Scientists at GRS use a simulation software to calculate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols. The program was designed to analyse incidents and accidents in containments of nuclear power plants, but has been adapted and validated for corona aerosols.

On April 26th the Chernobyl disaster was 35 years ago. How is the situation on the site today? Which works are currently going on? And how is taken care of the radioactive waste?

In the course of the new Radiation Protection Act (2017) the Federal Radiological Emergency Centre was established. GRS has by law been assigned the task of supporting the Federal Radiological Emergency Centre in its work together with different Federal Offices. In our interview, GRS expert Dr Albert Kreuser explains how the emergency organisation at GRS works and how his colleagues prepare for a possible mission.

Nuclear fusion occurs naturally in the sun. On Earth, meanwhile, fusing two atoms involves a great deal of effort. The more research is done in this field, the sooner will concepts for commercial fusion plants appear on the horizon. A research project of GRS and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is now looking at the regulatory framework for such plants.

GRS developed the methodological bases and recommendations for the site selection procedure in Germany. The synthesis report and ten supplementary technical reports are available on the GRS website.

Aerosols contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 are deemed to be one of the main causes for Covid-19 infections.
A team of researchers at GRS has used simulation software from nuclear engineering to calculate the dispersion of respective aerosols in rooms.

Knowledge about the origin, propagation and suppression of fires is essential for assessing fire safety of nuclear installations. For this reason, GRS is continuously participating in fire related international research activities carried out  under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).

Claystone, salt rock or granite are considered suitable host rocks for a radioactive waste repository in Germany. In a current project carried out in the GRS Geoscientific Laboratory, researchers investigate how the properties of claystone formations might be influenced by the waste emplaced.

In interventional radiology, diagnostic or therapeutic medical interventions can be performed while monitoring them simultaneously, often by means of X-ray imaging. GRS scientists are developing a 3D-simulation model that will allow to draw conclusions on how to further optimise the radiation protection for the medical staff involved.

In a recent virtual workshop of the European Technical Safety Organisations Network (ETSON), nuclear safety experts of the network´s member organisations explored the consequences of the current Covid-19 pandemic for nuclear safety and discussed respective countermeasures.