Today we went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nuclear Reactor Laboratory to see a 6 MW nuclear reactor. When we first checked in we were given a meter that can detect the  surrounding uranium radiation level. By peeking through the hole we are were be able to see a ruler that showed us the radiation level sound us, and the changing scale will show how much radiation we are exposed in the environment. When I got mine it says about 23 curies.

Then we were having a great Lecture by Tom, the head of department, and we had a better understanding about what we should look in the laboratory and what we should avoid in there.

In the lecture he introduce us the process of fission which is a process that a neutron collides with a nucleus and the product will keep reacting with other neutron and other nucleus. The process creates heat in order to heat up the water and change to steam to turn the turbine generator and produce electricity.

Unfortunately, due to safety issue we were not allow to bring our cell-phone inside the lab. So there is no inside footage.

The MIT nuclear lab still provide the reactor to their student to access and do experiment on it. But they shut down the medical lab which they were using the radiation beam to strike the tumor in patients’ head. The medical examination was hard the patient was not supposed to move while in the process. And also he/she could not fall asleep due to the medical issue, they need a functioning brain. They have to lay there for 12 hours without moving. Then we get into the control room,  which is the second following picture. The control room have overview about everything in the lab. And the personnel can react on any emergency or any unexpected situation at the right moment without more serious damage. As we can see and imaging the further the control the less important it is.

After we finished the tour we have to exam out of the lab to see if we are under radiation expose. Also when we are returning the radiation meter we still need to check the meter if the meter changes to tell if we were exposed. When I return my meter it says 23 curies which is the same as when I came in.

This tour I have learn a great deal.  And I found out that the reactor lab is not as dangerous as I thought would be. During the lecture Tom told us that even taking the flight from New York to LA has more radiation than in the lab, which I found out quite stunning. But it kind of make sense that with out the “air” and cloud we will be on the higher atmosphere which will give us more radiation from the sun. And in the lab because it is well-protect therefore the radiation should be less than the flight to LA. I have seen a lots on this trip and now I have a better understanding of nuclear plant and how it generate energy. It is quite interesting  that I changed my point of view on the entire nuclear system.