AC² User Meeting 2025, Köln, 18.-20. November 2025
This year, the AC² User Meeting (November 18–20) once again provided an important forum for exchange between code developer GRS GmbH and users of its AC² simulation software. A special focus was placed on the upcoming release of AC² 2025. AC² consists of the codes ATHLET, ATHLET-CD, and COCOSYS, which are used extensively by PSS in development and validation projects. The main goal of the meeting is to create a common platform for the exchange of experiences between users and developers. PSS was represented at this year's User Meeting by a large delegation consisting of Juliane, Negar, Florian, Max, Gregor, Tobias, and Jan, as well as new employees Sudeshna and Marius (warm welcome!). The working group presented the current status of their projects related to the software. The event offered the ideal opportunity to engage in in-depth technical discussions with the developers and to provide feedback on the existing and future functionalities of the code package with regard to the new version.
Project meeting of the EU project SASPAM-SA, Sapienza Conference Center, Rome, October 13-15, 2025
From October 13 to 15, 2025, the annual project meeting of the EU project SASPAM-SA took place in Rome, Italy. The meeting served as a forum for intensive exchange on the state of research and provided a crucial platform for international networking. PSS was represented on site by Gregor Stahlberg. For PSS, the focus was on knowledge transfer between the EU project and the national BMUKN joint project VP-ASUS. The enhancement of the AC² program package for integral PWRs is being carried out in the VP-ASUS-PSS subproject, which is why close contact with the partners in SASPAM-SA is of relevance. The findings are being incorporated into the work of ASUS. In addition, Gregor presented selected results from work package 5 (WP5) of SASPAM-SA under the title “Assessment of the code capabilities to simulate iPWR containment” (authors: Julia Krieger, Gregor T. Stahlberg, and Marco K. Koch). The status of code capabilities for source term analyses and integral iDWR simulations was presented. The meeting was characterized by excellent organization and a highly productive working atmosphere. We would like to thank the coordination team for the successful event and look forward to next year!
AI for Nuclear – Workshop 2025 in Stuttgart, 20.-21.10.2025
On 20 to 21 October, the first ‘AI for Nuclear’ workshop took place, organised by IKE, PSS and MLS as part of the InnoPhase project.
The Institute of Nuclear Energy and Energy Systems (IKE) and the Materials Testing Institute (MPA) kindly provided their premises as the venue for the event.
The two-day workshop provided an excellent opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas and experiences in the field of artificial intelligence in nuclear energy.
More than 50 participants had the opportunity to be inspired by interesting contributions from industry and research and to present their own work in the form of posters or presentations.
Juliane Neuhaus and Nicole Richter from PSS gave a keynote presentation on the InnoPhase project and provided an insight into the current project work. An interactive workshop at the end of the event gave participants the opportunity to learn about practical examples and deepen their skills. Due to the extremely positive feedback from participants, the event is expected to be continued next year.
Following the workshop, a doctoral colloquium between the doctoral students of the InnoPhase project took place again this year.
The current progress on the individual work packages was presented and further approaches were discussed. The cross-thematic personal exchange once again led to promising ideas.
21st International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-21), Busan, Korea
Under the title “Innovation in Thermal Hydraulics for Nuclear Future,” the international NURETH-21 conference was held in Busan, Korea, from August 31st to September 5th, 2025. More than 900 participants from 37 countries and 204 organizations presented and discussed their research and industry activities.
From PSS, Miriam Müer and Juliane Neuhaus participated in the conference and presented their work on the following topics:
Despite phasing out nuclear power: Germany needs expertise in nuclear safety
The Competence Network for Nuclear Technology (KVKT) has published a white paper calling for targeted and sustained promotion of research and training in the field of reactor safety and setting out corresponding recommendations and areas where action is needed. Founded in 2000, the Competence Network for Nuclear Technology (KVKT) is an association of German research institutions in the field of nuclear technology and nuclear waste management. Initiated in the late 1990s by the then Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the overarching goal of the association is to pool and further develop safety-related expertise in the aforementioned areas and to contribute it to national and international processes.
