Russia’s Research Institute for Atomic Reactors (RIAR) in Dimitrovgrad has completed design and preparatory work for a proposed new fast reactor to replace its BOR-60 (BOR – fast experimental reactor) which is nearing the end of its design life.
The BOR-60 was the prototype sodium-cooled reactor for the BN-350, BN-600 and BN-800 commercial reactors. It is used extensively to test types and designs of fuel rods and assemblies; ceramic, metal or vibro-packed fuel, absorbing materials (control rods) and reactor structural materials. Post irradiation examination is conducted in associated hot cells.
Construction of the BOR-60 began in 1964 and the reactor reached first criticality in 1968. The reactor’s deputy chief engineer, Leonard Nechaev, told NucNet that it is now licensed to operate until 2010 – at which time it is hoped that a replacement – the BOR-60M – will be in place. He said the new reactor will provide for a further 30 years of experimentation and will have improved safety features and more experimental facilities.
Mr Nechaev added that the vessel and some circuitry of the new BOR-60M will be put in place before the existing reactor is shut down. Finding funds for the new reactor will be “a problem”, because RIAR gets only 10% of its funds from the federal budget. The rest comes from commercial and contract work. However, Mr Nechaev believes the money will be found because of the importance of the reactor not just to RIAR, but also for Russian nuclear research in general.
RIAR research resulted in Russia’s Beloyarsk-3 BN-600 fast reactor last year burning its first 10 kilogrammes of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel – manufactured from weapons-grade plutonium [see News No. 233, 21st July 2003]. The BOR-60 also provides heat and electricity to the RIAR site [see News No. 37, 21st January 1999].
The BOR-60’s uses include investigations on sodium technology, power and heat generation and a radioisotope production project. Work is also under way on boron regeneration for use in control rods in the BOR-60 and BN-600. Russia is also using the BOR-60 to study the fuel cycle of the country’s planned lead-cooled BREST fast reactor [see News No. 281, 30th July 1998] – as a contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles project (INPRO). The BOR-60 is also used to train operators of Russia’s Beloyarsk BN-600 and operators of fast reactors in India, France and China.
