State-run Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) of the UAE and Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), have signed an agreement on advancing nuclear safety research.

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) of the UAE and Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), have signed an agreement on advancing nuclear safety research and educating the UAE’s next generation of peaceful nuclear energy professionals.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at FANR’s headquarters by Christer Viktorsson, director general of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, and Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, executive vice president of Khalifa University.

According to the new agreement, FANR and KU will continue their joint work on the Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation Project Phase 2 (ATLAS-2), an international project jointly organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).

The ATLAS-2 Project focuses on addressing thermal-hydraulic safety and accident management issues relevant for APR1400 reactor types. APR 1400 is a Generation III pressurised water type developed by the South Koreans.

A variant of the APR1400 reactor is employed at the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant and this collaborative agreement is designed to familiarize UAE students and researchers with the reactor and build local human capacities in nuclear safety through intensive research activities.

Christer Viktorsson said: “Since FANR’s establishment in 2009 we have prioritized human capacity development in nuclear safety. Through this research agreement, Emirati students and researchers will learn about the critical safety features of nuclear systems utilizing various coding systems, including how to generate and modify plant inputs and study test results. Likewise, the training material produced by our work on the ATLAS-2 Project will serve as a valuable resource to post-graduate students and researchers for years to come.”

Dr Al Hammadi said: The sponsored research and collaboration agreement with FANR will enable us to undertake research into thermal hydraulic studies as part of the ATLAS-2 project. This collaboration is in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which emphasizes the importance of sustainability of energy and water. It also concurs with Khalifa University’s mandate which includes education, research and advancement of knowledge.

“Through this agreement, we believe, we will be contributing effectively to fostering local expertise on nuclear safety in the UAE and to produce comprehensive training material for future safety analysis.”

Following the signing ceremony, FANR and Khalifa University will prepare to present their collective research findings on one of the relevant tests at the upcoming ATLAS-2 Project Review Meeting in October, which will take place in South Korea.

The ATLAS-2 project is supported by the safety organizations and industry in Korea, Belgium, Czech Republic, China, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE and the US.

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), setup in 2009, is the regulatory body for the nuclear sector in the United Arab Emirates. FANR regulates all nuclear activities and licenses the use of radioactive sources in the UAE.

The Khalifa University of Science and Technology merges the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research and the Petroleum Institute into one world-class, research-intensive institution, producing world leaders and critical thinkers in applied science and engineering. – TradeArabia News Service