Reactor Administration and Organization
NRL currently employs 50 individuals. This is broken down into six groups which include: 5 senior staff; 4 research staff; 7 technical staff; 8 technical support staff; 1 administrative staff; 3 administrative support staff; 2 technicians; 15 part- time student/operators and 5 student trainees. In general, NRL support staff, student employees, and technicians have specific responsibilities to reactor administration, research development, reactor engineering, or reactor operations.
Reactor Utilization and Research Development
The MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory is an interdepartmental research center that operates a 5 MW reactor in support of MIT’s educational and research missions. The reactor began 24/7 research and teaching service to MIT in July of 1958. MITR–II is equipped with many experimental facilities. Service to the outside community includes research in nuclear medicine, environmental trace element analysis, operational safety for commercial reactors, and neutron transmutation doping of silicon for high-energy applications.
- The core of the reactor is about the size of a 30 galon trash can
- High Enriched Uranium is used to fuel the nuclear reactor
- There are 6 Boron & Stainless steel blades are raised or lowered to control the rate of nuclear fission
- The nuclear reactor creates nutrons which are used for research
- Water is used to moderate the nuclear reaction by cooling the uranium rods
- Heavy Water, also known as DH2O, surrounds the core reactor and acts as a radiation shield
- A layer of graphite is used as an additional shield
- There are many safety fail safes installed to prevent a nuclear meltdown
- The Seismic Scram is an automatic shutoff that is triggered by an earthquake. The reactor will cease to conduct nuclear fission, but the cooling system will continue to operate even after shut down. There are natural connection valves that continuously recirculate the water that cools the fuel rods.
In the past, NRL senior staff divided their expertise in four areas: reactor administration, reactor engineering, reactor utilization, and reactor operations. However, due to the increased volume of research being conducted at NRL and the prospect of even more research developing should it become a national user facility, it was determined that reactor utilization should be expanded to include research development. The new head of research development at NRL, and she and her staff will ensure that MIT and outside users of NRL have the best possible assistance in utilizing the reactor and its irradiation facilities. Tasks assigned to this group include:
- Developing NRL into a premier National User Center
- Building a national user facility for advanced fuel and materials research
- Supporting the Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT) User Center for animal irradiations and chemical compound development
- Providing a research and service infrastructure that utilizes MITR for trace element analysis, isotope production, and irradiation services
- Supporting an outreach program to the educational community to encourage understanding of nuclear energy and its applications
Reactor Engineering
Dr. Bernard teach subject 22.921 Nuclear Power Plant Dynamics and Control, and offer’s also review classes on engineering fundamentals for NSE students in the radiological sciences. Both activities make use of the reactor for illustrating theoretical concepts. Reactor engineering staff include Mr. Thomas Newton, Dr. Gordon Kohse, and Mr. Yakov Ostrovsky.
Reactor Operations
The group consists of both full-time employees (mostly ex-Navy nuclear-qualified personnel) and part-time MIT students. All members of the group are licensed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and most hold a senior reactor operator license. At present, there are 30 licensed individuals (15 full-time employees, 15 part-time students). All, including the management team, perform reactor shift duties to support the 24 hours/day, 7 days/week operating schedule. In addition to the operators, there are two full-time technicians for reactor mechanical maintenance.
Organizational Diversity
NRL supports MIT’s affirmative action goals. Currently there are 28 full-time and 18 part-time employees at NRL. Twenty-five positions are held by women and/or minorities; of these, out of a total of 16 engineering and management positions, five are held by women and/or minorities. . As part of NRL’s ongoing mission to train reactor operators, there is always a rotating group of MIT students. The current roster of 16 active students includes seven women, of whom six are minorities, and nine men, of whom 4 are minorities. NRL participated in the DOE’s program for minority training in reactor operations. One of our current senior reactor operators is a graduate of this program and has become our training coordinator.
Research And Development
In addition to providing a first-class, state-of-the-art facility for research that responds to present day issues and concerns, NRL is also looking ahead in order to meet future challenges. One particular challenge that needs to be addressed is the US reliance on fossil fuels. Currently, only 20% of the US’s energy resources are provided by nuclear power. Reluctance to increase that percentage is due to the public’s concern that nuclear energy is not a safe or environmentally sound alternative. The proposed Generation-IV (Gen-IV) Program, which is a major research and development initiative to design, build, and operate Gen-IV reactors that will provide the United States with an economical, safe, and reliable energy source, will counter that perception. NRL is uniquely quailfied to be a key contributor to the design and performance of experiments for the evaluation of the advanced materials and fuels that are needed for Gen-IV reactors.
Operational Safety
Many years ago, MIT established a very effective means of insuring safe operation of the reactor by appointing independent individuals to a committee known as the MIT Reactor Safeguards Committee (MITRSC). Members of that committee are from MIT as well as from industry. They meet regularly during the year and these meetings are comprised, depending on subject matter to be discussed, of a full committee or established standing subcommittees. They are ultimately responsible for overseeing all nuclear safety issues related to the reactor and insuring that reactor operation is consistent with MIT policy, rules, operating procedures, and licensing requirements. However, each and every member of the NRL organization is keenly aware that safe operation of the nuclear reactor at MIT is their top priority. This level of awareness is achieved by the excellent guidance and continuous training provided by the NRL management team. An environment of cooperation and attentiveness to detail among reactor employees and experimenters regarding all reactor safety matters is essential. As a result of this approach to safety, each and every individual employed at the reactor can be proud of the NRL’s outstanding safety and operating record, which is evidenced by the results of inspections by the NRC.
Major Reactor Services
MITR produces about $1.2 million worth of neutron-transmutation-doped (NTD) silicon per year. This is commercial income and the funds are used to offset operating costs. The market for NTD silicon remains strong despite improvements in the chemical production of the material and the MIT program continued for a successful ninth year. Approximately 10 metric tons of silicon crystals were accurately irradiated in shielded, automated irradiation facilities at MITR.
MIT Research Reactor
The MIT research reactor completed its 46th year of operation. The reactor operated continuously (seven days per week) to support major experiments. On average, it was operated 103 hours per week at its design power level of 5 MW. The number of specimen irradiations was 251 on a total of 566 samples; 54 of these irradiations were in the medical rooms, many in support of the NCT program for the treatment of brain cancer and subcutaneous melanoma. Theses and publications on research supported by the reactor are running at about five and 20 per year, respectively. Approximately 1,470 people toured the MIT Research Reactor from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.
Relicensing and Redesign
On 8 July 1999, a formal application was submitted to NRC to relicense the reactor for an additional 20 years and to upgrade the power level to 6 MW. The relicensing package included a complete rewrite of the Safety Analysis Report and the Technical Specifications. The process of relicensing is long and arduous and involves many interactions and communications between NRL and NRC. One major form of communication is a series of questions (from NRC) and answers (provided by NRL) on technical specifications and safety analyses. NRL has responded to the third installment of the first set of questions received from NRC. Until the relicensing approval process is completed, NRC has authorized the continued operation of MITR. This mode of operation has been ongoing since 1999.
Sources:
web.mit.edu
wikipedia.com
tech.mit.edu/V130/N27/reactor