This project is under preparation and will be formally launched shortly.
NEST THENS project is the dedicated learning component of the ATLAS Phase 4 and PANDA Phase 2 joint projects, with the specific aim to strengthen education and knowledge transfer in nuclear safety analysis.
International collaborative research is tackling some of the most pressing reactor safety issues. One major initiative in this area is the OECD/NEA ATLAS and PANDA project series, which leverages the ATLAS facility at KAERI in Korea and the PANDA facility at PSI in Switzerland. These facilities provide large-scale integral experiments on complex accident scenarios in light water reactors, addressing high-priority safety concerns for both current and next-generation nuclear power plants. These investigations are crucial for validating and improving the computer codes used in safety analysis of design-basis accidents and beyond-design-basis events, thereby enhancing the reliability of accident simulations and management strategies.
Since 2014, the ATLAS programme has completed three phases of experiments with broad international participation (for example, 18 partner organisations from 10 countries took part in the third phase). These tests have expanded the understanding of key phenomena such as passive safety system performance, reactor coolant system and containment interactions, and reactor behavior under design-extension conditions.
PANDA is a large-scale multi-compartment thermal-hydraulics facility which has been operated over the years with the technical and financial support of the international research community in a variety of OECD/NEA joint projects devoted to nuclear safety. Training using the PANDA facilities has already been applied in the NEST HYMERES/PANDA project, which was the first NEST pilot project and has successfully hosted about 20 NEST Fellows from various countries (e.g. Canada, France, Korea, Spain, Sweden, United States).
The integration of the NEST THENS project as educational component of the OECD/NEA ATLAS-4 and PANDA-2 joint projects programmes presents an ideal opportunity to combine cutting-edge research with education and training.
The primary objective of NEST THENS is to strengthen education and knowledge transfer in nuclear safety analysis using the ATLAS and PANDA experimental facilities. The project targets graduate students and young professionals from countries participating in ATLAS-4, PANDA-2 and NEST, aiming to develop the next generation of reactor safety experts. Through guided involvement in real experimental programs, participants will acquire practical skills in thermal-hydraulic experimentation, accident scenario analysis, and safety code validation.
NEST THENS emphasises international collaboration and hands-on learning: Fellows will engage in designing and observing advanced accident simulation tests, analysing multidimensional thermal-hydraulic phenomena, and understanding modern safety systems and strategies. By integrating educational activities with a high-profile research project, NEST THENS aims to deliver technical training and research experience, foster networking, offer professional development, and build capacity among young nuclear scientists.
Information on the participating organisations will be shared following the project's official launch.
PANDA experiments addressing complex safety issues for current water reactors and small modular reactors
