Zero power reactor
A zero-power reactor (also called a critical arrangement ) is an experimental nuclear reactor in which a controlled nuclear chain reaction takes place at a negligibly low power level (up to 1 kilowatt ; power reactors , on the other hand, deliver many megawatts in normal operation). As a result, the temperature increase during operation is very low and coolants are not required. In comparison to power reactors, practically no nuclear fuel is used and hardly any radioactive waste is generated.
Zero power reactors are used for teaching and training purposes, as teaching reactors and as research reactors for the development of reactor concepts and technologies.
Use for reactor development
The zero-power reactor makes use of the fact that in the critical state of a reactor, the spatial distribution of the neutron flux - and thus the heat output generated - is independent of the absolute reaction rate of the nuclear fission. Since the coolant, an enclosing pressure vessel, etc. are omitted, a reactor core can be constructed in a flexible manner from small, reusable components, which in terms of neutron physics, for example, resembles a planned power reactor core; the neutron physical properties of the missing coolant can be simulated using plastic parts. The zero power reactor core can be equipped with detectors and sensors with relative ease. So let next to the flow distribution and control rod - reactivity values , neutron energy spectra Kühlmittelverlustreaktivitäten , conversion rates and other neutron-physical parameters measured.
Examples
The following zero-power reactors are in operation in Germany (as of 2011):
- four Siemens teaching reactors of type SUR-100 at universities in Furtwangen , Hanover , Stuttgart and Ulm (0.1 watt)
- the training nuclear reactor Dresden at the Technical University of Dresden (2 watt)
In Switzerland, only the EPFL's CROCUS reactor is still in operation as a critical arrangement.
See also
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- ↑ Zero power reactor. Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate , accessed on June 20, 2011 .
- ↑ W. Marth, The Fast Breeder SNR 300 in the ups and downs of its history (PDF; 5.5 MB), report KFK 4666 of the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center, May 1992
- ↑ List of nuclear facilities in the Federal Republic of Germany (operation). (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Radiation Protection , February 2011, formerly in the original ; Retrieved June 20, 2011 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
