S. Korea completes upgrade on research reactor

research reactor-development


DAEJEON, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has effectively completed work to
upgrade its 30 megawatt nuclear reactor into one of the most versatile and
capable reactors in the world, a state-run atomic energy institute said Monday.

The Daejeon-based Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), located 160
kilometers south of Seoul, said its High-flux Advanced Neutron Application
Reactor (HANARO) unit has been transformed to produce "cold neutrons" and
incorporate a fuel test loop (FTL) system.
"The ability to produce cold neutrons and have an FTL system makes HANARO a truly
multipurpose reactor," a KAERI press release said. It added that the single unit
can now carry out all the tasks of a research reactor.
A research reactor does not generate power, but produces isotopes for medical and
industrial purposes and is used to conduct various scientific and engineering
studies. It can also be used to train expert personnel.
KAERI said construction of facilities to make cold neutrons began in 2003 and
cost around 60.0 billion won (US$52.3 million), while 24.0 billion won was used
for the FTL system from 2001.
Cold neutrons have low energy levels and long wavelengths, making them ideal for
various research into nano and biological structures.
This capability can translate into the production of next-generation electronic
parts, computer chips, displays and nano-materials. It can also be employed to
develop treatment materials for incurable diseases and spur convergence between
the nanotech, biotech and information technology areas.
Cold neutrons are produced by rapidly cooling the thermal neutrons made by the
reactor with liquid hydrogen and sending them through a "neutron guide" pipe to a
Cold Neutron Research Facility.
The atomic research institute said it is building seven "neutron scattering
facilities" in the coming months that can allow the neutrons to be used in
experiments.
It added that the quality of the cold neutrons, measured by "neutron flux" is the
third-highest in the world after those made by France's ILL and Germany's FRM-2
reactors.
The institute said the FTL system will give the country the ability to fully test
future nuclear fuel material without relying on outside help.
All newly developed nuclear fuel must be checked thoroughly for safety. South
Korea, which did not have this capability in the past, had to send such materials
abroad, which delayed production and raised costs. It exports local technology
used to make the fuel to agencies overseas.
KAERI insiders, meanwhile said the latest capabilities make HANARO unique and
could boost the country's overall competitiveness in the global research reactor
market, where many developing countries are trying to build research reactors of
their own.
"Such countries may not all have a lot of money, so they want to have
multipurpose capabilities in one or two reactors they can afford," a researcher
who declined to be identified said. A basic reactor that can make radioactive
isotopes costs around 200 billion won, although some more advanced units cost up
to 1 trillion won. Argentina is a major exporter of research reactors, with
France, Russia and China also selling units abroad.
South Korea is set to win a deal to build a 5 megawatt research reactor in Jordan
by 2014 and said it wants to place itself in a good position to win more orders,
as up to 50 new orders may be placed by 40 countries in the next 15 years. There
are currently about 240 research reactors in the world.
The country started using the "open-tank" HANARO in 1995 and has acquired all the
technology to build similar reactors without outside help.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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