on several unique testing installations for the MYRRHA project.

The visit was facilitated by BELSPO, the Belgian Science Policy Office.

MYRRHA project focus shifts from R&D to project implementation

13/12/2019

The MYRRHA project has shifted its focus from R&D to project implementation. That was the main message at the MYRRHA team meeting at the SCK•CEN site in Mol where the project will be constructed and operated.

The annual meeting gathered the 150 MYRRHA team members for a briefing on the MYRRHA status and outlook. The Belgian government’s decision of September 2018 cleared the path towards MYRRHA’s implementation. The funded MYRRHA phase 1 consists of the implementation of MINERVA (the 100 MeV linear accelerator and its target stations) as well as R&D for the reactor and the extended linear accelerator. The newly established organisation supports a project oriented approach for designing, construction and commissioning of MYRRHA phase 1. Phase 2 consists of the upgrade of the accelerator to 600 MeV; Phase 3 deals with the construction of the lead-bismuth eutectic cooled subcritical reactor.

For MINERVA, MYRRHA Project Director Hamid Aït Abderrahim pointed out that the project’s focus had shifted from R&D to project implementation. This was translated in the establishment of the MINERVA Design and Build (MDB) institute within SCK•CEN led by Adrian Fabich. MDB is responsible for the implementation of the linear accelerator up to 100 MeV, the Proton Target Facility and the Fusion Target Station.

The design and licensing activities for the reactor are essential parts within Phase 1 towards the full MYRRHA implementation. These activities complemented by support R&D are pursued within the Advanced Nuclear Studies (ANS) institute, led by Marc Schyns. This will lead to the MYRRHA Reactor construction license by 2026. For these parts of MYRRHA Phase 1 the same spirit shift from R&D to implementation is applied through the vertical integration resulted in the reorganization of groups within ANS.

The successful implementation of MINERVA and the MYRRHA reactor design for obtaining construction permit are required by 2026 by the governmental decision for continuing the path towards MYRRHA. Our aim is to meet the 2026 target, not only to fulfil the requirement but also because this is our own objective as a Team.

Flemish Ministers Jan Jambon and Hilde Crevits praise research into nuclear medicine

03/12/2019

On Monday 2 December, Jan Jambon, Minister-President of the Flemish government, and Hilde Crevits, Vice Minister-President, visited MYRRHA and the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) in Mol. They were briefed inter alia on the contribution by MYRRHA to the fight against cancer and towards a solution for nuclear waste. “These efforts can make a difference”, states Jan Jambon, Flemish Minister-President, after the visit.

With each of its projects, SCK•CEN tries to build bridges between the research community, the business world and society. “Our research acts as a catalyst for innovation in various sectors, among which the medical sector”, notes Eric van Walle, Director-General of SCK•CEN. Several projects run by the Centre will contribute to the development of innovative cancer treatments. The research centre harbours the ambition of fighting against specific cancer cells by targeting them and, in doing so, making treatment for cancer patients more effective.

MINERVA - MYRRHA’s particle accelerator up to 100 MeV - will play a crucial role in this. “We aim to commission MINERVA in 2027 and to begin developing and producing innovative medical radioisotopes”, states Hamid Aït Abderrahim, Deputy Director-General at SCK•CEN and Director of the MYRRHA project.

The Belgian federal government currently provides the main support towards the realisation of the MYRRHA research infrastructure, but Flanders is also committed to the project. To this effect, the Belgian region included support to MYRRHA in its 2019-2024 government agreement. “Flanders offers enough support to the research part of the MYRRHA project to speed up the applications and valorisation of the research. Developing such technology will allow us to make a difference worldwide”, points out Jan Jambon, Minister-President of the Flemish government.

“I am impressed by the research that is performed at SCK•CEN”, says Hilde Crevits, Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation, Employment, Social economy and Agriculture. “SCK•CEN proves that innovation helps our society thrive across many different sectors. In addition, the MYRRHA project helps reducing the amount of nuclear waste.”

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Publications

18/08/2018

Effect of deformation twinning on dissolution corrosion of 316 L stainless steels in contact with static liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 500 °C.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 510, 18.08.2018, p. 556-567.

01/08/2018

Numerical modeling of oxygen mass transfer in a wire wrapped fuel assembly under flowing lead bismuth eutectic.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 506, 01.08.2018, p. 53-62.

29/05/2018

Charge radii and electromagnetic moments of 195-211At.

Physical Review C, Vol. 97, No. 054327, 054327, 29.05.2018, p. 1-19.

All publications

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Science towards sustainability