The AMES Network in the 5th EURATOM Framework Program

摘要

The AMES (Ageing Materials Evaluation and Studies) network started its activity in 1993 with the aim ofrnstudying the ageing mechanisms of nuclear reactor structural materials. Together with ENIQ, NESC, EPERC, it formsrnthe so-called "Structural Integrity of Industrial Components" cluster of European networks operated by the JointrnResearch Centre- Institute for Advanced Materials of the European Commission.rnMain areas of interest of the AMES network are non-destructive monitoring techniques for thermal and neutronrnirradiation ageing, dosimetry, survey of regulatory requirements, irradiation embrittlement, mitigation procedures and reembrittlement.rnSeveral projects co-funded by the 4 th EURATOM Framework Program- Fission Safety key action involved networkrnmembers. An overview of the outcome of the projects is given.rnWith the entry of Finland into the European Union and the foreseen one of the selected countries, AMES network'srnresearch subjects started to deal more with the still open issues of former-Soviet type WWER reactors.rnA link with CEECs has been established with the recent entry of Hungary and Czech Rep. representatives into the AMESrnnetwork Steering Committee, while collaboration with NIS is being established via EPLAF (European Plant LifernAssessment Forum), the Eastem arm of AMES.rnAs a consequence, some of the projects proposed by AMES members for the 5 th EURATOM Framework Program dealrnalso with WWER ageing issues. The projects selected for funding focus on the influence of chemical compositionrn(namely phosphorus and nickel content), on the irradiation embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel materials, on thernimprovement of surveillance temperature measurement, on the validation of the Master Curve approach and on NDrntechniques to monitor ageing of irradiated steels. An overview of the new projects' goals is given in the paper.