GFS GESELLSCHAFT FUR SIMULATORSCHULUNG MBH

Their core work

GfS (Gesellschaft für Simulatorschulung mbH — "Society for Simulator Training") is a German company specialising in nuclear power plant simulators, simulation-based training, and validation services for the nuclear energy sector. Their core asset is a KONVOI pressurised water reactor (PWR) simulator — a high-fidelity replica of a German nuclear plant design — which they used to validate innovative passive heat removal systems in EU-funded safety research. In both H2020 projects they contributed simulator expertise to test and prove supercritical CO2 (sCO2) decay heat removal technology under realistic reactor conditions. Beyond simulation, they also engaged in nuclear licensing pathways and market roadmapping, suggesting they bridge the gap between technical validation and regulatory approval.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first project (sCO2-HeRo, 2015–2018), GfS contributed simulator infrastructure to demonstrate the basic feasibility of supercritical CO2 as a passive heat removal medium — the focus was on the physics and system-level proof of concept. By the second project (sCO2-4-NPP, 2019–2022), the scope had broadened considerably: keywords shift toward NPP safety validation, virtual NPP models, thermal-hydraulic code integration (ATHLET, CATHARE), nuclear licensing, and market roadmaps — suggesting a move from early-stage demonstration toward real-world deployment readiness. This trajectory shows GfS evolving from a pure simulation hardware provider into a more complete validation-and-licensing partner capable of supporting technology commercialisation in the nuclear sector.

GfS is moving toward full-cycle nuclear technology validation — from simulator-based proof-of-concept through to regulatory licensing support — positioning them as a niche but valuable partner for any organisation commercialising new nuclear safety systems in Europe.

How they like to work

GfS has participated only as a consortium partner in both H2020 projects, never as coordinator, reflecting their role as a specialist contributor rather than a project driver. Their consortium size is modest (11 unique partners across 2 projects, roughly 5–6 per consortium), which is typical for focused nuclear safety research. There is no evidence of repeated partner relationships visible in this data, suggesting they are brought in selectively for their simulator asset rather than maintaining a standing research network.

GfS has built connections with 11 unique partners across 6 countries through their two projects, a relatively compact network consistent with the niche nature of nuclear simulation expertise. Their collaborations appear concentrated within the European nuclear research community, likely including national labs and reactor manufacturers.

What sets them apart

GfS holds a rare industrial asset: a high-fidelity KONVOI PWR simulator — one of very few such facilities in private hands in Europe — which makes them indispensable for any research requiring realistic validation against a German reactor design. While most nuclear simulation expertise resides in national laboratories or utilities, GfS operates as an independent company, making them accessible as a consortium partner without the institutional overhead of a public research organisation. For anyone developing new passive safety systems or seeking to build a nuclear licensing dossier in Germany, GfS offers a direct path to credible simulation evidence.

Highlights from their portfolio

• sCO2-HeRo
  GfS's largest H2020 contract (EUR 472,765), and the foundational project that established the supercritical CO2 heat removal concept for nuclear applications — GfS provided the KONVOI PWR simulation environment that made reactor-realistic testing possible.
• sCO2-4-NPP
  Expanded the sCO2 concept toward commercial deployment, adding nuclear licensing and market roadmapping — demonstrating GfS's ability to support the full journey from lab validation to regulatory approval.