Status of Research Reactor Utilization in Brazil
José Augusto PerrottaInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares
IPEN/CNEN-SP; Brazil
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron Fluence
IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria17-21 November 2008
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Summary� Introduction
�Research Reactor Utilization� ARGONAUTA Research Reactor� IPR-R1 Research Reactor� IPEN/MB-01 Research Reactor� IEA-R1 Research Reactor
�Future Perspectives for RR Utilization
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Introduction
ArgonautIEN/CNEN-RJRio de Janeiro500 WResearch –
TrainingARGONAUTA
TRIGA MARK-ICDTN/CNEN-MGBelo Horizonte100 kWResearch –
TrainingIPR-R1
Pin Type – Open Core
IPEN/CNEN-SPSão Paulo100 W
Critical Facility –PWR Core Analysis
IPEN/MB-01
MTR Pool Type Reactor
IPEN/CNEN-SPSão Paulo5 MW
Research –Radioisotope Production
IEA-R1
TypeLocationPowerUtilizationName
Research Reactors in Brazil
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Introduction
IPR-R1 Research Reactor
ARGONAUTA Research Reactor
IPEN/MB-01 Research Reactor
IEA-R1 Research Reactor
Rio de JaneiroSão Paulo
Belo Horizonte
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationARGONAUTA Research Reactor
• Argonaut type reactor (Argonne National Laboratory Nuclear Assembly for University Training)• Installed in 1965 at the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN) of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission located at the Rio de Janeiro University Campus. • 500 W of maximum power • U3O8-Al MTR dispersion fuel type with 20% uranium enrichment. • Main utilization
– Teaching and training in reactor physics – Neutron radiography– Neutron activation analysis
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIPR-R1 Research Reactor
• TRIGA MarkI type reactor, produced by General Atomic Company, USA.
• Installed in 1960 at the previous Radioactive Research Institute (IPR), today the Nuclear Technology Developing Center (CDTN) of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission, located at Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Federal University Campus.
• 100 kW of maximum power for continuous operation.
• U-Zr-H Triga pin type fuel with 20% uranium enrichment.
• Main utilization: – Specific radioisotope production for industry, medical, agriculture and engineering applications.
– Neutron activation analysis.– Teaching and training in reactor physics.
– The reactor is one of the training tools for licensing the Brazilian nuclear power reactor operators.
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIPEN/MB-01 Research Reactor
• Designed and constructed with Brazilian technology. • Installed at the Energetic and Nuclear Research Institute (IPEN) of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission site, in Sao Paulo, had its first criticality in 1988. • 100 W of maximum power.• UO2 fuel pins with 4.3% uranium enrichment.• Main utilization:
– Validation of reactor physics methodology and nuclear data associated for PWR core analysis.
– Teaching and training in reactor physics.
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIPEN/MB-01 Research Reactor
• The international community recognizes some experiments performed at this reactor as benchmarking data.
• The experimental data obtained at the reactor are:– integral and differential reactivity worth of control rods;
– power calibration by foils activation and noise analysis;
– temperature and void reactivity coefficients;
– spatial and energetic flux distribution by foils activation and fission chambers detectors;
– reaction rates and spectral index measurement inside fuel rods; – buckling measurement with different “baffle” material and thickness;– criticality tests with different burnable poison– specific tests related to reactor physics.
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIEA-R1 Research Reactor
• Pool type research reactor, Babcock & Wilcox project.• Installed at the previous Atomic Energy Institute (IEA), presently the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission site, in Sao Paulo, inside the Sao Paulo University Campus,• The reactor achieved its first criticality on September 16, 1957.• 5 MW of maximum power (originally 2 MW)• The reactor originally used 93% enriched U-Al fuel elements, but now it uses 20% enriched uranium U3Si2-Al dispersion fuel produced at IPEN.
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIEA-R1 Research Reactor
Main Utilization
• Radioisotope Production– 131I (activation)– 99Mo (activation)– 153Sm– 192Ir– 198Au– 82Br– 41Ar
• Neutron Activation Analysis• Silicon Doping
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Research Reactor UtilizationIEA-R1 Research Reactor
• Neutron Beam Utilization– Neutron diffractometry– BNCT research– Neutron radiography– Photonuclear reactions
• Materials Irradiation– MTR Fuel mini plates irradiation– PWR Fuel mini rods irradiation
using pressurized rig– Structural material testing using
special rig with temperature control
• NDT analysis inside the pool– Dimensional inspection– Visual inspection– Gamma scanning– Sipping test
• Teaching and training.
Neutron Diffractometer # 1
Neutron Diffractometer # 2
Photonuclear Reaction
Neutron Radiography
BNCT
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Future Perspectives for RR UtilizationBrazilian Nuclear Program Review
• Electricity produced by nuclear power plants– Brazil will continue to use nuclear
energy in its electrical power generating matrix.
• Nuclear Fuel– Brazil has a significant uranium
ore reserve and domains the fuel cycle technology, including U enrichment.
