Upgrading the PLINIUS platform toward smarter prototypic-corium experimental R&D.

• Description of PLINIUS prototypic corium experimental platform. • Prototypic corium melting/heating technologies: thermite – induction. • New water flooding facility: MERELAVA. • Small scale corium experimental setups in VITI. • Future STROMBOLI facility for in-vessel corium stratification R&D. In the recent years, CEA Cadarache PLINIUS prototypic corium platform has been upgraded: more powerful induction generator for e.g. MCCI experiments, development of thermitic melting, e.g. for new corium spreading tests in VULCANO, new MERELAVA facility for corium flooding, new VITI setups for thermophysical property measurements, KROTOS FCI test with full depth X-ray visualization of water pool. Main features of these facilities are described. Designs for further improvements such as the new FUJISAN and VITAE setups for characterizations of the aerosol released during prototypic fuel debris cutting, as well as the design of STROMBOLI test section for studying Lower Head pool stratification inversion evolution are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]