applications of research reactors: part 1 - · pdf fileiaea, vienna, austria . 2 ... •...

Applications of Research Reactors:

Part 1

Danas Ridikas

RR Officer, Physics Section

Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences (NAPC) Department of Nuclear Applications and Sciences (NA)

1 February 2011

IAEA, Vienna, Austria

Contact: D.Ridikas@iaea.org

Outline

• Lecture 1: introduction to RRs

• Lecture 2: strategic planning for RRs (IAEA- TECDOC 1212)

• Lecture 3: applications of RRs, part 1 (IAEA- TECDOC 1234)

• Lecture 4: applications of RRs, part 2 (IAEA- TECDOC 1234)

Applications of RRs in 3 steps by

1. presentation of products and services

what can be done?

2. explanation of basic principles

how it can be done?

3. definition of requirements

what is needed?

Outline

Contents of the IAEA RRDB (operational RR)

Why so many and different types of RRs?

• Education & Training

• Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)

• Radioisotope Production

• Geochronology

• Neutron transmutation doping

• Gemstone coloration

• Fuel/material/instrument testing/qualification/development

• Provision of nuclear data

• Positron source

• Neutron capture therapy

Neutron sources

• Neutron Scattering

• Material science investigations

• Residual stress measurements

• Neutron Radiography

• …

Education & training (1)

• Public tours and visits

• Teaching physical and biological science students

• Teaching radiation protection and radiological engineering students

• Nuclear engineering students

• Nuclear power plant operator training

Can be potential source of income

Service Flux, n/s cm2 Facilities Equipment Staff Budget

Public tours and visits

Any Lecture room E.g.: demonstration

of NAA

1-2 E.g.: self

reading

dosimeters

Teaching physical

and biological

science students

~1010-1011 e.g. rabbit system E.g.: additional

capsules/samples

1-2 E.g.: self

reading

dosimeters

Teaching radiation protection and radiological engineering students

Any Should already exist Detection of activates

samples, air,

contamination,

detection of neutron

and gamma fields

1-2 E.g. additional

contamination

closing,

ultraviolet light

Nuclear engineering

students

Low power

High power

Reactor physics

Utilisation

experiments

RR operation

experiments

Activation foils

gamma detection

neutron detection

Operator

Instruments,

foils, wires:

up to $40000

Nuclear power plant

operator training

Low power

High power

Reactor physics

RR operation

experiments

-//- -//- -//-

Education & training (example)

Typical flow from Academics to Nuclear

Academic background Nuclear training required

Population need estimates for 2 NPPs

Experts

Project + M&O staff

Construction & Operating staffBachelors &

Technicians

Engineers &

Masters

+ 3 to 9 months

+ 6 to 12 months

+ 12 to 24 months

Courtesy: AREVA, France, 2009.

Qualitative & quantitative analytical technique for the determination of trace elements/impurities

• Samples from mg to kg, detected concentration ~ppb

• Uses : Archaeology, Biomedicine, Environmental Science, Geology and geochemistry, Industrial products, Nutrition, Quality assurance of analysis & reference materials

• Rocks, minerals, and soils

• Atmospheric aerosols

• Archaeological artifacts

• Tree rings

• Dust in ice cores

• Hair, nails, skin, etc.

• Plant and animal matter

• Coal

• Can be a potential source of income

Soil mapping using NAA in Jamaica

Neutron Activation Analysis (1)

Cyclic NAA

Sampling

Pre-irradiation sample treatment

Irradiation

Prompt-ray counting

in PGNAA

Radiochemical

separation in RNAA

Radioactivity measurement

Elemental concentration calculation

Critical evaluation of results

and preparation of the NAA report

Radiochemical

separation in P or DNAA

NAA (most)

DNNAA (actinides)

~109-1012

half-life,

quantity,

method

dependent

Flux monitoring

(energy, stability,

homogeneity,

reproducibility)

Sample transfer

system

Sample preparation,

measurement,

storage areas

Counting equipment

(hardware, software)

Sample loader -

charger

Radioactive sources

physicist Detection up

to: $100000

Other:

$20000

(H, B, C, N, P, S, Cd, Pb, Sm, Gd)

half-life,

quantity,

preferably cold

neutrons

Cold neutron source,

Flux monitoring

(energy, stability,

homogeneity,

reproducibility)

Sample transfer

system

Sample preparation,

measurement,

storage areas

Counting equipment

(hardware, software)

Sample loader -

charger

Radioactive sources

Dedicated shielding

against neutrons,

Compton

suppression,

collimators, filters

physicist

technician

engineer

Detection up

to: $100000

Other:

$20000

PGNAA:

$200000 for

cold neutron

Radioisotope Production (1)

