What types of research reactors are there?

Research reactors serve much more diverse purposes than nuclear power plants, so it is not surprising that there are many types of research reactors than nuclear power plants.

In fact, the diversity is so wide that there are several broad criteria or parameters for classifying them. Of these, the most intuitive seems to be first, by power, and second, by use. Both parameters are intrinsically related to the cost of the project and to the magnitude of the radioactive inventory involved.

Taking these criteria into account, research reactors are classified as follows:

Very low power reactors (in the order of watts)

These are known as 'critical facilities' and their primary use is for the determination of the neutron characteristics of a core to be used in a larger project.

Some university reactors are also of this type.

100 kW to a few MW reactors

University reactors are the most representative of this type because they are extremely versatile and can be used for teaching, research, marginal radioisotope production or materials testing.

Most of the research reactors built in the world belong to this type.

Reactors with power ratings close to 10 MW

Their main use is for radioisotope production, although they are also important tools for neutron beam research and materials and fuel testing.

Tens of MW reactors

These reactors are considered to be very powerful and are generally used for advanced neutron beam research.

The objective is usually to obtain very high neutron fluxes in considerable volumes, with the consequent need for high powers and power densities.

Because of these requirements, the design of this type of reactor is the most demanding of all.

Research reactor
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