F-1 (nuclear reactor)

{{Short description|Nuclear research reactor in Moscow, Russia}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = F-1

| name_official = Physics-1

| image = RIAN archive 500897 Control panel of the first Russian nuclear reactor.jpg

| image_caption = Control panel of the reactor

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|55|47|46|N|37|28|43|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = Soviet Union, now Russian Federation

| location = Moscow

| status = Permanent Shutdown

| construction_began = {{start date and age|1946|11|15|df=y}}

| commissioned = {{start date and age|1946|12|26|df=y}}

| decommissioned =

| cost =

| owner = Russian Research Centre, Kurchatov Institute

| operator = Russian Research Centre, Kurchatov Institute

| np_reactor_type = Graphite Pile

| np_reactor_supplier = Russia

| ps_units_manu_model =

| ps_electrical_capacity=

| ps_electrical_cap_fac= 24 kW

| website =

| extra =

| th_fuel_primary = {{convert|46411|kg|abbr=on}} of natural uranium metal

| th_fuel_tertiary = {{convert|41|kg|abbr=on}} of 2% enriched uranium

}}

The F-1 (from "First Physical Reactor") is a research reactor operated by the Kurchatov Institute in Moscow, Russia. When started on December 25, 1946, it became the first nuclear reactor in Europe to achieve a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.{{cite web|url=https://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Russia/Russreac.html|title=The World's Oldest Operating Reactor: The Russian F-1|work=The Nuclear Weapon Archive|accessdate=25 December 2010}} It was still in operation in the beginning of the 2010s, with a power level of 24 kW, making it, at that time, the world's oldest operating reactor. The fuel in F-1 is metallic uranium with the natural content of the 235 U isotope (0.72%), graphite as a moderator, and cadmium rods to control the neutron flux. The spherical structure with a diameter of about 6 meters is made of loose graphite bricks. The graphite stack has holes in which fuel and control rods are placed, as well as research and control equipment. The weight of graphite is 400 tons, uranium is 50 tons.

Thermal power of the reactor is from 100 W to 1 MW. Air cooling, if necessary, was provided by fans. Long-term operation at high power was not possible, but the large mass of the core allowed a short-term increase in power to peak values.{{cite web|url=http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/russia/reactor/research/with/kurchato.htm#f1|title=Division of System Analysis Elektronika Information and Computer Complex Engineering and Production Division|last=Vakhroucheva|first=Elizaveta|work=Kurchatov Institute|publisher=NTI|accessdate=25 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115212712/http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/russia/reactor/research/with/kurchato.htm#f1|archive-date=15 January 2009|url-status=dead}} In November 2016 it was in permanent shutdown state.{{cite web|url=https://nucleus.iaea.org/RRDB/RR/HeaderInfo.aspx?RId=318|title=IAEA Research Reactor Database|accessdate=29 November 2016}}