Research reactor


Research reactors are 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

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

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, 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 LEU

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 to the use of low enriched uranium, in support of its nonproliferation policy. 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.
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. As of 2020, 72 HEU research reactors remain.

Designers and constructors

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 for a research reactor was that organized by ANSTO for the design, construction and commissioning of the OPAL reactor. Four companies were prequalified: 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

Complete list can be found at the List of nuclear research reactors.
Research centers that operate a reactor:
Reactor NameCountryCityInstitutionPower LevelOperation Date
BR2 ReactorBelgiumMolBelgian Nuclear Research Center SCK•CEN100 MW
Budapest Research ReactorHungaryBudapestHungarian Academy of Sciences Centre for Energy Research5 MW1959
Budapest University of Technology Training ReactorHungaryBudapestBudapest University of Technology100 kW1969
ILL High-Flux ReactorFranceGrenobleInstitut Laue-Langevin63 MW
RA-6ArgentinaBarilocheBalseiro Institute, / Bariloche Atomic Centre1 MW1982
ZED-2CanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories200 W1960
McMaster Nuclear ReactorCanadaHamilton, OntarioMcMaster University5 MW1959
National Research Universal ReactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories135 MW1957
Petten nuclear reactorsNetherlandsPettenDutch Nuclear Research and consultancy Group, EU Joint Research Centre30 kW and 60MW1960
ORPHEEFranceSaclayLaboratoire Léon Brillouin14 MW1980
FRM IIGermanyGarchingTechnische Universität München20 MW2004
HORNetherlandsDelftReactor Institute Delft, Delft University of Technology2 MW
BER IIGermanyBerlinHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin10 MW
MainzGermanyMainzUniversität Mainz, Institut für Kernchemie100 kW
TRIGA Mark IIAustriaViennaTechnical University Vienna, TU Wien, Atominstitut250 kW1962
IRT-2000BulgariaSofiaBulgarian Academy of Sciences research site2 MW
OPALAustraliaLucas Heights, New South WalesAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation20 MW2006
IEA-R1BrazilSão PauloInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares 3.5 MW1957
IRT-2000RussiaMoscowMoscow Engineering Physics Institute2.5 MW1967
SAFARI-1South AfricaPelindabaNECSA20 MW1965
HANAROSouth KoreaDaejeonKorea Atomic Energy Research Institute 30 MW1995
LVR-15Czech RepublicŘežNuclear Research Institute10 MW1995
North Carolina State University Reactor ProgramUnited StatesRaleigh, North CarolinaNorth Carolina State University1 MW1953
HFIRUnited StatesOak Ridge, TennesseeOak Ridge National Laboratory
ATRUnited StatesIdahoIdaho National Laboratory
United StatesColumbia, MissouriUniversity of Missouri10 MW1966
United StatesCollege Park, MarylandUniversity of Maryland250 kW1970
United StatesPullman, WashingtonWashington State University1 MW
CROCUSSwitzerlandLausanneÉcole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Maria reactorPolandŚwierk-OtwockNational Centre for Nuclear Research30 MW1974
TRIGA Mark IUnited StatesIrvine, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine
ITU ReactorTurkeyIstanbulIstanbul Technical University
ETRR-1EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center2 MW1961
ETRR-2EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center22 MW1997
GHARR-1GhanaAccraNational Nuclear Research Institute of the Ghanan Atomic Energy Commission30 kW

Decommissioned research reactors:
Reactor NameCountryCityInstitutionPower LevelOperation DateClosure DateDecommissioned
ASTRAAustriaSeibersdorf10 MW19601999
CONSORTUnited KingdomAscot, BerkshireImperial College100 kW
JASON reactorUnited KingdomGreenwichRoyal Naval College10 kW19621996
MOATAAustraliaLucas Heights100 kW19611995
HIFARAustraliaLucas Heights19582007
HTGR United KingdomWinfrith in Dorset,International Atomic Energy Agency20MWt19641976July 2005
DIDOUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment1990
Nuclear Power DemonstrationCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Rolphton plant20 MW19611987
NRXCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories19521992
PLUTO reactorUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment26 MW19571990
Pool Test ReactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories10 kW19571990
WR-1CanadaPinawa, ManitobaAECL's Whiteshell Laboratories60 MW19651985
ZEEPCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories19451973
More Hall AnnexUnited StatesSeattleUniversity of Washington100 kW19611988
Ewa reactorPolandŚwierk-OtwockPOLATOM Institute of Nuclear Energy10 MW19581995
FiR 1FinlandEspooHelsinki University of Technology,
later VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland		250 kW19622015
RV-1VenezuelaCaracasVenezuelan Institute for Scientific Research3 MW19601994