The TRIGA Mark-II reactor of the University of Pavia is in operation since 1965. The annual operation time at nominal power of 250 kW is in the range of few hundreds hours per year depending on the time schedule of some experiments and research activities. The reactor is mainly used for NAA activity and for BNCT research. Few tens of hours per year are dedicated to students’ training courses. During the last two years the operation time has decreased mainly due to a better planning of the requests of irradiations (more multiple irradiations) and to the introduction of irradiation fares also for research activities. Despite of the reactor is under-utilized, the interest of the Italian industrial world to some specific techniques of analysis and diagnostic is growing while the interest of the University of Pavia in preserving such know how in the nuclear field is not under discussion (in Italy there are just three research reactor in operation and no more power plants). For these reasons the reactor will be kept in operation as long as possible into the next decade. The on-going US fuel return program has been discussed and, at present, the viewpoint is to continue to operate the reactor beyond 2006.
Operation Experience with the TRIGA Reactor of Pavia.
BORIO DI TIGLIOLE, ANDREA;
2004-01-01
Abstract
The TRIGA Mark-II reactor of the University of Pavia is in operation since 1965. The annual operation time at nominal power of 250 kW is in the range of few hundreds hours per year depending on the time schedule of some experiments and research activities. The reactor is mainly used for NAA activity and for BNCT research. Few tens of hours per year are dedicated to students’ training courses. During the last two years the operation time has decreased mainly due to a better planning of the requests of irradiations (more multiple irradiations) and to the introduction of irradiation fares also for research activities. Despite of the reactor is under-utilized, the interest of the Italian industrial world to some specific techniques of analysis and diagnostic is growing while the interest of the University of Pavia in preserving such know how in the nuclear field is not under discussion (in Italy there are just three research reactor in operation and no more power plants). For these reasons the reactor will be kept in operation as long as possible into the next decade. The on-going US fuel return program has been discussed and, at present, the viewpoint is to continue to operate the reactor beyond 2006.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