Summer outing breakfast - Blue:Beach - Haus Oveney
Our summer outing took place on Friday, August 1, 2025! We started at the RUB with breakfast together!
Then we made our way to Kemnader See and the Blue:Beach Hall for some sports activities. These included badminton, volleyball, soccer, spikeball, and the childhood classic dodgeball!
For refreshments and our final destination, we then headed to Haus Oveney!
Doctoral student conference 2025 in Trier
This year's doctoral student conference organised of IKE, University of Stuttgart and PSS took place within the historic walls of the Robert-Schuman-Haus in Trier.
With a view of the Moselle and the Roman old town, the doctoral students once again had the opportunity to present their current work and engage in interesting technical discussions from 21 to 24 July 2025.
In its third year, the conference once again focussed on improving networking within the national nuclear technology network and providing the opportunity to gain new perspectives on their own work.
The event was rounded off with joint activities and a pleasant working atmosphere.
We look forward to the coming year and thank IKE for the excellent cooperation!
We congratulate Max on his great Doctorate!
The working group congratulates Maximilian Hoffmann
on the successful completion of his doctorate on 10.07.2025 with the title:
"Extension of the CCI model basis of the system code AC2 for the simulation of “melt-concrete interactions”.
Excursion as part of the lecture Reactor Theory
This year, the students of the reactor theory lecture were given the opportunity to experience the lecture content in practice.
In summer temperatures, the students visited the site of Advanced Nuclear Fuel GmbH in Lingen, where fuel elements for light water reactors are manufactured.
On site, the group was first given an interesting presentation about the company framatome in its entirety and the production chain at the Lingen site.
Afterwards, the individual steps from the production of the fuel pellets to the filling of the fuel rods, the assembly of fuel elements and the outgoing product including the various quality assurance methods could be observed during the factory tour.
PSS would like to thank ANF Lingen for the exciting day and the opportunity to give the students this special insight!
KERNthemen 2025
On 20 and 21 May, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) hosted the second KERNthemen at the Börse Dresden. The event was aimed at all those involved in ongoing BMFTR-funded nuclear safety, waste management and radiation research projects, young scientists and the interested professional community. In a pleasant atmosphere, intensive discussions were held in several sessions on the basis of specialist presentations about the projects, new approaches to problems were presented using innovative methods and many opportunities were created for better networking. Young scientists also had the opportunity to take part in workshops on various topics and make their first contacts in industry. The official event was followed by a tour of the training nuclear reactor AKR-2 at TU Dresden. As part of the ‘InnoPhase’ joint project, Juliane Neuhaus and Nicole Richter participated in the workshops as junior scientists. Prof Marco K. Koch was also involved in the interim evaluation of the NukSiFutur junior research groups.
Final meeting EU project AMHYCO, Madrid
After a project duration of 4.5 years, the EU project AMHYCO will come to an end at the end of March 2025.
The final meeting for the project consortium took place on February 26-27, followed by an open workshop for interested participants from research and industry held by the project coordinator at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
During the meetings, the results and findings of recent years on the topic of risk management of flammable gases in containment under realistic accident conditions and the associated improvement in the use of simulation codes were discussed. Miriam Müer took part in both events on behalf of the PSS working group, which was involved in the project work throughout its entire duration.
Excursions as part of the nuclear power plant technology lecture
Once again this year, students on the nuclear power plant technology course had the opportunity to experience the lecture content in practice. As part of two excursions in January, they visited the Urenco uranium enrichment plant in Gronau and the production of CASTOR© casks at the Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service in Mühlheim. In Gronau, the students were able to discover the company grounds in small groups after a fascinating company presentation with lots of interesting key data. The production process from delivery to filling was explained in a relaxed atmosphere. In Mülheim, the excursion began with a presentation on development and production as well as the special features of the transport and storage containers. This was followed by a tour around the production facility, where CASTOR© and MOSAIK© containers could be viewed from the raw state to the finished assembled product. At the end of the excursion, the unique ultrasonic testing station for the cast iron blanks was also visited.
PSS would like to thank Urenco Deutschland and GNS for the opportunity to give the students this practical experience!
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Last update: Nov 25, 2025
