TRIGA

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The core of a Triga reactor
Old control panel of the TRIGA reactor in Vienna

TRIGA ( T raining, R esearch, I sotopes, G eneral A tomic ) is a type of research reactor in swimming pool design . TRIGA reactors are generally supplied turnkey by the manufacturer General Atomics with an output of a few kilowatts (approx. 20 kW) up to several megawatts (20 MW) .

The idea for this type of reactor came from Edward Teller , who also headed the development group under Frederic de Hoffmann at General Atomics. Members of the group of ten were Freeman Dyson and Theodore B. Taylor .

business

TRIGA reactors can be operated in pulse mode. This means that the reactor is started up in an uncontrolled manner until it reaches the prompt supercritical state. The neutron flux and thus the heat output increases very quickly until the negative temperature coefficient of the reactivity of the fuel rods makes the reactor subcritical again. The pulse duration is about 30 ms. Because of the residual heat in the fuel elements, the reactor then has to cool down until the next pulse. In this operation, very high pulse powers and neutron flux densities are achieved, which would not be possible in continuous operation.

history

The first prototype went into operation on May 3, 1958 in San Diego. It was only shut down in 1997. The American Nuclear Society awarded the facility the Nuclear Historic Landmark Award in 1985 . The first design required uranium enriched to 19.75% U-235 . As part of the Atoms for Peace initiative launched by President Eisenhower , this type was sold in numerous countries. From 1978 the reactors were converted to operation with lower enriched uranium.

There are three different reactor types in total.

The intended use of the TRIGA as a training reactor is underlined by a quote from Edward Teller, who refers to the task of the reactor development group:

"The group was to design a reactor so safe that it could be given to a bunch of high school children to play with, without any fear that they would get hurt."

"The group was asked to design a reactor that was so safe that it could be left to a group of high school students to play with without worrying about harming them."

- Edward Teller

In fact, Reed College in Oregon , a liberal arts college with a focus on the humanities, has a first generation TRIGA Mark I reactor operated by a group of students. These are mainly physics students, as well as students of humanities. According to Reed College, there are more women on the reactor operations team than in any other research reactor worldwide combined. Interested students undergo special training under the supervision of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission .

Fuel rods

The fuel rods for the reactors were initially manufactured in San Diego (USA). Production has been carried out by TRIGA International since 1995 . 50% of the company is held by General Atomics, the other 50% by CERCA , an Areva subsidiary. The production of the fuel rods was relocated to Romans-sur-Isère (France).

nuclear waste

The spent fuel rods will be taken back by the USA.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Freeman Dyson describes the development in Disturbing the Universe , 1979, German: Innenansichten , Springer Basel 1981, p. 107ff.
  2. ↑ Details on TRIGA nuclear fuel
  3. ^ Freeman Dyson in Disturbing the Universe , 1979, Harper and Row, New York, p. 97.
  4. ^ Reed College: Reactor , accessed April 9, 2020
  5. ↑ oregonlive.com: Research nuclear reactor at Southeast Portland's Reed College can't have a core meltdown , accessed April 9, 2020
  6. ↑ atlasobscura.com: World's only nuclear reactor operated by liberal arts undergraduates. , accessed on April 9, 2020

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