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
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,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 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 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. 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. , 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 (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 Aqueous homogeneous reactor Argonaut class reactor DIDO class, six high-flux reactors worldwide TRIGA, a highly successful class with >50 installations worldwide SLOWPOKE reactor class, developed by AECL, Canada OPAL reactor class, developed by INVAP, Argentina Miniature neutron source reactor, based on the SLOWPOKE design, developed by AECL, currently exported by China Aerojet General Nucleonics, 201 Models. Developed by Aerojet General in the United States. Three current reactors in operation at Idaho State University, The University of New Mexico, and Texas A&M University.
Research centers A complete list can be found at the List of nuclear research reactors. Research centers that operate a reactor: Reactor NameCountryCityInstitutionPower LevelOperation DateBR2 ReactorBelgiumBelgian Nuclear Research Center SCK•CEN100 MWBudapest Research ReactorHungaryBudapestHungarian Academy of Sciences Centre for Energy Research5 MW1959Budapest University of Technology Training ReactorHungaryBudapestBudapest University of Technology and Economics100 kW1969ILL High-Flux ReactorFranceGrenobleInstitut Laue-Langevin63 MWRA-6ArgentinaBalseiro Institute / Bariloche Atomic Centre1 MW1982ZED-2 CanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories200 W1960McMaster Nuclear Reactor CanadaHamilton, OntarioMcMaster University5 MW1959UF Training Reactor United StatesGainesville, FloridaUniversity of Florida100 kW1959National Research Universal reactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories 135 MW1957Petten nuclear reactorsNetherlandsPettenDutch Nuclear Research and consultancy Group, EU Joint Research Centre30 kW and 60MW1960ORPHEEFrance14 MW1980FRM IIGermanyGarchingTechnical University of Munich20 MW2004HORNetherlandsReactor Institute Delft, Delft University of Technology2 MWMainzGermany100 kWTRIGA Mark IIAustriaViennaTechnical University Vienna, TU Wien, Atominstitut250 kW1962IRT-2000BulgariaSofiaBulgarian Academy of Sciences research site2 MWOPALAustraliaLucas Heights, New South WalesAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation20 MW2006IEA-R1BrazilSão Paulo3.5 MW1957IRT-2000RussiaMoscowMoscow Engineering Physics Institute2.5 MW1967SAFARI-1South AfricaPelindabaSouth African Nuclear Energy Corporation20 MW1965PARR-lPakistanIslamabadPakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology5 MW1965PARR-llPakistanIslamabadPakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology30 KW1989High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application ReactorSouth KoreaKorea Atomic Energy Research Institute30 MW1995LVR-15Czech RepublicNuclear Research Institute10 MW1995North Carolina State University Reactor ProgramUnited StatesRaleigh, North CarolinaNorth Carolina State University1 MW1953High Flux Isotope ReactorUnited StatesOak Ridge, TennesseeOak Ridge National LaboratoryAdvanced Test ReactorUnited StatesIdahoIdaho National Laboratory250 MWUniversity of Missouri Research ReactorUnited StatesColumbia, MissouriUniversity of Missouri10 MW1966Maryland University Training ReactorUnited StatesCollege Park, MarylandUniversity of Maryland250 kW1970Washington State University ReactorUnited StatesPullman, WashingtonWashington State University1 MWCROCUSSwitzerlandLausanneMaria reactorPolandŚwierk-National Centre for Nuclear Research30 MW1974TRIGA Mark IUnited StatesIrvine, CaliforniaUniversity of California, IrvineITU TRIGA Mark-II Training and Research ReactorTurkeyIstanbulIstanbul Technical UniversityETRR-1EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center2 MW1961ETRR-2EgyptInshasNuclear Research Center22 MW1997Ghana Research Reactor-1GhanaAccraNational Nuclear Research Institute of the Ghanan Atomic Energy Commission30 kW
Decommissioned research reactors: Reactor NameCountryCityInstitutionPower LevelOperation DateClosure DateDecommissionedASTRAAustriaSeibersdorfAustrian Institute of Technology10 MW19601999BER IIGermanyBerlin10 MW19732019CONSORTUnited KingdomAscot, BerkshireImperial College100 kW1965 2012 JASON reactorUnited KingdomGreenwichRoyal Naval College10 kW19621996MOATAAustraliaLucas HeightsAustralian Atomic Energy Commission100 kW19611995High Flux Australian ReactorAustraliaLucas HeightsAustralian Atomic Energy Commission19582007HTGR (Pin-in-Block Design)United KingdomWinfrith, Dorset International Atomic Energy Agency20MWt19641976July 2005DIDOUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment1990Nuclear Power DemonstrationCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Rolphton plant20 MW19611987NRXCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories19521992PLUTO reactorUnited KingdomHarwell, OxfordshireAtomic Energy Research Establishment26 MW19571990Pool Test ReactorCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories10 kW19571990WR-1CanadaPinawa, ManitobaAECL's Whiteshell Laboratories60 MW19651985ZEEPCanadaDeep River, OntarioAECL's Chalk River Laboratories19451973More Hall AnnexUnited StatesSeattleUniversity of Washington100 kW19611988Ewa reactorPolandŚwierk-POLATOM Institute of Nuclear Energy10 MW19581995FiR 1FinlandEspooHelsinki University of Technology,later VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland250 kW19622015RV-1VenezuelaCaracasVenezuelan Institute for Scientific Research3 MW19601994Salaspils Research ReactorLatviaSalaspilsLatvian Academy of Sciences2 kW19611998
References
WNA Information Paper # 61: Research Reactors Nuclear Nonproliferation: DOE Needs to Take Action to Further Reduce the Use of Weapons-Usable Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors, GAO, July 2004, GAO-04-807
External links IAEA searchable list of Nuclear Research Reactors in the world The National Organization of Test, Research, and Training Reactors, Inc. NMI3 - EU-FP7 Integrated Infrastructure Initiative for Neutron Scattering and Muon Spectroscopy