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05.03.2019

THE IVG.1M RESEARCH REACTOR

Water-cooled research reactor IVG.1M was established in 1990 based on modernization of a high-temperature gas-cooled IVG.1 reactor commissioned in 1975 and initially intended for testing of fuel elements and NRE FAs. During modernization the gas-cooled reactor core was replaced with water-cooling one.

Technical specifications of the IVG.1M reactor:

Design thermal output ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 72 MW

Core effective diameter ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 548 mm

Core height ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 800 mm

Uranium-235 charge in the core…………………………………………………………………………………. 4.6 kg

Thermal neutron flux density …………………………………………………………………………………….. 3,5×1014 n/cm2 · s

Water flow rate through the reactor …………………………………………………………………………… up to 380 kg/s

Maximum reactor temperature at the reactor output………………………………………………… 95 °С  

On the subject of NRE in the IVG.1 reactor, four experimental cores were tested, equipped with technological channels of various design modifications.

Obtained results (fully kept integrity and almost fully kept initial fuel element strength) confirmed high efficiency of NRE fuel elements.

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a)

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б)
Standard NRE fuel elements in the initial state (а) after experiments (b) removed from cores of different heating sections

 

1 – internal steel vessel;

2 – sleeve made of incomplete pyrographite (IPG);

3 – zirconium carbidographite (ZCG) holder;

4 – fuel elements
Fragment of a technological experimental channel (TEC) in the initial state (а) and after tests (b) in 12 start-ups of the IVG.1 reactor

The main studies, which are currently carried out at the IVG.1M reactor:

– study of permeability parameters and hydrogen isotope accumulation in structural materials during reactor irradiation at LIANA test-bench;

– study of a first-wall material behavior of a fusion reactor under conditions of emergency situation simulation;

– simulation of a radiation impact on biological objects;

– conversion of the IVG.1M reactor to low-enriched uranium fuel and many others.