Typical forms of isotopic radioactive sources

Used in

• Medicine (diagnostic and therapy), but also

• Industry, agriculture & research

• Most used : in medicine Mo-99 (80% procedures) and in industry Co-60

• Potential source of income, big demand

• Also produced in particle accelerators

Target fabrication

Irradiation in reactor

Transportation of irradiated target to

radioactive laboratory

Radiochemical processing (separation)

or encapsulation in sealed source

Quality control

Transportation to end users

Target fabrication

Irradiation in reactor

Transportation of irradiated target to

radioactive laboratory

Radiochemical processing (separation)

or encapsulation in sealed source

Quality control

Transportation to end users

• (n,γ) : 59Co + n 60Co + γ

• (n,γ) β- : 130Te + n 131Te* + γ 131I + β-

• (n,p) : 32S +n 32P + p

• (n,α) : 6Li + n 3H + 4He

• Multistage reaction: 186W (n,γ) & 187W(n,γ) 188W

• Fission : Short lived fission products 99Mo 131I Long lived fission products 137Cs 147Pm

Service Flux, n/s

Facilities Equipment Staff Budget

24Na 32P 38Cl 56Mn 41Ar 64Cu 198Au …

<1013 Radiochemistry

laboratory,

thermal/fast

neutrons

Targets (enriched)

spectroscopy

Radio-

chemist

Variable

+ 90Y 99Mo 125I 131I 133Xe

~1013-1014 If product

finalized: hot

cells, waste

storage facility,

Encapsulation

materials

Portable shielding

Additional

technician:

depends on

production

Variable

+ 14C 35S 51Cr 60Co 89Sr 153Sm 169Yb 170Tm 182Ir

>1014 Automatic

loading, heat

removal

systems,

reactor

operation

modifications

High safety

standards, remote

chemistry,

nuclear welding,

quality

assurance, safety

analysis,

lisencing

Additional

staff:

logistics,

commercial

manager

Variable

Radioisotope Production (example: Mo-99)

Challenges related to Mo

• Demand-Supply situation

• Limited number of HFR

• HEU LEU

• Fission-Mo versus Capture-Mo

• Dating method of small (mg) quantities of minerals

• Actinide free

• Including actinides

Geochronology (1)

Scoria cone erupted on an ancient fluvial terrace of Rio Chico, Argentina

Geologic studies on the origin and thermal histories of

• mineral deposits, emplacement, cooling

• uplift history of plutonic rocks

• formation of metamorphic belts

• development of volcanic terraces

• formation and amalgamation of the Earth's crust

• age and development of the landscape

• timing of catastrophic events in earth history

Age range of from 2000 years to 4,6 billion years

• Dating method of small (mg) quantities of minerals

• Actinide free

Decay of natural potassium 40K 40Ar

Ratio 40Ar/40K from 40Ar/39Ar via 39K(n,p)39Ar, Eth=1.2MeV

Use of gas extraction spectrometry systems

• Including actinides (apatite, zircon)

Use of fission track method

The age is determined by

Geochronology (2) 40K 40Ar

Ethreshold

~ 1.2 MeV

extraction

40Ar/39Ar (spectrometry system)

40Ar/40K

Age !!

1.26.109y

Ther.n(n,p)

40K 40Ar

Ethreshold

~ 1.2 MeV

extraction

40Ar/39Ar (spectrometry system)

40Ar/40K

Age !!

1.26.109y

Ther.n(n,p)

Trackthermal

Spontaneus fission

NfissionU5 = f(NU5)

NU5 NU8(t=0)

NfissionU8 = f( NU8(t) )

Actinide free Fast neutrons

Cd shielding for

parasitic reaction 40K(n,p)40Ar

Flat neutron flux

In core irradiation

Temperature control

Precise flux

monitors

Off site analysis

(precision

measurements)

Radioactive

shipment

Capsules,

shipping, Cd

shield

Include Actinides Thermal

neutrons

Flux monitoring,

(stability,

homogeneity,

reproducibility)

Parasitic fission on 232Th and 238U

Sample preparation,

thin mica detectors,

glass monitors for

flux gradient, CH2

Radioactive

shipment or

scientist +

counting

laboratory

Variable

Geochronology (3)

• Silicon transmutation doping

Transmutation effects (1)

Colourless topaz (left) and blue topaz (right)

• Silicon transmutation doping • Source of income

• 30Si(n,γ)31Si 31P

• Gemstone coloration • Source of income

• Improve gemstone properties (e.g. colour)

Silicon transmutation doping

Thermal

neutrons

~1013-1014

High thermalization,

<5% in-homogeneity,

sample heat removal

Contamination

monitor, storage

facility, flux

monitoring, handling

equipmet

Engineer +

technician

Variable:

from $5000

to $200000

Gemstone coloration Fast neutrons

Cd shield to avoid

induced activity,

temperature control

Storage facility,

radioactivity

monitoring,

Radio-

chemist, heat

transfer

studies,

technician

Variable and

dependent

Fuel/material/detector testing/qualification (1)

