AGN-211-P

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AGN-211-P (2008)

AGN-211-P was the research reactor of the University of Basel and a display object during Expo 58 , where it was located under the Atomium .

It had not been relevant for research for a long time; it was still used for training students, for demonstration purposes and for generating neutron radiation.

The manufacturer of the reactor was Aerojet General Nucleonics.

The reactor was easily accessible during operation and it could u. a. the Cherenkov glow can be observed.

history

The AGN-211-P reactor was located under the Atomium in 1958.

The current AGN-211-P reactor was installed under the Atomium at the 1958 World Exhibition in Brussels . In 1959 he was brought to Switzerland. Construction in Switzerland began on April 30, 1959, and commissioning took place on August 1, 1959. In 1961, the fuel elements were exchanged for metal plate elements with 90 percent enriched uranium.

The control system was completely renewed in 1986. For various reasons, such as the age of the plant, the USA's take-back offer for the fuel, retirement of specialists, etc., the shutdown in 2013 was viewed as a matter of time. The annual inspection in November 2013 did not reveal any objections. The reactor has been designated as decommissioned since 2013. Preparatory work for the dismantling is currently being carried out.

The fuel elements of the research reactor were transferred to the USA in the summer of 2015 as part of a repatriation program of the American National Nuclear Security Administration .

At the beginning of February 2017, the University of Basel submitted the decommissioning project for the research reactor to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. On February 13, 2019, DETEC issued the decommissioning order so that dismantling can begin, which is to be completed by the end of 2020 for a total of CHF 10 million. The costs are borne by the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

Technical specifications

  • Type: open swimming pool reactor
  • Fuel: approx. 1,974 kg UAlx ( highly enriched uranium )
  • Control rods: 4 (each 1 coarse control rod and 1 safety rod made of cadmium, 1 fine control rod made of stainless steel and 1 safety rod made of Boral)
  • Max. Nominal power: 2 kW
  • Max. weekly limitation: 30 kWh
  • Neutron flux: 4 · 10 10 n / (cm²s)
  • Moderator: light water

The fuel would last for around 800 years of operation.

Web links

Commons : AGN-211-P  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b badische-zeitung.de: Die Kernkraftzwerge , June 22, 2011, accessed on January 7, 2014.
  2. ↑ a b Government Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt: Interpellation No. 36 by Remo Gallacchi regarding “Training and Research Reactor of the University of Basel” from May 30, 2013.
  3. ^ A b University of Basel: 550 Years of the University of Basel - History of the Department of Physics at the University of Basel ( Memento from June 27, 2011 in the Internet Archive ), September 2009.
  4. ↑ a b IAEA: Switzerland (Swiss Confederation): Research Reactor Details - AGN 211 P.
  5. ^ AGN was a subsidiary of the Aerojet General Corporation, which in turn belonged to the General Tire and Rubber Company ( trading today as Aerojet Rocketdyne ); Source: Journal of the Assembly, Legislature of the State of California, 1959, p. 64.
  6. ↑ a b http://www.nuklearforum.ch/de/ffekten-und-wissen/dossiers/lehre-forschung-und-nachwuchs-der-schweizer-kernenergie
  7. ↑ a b https://www.ensi.ch/de/2017/05/24/ensi-bebeispielt-stilllegungsprojekt-des-forschungsreaktors-der-uni-basel-als-vollstaendig/
  8. ↑ https://www.ensi.ch/de/themen/forschungsreaktoren/
  9. ↑ a b c bazonline.ch: The miniature nuclear power plant in the middle of Basel , April 13, 2011.
  10. ↑ tagesanzeiger.ch: The oldest nuclear reactor in Switzerland switches off , July 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ Radiation Protection report of ENSI
  12. ↑ National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA): Last HEU Removed from Switzerland under NNSA Collaboration , September 16, 2015.
  13. ↑ http://www.bfe.admin.ch/energie/00588/00589/00644/index.html?lang=de&msg-id=66801
  14. ↑ https://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/basel-stadt/aeltester-schweizer-atomreaktor-an-uni-basel-darf-stilllege-haben-134264097
  15. ↑ Basel research reactor before decommissioning. University of Basel, February 20, 2017, accessed on August 25, 2017 .
  16. ↑ reactor operator school - University of Basel
  17. ↑ https://www.ensi.ch/de/2017/05/24/ensi-beahrungt-stilllegungsprojekt-des-forschungsreaktors-der-uni-basel-als-vollstaendig/

Coordinates: 47 ° 33 '52.9 "  N , 7 ° 34' 43.3"  E ; CH1903:  610 542  /  two hundred and sixty-eight thousand two hundred and thirty-one