Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a nuclear reactor laboratory on campus which is used for research, experiments, and educational purposed. Last week Prof. Shatz, a MIT alumni took our class to see the reactor in person. First we sat through a lecture about the history of the reactor to get a little background information before seeing it in person. Then we were able to go and see the reactor in person. To understand how the reactor works it is important to understand what fission is. Not to get confused with fusion, fission is when atoms are split into two parts. Fission uses uranium 235, doesn’t burn, and doesn’t release CO2 into the environment. Fission can happen to any element for example carbon and oxygen can undergo fission.
History
The MIT reactor was constructed in 1958 and was upgraded in 1975.The reactor is 2 ft tall and 1 ft in width. The system operates 24/7 with a 6MW terminal power. It is the second largest academic research reactor in the United States.
Reactor Contains
~Tank type – light water to cool and moderate
~Two loop cooling systems to moderate the cooling tower
~Uses very heavy water for neutron reflection
~Graphite outer reflector
~Rector is very small (2ft tall, 1ft width)
Outside of the reactor
Reactor Capability
~Advanced material and fuel research
~Water chemistry, loop testing
~Capable of performing up to 3 in core experiments at the same time for the fights neuron fluxes
~Emits a blue light
~Contains more radiation than a airplane
~The basement has a nutron detector used for medical purposes
~Control room observes the room reactor is in
When we were on the tour the room the reactor was large but the place where the reaction takes place is very small. A lot of the space in the room was used for storage. Before we left the lobby we needed to keep a little stick that would measure how much radiation we would experience on the tour. People who have previously undergone radiation therapy are not advised to go on the tour. Cell phones, backpacks were not allowed on the tour. Before entering the room we had to go into an air tight chamber which would decrease the pressure to match the pressure in the reactors room. It was not noticeable but I felt like a was a little light headed on the tour. When leaving the tour we had to make sure we were at safe levels to leave and return back to the lobby. Before going on the tour I expected the reactor to be huge but it is not. Also I did not know how much radiation I would get going on the tour. I would recommend this tour to any person interested in sciences because it was exciting to see how a prestigious lab works.