Miniature neutron source reactor

The Chinese built Miniature Neutron Source reactor (MNSR) is a small and compact research reactor modeled on the Canadian HEU SLOWPOKE-2 design.

The MNSR is tank-in-pool type, with highly enriched fuel (~ 90% U235 ). The tank is immersed in a large pool, and the core is, in turn, immersed in the tank. The maximum nominal power is ~ 30 kW, the power being removed by natural convection. The central core is formed of about 347 fuel rods, with 4 tie rods and 3 dummy elements distributed on a total of ten circles, each consisting of a number of fuel rods ranging between 6 and 62. A thick beryllium reflector (~ 10 cm) surrounds the core radially.

China operates three MNSRs and has supplied Ghana, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria with reactors of this type as well as the highly enriched uranium (HEU) to fuel them. Since 1978, various national and international activities have been underway to convert research and test reactors from the use of HEU to LEU fuel.{{cite web

| url =https://www.iaea.org/projects/crp/t12020

| title =CRP on Conversion of Miniature Neutron Source Research Reactors (MNSR) to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU)

| last =

| first =

| date =13 January 2014

| website =Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Waste Technology

| publisher =International Atomic Energy Agency

| access-date =25 October 2015

| quote = }}

List of all MNSR reactors built around the world

Research centers that operate or have previously operated an MNSR:

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

!Reactor Name

!Country

!City

!Institution

!Status

!Enrichment

!Operation Date

!Closure Date

!Notes

MNSR IAE

|China

|Beijing

|China Institute of Atomic Energy

|Operational

|12.5%, LEU

|1984

|Converted to LEU in 2016.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-29 |title=One of China's MNSR reactors converted to LEU |url=https://fissilematerials.org/blog/2016/03/one_of_chinas_mnsr_reacto.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=IPFM Blog |language=en-us}}

In-Hospital Neutron Irradiator-Mark 1 (IHNI-1)

|China

|Beijing

Capture Technology Co. Ltd (BCTC)

|Operational

|12.5%, LEU{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Zizhu |last2=Liu |first2=Tong |date=2018-10-30 |title=A review of the development of In-Hospital Neutron Irradiator-1 and boron neutron capture therapy clinical research on malignant melanoma |url=https://tro.amegroups.org/article/view/4648 |journal=Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology |language=en |volume=2 |page=49 |doi=10.21037/tro.2018.10.03 |doi-access=free |issn=2616-2768}}

|2009

MNSR-SD

|China

|Jinan

|Shandong University of Science and Technology

|Permanent Shutdown

|90%, HEU

|1988

|2010

MNSR-SH

|China

|Shanghai

|Shanghai Institute of Measurement And Testing Technology

|Permanent Shutdown

|90%, HEU

|1991

|2008

MNSR-SZ

|China

|Shenzhen

|Shenzhen University

|Operational

|90%, HEU{{Cite book |url=https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21818/chapter/4 |title=Read "Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors" at NAP.edu |date=2016 |doi=10.17226/21818 |isbn=978-0-309-37918-2 |language=en}}

|1988

Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1)

|Ghana

|Accra

|Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

|Operational

|13%, LEU{{Cite journal |last1=Odoi |first1=H. C. |last2=Abrefah |first2=R. G. |last3=Aboh |first3=I. J. K. |last4=Gbadago |first4=J. K. |last5=Birikorang |first5=S. A. |last6=Amponsh-Abu |first6=E. O. |date=October 2015 |title=Implementation of Reactor Core Conversion Program of GHARR-1 |url=https://www.rertr.anl.gov/RERTR36/pdfs/S2P1_Odoi_Paper.pdf |journal=36th International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors |location=Seoul, South Korea}}

|1994

|Converted to LEU in 2017.{{Cite web |title=Ghanaian research reactor now set to run on LEU - World Nuclear News |url=https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Ghanaian-research-reactor-now-set-to-run-on-LEU |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=world-nuclear-news.org}}

ENTC MNSR

|Iran

|Isfahan

|Isfahan Nuclear Technology/Research Center

|Operational

|90%, HEU

|1994

Nigeria research reactor-1 (NIRR-1)

|Nigeria

|Zaria

|Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT)

|Operational

|13%, LEU{{Cite journal |last1=Simon |first1=J. |last2=Ibrahim |first2=Y. V. |last3=Adeyemo |first3=D. J. |last4=Garba |first4=N. N. |last5=Asuku |first5=A. |date=2021-11-01 |title=Comparative analysis of core life-time for the NIRR-1 HEU and LEU cores |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149197021003309 |journal=Progress in Nuclear Energy |volume=141 |pages=103970 |doi=10.1016/j.pnucene.2021.103970 |bibcode=2021PNuE..14103970S |issn=0149-1970}}

|2004

|Converted to LEU in 2018.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-20 |title=Nigeria Converts its Research Reactor from HEU to LEU Fuel |url=https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/nigeria-converts-its-research-reactor-from-heu-to-leu-fuel |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=www.iaea.org |language=en}}

Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor-2 (PARR-2)

|Pakistan

|Islamabad

|Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology

|Operational

|90.2%, HEU{{Cite journal |last1=Bokhari |first1=Ishtiaq Hussain |last2=Pervez |first2=Showket |date=2010-01-01 |title=Safety analysis for core conversion (from HEU to LEU) of Pakistan research reactor-2 (PARR-2) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029549309005032 |journal=Nuclear Engineering and Design |volume=240 |issue=1 |pages=123–128 |doi=10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.10.009 |bibcode=2010NuEnD.240..123B |issn=0029-5493}}

|1989

SRR-1

|Syria

|Damascus

|Atomic Energy Commission of Syria (AECS)

|Operational

|90%, HEU

|1998

Miniature neutron source reactor

List of all MNSR reactors built around the world

References

See also