Research reactors are 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 submarine propulsion.

The neutrons produced by a research reactor are used for 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.

Research reactors have small power outputs compared to power reactors. While a typical electricity producing reactor may have a thermal power output of 3,000 MWt, research reactors typically range from 10 kWt to 10 MWt. The total thermal power of the world's 283 research reactors is little over 3000 MWt.

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, although some use 93% U-235. 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 down the neutrons and enhance fission. As neutron production is their main function, most research reactors benefit from reflectors to reduce neutron loss from the core.

The U.S. Department of Energy initiated a program in 1978 to develop the technical means to convert research reactors from the using highly enriched uranium to the use of low enriched uranium, 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. [http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/na-20/usfrrsnf.shtml

Historically important 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 Canada
• Miniature neutron source reactor, based on the SLOWPOKE design, currently exported by China

Research centers that operate a reactor:

• PLUTO reactor (DIDO, 26MW, 1957-90) in Harwell, Oxfordshire, England
• McMaster Nuclear Reactor (5 MW, 1959-) in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• National Research Universal Reactor (135 MW, 200MW, 1957-) at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories in Deep River, Ontario, Canada
• Petten nuclear reactors (30 kW and 60MW, 1960-) in Petten, Netherlands
• High flux reactor HFR of the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France
• Orphee of the Laboratoire Leon Brillouin at Saclay, France
• FRM-II at Technische Universität München in Garching, Germany (20 MW, 2004-)
• OPAL (2007?-) at Lucas Heights near Sydney, Australia
• ZED-2 (1960-) at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories in Deep River, Ontario, Canada
• Pool-type reactor at Moscow Engineering Physics Institute in Moscow.

Decomissioned research reactors:

• MOATA ((Argonaut, 100 kW, 1961-95) and HIFAR (DIDO, 1958-2007^*) at Lucas Heights near Sydney, Australia
• NPD reactor (20 MW, 1961-1987) at AECL's Rolfton near Deep River, Ontario Canada
• NRX (1952-92) at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories in Deep River, Ontario, Canada
• Pool Test Reactor (10 kWt, 1957-1990) at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories in Deep River, Ontario, Canada
• JASON reactor (Argonaut, 10 kW, 1962-96) in a 17th century building at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich near London
• WR-1 (60 MW, 1965-85) at AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories, near Pinawa, Manitoba
• ZEEP (1945-1973) of the Chalk River Laboratories in Deep River, Ontario, Canada

Reference

Nuclear reactors | neutron_scattering

Forschungsreaktor