International cooperation on control for safe operation of nuclear research reactors

The purpose of this paper is to present some of the main reasons, objectives, planning, and recent advances of an SCK·CEN/ININ joint project, which deals with the design and application of modern/expert control and real-time simulation techniques for the safe operation of a TRIGA Mark III research nuclear reactor. This project has been proposed as the first of its kind under a general cooperation agreement between the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK·CEN) and the National Nuclear Research Institute (ININ) of Mexico.