Head of Department:

Zoltán Hózer

Tel: +(36-1)-392 2586

Fax: +(36-1)-395 9293

E-mail: hozer.zoltan@ek-cer.hu

The experts of the Fuel and Reactor Materials Department investigate the behavior of nuclear fuel and different reactor components using experimental facilities, material testing methods and numerical modelling. The activities of the department focus on the topics related to VVER-440 reactors used at Paks NPP, but several projects deal with new reactor types and fusion technology. The department regularly participates in international EU, OECD and IAEA projects.

The fuel research covers normal operational conditions in the reactor, design basis and severe accidents, wet and dry storage of spent fuel assemblies. The experimental works focus on the investigation of zirconium alloy cladding applied in nuclear fuel elements. Separate effect tests on the oxidation, embrittlement, hydrogen uptake, plastic deformation and burst of Zr cladding material are investigated in small scale facilities. High temperature facilities have been built for the investigation of fuel behavior during incidents and accidents. Integral tests with electrically heated fuel assemblies can be performed in the CODEX facility. Computer codes are applied for the safety analyses of fuel behavior in nuclear power plants. The development and validation of codes is highly supported by the experimental programs.

The reactor materials investigations are carried out by two independent research groups:

  • The Reactor Material Research Group investigates the irradiation effects of different materials using the BAGIRA irradiation channel in the Budapest Research Reactor. In order to characterize the aging of reactor vessel steel, mechanical tests and microstructure examinations are performed with specimens from the surveillance program at Paks NPP. Experimental testing and wide range of examinations are carried out with different perspective materials for fusion and fission technologies.
  • The Structural Integrity Research Group deals with the development of theoretical and numerical models for the safety analyses of reactor vessels and other large NPP equipment. The experts of the group developed sophisticated numerical models for the investigation of pressurized thermal shock phenomena in nuclear reactor vessels, which allows them to carry out thermomechanical and fracture mechanics calculations for the existing VVER-440 units and for the planned VVER-1200 reactors.

Our publications:

https://m2.mtmt.hu/gui2/?type=institutes&mode=browse&sel=institutes13012

Colleagues of the Fuel and Reactor Materials Department

Zoltán Hózer – Head of Department

Dániel Mihály Antók

Berta Bürger

Dávid Cinger

Kristóf Andor Csikós

Róbert Farkas

Tamás Miklós Fekete

Csaba Gáncs

Balázs Hargitai

Márton Király

Szilvia Móritz

Attila Nagy

Richárd Nagy

Tamás Novotny

Erzsébet Perez-Feró

Bálint Pudleiner

János Puhala

Sarolta Rétiné Kováts

Emese Slonszki

Barbara Somfai

Péter Szabó

Pál Szentannai

Ildikó Szenthe

Tibor Szűcs

Barbara Alma Tatai

Levente Tatár

Nóra Vér