• Instrument development, testing, calibration, qualification

• Fuel/material testing (ageing, corrosion, irradiation)

• Fuel/material qualification (temperature, pressure, irradiation)

• Development of new fuels/materials (actinide fuels, high temperature reactors,

fast reactors, fusion reactors, …)

Operating conditions

0.1 1 10 100 1000

Dose (dpa)

reactors

temperature

reactors

Nuclear

fuel UO2,

Thermal

reactors

Fusion

reactor

Fuel/material testing/qualification (2)

Equipped irradiation rigs

Independent/controlled heating

Thermocouples

Neutron monitoring

Irradiation loops (p, T, neutrons)

Hot laboratories

Mechanical tests

Visual examination

Radiochemistry

Material/fuel testing ~1014-1015 Dedicated loops,

controlled

environment,

neutron filters,

fission product

monitoring

Hot cell-laboratory,

waste storage

facility, dedicated

space, NDT and DT

facilities, etc.

Nuclear

engineers,

fuel lab.

Workers,

materials

research

engineers,

Variable:

$500000 -

1000000

Instrument testing Any

from Sv/h to

Access to well

characterised

neutron/gamma

fields,

neutron/gamma

filters/collimators

Radiation

monitoring, facility

certification for

calibration

Health

physicist,

technician

Monitors

$2000,

Accreditation

$20000

Fuel/material testing/qualification (3)

Genealogical tree of nuclear reactors

Nuclear reactors in the world (2007)

Expected to reach 600-700 units by 2030!

Argentine

Brésil

Canada

Belgique Finlande

Allemagne

Corée du Sud

Mexique

Russie

Afrique du Sud

Espagne Etats-Unis

Royaume-Uni

Suède

Suisse

Lituanie

Bulgarie Roumanie

Slovénie

Slovaquie

Hongrie Tchéquie

Arménie

Pakistan

Pays Bas

59 France

Total = 439 units

15 Ukraine

History of the Global Nuclear Power

World’s electricity: 17 % nuclear

Dominating “species”: LWRs (80%)

Today’s experience: >10000 years*reactors

Limitations of LWRs:

• Energy conversion factor

• Life-time & fuel burn-up

• Uranium resources

• Use of open fuel cycle (nuclear waste)

Figure 1

Replacement staggered over a 30-year period (2020 - 2050)

Rate of construction : 2,000 MW/year

Generation 3+

Generation 4Existing fleet

40-year plant life

Plant life extension

beyond 40 years

197519801985199019952000200520102015202020252030203520402045205020552060

Average plant life : 48 years 2005 2025 2045

Scenario with constant

reactor fleet!

U n e s û re té e n c o re

a m é lio ré e

D is p o s it if d e ré c u p é ra t io n

d u c o e u r fo n d u (c o r iu m )

e n c a s d ‘a c c id e n t

E n c e in te c o n ç u e p o u r

ré s is te r à u n e e x p lo s io n

h y d ro g è n e

S y s tè m e

d ‘é v a c u a t io n d e

c h a le u r

4 z o n e s

in d é p e n d a n te s p o u r

le s s y s tè m e s

re d o n d a n ts d e s û re téR é s e r v o ir d ‘e a u

U n e s û re té e n c o re

a m é lio ré e

h y d ro g è n e

S y s tè m e

c h a le u r

4 z o n e s

h y d ro g è n e

S y s tè m e

c h a le u r

4 z o n e s

The best what LWRs can do 3rd generation: EPR

Major features:

• Safety: redundancy and added margins

• Age: 60 years

• High burn-up: 60GWd/t – 5% U enrichment

• Possibility to use MOX

Real break-through:

• future 4th generation reactors

• > 2040

Generation 4 International Forum

Very High Temperature Reactor

Sodium Fast reactor

Closed Fuel Cycle

Once Through

Supercritical Water Reactor

Once/Closed

Molten Salt Reactor

Closed Fuel Cycle

Lead Fast Reactor

Gas Fast Reactor

Closed Fuel

6 innovative concepts under study

End of lecture three.

Task 3:

Describe the principles of NAA by answering the following questions:

what can be done?

how it can be done?

what is needed?

Lecture 3: applications of RRs (part 1)

Why so many and different types of RRs?

• Education & Training

• Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)

• Radioisotope Production

• Geochronology

• Neutron transmutation doping

• Fuel/material/instrument testing/qualification/development

• Provision of nuclear data

• Positron source

• Neutron capture therapy

Neutron sources

• Neutron Scattering

• Material science investigations

• Residual stress measurements

• Neutron Radiography

• …

applications of research reactors: part 1 - · pdf fileiaea, vienna, austria . 2 ... •...

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