Christophe Corazza Email & Phone Number

PhD engineering student at KU Leuven & SCK CEN · Institute for Advanced Nuclear Systems (ANS)The peculiar result of blending a Nuclear engineer (VUB), a Civil engineer (VUB) and a Chemical engineer (UAntwerpen) together, while afterwards still being bonkers enough for a PhD in Nuclear engineering (KULeuven).The PhD research entails particle formation and dynamics simulations and experiments for the MYRRHA nuclear reactor project, with the primary aim of being able to make accurate predictions of the behaviour of these particles and their consequences for the operation of MYRRHA. The ultimate final goal with the knowledge gained is obtaining (operating) licenses for the MYRRHA reactor from authority agencies. The expected results will also be used for Lead-Lithium Eutectic (LLE) cooling and breeding blankets for nuclear fusion reactors.MYRRHA is a future-generation nuclear research reactor currently under development at SCK CEN. MYRRHA consists of a proton accelerator delivering a fast proton particle beam (4 mA at 600 MeV) to the centre of a liquid Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) cooled, subcritical fast nuclear core. The protons induce a spallation reaction in the LBE target, which results in the production of neutron particles that sustain the nuclear reaction in the reactor core.The use of liquid metals as coolant and spallation target has several advantages, but at the same time presents significant challenges compared to more conventional options. This PhD research explores some of these challenges to acquire fundamental insight in the behaviour of this novel LBE system.MYRRHA has an international recognition and has been listed in December 2010 by the European Commission as one of 50 projects to make Europe the leader in high-tech research in the next 20 years.~🇧🇪 Belgian alpine skier since 3 years old