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Research reactor

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This article is about nuclear fission research reactors. For experimental research nuclear fusion reactors, see fusion reactor.
Science with neutrons
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Neutron scattering
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Infrastructure
Neutron facilities
The CROCUS research reactor of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, in Switzerland

Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritime propulsion.

Purpose

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The neutrons produced by a research reactor are used for neutron scattering, non-destructive testing, analysis and testing of materials, production of radioisotopes, research and public outreach and education. Research reactors that produce radioisotopes for medical or industrial use are sometimes called isotope reactors. Reactors that are optimised for beamline experiments nowadays compete with spallation sources.

Technical aspects

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Research reactors are simpler than power reactors and operate at lower temperatures. They need far less fuel, and far less fission products build up as the fuel is used. On the other hand, their fuel requires more highly enriched uranium, typically up to 20% U-235,[1] although some use 93% U-235; while 20% enrichment is not generally considered usable in nuclear weapons, 93% is commonly referred to as "weapons-grade". They also have a very high power density in the core, which requires special design features. Like power reactors, the core needs cooling, typically natural or forced convection with water, and a moderator is required to slow the neutron velocities and enhance fission. As neutron production is their main function, most research reactors benefit from reflectors to reduce neutron loss from the core.

Conversion to low enriched uranium

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The International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy initiated a program in 1978 to develop the means to convert research reactors from using highly enriched uranium (HEU) to the use of low enriched uranium (LEU), in support of its nonproliferation policy.[2][3] By that time, the U.S. had supplied research reactors and highly enriched uranium to 41 countries as part of its Atoms for Peace program. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy extended its Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance program until 2019.[4]

As of 2016, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report concluded converting all research reactors to LEU cannot be completed until 2035 at the earliest. In part this is because the development of reliable LEU fuel for high neutron flux research reactors, that does not fail through swelling, has been slower than expected.[5] As of 2020, 72 HEU research reactors remain.[6]

Designers and constructors

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While in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s there were a number of companies that specialized in the design and construction of research reactors, the activity of this market cooled down afterwards, and many companies withdrew.

The market has consolidated today into a few companies that concentrate the key projects on a worldwide basis.

The most recent international tender (1999) for a research reactor was that organized by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation for the design, construction and commissioning of the Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor (OPAL). Four companies were prequalified: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), INVAP, Siemens and Technicatom. The project was awarded to INVAP that built the reactor. In recent years, AECL withdrew from this market, and Siemens and Technicatom activities were merged into Areva.

Classes of research reactors

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Research centers

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Main article: Neutron facilities

A complete list can be found at the List of nuclear research reactors.

Research centers that operate a reactor:

Reactor Name Country City Institution Power Level Operation Date
BR2 Reactor BelgiumMolBelgian Nuclear Research Center SCK•CEN100 MW
Budapest Research Reactor[7]HungaryBudapestHungarian Academy of Sciences Centre for Energy Research5 MW[7]1959[7]
Budapest University of Technology Training Reactor[8]HungaryBudapestBudapest University of Technology and Economics100 kW 1969
ILL High-Flux Reactor FranceGrenobleInstitut Laue-Langevin63 MW[9]
RA-6 ArgentinaBarilocheBalseiro Institute / Bariloche Atomic Centre1 MW[10]1982[10]
ZED-2CanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories200 W[11]1960
McMaster Nuclear ReactorCanadaHamilton, OntarioMcMaster University5 MW 1959
National Research Universal reactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories135 MW 1957
Petten nuclear reactorsNetherlandsPettenDutch Nuclear Research and consultancy Group,[12]EU Joint Research Centre30 kW and 60MW 1960
ORPHEE FranceSaclayLaboratoire Léon Brillouin14 MW 1980
FRM IIGermanyGarchingTechnical University of Munich20 MW 2004
HOR NetherlandsDelftReactor Institute Delft, Delft University of Technology2 MW
Mainz GermanyMainzUniversität Mainz, Institut für Kernchemie100 kW[13]
TRIGA Mark II[14]AustriaViennaTechnical University Vienna, TU Wien, Atominstitut250 kW 1962[14]
IRT-2000BulgariaSofiaBulgarian Academy of Sciences research site 2 MW
OPALAustraliaLucas Heights, New South WalesAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation20 MW 2006
IEA-R1BrazilSão PauloInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares3.5 MW 1957
IRT-2000[15]RussiaMoscowMoscow Engineering Physics Institute2.5 MW[15]1967[15]
SAFARI-1South AfricaPelindabaSouth African Nuclear Energy Corporation20 MW[16]1965[16]
High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application ReactorSouth KoreaDaejeonKorea Atomic Energy Research Institute30 MW[17]1995[17]
LVR-15 Czech RepublicŘežNuclear Research Institute 10 MW[18]1995[18]
North Carolina State University Reactor ProgramUnited StatesRaleigh, North CarolinaNorth Carolina State University1 MW[19]1953[19]
High Flux Isotope ReactorUnited StatesOak Ridge, TennesseeOak Ridge National Laboratory
Advanced Test ReactorUnited StatesIdahoIdaho National Laboratory250 MW[20]
University of Missouri Research ReactorUnited StatesColumbia, MissouriUniversity of Missouri10 MW 1966
Maryland University Training ReactorUnited StatesCollege Park, MarylandUniversity of Maryland250 kW[21]1970[21]
Washington State University ReactorUnited StatesPullman, WashingtonWashington State University1 MW[22]
CROCUSSwitzerlandLausanneÉcole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Maria reactorPolandŚwierk-OtwockNational Centre for Nuclear Research 30 MW 1974
TRIGA Mark I United StatesIrvine, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine
ITU TRIGA Mark-II Training and Research ReactorTurkeyIstanbulIstanbul Technical University
ETRR-1EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center 2 MW 1961
ETRR-2EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center 22 MW 1997
Ghana Research Reactor-1[23]GhanaAccraNational Nuclear Research Institute of the Ghanan Atomic Energy Commission30 kW

