{"id":26935,"date":"2023-09-08T09:01:11","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T07:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/recursos-educativos\/hfir-el-reactor-de-isotopos-de-alto-flujo-en-oak-ridge-estados-unidos\/"},"modified":"2024-01-10T11:29:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T10:29:07","slug":"hfir-the-high-flux-isotope-reactor-at-oak-ridge-usa","status":"publish","type":"re_recurso","link":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/hfir-the-high-flux-isotope-reactor-at-oak-ridge-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"HFIR, the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge (USA)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR)<\/strong> is a research reactor located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commissioned in 1966 with 85 megawatts<\/strong>, the HFIR is the highest flux reactor-based research neutron source in the United States <\/strong>and provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any research reactor in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thermal and cold neutrons produced by HFIR are used to study physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, and biology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This reactor with an intense neutron flux, a constant power density, and constant length fuel cycles is used, every year, by more than 500 researchers<\/strong> to study neutron scattering in the fundamental properties of condensed matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reactor is moderated and cooled by light water and uses highly enriched uranium-235 as fuel<\/strong>. The operating cycles in HFIR last approximately 25 days and are typically seven cycles per year, and refueling the reactor is an extensive and complicated process that takes approximately 26 days.<\/p>\n\n\n

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HFIR fuel switching<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To increase its lifetime beyond 2050, the replacement of the beryllium reflector is planned. The planned shutdown for this task will provide an opportunity to install a cold source in the HB-2 radial beam tube, which would provide an unparalleled flux of cold neutron power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The neutron scattering research facilities at HFIR contain a collection of world-class instruments used for fundamental and applied research on the structure and dynamics of matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key isotopes<\/strong> routinely produced at HFIR include californium-252, nickel-63, selenium-75, actinium-227 and strontium-89.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HFIR is also used for medical, industrial, and research isotope production; research on severe neutron damage to materials, and neutron activation analysis to examine trace elements in the environment. In addition, the building houses a gamma irradiation facility that uses spent fuel assemblies and can provide high gamma doses for studies of the effects of radiation on materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent discoveries, made possible by neutrons in HFIR, are helping to unlock the secrets of materials and energy. This new knowledge is also leading to improvements in everyday products such as solar cells, hard disks, medicines, and biofuels. In addition, HFIR capabilities help solve crimes, and isotopes produced in HFIRs are driving the discovery of new elements and spaceflight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some fun facts about the HFIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n