Results of Operation and Utilization of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor (DNRR) with the nominal power of 500 kW was reconstructed and upgraded from the USA 250-kW TRIGA Mark-II reactor built in early 1960s. The renovated reactor was put into operation on 20th March 1984. It was designed for the purposes of radioisotope production (RI), neutron activation analysis (NAA), basic and applied researches, and nuclear education and training. During the last 30 years of operation, the DNRR was efficiently utilized for producing many kinds of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine centers and other users in industry, agriculture, hydrology and scientific research; developing a combination of nuclear analysis techniques (INAA, RNAA, PGNAA) and physic-chemical methods for quantitative analysis of about 70 elements and constituents in various samples; carrying out experiments on the reactor horizontal beam tubes for nuclear data measurement, neutron radiography and nuclear structure study; and establishing nuclear training and education programs for human resource development. This paper presents the results of operation and utilization of the DNRR. In addition, some main reactor renovation projects carried out during the last 10 years are also mentioned in the paper.
Article Details
Keywords
DNRR, HEU, LEU, RRRFR, RERTR, WWR-M2, NAA, INAA, RNAA, PGNAA
References
[2] Duong Van Dong, Status of Radioisotope Production and Application in Vietnam, Dalat Sym. RR-PI-09, Dalat, (2009).
[3] V. V. Le, T. N. Huynh, B. V. Luong, V. L. Pham, J. R. Liaw, J. Matos, Comparative Analyses for Loading LEU Instead of HEU Fuel Assemblies in the DNRR, RERTR Int’l Meeting, Boston, (2005).
[4] P.V. Lam, N.N. Dien, T.D. Hai, L.B. Vien, L.V. Vinh, H.T. Nghiem, N.M. Tuan and N.K. Cuong, Results of the reactor control system replacement and reactor core conversion at the Dalat nuclear research reactor, The 12th Annual Topical Meeting on Research Reactor Fuel Management, Hamburg, Germany, (2008).
[5] P.V. Lam, N.N. Dien, L.V. Vinh, H.T. Nghiem, L.B. Vien and N.K. Cuong, Neutronics and thermal hydraulics calculation for full core conversion from HEU to LEU fuel of the Dalat nuclear research reactor, RERTR Int’l Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, (2010).
[6] L.B. Vien, L.V. Vinh, H.T. Nghiem and N.K. Cuong, Transient/ accident analyses for full core conversion from HEU to LEU fuel of the Dalat nuclear research reactor, RERTR Int’l Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, (2010).
[7] C.D. Vu, Study on application of k0-IAEA at Dalat research reactor, Project report (code CS/09/01-01), (2010).
[8] N.N. Dien, L.B. Vien, P.V. Lam, L.V. Vinh, H.T. Nghiem, N.K. Cuong, N.M. Tuan, N.M. Hung, P.Q. Huy, T. Q. Duong, V.D.H. Dang, T.C. Su, T.T. Vien, Some main results of commissioning of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor with low enriched fuel, Nuclear Research Institute, (2012).
[9] Safety Analysis Report (SAR) for the Dalat Research Reactor, Dalat, (2012).