– Increase of industrial activities for supplying the nuclear power plants needs.
• Nuclear Techniques Utilization– Increase of the nuclear
techniques applications and radioisotope utilization in the benefit of the society.
– Increase of autonomous technology development
• PNB Working Group• PNB Advisory Group
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Future Perspectives for RR UtilizationElectricity Produced by Nuclear Power Plants
• Two Nuclear Power Plants in Operation– Angra I – 650 MWe– Angra II – 1350 MWe
• One Nuclear Power Plant under construction ( 2014 )– Angra III – 1350 MWe
• Four Nuclear Power Plants proposed until 2030– > 1000 MWe (generation 3+)
• Modest participation in the electric power matrix (< 4%) 216.592.7Total
8.45.9Others
4.7-Wind
7.32Nuclear
32.614.9Thermal
16469.9Hydraulic
Planned Capacity 2030 (GW)
Installed Capacity 2005 (GW)
Source
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Future Perspectives for RR UtilizationNuclear Fuel Fabrication Industry (INB Plants)
400 tons/year of yellow cake
CaetitéBahiaMining
250 tons of U/year(Angra I e Angra II)
ResendeRio de JaneiroFuel Assembling
120 tons/year(Angra I and Angra II)
ResendeRio de Janeiro
UO2 Pellets Fabrication
TCAU route140 tons/year of UO2
ResendeRio de JaneiroReconversion
First module under commissioning
(Brazilian technology)Resende
Rio de JaneiroEnrichment
Planned ResendeRio de JaneiroConversion
CapacityLocationActivity
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Future Perspectives for RR UtilizationRadioisotope for Radiopharmaceutical
imported603,840Ir-192
imported1848I-125
imported815Lu-177
100% IEA-R15021Sm-153
imported71Cr-51
50% imported50% IEA-R12602,000I-131
imported30020,000Mo-99
CommentsUsers* per year
Total Activity per year(Ci)
RadioisotopeEvolução da Distribuição de Gerador de Tecnécio
-
5.000.000
10.000.000
15.000.000
20.000.000
25.000.000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Ano
mCi
Atividade (mCi)
Evolução da Distribuição de I-131 (em solução e em cápsula)
-
500.000
1.000.000
1.500.000
2.000.000
2.500.000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Ano
mCi
A t iv idade (mC i)
99mTc
131I
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Future Perspectives for RR UtilizationNew Multipurpose Research Reactor
• Due to the Brazilian nuclear program review proposals of increasing activities in the nuclear sector for the next decades;• Due to the fact that the industrial application of power reactor and nuclear fuel technology requires, for an autonomous development, the need of fuel and material testing under irradiation;• Due to the fact that the radioisotope production for radiopharmaceuticals application depends strongly on international suppliers;• Due to the fact that neutron beam applications, for fundamental and technological research, are limited with the actual infrastructure.
• The Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) is analyzing the costs and benefits of constructing a new research reactor in Brazil.
• This new research reactor should have neutron fluxes compatible to the multipurpose use and application needs.
IAEA Technical Meeting on Research Reactor Application for Materials Under High Neutron FluenceIAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, 17-21 November 2008 José Augusto Perrotta
Multipurpose Research Reactor Scope
MULTIPURPOSERESEARCHREACTOR
OPERATIONRADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION
DESIGN / CONSTRUCTION /COMMISSIONING
FUEL AND MATERIALTESTING
NEUTRONAPPLICATIONS
RADIOISOTOPESFOR MEDICINE
RADIOISOTOPES FOR INDUSTRY
RADIOISOTOPES FOR RESEARCH
FUEL IRRADIATION TEST
MATERIAL IRRADIATION TEST
NAA NTD
TEACHING ANDTRAINING NUCLEAR PHYSICS
MATERIALSSCIENCE
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
TECHNOLOGICAPPLICATIONS
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR DESIGNING
SITE DEFINITION
PLANT DESIGN
FABRICATION (CONTRACTS)
COMMISSIONINGCONSTRUCTION(CONTRACTS)
ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING
NUCLEAR LICENSING
FINANCIAL SUPPORT NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
INTERNATIONALPARTNERSHIPS
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR UTILIZATION, OPERATION,
AND MAINTENANCE
UF620% ENRICHED
FUEL ASSEMBLIES MANUFACTURE
U T IL IZ A T ION ,OP E R A T ION , A N D
MA IN T E N A N C E
WOR K S H OP S
I R R A D I A TE D F U E L
A N D H I GH LE V E L
WA S TE S TO
R A GEE X
P ER I M
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H O T C E L L S F O R
P O S T - IR R A D IA T IO N
A N A L Y S IS
EXPERI M ENTAL
DEVI CES FO R FUEL
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LAWS AND STANDARDS
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR UTILIZATION, OPERATION,
AND MAINTENANCE
C O L D A N D H O T
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L A B O R A T O R I E S
NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY