Funded by the European Commission, TeaM Cables – European Tools and Methodologies for an efficient ageing management of nuclear power plant Cables – is a research project in the field of nuclear safety and long-term operation.

We would like to invite students, post-docs, young engineers and scientists to participate in a Winter School on Advances in characterisation and modelling of polymer ageing applied to electrical cables in Nuclear Power Plants.

PROGRAM

Note that this is a provisional program – slight changes are possible until the school takes place

Day 1 - Monday 15th November (afternoon): Introduction - basic knowledge on cables 

• From the conception to the qualification of cables (NEXANS)
• Multi-scale analysis of the radio-thermal aging of XLPE cable insulation in nuclear environment (ENSAM)

Day 2 - Tuesday 16th November: Condition Monitoring Techniques (microscale and macroscale)

• Cable ageing management program, activities at NPPs (UJV)
• Complementarity of three techniques to understand the physico-chemical evolution of polymers in radio-oxidant conditions (IRSN/AMU)
• The use of the EPR technique to assess the ageing of polymer composites (INCT)
• Mechanical tests for ageing evaluation (VTT)
• Dielectric spectroscopy for ageing assessment (UNIBO)
• THz technique for evaluation of ageing of NPP cables (IZFP)
• TDR/FDR technique for evaluation of ageing of NPP cables (CEA)
• Common dinner

Day 3 - Wednesday 17th November: Ageing modelling of NPP cables

• Kinetic modelling of polymer ageing (ENSAM)
• Virtual polymer (EDF)
• Multiscale modelling of electrical properties (UNIBO)
• Ab initio modelling of polymer (CEA)
• Molecular dynamics and finite element modelling of mechanical properties (VTT)
• THz electrical response modelling on the micro- and macroscale (IZFP)
• Practical sessions (will be specified later).

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

To inform us of your interest in joining the school, please pre-register on this page by 18th October 2021.

IMPORTANT: the EU Digital COVID Certificate is required to get access to the school and restaurants. More details about entry in Italy here.

Participation to all sessions is free of charge.

Catering for lunches and coffee breaks on the three days of the School as well as the shuttle buses from and to Bologna are paid by the organisers.

Participants only need to pay their accommodation on site and travel costs to Bologna. A dedicated website will be open in September to book accommodation in the premises (price will include room, breakfast and dinner - only 69 € per day).

VENUE

The University Residential Centre of Bertinoro

Via Frangipane, 6 - Bertinoro

Italy

Located 90km from Bologna.

More details can be found here: bro2017gb.pdf (ceub.it)

HOW TO GET THERE

We recommend landing at Bologna airport, or Milan airport and taking the train to Bologna.

A shuttle will be organised to pick up participants from bus/train station on Monday 15th morning (reachable from Bologna airport). 

Participants can also take the train from Bologna to the closest train station (Forlì) and take a bus or taxi from there to Bertinoro. 

From Forli train station get on the bus line 92 until downtown Forlimpopoli. From Forlimpopoli get on the bus line 121 and reach Bertinoro. 

After the end of the school, on Wednesday 17th evening a shuttle will go to Forlì train station and on Thursday 18th morning to Bologna.