Decommissioned research reactors:

Reactor Name Country City Institution Power Level Operation Date Closure Date Decommissioned
ASTRAAustriaSeibersdorfAustrian Institute of Technology10 MW 1960 1999
BER II GermanyBerlinHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin10 MW 1973 2019[24]
CONSORT United KingdomAscot, BerkshireImperial College100 kW 1965 [25]2012 [26]
JASON reactorUnited KingdomGreenwichRoyal Naval College10 kW 1962 1996
MOATAAustraliaLucas HeightsAustralian Atomic Energy Commission100 kW 1961 1995
High Flux Australian ReactorAustraliaLucas HeightsAustralian Atomic Energy Commission 1958 2007
HTGR (Pin-in-Block Design) United KingdomWinfrith, DorsetInternational Atomic Energy Agency20MWt 1964 1976 July 2005[27]
DIDOUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment1990
Nuclear Power DemonstrationCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Rolphton plant 20 MW 1961 1987
NRXCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories1952 1992
PLUTO reactorUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment26 MW 1957 1990
Pool Test ReactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories10 kW 1957 1990
WR-1CanadaPinawa, ManitobaAECL's Whiteshell Laboratories60 MW 1965 1985
ZEEPCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories1945 1973
More Hall AnnexUnited StatesSeattleUniversity of Washington100 kW 1961 1988
Ewa reactorPolandŚwierk-OtwockPOLATOM Institute of Nuclear Energy 10 MW 1958 1995
FiR 1FinlandEspooHelsinki University of Technology,
later VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland		250 kW[28]1962[28]2015[29]
RV-1VenezuelaCaracasVenezuelan Institute for Scientific Research3 MW 1960 1994
Salaspils Research Reactor LatviaSalaspilsLatvian Academy of Sciences2 kW 1961 1998

References

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  1. ^Alrwashdeh, Mohammad, and Saeed A. Alameri. "Reactor Monte Carlo (RMC) model validation and verification in compare with MCNP for plate-type reactor." AIP Advances 9, no. 7 (2019): 075112. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5115807
  2. ^"CRP on Conversion of Miniature Neutron Source Research Reactors (MNSR) to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU)". Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Waste Technology. International Atomic Energy Agency. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on Jun 12, 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  3. ^"Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors". National Nuclear Security Administration. Archived from the original on 29 October 2004.
  4. ^"U.S. Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance". National Nuclear Security Administration. Archived from the original on 22 September 2006.
  5. ^Cho, Adrian (28 January 2016). "Ridding research reactors of highly enriched uranium to take decades longer than projected". Science. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  6. ^"IAEA highlights work to convert research reactors". World Nuclear News. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ abc"Budapest Research Reactor | Budapest Neutron Centre ...for research, science and innovation!". www.bnc.hu. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  8. ^"Institute for Nuclear Technology". reak.bme.hu. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  9. ^"Nuclear Reactors". pd.chem.ucl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  10. ^ ab"RA-6 de Argentina" (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  11. ^"Research reactors - Canadian Nuclear Association". Canadian Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  12. ^"High Flux Reactor - European Commission". ec.europa.eu. 13 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  13. ^Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität. "Reactor". www.kernchemie.uni-mainz.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  14. ^ ab"ATI : Reactor". ati.tuwien.ac.at. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  15. ^ abc"The reactor | National Research Nuclear University MEPhI". eng.mephi.ru. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  16. ^ ab"SAFARI-1". www.necsa.co.za. Archived from the original on 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  17. ^ ab"High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO) | Facilities | NTI". www.nti.org. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  18. ^ ab"Research Reactor LVR-15 | Centrum výzkumu Řež". cvrez.cz. Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  19. ^ ab"History - Nuclear Reactor Program". Nuclear Reactor Program. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  20. ^"ATR Factsheet"(PDF). Idaho National Laboratory. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  21. ^ ab"Maryland University Training Reactor (MUTR) | 250 kW TRIGA Reactor | University of Maryland Radiation Facilities". radiation.umd.edu/. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  22. ^"Nuclear Science Center Washington State University". nsc.wsu.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  23. ^"Research Reactor Database - GHARR-1". International Atomic Energy Agency. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  24. ^"Ende der Neutronen-Ära". pro-physik.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  25. ^"CONSORT Reactor Decommissioning: From fission to fuel gone". imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  26. ^"UK research reactor fully decommissioned". world-nuclear-news.org. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  27. ^"Winfrith's DRAGON loses its fire". www.nda.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  28. ^ abKarlsen, Wade; Vilkamo, Olli (2016-12-14). "Finland's old nuclear research reactor to be decommissioned – New Centre for Nuclear Safety under construction". VTT Impulse. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  29. ^"Research Reactor Database". International Atomic Energy Agency. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
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